Nikolas Jack Altran about BA Data Science & Business at BI

The learning environment fostered at Berlin International is student-centered, hands-on, and has a strong focus on an applied, practitioner approach. Our teaching concept focuses on project-based learning and uses a number of innovative teaching techniques, such as case-based teaching, analytical labs and real-life simulations. Students work individually and in groups in order to promote professional and personal growth and the development of team skills. All Bachelor and Master programs at Berlin International are taught in English. In combination with our diverse student and teaching body and our global network, this enables us to offer a truly international academic experience.

All our Business students acquire the necessary foundations for successful further study during the first year of their program — no prior knowledge is required. The second and third years then focus on students’ chosen specializations.

In the BA Data Science & Business program, students receive a thorough grounding in both management and data science, highlighting the interdependence of these two fields in a data-driven economy. This grounding covers:

• Traditional management courses such as International Business and Strategy, complemented by a set of soft-skills courses such as Team-building and Conflict Management, as well as consulting.
• Courses that sit at the intersection of management and data science, such as Digital Marketing and Platform Business.
• Programming in Python and R, are the two most widely used programming languages in data science. (No prior knowledge of programming is necessary — it is taught in a hands-on manner whereby students get extensive experience with a wide range of datasets, applying machine learning and other analytical techniques.)
• Courses focusing on conceptual modeling techniques and tools, such as Digital Enterprise Management and Database Management.
• Students will have the opportunity to obtain certificates in machine learning and cloud computing from the Amazon Web Services Academy.

These subjects are never abstract but are always taught in an applied manner – the goal is to make the learning journey fun and to kindle intrinsic motivation. Current students value this highly: the courses with the seemingly most difficult material are also those which enjoy the highest rates of student satisfaction!

To gain further hands-on experience and sharpen their expertise, students undertake an internship at an organization of their choice during their fifth semester. Berlin International supports students in preparing for the internship and finding a suitable organization. Finally, the Bachelor Thesis is an opportunity for students to explore a topic that interests them independently and in-depth.

Around the world, there is a severe shortage of skilled professionals who are not only trained in business but also understand and can realize the opportunities that digitization has to offer. Due to this shortage, salaries have risen sharply for anyone working at the intersection of management and data science.

There are many different careers available to students of Data Science & Business upon graduation, both in traditional management roles and in more data-driven, analytic areas of organizations. Given the many different possibilities, the examples below represent only a small sample of such careers:

Business Analyst and Data Scientist

Both business analysts and data scientists use data to understand and quantify business drivers such as what are the core aspects of a product’s success. In addition, data scientists have the skills to develop models that make predictions about, for instance, individual consumers and whether a given consumer is likely to buy again from the company.

Business Developer

A business developer is familiar with the key competencies of the organization and identifies and evaluates opportunities for future growth, such as for a new data-driven product, or the expansion or repositioning of an existing product.

Product Manager

A product manager is responsible for the management of products and serves as a hub connecting the different business units that all work together to ensure a product’s success — units such as sales, development, and legal. A product manager, therefore, needs a broad understanding of all relevant aspects of the business. In a data-driven environment, this entails a deep understanding of the opportunities and limits of machine learning.

Marketing Manager

A marketing manager makes sure that the four Ps — the four essential factors involved in marketing a good or service — are well aligned. These are the product and its positioning in the market with respect to competitors, the price (what the consumer pays), the place (where a product is marketed online or offline), and promotion (i.e. advertising). This role often involves working extensively with data.

Enterprise Architect

Enterprises are complex systems with different organizational units, employees, processes, products and services, customer groups, suppliers, business partners, IT systems, and further resources. By offering a holistic perspective, Enterprise Architects link different views of an organization with conceptual modeling methods. They address the main concerns of key stakeholders and their strategic goals, analyze gaps within the IT landscape, and define the actions to be taken.

Learn more about the BA Data Science & Business program and Berlin International. Below, you can download the study plan, the Berlin International brochure, and our current academic calendar in PDF format.

• Download study plan
• Download brochure
• Download academic calendar

To meet our admission requirements for the Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration, one needs to hold the German Abitur / Fachabitur or equivalent. Any foreign qualification will need to meet the equivalence criteria to these German certificates, which is set by the German Central Office for Foreign Education.

