The Program

LeBow College of Business offers an exchange program to its MBA and MS in Finance students at WHU, the Otto Beisheim School of Management based in Vallendar, Germany.  WHU is consistently ranked among the top business schools in Germany and offers business degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level. WHU pursues a model of excellence in all of its acitivities which is underscored by its emphasis on the global dimension of business, combination of academic rigor with practical relevance and encouragement of responsible leadership and teamwork.

In most cases, students participating on the exchange will direct enroll in courses with the degree-seeking candidates at WHU. This immersion offers an excellent opportunity to learn side by side with local students and an avenue to explore different perspectives on management education and to develop a broader worldview. The language of instruction at WHU is English, but a quarter living in Germany allows students to begin or further develop German language skills. 

For more information on the exchange programs, including course offerings visit the WHU website: http://www.whu.edu/exchange.
Click here for course offerings at WHU. 

Academics

Students studying at WHU will enroll in coursework offered in the MBA or the MSc in Finance or Management curriculum. Coursework is offered in the following disciplines: Accounting and Control, Supply Chain Management, Economics, Finance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Strategy and Organization. Graduate courses at WHU are taught in English. German language courses are also available for interested students.  

Course information can be accessed at: www.whu.edu/courseguide

 Program Options

The exchange at WHU is available to MBA and MS Finance students in several different timeframes to accommodate the challenging schedules of graduate students. New in Fall, 2013, the MBA  coursework will be offered at the WHU campus in Dusseldorf and the MSc course offerings will remain at the Vallendar campus. Students will need to select all of their courses from either the MBA or the MSc options since it will no longer be possible to mix and match courses. MBA participants must be at least 24 years of age and meet English language requirements of TOEFL 100/IELTS 7.0. MSc exchange candidates must be enrolled in a MS program at Drexel and have solod English languauge skills. The options available are:

Drexel Fall Quarter:  Sixteen week semester of study (beginning of September to December 23) Students may select from a wide range of courses in the MBA and MSs in Finance or Management curriculum and will be enrolled in classes side by side with local students. 

Drexel Winter Quarter: Eight week quarter (beginning of January to end of February) Students may select classes from the MS in Finance or Management Curriculum. Sample course options include: Leadership in Organizations, Ethics in Management: Corporate Social Responsibility, Research Seminar in Management Accounting & Control, Competition Policy & Regulation, CFO Lecture: "Managing the Finance Function", Behavioral Finance, Theories of Entrepreneurship, Context Specific Marketing: Services Marketing, Advanced International Strategy, Advanced Supply Management

Drexel Spring Quarter: Two week intensive courses (two sections: first two weeks or last two weeks of May)  This unique program focusing on the Changing Environment for International Business in Europe is a two week intensive course for MBA students offered in May each year. The intensive course is made up of a series of lectures and visits to an international company and bank. Topics covered include: Doing Business in Eastern Europe, European Integration: the Single European Market of the EU and European Monetary Union, Innovation Strategies of European Companies, Restructuring Companies in Transition Economies, European Financial Markets, The Environment of Mergers and Acquisitions: European Competition Policies. This course has been approved for BUSN 698 for three credits. LeBow full-time students will need to enroll in two online courses during the spring quarter in order to maintain their full-time status. Full-time international students are not eligilbe for this quarter of study due to visa requirements.  

WHU course equivalents.xlsx: As part of the application process, students must obtain course approvals from the relevant departments in LeBow for the courses they intend to complete while studying at WHU. It is recommended that students approve more courses than they intend to take while studying abroad as course schedules can change or conflict or students may not receive all of their top choices. Students should primarily select elective courses for study abroad and should work closely with their academic advisor in LeBow on the course selections.  

Grading: Students are taught and graded by WHU faculty. Grades are noted as "CR/NCR" on their transcript and will NOT affect their GPA. In order to receive CR students must earn the equivalent of a "B" or above at the host institution. WHU uses a German grading scale, ranging from 1 to 5 with 1 being the highest possible mark. LeBow students must receive a grade between a 1.0 and 3.0 in their WHU courses to receive credit for their coursework at LeBow.The goal is to be a full-time student at the host institution while also taking the equivalent of a full-time load at Drexel. Students studying for a  quarter at WHU will complete three to four courses to maintain their full-time status at LeBow. A full course load at a German school is between 20-30 ECTS credits per semester.

The Experience

WHU's main campus is located in Vallendar, Germany about an hour northwest of Frankfurt. It is centrally located in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley  and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The WHU campus is a blend of old and modern architecture, allowing students a taste of the past with the conveniences of modern technology and innovation in the classroom. The new campus, for the MBA programs is located in Dusseldorf, about ninety minutes northeast of Vallendar and closer to Belgium and the Netherlands. It is a major international finance and banking center with strengths in telecommunications, advertising and fashion. While the new campus is small, the larger city offers many opportunities for networking, sports and leisure activities for students.

WHU offers a full range of student activities including sports, music, art, theater and social programs. LeBow students should plan to get involved in at least one activity while studying at WHU to enhance their study abroad experience. WHU has a well-developed exchange program with more than 170 international partners across the globe.The International Relations office provides a great deal of support to its exchange students including an orientation program, a buddy system for exchange students, special local activities such as hiking and vaulted-cellar parties, and a farewell reception.

Living in Vallendar provides a chance to understand everyday life in Germany. WHU provides housing to students on a first-come, first-served basis. There are several options available to students with varied amenities and costs. Most options are moderately furnished and within walking distance from WHU. General information about housing can be found at: www.whu.edu/housing. The housing application is included in the WHU online application that accepted students will complete.  

Participants from the United States and Canada do not need a visa to enter Germany. Students from other countries will need to apply for a visa to study in Germany. All students staying in Germany longer than three months need to obtain a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) from their local Immigration Office after their arrival.