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THE NIT CURRICULUM - MODULAR AND INNOVATIVE

At the NIT, we reflect a modern and agile work environment through our innovative learning concepts: we do not focus on lecturing, but rather on student-learning through many dynamic, practical, and socially-integrated projects.

Modules from the areas of classical management, self-development, innovation management, company foundation, and digitalization familiarize students with the entrepreneurial challenges of the future. Topics such as ethics, law, and IT security further expand on important aspects of technology management. In addition, students can learn programming and familiarize themselves on real projects with relevant innovation methods such as design thinking.


moNITor - book workshops, modules, and seminars

moNITor is our new booking platform for our MBA/M.A. seminars and modules as well as for continuing education workshops.

The participant management system (moNITor) is quite intuitive and makes it easier for you to manage your enrollment for upcoming events, update your personal data, redeem vouchers, and so much more!

Manage modules from our MBA/M.A. program

As a student of our program in Technology Management (MBA/M.A.), you can see all the modules that are mandatory for you, as well as additional elective modules. You can also find a progress report, your Transcript of Records and your enrollment certification.



ALL MODULES FROM OUR MBA/M.A PROGRAMM

GENERAL MANAGEMENT

Over the course of three unique modules, students learn the basics of management. Strategy development and methods of communication are supplemented by classical management focuses such as accounting and financial management. In group work, students deepen their intercultural team skills and deal with ethical aspects of their actions.

Economics & Law

The Economics & Law module is divided into two parts and combines the basics of economic thinking with practical application examples. The aim is to obtain an overview of basic economic concepts and to be able to apply them individually to company-related questions.


Contents

Part I: Economic principles

Students are familiarized with the basics of economic thinking and sensitized to the fact that markets can only function if there are adequate institutions. Part I consists of six chapters: (1) Basic economic concepts, (2) Necessary conditions for functioning markets, (3) Market failures and government failures, (4) Public goods and their financing, (5) International trade and (6) Political economics (e.g. rent-seeking).

Part II: Investment climate

The (general) insights from Part I are transferred to individual entrepreneurs and thus linked to "my project." Certain elements of repetition are explicitly intended for sustainable learning success. Six sub-chapters are included: (1) Relevance of security / Stability of property rights for the behavior of firms, (2) Relevance of regulation for firm behavior, (3) Relevance of taxation for firm behavior, (4) Relevance of availability of financial markets for firm behavior, (5) Relevance of infrastructure quality for firm behavior and (6) Relevance of labor markets for firm behavior.
 

Learning objectives

  • Familiarity with basic economic concepts (such as supply and demand, market equilibrium, etc.)
  • Understanding that markets are only welfare-enhancing if they are based on adequate institutions (such as property law, contract law, courts, law enforcement agencies).
  • Knowledge of the main forms of market failure
  • Comprehension of the methods economists use to legitimize both the existence of the state and the actions of its representatives
  • Familiarity with the implications of positive tax rates
  • Understanding that the paradigm of barter used by economists also applies to bartering beyond national borders.
  • Competence describing the role of market players (in particular companies) and their representatives (associations) in the pursuit of political interests ("rent-seeking") and what consequences this can have for economic development.
  • Ability to independently transfer the general insights of this course to the individual level (especially for entrepreneurs)

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 30 hours (4 days in class over a 15 week period)

Recommended semester

3rd semester

Exam / grading

Written examination, graded

Financial Performance & Management Control

"Accounting is the language of business." Through case studies, business games, and simulations, a basic knowledge of accounting and cost accounting, as well as financing and investment accounting is acquired. In particular, students learn how to measure and control the financial and non-financial performance of a company.

The central didactic concept is a so-called "flipped classroom," i.e. the students independently acquire part of the knowledge via the digital platform, MyAccountingLab, and the accompanying textbook, while in the classroom students apply and reflect on this freshly acquired knowledge.

