Double Master's programmes at Paderborn University
Double Master's programmes enable students to complete a degree at their home university as well as another degree at a university abroad. We currently have two double master's programmes at Paderborn University. One is with Tohoku University in Japan and the other is with Ferrara University in Italy. Both programmes are open to both incoming and outgoing students.
Double Master Programme Tohoku (Japan)
The Faculty of Business Administration and Economics at Paderborn University and the Graduate School of Economics and Management (GSEM) at the University of Tohoku, Japan, have been offering a double Master's programme since the 2015/16 winter semester. It gives students from both institutions the opportunity to study simultaneously at both institutions and to obtain a Master's degree in MSc International Economics and Management (IEM) at Paderborn University and in the Global Programme in Economics and Management (GPEM) at Tohoku University within the standard period of study of four semesters. The programme begins and ends at the home university, while the second and third semesters are completed at the partner university. The Paderborn University students are exempt from tuition fees for their stay at Tohoku University. The programme provides for the credits earned at the partner university to be credited at the home university. In addition, independent additional work must be completed. These include language courses at the partner university and the preparation of a separate thesis.
Information for outgoings
Students of the M.Sc. IEM programme at Paderborn University in their first or second Master's semester are eligible to apply. To participate in the programme, students must meet the admission requirements for both courses, i.e. for the M.Sc. IEM and the GPEM. In addition to the academic qualification, personal suitability is also required. Simultaneous participation in the ASBE and the double master's programme is excluded.
Students of Paderborn University are nominated for participation in the double master's programme in the winter semester. Below you will find a detailed overview of the dates and deadlines for the winter semester 2024/25.
Application procedure in the winter semester 2024/25:
Applications are open to students of the MSc IEM starting in summer semester 2024 or winter semester 2024/25.
Documents to be submitted for the application (by 18 October at the latest) to Paderborn University are
- Curriculum vitae in tabular form (with passport photo, matriculation number and e-mail address)
- Letter of motivation (justification of the application in English)
- Proof of achievements (proof of achievements in the Bachelor's programme, degree certificate and, if applicable, overview of previous achievements in the MSc. IEM)
- Confirmation of enrolment for MSc. IEM
You can send the documents digitally to international[at]wiwi[dot]uni-paderborn[dot]de.
After submitting these documents, the selection interviews will take place. The nomination will then take place.
The documents required for enrolment at the University of Tohoku must be submitted by 15 November. These include:
- Application (* 'Application for Admission', incl. a 5cm x 4cm passport style photo portrait taken of the applicant within three months of application)
- Curriculum Vitae (* 'Application Qualification Form', p.4)
- Academic Transcript
- Certificate of Graduation
- Two letters of recommendation: (1) Recommendation Form 1 (by advisor) (*); (2) Recommendation Form 2 (by dean) (*)
- Research Plan
- Insurance Enrolment Plege (official form) (*)
All documents marked with (*) as well as an 'Application Guideline' are available for download on the GPEM website. Further details about the required documents will be announced with the nomination.
In general, the coursework for both Master's programmes must be completed. The first and fourth semesters take place at the home university, while the second and third semesters are studied at the respective partner university.
The coursework to be completed abroad is agreed in advance at the home university (Learning Agreement) and credited upon return, provided it corresponds to the respective study programme.
The course of the programme differs depending on the home university. For Paderborn University students, the double Master's programme begins in the winter semester in Paderborn. To prepare for the subsequent stay abroad, participation in an intensive Japanese course is compulsory. This takes place in March of the following summer semester at the State Language Institute (LSI) in Bochum and is taught by bilingually trained lecturers and native speakers. The costs of the courses at the LSI are covered by the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics. The language skills will be further deepened in the following semesters at the University of Tohoku. The additional coursework completed there will be recognised in the M.Sc. IEM, provided it is in line with the curriculum. In addition to the regular study programme, a project paper must be prepared and presented at the University of Tohoku. The completion of the overall programme takes place after the stay abroad at the (home) Paderborn University.
When choosing courses, it is important to ensure that the coursework is completed for both Master's programmes and is therefore compatible with the other Master's programme. The table below provides an overview of which courses must be selected for each programme. Further information on course selection at Paderborn University can be found on the MSc IEM website or in the module catalogue. For information on course selection at the University of Tohoku, please visit the GPEM website.
| Outgoing | Incoming | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| IEM | 120 ECTS needed | ||
| 20 ECTS Mandatory Modules: | |||
| M.184.4441 Methods of Economic Analyses (10 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| M.184.4479 Econometrics (10 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 80 ECTS Elective Modules: | |||
| Economics (40 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| Management (20 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| General Elective (20 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 20 ECTS Master Thesis | ( ) | ( ) | |
| GPEM | 30 credits (1 credit=2.5 ECTS) needed | ||
| Maximum of 10 credits (25 ECTS) acquired abroad (transferred from IEM) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 20 credits acquired in GPEM | |||
| Global Company Research (2 credits, recommended) | _ | _ | |
| 4 credits Mandatory Modules: | |||
| Project Guidance A & B (4 credits)* | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 16 Credits Elective Modules** | ( ) | ( ) | |
| Successful project presentation (after Project Guidance A & B) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| For international students: | |||
| Japanese language course 1 or 2 | ( ) | ||
| *Depending on which degree you would like to receive at Tohoku University (Master's Degree of Economics / Management) you can choose either Project Guidance A & B in Economics or Management. Possible topics should be prepared before the mobility. | |||
| **Maximum of 4 credits from seminars. | |||
Participating Paderborn University students are exempt from tuition fees at the University of Tohoku as part of the double master's programme. In addition, the costs of the language course at the LSI of the Ruhr University Bochum are covered by the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
Paderborn University does not offer a scholarship. Instead, external institutions such as the German Academic Exchange Service(DAAD), the Japan Student Services Organisation(JASSO) or the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT) can be contacted on an individual basis.
