FAQ

No, in fact almost every participant so far has done the program while fully employed. It is designed for busy executives that want to go "back to school" for fresh learning but can’t step away from their positions or paychecks. 

Yes. Most of our participants and professors are speaking English as a second language, so if you can speak "business English" you will be fine. Note that all 3 of our best thesis award winners so far were not native English speakers; we are more interested in great ideas than poetry (although we like poetry).

In general, no, we want participants to return to work and apply what they have learned. However, there are pre-readings that can be read in the weeks leading up to a each module, and occasionally there are assignments from classes that are due within a few weeks after a module. But aside from the master’s thesis, which can take up substantial time near the end of the program, we don’t want to keep you busy during the 3-6 months between your modules.

Yes, our program includes an MBA from Steinbeis University which has been accredited by FIBAA in Germany.

We have built an innovative program that we call an MBA in Creative Leadership, meaning it is designed especially for those who want to lead an enterprise to excellence, especially in creative work. We combine traditional MBA subjects such as strategy, accounting, finance or human resources with a unique perspective of creative enterprises. We also bring in a vast range of voices from the top of the creative industries, which brings the curriculum to life with relevant, real-world examples of how to lead an enterprise in advertising, entertainment, marketing, journalism, design, etc. Our program is a unique hybrid: a custom EMBA program aimed at an industry that has been ill-served by traditional business schools.

Tuition and fees are EUR 53.000 (no VAT charged), and that does not include travel and accommodation. We advise applicants to plan for costs of circa 70 hotel/apartment nights and 5 round trip flights, which adds approximately EUR 7.000-12.000 in additional cost, depending on hotel tastes and flight distances. There can also be some small incidental costs, eg translation of your university transcripts for matriculation (if they aren’t in English or German). And although we provide extensive snacks and coffee, most days will include the need to buy a lunch and or dinner.

We usually have a small number of specific scholarships for each intake; some of them are full, others are partial tuition scholarships. To see which scholarships are currently available, refer to our scholarship page. We do not offer need-based financial aid, but participants who can’t afford to pay all the tuition at once may choose from a range of long-range payment plans. These allow participants or their companies to spread the cost out over several years, which can make it possible for many to attend. We work intensely with admitted participants to craft individual payment plans. To speak to us about the possibilities, send a mail to info (at) berlin-school.com.

Yes. Most of our earliest participants came from creative director or CCO positions in the advertising industry, but the ad industry is now only about 50% of our participant base. We have had many Journalists, Editors-in-Chief, CEOs, „Account people“, Chief Marketing Officers, Programming Directors, Producers, Product Managers, Media Planners, and others in the program too. And many industries that might not be considered „creative“ have been represented. We have taught the CMO of an airline, brand managers from global banks, insurance companies, consulting firms, or shoe companies, innovation managers from national postal services, and even Professors or Deans of universities. What binds them all together is the desire to become better leaders and help drive their companies to a better competitive position, usually through better creative communication strategies, products or services. Anyone who wants to learn to build and lead organizations/teams and to achieve excellence through creative ideas and innovation is welcome. 

We have an even split between those who work in large, global networks and those who run their own companies (sized from 1 to several hundred people). The program addresses the challenges that each of these persons can face, whether running their own organization as an entrepreneur or dealing with the complexity of being a part of vast, often global ones.