The starting point is the interactive teaching of the basic, central, arithmetic schedules: Balance Sheet/Statement of Financial Position and Profit and Loss Account/Income Statement. Using an emerging self-run company as a reference, the purpose of these accounting schedules and their relationships to each other is clarified. This way, the basic questions of accounting, according to HGB and IFRS, are introduced. Students then learn the basics of balance sheet policy and balance sheet analysis by practicing on (self-)selected sample companies. Central controlling procedures and cost accounting applications are then taught to develop internal accounting skills. For example, students are shown how pricing decisions can be based on cost accounting information or how contribution margins can be used for strategic and operational issues. Selected management issues with key figures and performance measurements will also be addressed.

The module also deals with questions of financing and investment calculation, and the most important methods are applied, such as the amortization method, the NPV method, and the internal rate of return method (IRR). Finally, students are shown how the sensitivity of the various methods learned in the course can be determined, and how improvement potentials can be identified using the Monte Carlo simulation.
 

Contents

  • Financial performance and economic value
  • Balance sheet
  • Income statement
  • Financial statement analysis and ratios
  • Management accounting
  • Financial statement analysis and ratios
  • Costing
  • Cost-based pricing
  • Break-even analysis
  • Performance measurement
  • Investment decisions
  • Monte Carlo simulation in accounting and finance
                 

Learning objectives

After successful completion of this module, students are able:

  • To describe the components of the balance sheet and to create a balance sheet from transaction data
  • To analyze business transactions and link them to balance sheet changes
  • To explain how external accounting measures income
  • To use the concept of matching to record expenditure for a period
  • To prepare a profit and loss account and to present the connection with a balance sheet
  • To identify the main principles of IFRS and their impact on financial performance management
  • To understand the approach of balance sheet analysis
  • To identify the most important analytical indicators and describe their calculation
  • To apply several standard cost accounting methods for different business contexts
  • To understand control and management of a company's costs in various areas (marketing, administration, logistics, etc.).
  • To apply management accounting techniques to strategic business decisions
  • To understand the principal-agent problem
  • To assess the impact of performance management systems on behavior
  • To understand the time value of money and the criteria for investment decisions
  • To apply the amortization method, the present value method (NPV) and the internal rate of return method (IRR)
  • To analyze cash flows and project values
  • To determine the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)
  • To explain what is meant by financial leverage and how financial leverage is measured
  • To develop numeracy and quantitative skills related to accounting and financial information
  • To apply the Monte Carlo simulation to accounting and financial problems
  • To analyze and discuss case studies/projects and to develop problem-solving and team skills

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 48 hours (6 days in class over a 10 week period)

Recommended semester

2nd semester

Exam / grading

Case Studies / Project Reflection: 30%, Quizzes: 30%, Written Exam: 40% graded

Strategy Management Game

In this module students learn to develop entrepreneurial strategies in response to national and international market challenges and to analyze the consequences of strategic alternatives.  

Contents

  • Strategies, strategy development, and strategic analysis
  • International market selection, market segmentation, and market expansion
  • Benefit promise and strategic positioning
  • International market entry and market cultivation strategies
  • Price strategies, profitability, and scenario analysis
  • Strategies for successful competitive presentations of strategic concepts
  • Planning of projects for strategy implementation
  • Management of (project) teams, risk, and stakeholder management
  • Current developments in strategic and project management

Learning objectives

Upon successful completion of this module, students are able to:

  • Develop a structured literature overview and thus acquire new knowledge
  • Describe and discuss the main and current theoretical approaches and concepts in business strategy
  • Critically reflect on management tools and apply them to practical challenges
  • Develop appropriate strategies in regards to national and international market challenges
  • Analyze the consequences of strategic alternatives
  • Transfer and integrate strategic concepts into projects
  • Identify and solve the pitfalls in the implementation of the strategy
  • Present and defend strategic concepts to decision-makers
  • Take responsibility in the project team and evaluate and perform various roles in the project team
  • Present and summarize strategic concepts in the form of a suitable management report

 

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 40 hours (6 days over a 10 week period)

Recommended semester

1st semester

Exam / grading

Presentation, Term paper


PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

In an agile working world, the focus is no longer on specialist knowledge, but rather on the ability to handle permanent change with confidence. In these modules, students develop skills to shape digital change. Using real projects, they prepare themselves for responsible leadership tasks in management. Students have their mental flexibility and their awareness of the reaching consequences of their actions further developed, facilitating a positive culture of error.