Sendai is one of the largest cities in Japan with a population of over one million, yet the cost of living is much cheaper than in other large cities.
The monthly cost of living usually ranges from 80,000 to 150,000 yen and the following list shows the details of the cost of living.
All prices are in Japanese yen. The exchange rate ranges from 110 - 150 JPY/EUR in recent years.
1) Rent
- Student residence: from 10,000 to 30,000 yen per month (incl. utilities + heating)
- Private flats: from 35,000 to 55,000 yen per month (+ utilities 10,000 in total)
- Internet fees: 1890 - 6980 yen
- Mobile phone costs: from 3,000 yen
2) Food
40,000 to 50,000 yen per month
◇ Examples (approx.)
- Milk (1 litre): 180 yen
- Bread (1kg): 350 - 400 yen
- Mineral water (500ml): 110 yen
- Eggs (10 pieces): 200 yen
- Beef (100g): 200 yen
3) Transport costs
- Bus (100 - 250 yen)
- Train: from 190 yen
- Subway: 200 - 320 yen
- Taxi: from 680 yen + distance-dependent fees
4) Other information
- Japanese tax is 8%, which is imposed equally on all goods. (Since 2020 this rate has been increased to 10%)
Current dates for information events can be found on the International Campus website. Further information about the individual study programmes and programme partners can be found here:
| University of Tohoku | Paderborn University |
| Graduate School of Economics and Management (GSEM) | Faculty of Business Administration and Economics |
| Global Programme in Economics and Management (GPEM) | MSc IEM |
| International Support Office | MSc IEM - Application Information |
| Guide to Living in Japan | International Office (Please contact the International Office Outgoing Team(IO-Outgoing[at]zv.uni-paderborn[dot]de) in case of critical requests on formal procedures). |
The double master's programme is supervised by Prof. Dr. Stefan Jungblut (Paderborn University) and Prof. Dr. Kenji Mori (Tohoku University).
Enquiries can be sent by e-mail to: international@wiwi.uni-paderborn.de
„Studying at Tohoku University is an extremely great experience, not only from an academic perspective but also on the human level. The university is helping the exchange students with every aspect of their lives, making it easy to settle down in a culture so different from the German.”
Information for incoming students
In general, the coursework for both Master's programmes must be completed. The first and fourth semesters take place at the home university, while the second and third semesters are studied at the respective partner university.
The coursework to be completed abroad is agreed in advance at the home university (Learning Agreement) and credited upon return, provided it corresponds to the respective study programme.
When choosing courses, it is important to ensure that the coursework is completed for both Master's programmes and is therefore compatible with the other Master's programme. The table below provides an overview of which courses must be selected for each programme. Further information on course selection at Paderborn University can be found on the MSc IEM website or in the module catalogue. For information on course selection at the University of Tohoku, please visit the GPEM website.
| Outgoing | Incoming | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| IEM | 120 ECTS needed | ||
| 20 ECTS Mandatory Modules: | |||
| W4441 Methods of Economic Analyses (10 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| W4479 Econometrics (10 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 80 ECTS Elective Modules: | |||
| Economics (40 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| Management (20 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| General Elective (20 ECTS) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 20 ECTS Master Thesis | ( ) | ( ) | |
| For international students: | |||
| German language course 1 & 2 | ( ) | ||
| GPEM | 30 credits (1 credit=2,5 ECTS) needed | ||
| Maximum of 10 credits (25 ECTS) acquired abroad (transferred from IEM) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 20 credits acquired in GPEM | |||
| Global Company Research (2 credits, recommended) | _ | _ | |
| 4 credits Mandatory Modules: | |||
| Project Guidance A & B (4 credits)* | ( ) | ( ) | |
| 16 Credits Elective Modules** | ( ) | ( ) | |
| Successful project presentation (after Project Guidance A & B) | ( ) | ( ) | |
| *Depending on which degree you would like to receive at Tohoku University (Master's Degree of Economics / Management) you can choose either Project Guidance A & B in Economics or Management. | |||
| **Maximum of 4 credits from seminars. | |||
Current dates for information events can be found on the International Campus website. Further news can also be found on the homepage of the Master International Economics and Management programme.
Further information about the individual study programmes and programme partners can be found here:
The double master's programme is supervised by Prof. Dr. Stefan Jungblut (Paderborn University) and Prof. Dr. Kenji Mori (Tohoku University).
Enquiries can be sent by e-mail to: msc-iem(at)campus.upb(dot)de.
Double Master Programme Ferrara (Italy)
Information will follow.