Due to the current dynamic changes in economy, technology and society the necessity of future skills increases significantly. Hence, the needed qualifications are on the one hand foresight research, development of strategies, innovation, business development and change management and on the other hand skills to control these changes like corporate responsibility, technology assessment and business ethics. The international master's degree „Global Foresight and Technology Management” with its unique position is the perfect answer to this requirement. The programme is fully taught in English and welcomes both German and international students. It is designed as an interdisciplinary programme at the interface of technology, economy and sociology with a strong focus on foresight.
Global Foresight and Technology Management (M. Sc.)
Master of Science (M. Sc.)
3 semesters
Summer & Winter
Yes
Following
English
Contents
The teaching concept offers digitalized courses (e.g. inverted classroom) in combination with a lot of practical project studies to enhance the learning progress (first half of the semester concentrates on theoretical basics, the second half on practical application).
A wide range of career prospects are available. There is a wide field of application in specialist or management roles in national or international companies and organizations.
Generally the contents focus on
- Digitalization
- Internationality
- Entrepreneurship
- Sustainability
Five clusters offer a maximum of interdisciplinarity:
Strategic Foresight and Trend Analysis
- Customer-, technology-, and competitor-foresight
- Trend analysis and strategic early identification
- Visioning
- Strategic simulation methods
- Prognostic crowdsourcing
- Delphi method
- Scenario technique
- Trendreceiver method
- Analysis of Science Fiction
Project Future Life Worlds
- Application of foresight methods and methods of trend analysis within a project study based on examples
- Enhancement of the learning process through practical experiences
- Performance and limitations of different methods
Innovation Management Methods
- Agile management of innovation processes and projects
- Creativity methods and tools for ideation and problem solving
- Design Thinking
- Open Innovation
- Stage-Gate-Process
- Marketing of innovations
Technology Design and Evaluation
- Modern technologies and technology trends
- Successful development and marketing of technologies and products
- Application-specific selection of adequate technologies
- Product lifecycle management (Product creation process, product data management etc.)
- Technology portfolio analysis and -roadmap
- Evaluation of innovation projects and technologies
Project Technology Application
- Application of several technologies within a project study based on examples
- Enhancement of the learning process through practical experiences
- Performance and limitations of different technologies
Future Business Modelling
- Successful business models (examples), key indicators (Business Model Canvas), Business Model Navigator
- Digital, sustainable and disruptive business models
- Future-oriented business models
- Business planning and profitability of business scenarios
- Entrepreneurship
- Risk management
Project Business Scenarios and Risk Management
- Profitability of scenarios within a complex project study: development and calculation of multidimensional trend scenarios based on unidimensional black and white scenarios
- Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the results
- Identification and management of risks in target scenarios
- Enhancement of the learning process through practical experiences
Transformation Processes and Change Management
- Impact of digitalization/AI, mobility and sustainability on the transformation of the economy and society – opportunities and risks
- Operational transformation processes: Enterprise Transformation Cycle
- Reasons, conditions and controlling of social transformation processes
- Management of incremental vs. radical change processes
- Models and success factors of change management
- Fears, resistance and motivation of stakeholders in change management projects
Technology Assessment and Business Ethics
- Technology assessment regarding the environment and society
- Robustness (Resilience) in the face of human uncertainties caused by new technologies
- Future-oriented skills: from uncertainties to designing the future
- More effective identification of and reaction to stakeholder requirements
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Corporate governance and compliance
- Intercultural leadership
Scientific Research Seminar
- Carrying out a complex interdisciplinary project task within small teams regarding technology development, economy und society
- Autonomous processing applying scientific methods and acquired skills
- Discussion, presentation and documentation of the project results according to scientific standards
Master's Thesis
- Capability to carry out autonomously a complex problem in the area of foresight at the interface of technology, economy and sociology on a high scientific level within the timeline of one semester
- Capability to apply the acquired skills and scientific methods
- Capability to integrate the results into a professional context and to present them in a scientific paper
Curriculum
1. Semester
Strategic Foresight and Trend Analysis
Innovation Management Methods
Technology Design and Evaluation
Project Future Life Worlds
Project Technology Application
2. Semester
Future Business Modelling
Transformation Processes and Change Management
Technology Assessment and Business Ethics
Project Business Scenarios and Risk Management
Project Research Seminar
3. Semester
Master's Thesis
Quick Info
Application dates
- New registration for this program is possible for the winter semester (October) and the summer semester (March).
- Applications may be submitted through our online application system from May 2nd to July 15th resp. from November 2nd to January 15th.
- Note that uni-assist may require up to 6 weeks to issue a VPD – see reqirements below.
Requirements
- Proof of Bachelor´s degree in engineering sciences, engineering and management, IT, natural sciences, economics, sociology and business administration or a degree in another related discipline at a German university with at least 210 ECTS credit points or an equivalent degree of a foreign university.
- Note that all foreign applicants must submit their Bachelor's degree to uni-assist which verifies their eligibility and coverts their grades to the German grade system. Uni-Assist will issue a so called preliminary inspection documentation (VPD) which you have to upload to the application portal (similar to their other documents).
- Proof of English proficiency level B2 or higher (approved tests).
- Regarding your German proficiency level, a proof of basic knowledge at least at level A1 (“Goethe Zertifikat” or equivalent) is required (approved tests). The proof of a sufficient German proficiency level has to be submitted by the end of the first semester at the latest (Information on language proficiency).
Admission restrictions may apply. Admission is based on the grade point average of your Bachelor's degree. The average mark required depends on the number of applicants and available capacity.
Please find further information on master applications here. For applications from abroad, see our master's from abroad-pages.