Shaping the World of Tomorrow

The module Shaping the World of Tomorrow provides students with an introduction to digital transformation (history, drivers, success factors). They learn the basics of the development of digital products through a practical project and gain an insight into the topics of IT security as well as the ethics and culture of digital society. The module encourages students to play an active role in shaping digital change and to be able to competently evaluate future developments.

Contents

  • ­Introduction to digital transformation (history, drivers, success factors)
  • Fundamentals of data analysis (data as a success factor, challenges of big data, analysis methods, visualizations)
  • Designing digital products and services (user stories, wireframes, agile methodologies, scrum, user-centered design)
  • IT security (hackers and their targets, IT security risks, attack vectors, protection measures, security zone model, security by design)
  • Ethics and culture of the digital society (challenges, opportunities, and risks of digital technology in relation to elections, currency, privacy, wars, artificial intelligence)


Learning objectives

Students become designers of digital change:

  • Students will understand digital transformation and acquire methods for the active design of the transformations of products, services, and processes in companies and society
  • Students will acquire digital core competencies that enable them to understand digital technologies and apply these technologies effectively in practice
  • Students will recognize the effects of digital technologies and digital change on ethics and society, learn to assess them, and evaluate their effects

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 48 hours (6 days in class over a 10 week period)

Recommended semester

1st semester

Exam / grading

Project task, product development and implementation of a max. 5-minute film incl. written documentation

Self-Development & Communication

The Self-Development & Communication module enables participants to identify and reflect on their own values and skills in a digital environment. Using various communication models and conflict dynamics, students develop their reflection skills and acquire the ability to further enhance their methodical and interpersonal work.

Contents

  • Personal Reflection: what values guide me, what influence do I want to have in the world, how do I become an effective change-maker?
  • Effective Business Presentations: dealing with nervousness, voice, body language, audience, structure, and structure of presentations
  • Conflict Management: various models according to Schulz von Thun (4 pages, internal team), Rosenberg (active listening, non-violent communication), Widmer (onion model), Glasl (conflict escalation), Blake/Mouton (conflict styles), simulation of conflict resolution talks, among others
  • Facilitating Work/Projects Groups: Moderator and moderation, techniques and posture, simulation of workshop moderation
  • Reflections in Project Groups: regular reflection on the project work in small groups for objective quality and cooperation as a team
     

Learning contents

Upon completion of the module, the students have:

  • Personal Reflection: explored main personal drivers, identified values and skills, discussed and reflected on these values
  • Effective Business Presentations: learned to deal with nervousness, to establish contact with the audience, to stay under control, to build up presentations in a target and target group-oriented manner, and to deal with critical questions
  • Conflict Management: understand the causes of disturbed communication, comprehend general conflict dynamics, aware of one’s own interests, wishes, and needs as well as those of the other conflict party, maintain an attitude and a style of communication that have a de-escalating effect.      
  • Facilitating Work/Projects Groups: the ability to prepare a workshop in a goal-oriented way, the skills to lead a working group to results, and the awareness to select and effectively use the knowledge, different moderation techniques and tools
  • Reflections in Project Groups: the ability to reflect and optimize their professional, methodological, and interpersonal work

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 64 hours (8 days in class over a 10 week period)

Recommended semester

2nd semester

Exam / grading

Presentation / Moderation, Written Reflexion

Leadership in Changing Environments

In the Leadership in Changing Environments module, participants develop an understanding of the different leadership requirements in the context of changing social, economic, and technical conditions. Personal skills dealing with decision-making processes in unpredictable and difficult-to-control situations are expanded, and the possibilities and limitations of leadership on the development of a learning and innovation culture are demonstrated.

