Who is eligible to apply for an Executive MBA at Berlin School?

Our part-time, global Executive MBA in Creative Leadership is designed for executives looking to transform their leadership blueprint and make positive and lasting change in their industries. In addition to satisfying academic requirements, candidates must have a minimum of five years of professional experience in their industry, and demonstrate their potential as leaders.

Executive MBA at Berlin School: Your questions, answered.

Yes. Upon completing the program, you receive an MBA degree that is awarded by our academic partner Steinbeis University Berlin.

Executive MBA | Part-Time MBA ☑️ Berlin School oCL

Q: Do I need a GMAT or TOEFL to apply?

We do not look at GMAT scores when considering applicants to our Executive MBA program. We also donít require a TOEFL for application or admission.

Q: Iím not a 'creative' or working in advertising; is this for me?

Although most of our first graduates were advertising industry executives, only around half of our participants now come from the field. Recent classes have included executives, founders, and freelancers from diversifying fields such as technology, finance, retail, and hospitality. All of them have one thing in common ñ a desire to become better leaders and drive their companies forward with more creative communication strategies, products or services.

Q: Is it just for those who work for major companies, or are independent business-owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers also welcome?

We have a fairly even split between participants who work in big global networks and those who run their own companies. That can mean a one-man operation, a firm that employs hundreds of staff, or anything in-between. Whether you are running a business as an entrepreneur or defining your role in a vast global organization, our program is aimed at addressing the unique challenges you face.

Q: Can you tell me more about the curriculum?

Our Executive MBA in Creative Leadership is an innovative program tailored to those who want to lead their enterprise to the front of the pack. We combine traditional MBA subjects like strategy, accounting, finance, and HR with a unique creative perspective on sensing and responding to the complex demands of modern business. In the course of the program, participants also meet and learn from industry leaders in fields like advertising, entertainment, innovation, and technology, who breathe life into the curriculum with relevant, real-world examples.

Q: Are scholarships or other kinds of financial aid available?

We offer a limited number of full and partial-tuition scholarships for each intake. If youíd like to see what scholarships are currently available, please follow the link below. We do not offer need-based financial aid, but participants who are unable to cover their tuition costs all at once can choose from a range of payment plans that allow them or their companies to spread the cost over several years. If you are admitted to our program, we will work towards crafting an individual payment plan with you. If youíd like to know more about the options, please contact Head of Admissions Gerardo Tejo.

Q: Is there a lot of course work between modules?

Our Global Executive MBA is designed for leaders who want further education, but can't afford to step away either from organizations and projects on a full-time basis. You will be expected to do some preparatory reading in the weeks leading up to each module, as well as complete post-module assignments within a few weeks after it has taken place. But aside from the master's thesis ñ which will require a substantial time investment late in the program ñ you can focus on applying what youíve learned in each course to your profession during the 3-6 months between modules.

WIDEN YOUR HORIZONS, DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Our unique, part-time global MBA program makes the world your classroom

Awarded in association with Steinbeis University, our fully accredited Executive MBA degree in Creative Leadership is a Master’s degree for senior professionals looking to develop further as creative leaders by expanding their leadership skills, to adopt new ways of tackling the complexity of modern business and innovation and to create positive and lasting change in their field. Our classrooms host participants from a wide variety of backgrounds, whether measured in geographic, cultural or professional terms. Through a hybrid curriculum consisting of five mandatory in-person modules, one fully online module as well as online preparatory courses (in-person seminars scheduled to resume in early 2022) – participants learn from renowned academic thought leaders and industry experts.

Step into the EMBA classroom

Download the brochure

Program Structure

Part-time MBA consists of five modules held in person in our global hubs, which include online preparatory courses, thesis online supervision plus optional extras.

Curriculum

The courses in the program focus on complexity within the creative business paradigm, the imperatives of entrepreneurial mindset and forward-thinking creative leadership

Faculty

Leading international specialsts from Steinbeis academic faculty, visiting professors, and industry experts

Participants

Professionals from a variety of backgrounds including technology, advertising, finance, retail, hospitality and more

Tuition Costs

€53,000 (excluding travel and lodging)

Degree Earned

Master of Business Administration (MBA) awarded by Steinbeis University Berlin and accredited by FIBAA

Our Flexible Executive MBA Program Format

As our part-time Executive MBA is aimed at those who already hold a leadership position or are designated for one, it’s designed to accommodate busy schedules rather than the other way around. The flexible format also means that – with the exception of the Start Module – each module can be attended in participants’ preferred order and the master’s degree completed at their own pace.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Participants can choose to start the program either in person in Berlin in April 2022 (Berlin Start Module) or by completing Gateway Courses online in October, January or July (plus their additional academic courses). It is also possible to combine Online & Gateway Courses with On Site Learning through our flexible format.

Download Brochure

Modules, Courses and Dates

Berlin Module

Berlin

Broaden your network and take advanced courses in the governance of corporate and startup cultures, the ‘play’ in creativity and much more. It is also possible to combine Online Courses with On Site Learning through our flexible format.

Uncertainty & Decision-making

Creative Leadership Across Contexts

Strategy as a Story/Platform Strategies

Digital Transformation & the German Landscape

Error Management

Managing Leadership Talent/Coaching as Learning/Prototype Life

Masterclass, Site Visits, Alumni Talk or President's Lecture

View all Modules and Courses

Asia Module

Shanghai / Tokyo

Explore the bustling, complex and distinct Asian markets while learning new approaches to leadership, service and innovation. Combine Online Courses and On Site Learning through our flexible format.