(if you have entered our German website, please press the English button "EN" in the menu bar again)
Graduates are especially well prepared to take on specialist and management roles in the following areas:
- Project Management
- Product and Technology Management
- Customer-Technology-Competitor Foresight and Establishing Future Skills
- Creativity and Innovation Management
- Business Development/ Development of Trendsetting Business Models
- Entrepreneurship
- Sustainability
Graduates are also particulary well qualified for these tasks in an international context.
Typical industries for the graduates of this program are:
- Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- IT
- Mobility Industry
- Services
- Consultancy
- Education
- Cities and Communities
- No general tuition fees - Student’s union contribution per semester only.
General information on scholarship:
Financing your study programme might be a big challenge for you. On our homepage you find different opportunities of financing your academic studies at our university. Link:
Please note that financial aid programmes are mostly not open to foreign students. For scholarships for students from abroad you may have a look here:
https://www.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/12359-finding-scholarships/
Public funding (BAföG) is only available to Germans and to EU citizens if they have spent a considerable part of their education in Germany. The university awards a scholarship called Deutschlandstipendium once a year which cannot fully cover living expenses. Additionally we have limited funds and support some international students for a maximum of one semester. Please do not actively approach the International Office on scholarships, once a year a call for application automatically reaches all international students.
Third party scholarship:
- If you are an applicant from abroad, you may qualify for a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): www.daad.de
- If you are a German students we recommend to research for suitable scholarships on www.mystipendium.de
- Please note that we cannot offer any guidance or support concerning scholarship applications.
We recommend that single students budget at least 700-900 EUR per month to meet personal expenses (accommodation, health insurance, stay, books, semester contribution)
We recommend that single students budget at least 700-900 EUR per month to meet personal expenses (accommodation, health insurance, stay, books, semester contribution)
To prepare for your semester abroad or to learn another foreign language alongside your studies, you can take language courses at THI's own Language Center (Sprachenzentrum). The language courses are taught only by native speakers and offered at different levels. All courses are free of charge for our students. For more information please see https://www.thi.de/studium/sprachenzentrum.
THI does not run any student housing – neither on-campus nor off-campus – and therefore cannot provide you with accommodation. Here you can find more information on finding accommodation: Accomodation in Ingolstadt.
Our International Office is established especially for the international academic programs. The International Office provides an all-round service to help you with all necessary prearrangements for the organization of your study and everyday life in Ingolstadt.
FAQs
The program addresses graduates of bachelor programmes as well as for young professionals. You can apply for the program, if you hold a bachelor´s degree in engineering sciences, engineering and management, IT, natural sciences, economics, sociology and business administration or a degree in another related discipline.
We highly recommend an interest in interdisciplinary studies at the interface of technology, economy and sociology as well as in the current state of foresight research and challenges of the future.
Furthermore the program addresses students that prefer a master´s programme fully taught in English, like to gain intercultural experience and go for an international career at home and/or abroad.
All foreign applicants must submit their bachelor's degree to uni-assist e. V. which verifies their eligibility and coverts their grades to the German grade system. Uni-Assist will issue a so called preliminary inspection documentation (VPD) which you have to upload to the application portal. (application issues)
Only applicants with a Bachelor’s course equivalent to a German study course with 210 ECTS can access the Master courses of the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt.
With a Bachelor’s Degree with 180 ECTS admission to the Master courses of the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt is not possible.
However the regulations of the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt provide the possibility of compensating the missing competences through working experience after graduating. The duration of the working experience must be at least 20 weeks (and as already mentioned after graduating from the Bachelor). Please upload proof of your working experience in the upload area of the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt. As soon as the status of the document turns to „OK“ we checked on it and your working experience is sufficient.
Our Global Foresight and Technology Management program is designed as an interdisciplinary program at the interface of technology, economy and sociology with a strong focus on foresight while the master's program "Engineering and Management" focusses on the entire value chain – from procurement through to research and development, production, sales and marketing and with special attention to “digitization”.
Graduates are especially well prepared to take on specialist and management roles in the following areas:
- Project Management
- Product and Technology Management
- Customer-Technology-Competitor
- Foresight Creativity and Innovation Management
- Business Development/ Development of Trendsetting Business Models
- Entrepreneurship
- Sustainability
Typical industries for the graduates of this program are:
- Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- IT
- Mobility Industry
- Services
- Consultancy
- Education
- Cities and Communities
The master program is based on project-oriented studies to combine theory and practice in the best possible manner. There will be projects with direct contact to companies (without any employment or financial interest) as well as theoretical projects within a group of students at the University.
Since the program is fully taught in English, for English a proof of proficiency level B2 or higher is required (approved tests).
Regarding your German proficiency level, a proof of basic knowledge at least at level A1 (“Goethe Zertifikat” or equivalent) is required (approved tests). The proof of a sufficient German proficiency level has to be submitted by the end of the first semester at the latest. (Information on language proficiency)
To be able to reuse your VPD the following cirteria must be met:
- the VPD was issued after choosing a "Master-check" for Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt
- the VPD is no older than one year
Contact our student ambassadors
All about application, enrollment and examination
Application from Nov. 15 to Jan. 15 for the summer term and from May 2 to July 15 for the winter term!
Programme Director
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Schönmann
Phone: +49 841 9348-3509
Room: I202
E-Mail: Alexander.Schoenmann@thi.de
Module Handbook
Here you can find more information on the programme and course structure as well as a detailed course description. The Module Handbook (MHB) contains information on prerequisites, contents, learning outcomes, ECTS points, duration, workload, literature and references.
Here you can find the course description for summer term 2023:
Study and Examination Regulations
Study and examination regulations (SPO) deal with judicial matters concerning your study course. Please visit the pages of the legal department for Statutes of your study programme.
For any questions on requirements, examination regulations and more, please visit the Service Center Study Affairs.