Contents

  • 3 pillars of organizational development structure/strategy/culture to develop the vision/ meaning of the organization
  • Leadership 1.0–4.0: Understanding the different leadership requirements in the context of changing social, economic, and technical framework conditions
  • Appreciation and communication: Understanding the effect of appreciation in communication on the efficiency and effectiveness of (collaborative) work
  • Systemic Leadership: Understanding the importance of goals and framework conditions as well as methods and structures in shaping effective leadership
  • Understanding the psychological perception process: Understanding the psychological perception and cognition process, including emotionality and its significance for managers
  • Meaning and use of language as a management tool
  • Innovation culture development as a management task and challenge
  • Quality as a method of aligning all employees to customer orientation
  • The image of man and its consequences for leadership methodology (organic vs. mechanical)
  • Leadership methods to accompany self-regulating systems (Open Space, Future Conference, Bar Camp, etc.)

Learning objectives

After successful completion of the module, students gain: 

  • The ability to define and clarify the role of a leader in different situations, specifically in constantly changing environments
  • An understanding of the design of success factors for the development of innovative and sustainable organizations (strategy, structure, culture, vision, and people)
  • Coaching and facilitation skills to support employees, teams, and network partners
  • Further development of personal perception and cognitive abilities
  • Comprehensive knowledge and skills of methods for strengthening self-organized work in groups and teams
  • Expertise in dealing with decision-making processes in unpredictable and difficult to control situations
  • In-depth psychological knowledge for understanding and mastering leadership requirements
  • Understanding of psychological factors of intercultural and international cooperation
  • Experience with key success factors in leading virtual teams
  • Competencies dealing with and understanding psychological resistance and conflicts in leadership processes
  • Familiarity of the possibilities and limitations of leadership on the development of dynamic and innovative company cultures and the emergence of these cultures, especially “error cultures”

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 50 hours (7 days in class over a 130 week period)

Recommended semester

3rd semester

Exam / grading

Presentation, ungraded


BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The core of the curriculum consists of practice-oriented modules in the Business Development area that extend over the entire period of study. Here, students develop their skills on the basis of project-based learning.

An innovation project serves as a project, leading to the development of a business idea in five modules. This concept is systematically developed further in the internship and in the Master’s thesis and the first steps of implementation are planned in detail.

Foundations of Business Development

The Foundations of Business Development module teaches the basics for the development of innovative projects and new business fields. The modules focus on recognizing, analyzing, and planning new business methods. Subsequently, students are able to develop innovations and develop business plans.

Contents

This module teaches the basics for the later development of innovation projects and new business fields:

  • The recognition of business opportunities and innovation opportunities (e.g. sources for innovation and new business ideas, prognosis and trend analyses, environmental scanning, identification and evaluation of future fields--such as digitization, Industry 4.0, sustainability, etc.)
  • The analysis of business opportunities with regard to created customer value and the associated market potential (e.g. how improper value proposition and market analysis lead to failure of innovations and start-ups in the market, drivers of adoption and diffusion, analysis of customer needs, evaluation of markets, testing central market hypotheses, and validation of customers)
  • The planning of innovative projects for the establishment of new business opportunities by exploring different types of business and income models, the development of these business models, financial planning, financing, and specific planning elements in new business models such as sourcing, resources, market entry, distribution, and sales
     

Learning objectives

Knowledge:

  • Extended general knowledge of the sources of innovation and business opportunities
  • In-depth general knowledge of planning for innovation development and new business opportunities
  • Broad, integrated knowledge, and partly specialized knowledge, in market analyses for innovations and new business opportunities

Skills:

  • Identification and filtering of important developments and evaluation of the implications of trends in key future fields
  • Translation of environment and trend analyses into assessments of attractive business opportunities and fields of innovation
  • Carrying out market and competition analyses
  • Assessment and reduction of market risks
  • Development and review of business models
  • Preparation of business plans

Personal competence:

  • Analytical skills (drawing conclusions in complex fields of analysis)
  • Ability to work in a team (division of labor and coordination in group work)

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 48 hours (6 days in class over a 15 week period)

Recommended semester

1st semester

Exam / grading

Case study processing, group work, participation, graded

Innovation & New Business Proposal

In the Innovation & New Business Proposal module, students in start-up teams develop a self-chosen business idea and validate it using various approaches. They design new business models and learn how to combine existing information and innovative ideas.

