Business Studies in Healthcare Management (BA)
Would you like to take on management positions in the healthcare sector?
Are you fascinated by the booming healthcare industry? Would you like to drive digitalisation in the healthcare sector? Would you like to work in an area that directly helps other people and has social significance? This practical and interdisciplinary degree programme will provide you with specialist knowledge of the German healthcare system as well as business management skills:
- Medicine, nursing and therapy
- Personnel and organisational management
- Controlling and process management
- Information and transformation management
This will enable you to take on management positions in the traditional areas of the healthcare sector, such as hospitals, rehabilitation or care facilities, and also work in the fields of pharmaceuticals, medical technology, health insurance companies or consulting and auditing. Start-ups, entrepreneurship and innovative, digital services are also a focus. There are also attractive career opportunities in occupational health management, interest groups and management consultancies.
What are you interested in?
About the programme
Contents of the degree programme
The degree programme "Business Administration in the Health Sector" deals with business administration with a focus on the health sector. In addition, specialised knowledge such as medicine and therapy, information management, team development and process management are taught. The focus is always on the practical application of the acquired knowledge. The knowledge is put into practice in various transfer projects as well as in the practical semester.
Area of business administration (BWL) / health management:
General business administration, business administration of the health sector, introduction to economics, health economics, accounting, controlling, business law, personnel management and organisation, personnel management, finance.
Complementary specialist knowledge:
Information management, basics of medicine, nursing and therapy, medical law, team development and conflict resolution, process management.
Methods:
Mathematics, business English, statistics, scientific work, application-oriented methods of empirical social research.
Differentiation from the degree programme DIH
What is the difference between the Business Studies in Healthcare Management (BGW) degree programme and the Digital Health (DIH) degree programme?
Both degree programmes aim to optimally prepare you for a career in the healthcare sector, but with different focuses and orientations.
Business Studies in Healthcare Management (BGW)
BGW is perfect for anyone who wants to dive into the business side of healthcare. On this degree programme, you will acquire in-depth knowledge of business administration that is specifically tailored to the requirements of the healthcare sector. You will learn how to manage healthcare organisations efficiently, control costs and make strategic decisions to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare. The focus here is on management, controlling and the economic analysis of healthcare organisations. But that’s not all: In this people-intensive industry, it is essential to identify necessary changes and harness the potential of digitalisation. This can only be achieved in collaboration with healthcare professionals. Therefore, HR management, process optimisation, as well as change management, also play an important role in the programme.
Digital Health (DIH)
DIH, on the other hand, is aimed at students who have a passion for digital innovations in the healthcare sector. This degree programme focuses on digital transformation and the use of technology to optimise processes in medicine and care. You will be trained in areas of healthcare informatics such as application systems, programme development, databases and analysis as well as AI. The aim is to develop solutions that improve patient care and make it more efficient. DIH combines technical expertise with management skills and prepares you to actively shape the digital future of healthcare.
Differences at a glance
While BGW has a strong business focus and concentrates on the management of healthcare facilities, the DIH focusses on digital transformation and the use of modern technologies in the healthcare sector. Both degree programmes offer excellent career prospects and are designed to give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in the healthcare industry.
Whether you choose BGW or DIH, HNU is the best place to start a promising career in healthcare!
Structure of the degree programme
Semester 1-3:
Theoretical foundations in the 3 pillars
- Economics / Health Management
- Complementary specialist knowledge
- Methodological tools
Semester 4:
- Practical semester
Semester 5-6:
- Specialisation subjects
- Transfer projects
- Supplementary subject knowledge
- Economics/Health Management
Semester 7:
- Specialisation subject
- Compulsory elective subject (can be chosen from the entire range of courses offered by the university)
- Economics/Health Management
- Bachelor thesis
Special features
The degree programme is suitable both for high school graduates and as further academic training for people who have completed vocational training in the healthcare sector.
The programme's proven practical relevance is reflected in various cooperative projects as well as in collaborations with the university's Innovation Space.
Career perspectives
The health care sector is an industry with great growth and employment opportunities: currently, one in eight employees in Germany already works in this sector. It is assumed that the number will continue to rise, by 0.8 percent annually. Business economists with in-depth knowledge of the sector are in particular demand among employers in:
- Nursing homes, rehabilitation clinics, hospitals
- Pharmaceutical/medical technology/products companies
- Health insurance companies
- Outpatient service providers, e.g. MVZs, practices, outpatient care services
- Manufacturers/service providers whose customers are active in the health sector
- Consultancies, software companies, etc.
- Non-profit organisations in the health sector, e.g. Caritas, Malteser, Diakonie, Johanniter, etc.
- Public institutions in the health sector, e.g. ministries
- Associations and institutions in the health sector
- Companies with their own company health management
Specialisation subjects in the areas of quality management, procurement, marketing, auditing and human resources, among others, provide targeted orientation with regard to the future occupational field in the further course of the degree programme. Depending on your subject profile, you will be well trained for specialist and management tasks in the following areas:
- Cost and revenue controlling, budget negotiations, finance and accounting, investment and financial planning, auditing
- Medical controlling, patient accounting and receivables management
- Personnel management, personnel development, organisational development
- Purchasing management
- Occupational health management
- Quality management
- Marketing, public relations, sales of medical technology and pharmaceutical products
- Facility management and logistics
- e-Health and information management
- Risk management
- Facility management
- Start-ups
Practice and stays abroad
The high application orientation of the degree programme is underlined by a practical semester. You will also work on three different practical projects during your time on the programme. Here you will work in a team to implement the methods and theories you have learnt. You will be guided and supervised by professors with many years of practical experience and expertise in various areas of healthcare management.
It is possible to spend a semester abroad and/or complete an internship abroad. Shorter stays such as short internships, language courses or summer and winter schools are also offered.
Contribution and fees
There are no tuition fees. A semester fee (administrative fees and solidarity fee) is charged per semester. Information on this can be found on the page "HNU - Fees and Re-registration (opens in a new window)".
Study documents
Curriculums
Module handbooks
Study- and examination regulations
- Studien- und Prüfungsordnung (vom 24.07.2019), zuletzt geändert durch die Änderungssatzung vom 24.06.2025 (gültig ab 01.03.2026)
(opens in a new window) - Studien- und Prüfungsordnung (vom 24.07.2019), zuletzt geändert durch die Änderungssatzung vom 08.04.2025 (gültig 09.04.2025-28.02.2026)
(opens in a new window) - Study and Examination Regulations (dated 24.07.2019, last amended by the Amendment Statute dated 09.02.2023) (DE)
(opens in a new window)
Dual studies
Dual studies at HNU combine academic learning with practical experience. At HNU, this is implemented through the model of studies with practical experience, which integrates extended phases of work experience into the degree programme.
Although the term “Dual studies” is not commonly used in English-speaking countries, it has become a well-established concept in Germany. Internationally, it may also be referred to as a dual study programme, cooperative education, work-study programme or work-integrated learning.
Requirements & Application
Admission requirements
- At least advanced technical college entrance qualification (valid in Bavaria)
- For international applicants: German C1
- The programme is approval-free
Application periods
For the winter semester: 02.05. - 15.07.
For the summer semester: 15.11. - 15.01., extended to 23.02.2026
Application
You can apply for the degree programme in our application portal within the application deadlines:
Voices on the degree programme
I particularly like the fact that the compulsory internship already takes place in the fourth semester. The early practical experience supports the decision when choosing between the many different specialisation subjects and offers the opportunity to incorporate practical experience into the lectures.
Contact
Head of the degree programme & Subject advisor:
Prof. Dr. Alexander Würfel