The requirements for equivalence vary from country to country. We have summarized a few of the most frequently asked about education systems:

1. US High School Diploma

2. IB Diploma

3. GCE A levels

To confirm whether you meet the requirements to study in Germany, the German Academic Exchange Service provides an English language resource here.

For the original German source, please check the homepage of the Kulturministerkonferenz here.

There are four admission possibilities:

Direct general admission – you are qualified to start undergraduate studies into any subject area.

Direct subject-restricted admission – you are qualified to begin undergraduate studies in the subject area you have previously studied.

Subject restricted admission to a preparatory course/the Feststellungsprüfung (university qualification exam) – you require additional periods of study before you can begin undergraduate studies in Germany, see more information below.

Admission is not possible without additional proof of education – the qualification you hold is not equivalent to a university entrance qualification in Germany. You will need to complete further qualifications to meet the admission requirements.

Preparatory Course / Additional Studies

If you current educational qualficiations do not fully meet the Abitur/ Fachabitur-level in Germany, and you will need a Preparatory Course or additional studies, here are your 3 options:

Option 1: International Year One

Through our brand new partnership with the Touro University Berlin, the International Year One is the perfect pathway to fulfill one year of university study after higher secondary education, ensuring a smooth transition into our bachelor programs in business administration.

Find out more here.

Option 2: Study time

As an alternative to our International Year One, you can enroll at a university outside of Germany, and complete the first academic year of a bachelor´s degree successfully. In order to meet the admission requirements, the university and program must be fully accredited, you must choose the same or related subject you intend to apply for at BI, and you must complete the first academic year with all courses and credits successfully. For some countries, you may need to complete more than 1 academic year.

If you choose this route, you would be welcome to apply as a transfer student into a higher semester. Read more about this in the ‘Transfer students and course acknowledgments’ section.

Option 3: Studienkolleg

A 'Studienkolleg' is a university preparatory course to prepare your for German universities. There are different types of Studienkolleg programs, for business programs, you would need to choose the 'W' or 'WW' course.

German language is required for anyone wanting to study at a Berlin-accredited university after completing the Studienkolleg.Therefore, it is not a typical route for our students.

For more information on Studienkolleg programs, click here.

Please note that Berlin International can only consider applicants who meet the admission requirements for the desired program.

All applicants who meet them will be subject to faculty selection and seat availability per program.

Applicants for our bachelor programs in Business Administration can join our International Year One, through our new partner Touro University Berlin, to meet the admission requirements mentioned above.

Find out more here.

The application process for studying Data Science & Business at Berlin International is straightforward. You can simply and safely share your personal information through our online application platform. A complete application includes the following documents:

• Passport
• High School Diploma and Transcript (Please also submit an official translation into English or German if they are in another language.)
• University Certificate and Transcript (if you already have university-level studies). Please also submit an official translation into English or German if they are in another language.
• English language test certificate (CEFR level B2 or above)

For more information, including course acknowledgement and transfer applications, please use the menu item Admission.

Our BA Data Science & Business program is taught in English.  We will require proof of your language skills. German knowledge is not required.

If your language skills are at CEFR Level B2 or above, one of the following currently valid language test certificates and scores can be accepted for your application:

• TOEFL ITP: 543
• TOEFL IBT: 74
• IELTS (Academic): 6.0 Overall
• Cambridge FCE: B2
• PTE Academic: 59
• BI internal exam/ BAU 'English Language Proficiency Exam': 60/100
• IB Diploma: English A or B at HL or SL
• German Abitur

The score must be earned within the last two years.

If you have not completed high school in a majority-English speaking country (USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand) or a bachelor's degree fully in English, an approved language exam is required in order to qualify for admission.

You are welcome to attend the internal Berlin International language proficiency exam. It will be hosted online, participation is free of charge, and can be offered once an application to one of our programs has been made and admission requirements have been met.

For the dates of our next language proficiency exam, see the Language Requirements tab on our Admissions Page. 

Preparatory School:

If you do not yet have CEFR level B2 English, and are eligible to study in a BA program at BI, you can sign up for our English Preparatory School.