Applied Economics

Corporate Planning

The Chinese Renaissance and its Global Impact

Understanding Consumer Behavior & Marketing in Japan

Chinese Ways of Seeing, Doing & Thinking

Cross Cultural Leadership

Strategic Management and Innovation in China

Japan at the Crossroads – Tokyo Olympics 2020

Strategic Management & Innovation in China

Understanding Consumer Behavior & Marketing in Japan

Tokyo: Venturesome City & Cool Japan

Selfcare in Leadership and Zazen Experience

Service Management & Value Co-creation

Masterclass/Site Visits

View all Modules and Courses

US Module

NYC / Silicon Valley

Through an academic lens, understand the distinct marketing, tech, entrepreneurial and innovative mindsets of both coasts of the US. Combine Online Courses and On Site Learning through our flexible format.

Finance & Strategy Simulation

New York Beyond Manhattan: Ethnographic Field Exercise

Culture, Influence & Leadership

Reinventing Media & Creative Marketing – includes Creativity & Commerce

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Leaders on Stage

Entrepreneurship and New Venture Program – inc. the Design Process + Demo Days, Site Visits and Events

Masterclass, Site Visits, Alumni Talk or President's Lecture

View all Modules and Courses

Part-time Executive MBA program Start Module in March and September in Berlin

Thesis Module

Online

Through this specially focused module, participants are given all the tools they need to identify their thesis topic and optimally structure their time and process.

Introduction to Research

Planning Your Thesis

Research Methods

Thesis Defense & Showcase

View all Modules and Courses

Start Module

Berlin

Participants have two Start Module options: In-person (in April in Berlin) OR Online. The Online option involves taking two ‘Gateway’ courses in either October and January or July and then three additional academic courses at the time and pace of their choosing. It is also possible to combine Online & Gateway Courses with On Site Learning.

Program Overview + Networking Event

Personal Leadership Journey

Introduction to Creative Leadership

Finance & Valuation

Business Strategy

Applied Accounting

Introduction to Creative Leadership or Personal Leadership Journey

Additional On Site offerings include Alumni Talks, Guest Speakers and Site Visits

View all Modules and Courses

New Hub Module

Additional Global Residency. Combine Online Courses and On Site Learning through our flexible format.

Leading Creative People: EQ in Action

Business Law & Ethics

Local Leadership for Local Challenges

Leading Creativity and Creative Responses

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Purpose Lead Brands & Leadership

Creative Makers and the New Paradigms of Doing

Social Leadership, Social Impact and Social Entrepreneurship

View all Modules and Courses

Learn from Academic & Industry Experts

Our Executive MBA in Creative Leadership program takes our participants on a distinct learning journey where they have the unique opportunity to interact with leaders who are creatively shaping their industries. Both outstanding creative leaders and academic experts contribute to an authentic and innovative learning experience that resonates to the core of our participants.

Paul

Verdin

Professor

Olivier Tabatoni
Werner Seebacher
Jennifer Lena
Robert Weisz
Gonzalo Freixes

Academic Faculty

Steve Harrison
Michael Ben-David
Chuck Porter
Mukti Khaire
Scott Hartley

More Experts

Masterclasses

Amy

Edmondson

Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management

Sandra Matz
Tim Leberecht
Alexa Clay
Clive Wilkinson
David Droga

More Experts

Exclusive Talks

Scholarships for Executive MBA in Creative Leadership

Financing & Scholarships

Investing in education is one of the best commitments one can make for their career. There are various ways to finance our Executive MBA, and the Berlin School of Creative Leadership will help find the best options to do so.

Leading with empathy makes your team believe more in your goals, because they know that what we are doing – as a team – is to ease our clients’ lives, so they can do their work better.

Ruy

Lindenberg

Partner and VP of Creation

I went to the Berlin School looking for the right answers, and I came back with something even better: the right questions. Bingo. For me it was like crossing the Rubicon (and the view from this side is really amazing!)

Hansa

Wongsiripitack

SEA Director of Digital

It is a modern melting-pot of creative culture from every continent, where you can truly learn and bring things to life in this real-time-response world. This is the best school for people in creative industries.

Sarah

McGill

Creative Director

If and when situations now arise in my career as a creative leader, I not only have a body of theoretical knowledge, but a contacts book of fellow creatives who can share their experiences and insights. That’s invaluable.

Thesis

In composing a thesis, participants focus on provoking, refreshing, and challenging the status quo of their industries.

View Selected Thesis Videos

Creative Business Leadership

The Creative Business Leadership Model© is the foundation of our learning method. It draws on a range of human and organizational learning and leadership skills with an underlying drive to respond to complex business activities, evolving technology, and accelerating global markets.

Find out More

Apply for our global Executive MBA Program

There is no official application deadline. Applications to our Executive MBA in Creative Leadership are accepted on a rolling basis. However, participants are encouraged to apply early if they want to take advantage of any tuition fund opportunities available on each cycle.

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FAQ

Your questions, answered.

Who is eligible to apply?

Do I need a GMAT or TOEFL to apply?

I’m not a 'creative' or working in advertising; is this for me?

Is it just for those who work for major companies, or are independent business-owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers also welcome?

Is this a certified MBA degree?

Can you tell me more about the curriculum?

Are scholarships or other kinds of financial aid available?

Is there a lot of course work between modules?

A NON-TRADITIONAL EXECUTIVE MBA FOR CREATIVE MINDS