Contents

In this module, students form startup teams to develop and validate a self-chosen business idea, possibly presented by a company at the Project Fair. The validation process follows an incremental and iterative approach in which diversity, consideration of alternatives, and testing of hypotheses based on prototypes are preferred to a linear five-year business plan.

  • Ideation and Team Mixer
  • Customer Problem Discovery
  • Value Proposition Design
  • Customer Interviews
  • Startup Discovery Presentations
  • Market & Competition Assessment
  • Business Model Innovation
  • Prototyping & MVPs
  • Business Hypotheses & Experiments
  • Startup Validation Presentation
  • Go-to-market Strategy
  • Startup Finance
  • Final Startup Pitches
     

Learning contents

After completing this module, students are able to:

  • Apply a modern innovation toolkit that is relevant in companies as well as in the startup world
  • Analyze given business opportunities in relation to individual elements
  • Design new business models by collecting and combining relevant ideas, facts, and information
  • Evaluate business opportunities and judge the next steps and decisions

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 40 hours (8 days in class over a 15 week period)

Recommended semester

2nd semester

Exam / grading

Written exam, graded

Innovation & New Business Plan

This application-oriented module aims to further develop an idea into an innovation and business concept. In addition to integrated specialist knowledge, students learn skills such as the creation of a communication plan and how to expand their personal competencies. 

Contents

As the third part of “my project,” this applied module aims to further develop an idea into an innovation and a business concept. Ideally, a detailed pitch-deck for the project is available at the end. The module is divided into three blocks:

  • The creation of customer value through a feasible product/service design; the acquisition of the necessary human and technical resources in the team and in cooperation with partners such as market-oriented product design/service development, team formation and organizational architecture for new venture projects, assessing key technical, and financial and human resources; the management of intellectual property, securing required resources, and mitigating business strategy weaknesses
  • The organizational anchor of the innovation or the new business: the market entry including the planning of sales and distribution methods; the formulation of growth strategies in the market (implementation in existing companies (e.g. resistance to innovations), implementation in startups (e.g. legal forms), market entry strategies, planning the marketing mix communication, pricing, sales, and growth strategies (via new applications, new market segment, expansion of the portfolio, internationalization)
  • The planning of the income model, the estimation of the investments/costs as well as the revenues, the preparation of a financial plan, and the definition of a financing strategy (calculations of central Key Performance Indicators (KPI)'s, investment planning, cost planning, revenue forecasts, forms of financing, financing strategy, company valuation, and term sheets)
     

Learning contents

Knowledge:

  • Integrated expertise in product and service design
  • In-depth general knowledge in resource planning and intellectual property protection
  • Critical understanding of innovation barriers in established organizations
  • In-depth general knowledge of approaches to marketing innovations
  • Broad and integrated knowledge, partially specialized knowledge regarding financial planning for innovations, and financing of startup companies

Skills:

  • Benefits of design methods
  • Networking and team building
  • Prognosis of obstacles to innovation in companies
  • Analysis of market entry barriers
  • Creation of a communication plan and a price model
  • Development of a financial plan

Personal competence:

  • Analytical skills
  • Ability to work in a team
  • Self-employment
  • Sensible handling of risks
  • Social competences (e.g. networking skills)

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 40 hours (5 days in class over a 15 week period)

Recommended semester

3rd semester

Exam / grading

Case study processing, group work, participation, graded

Innovation Tools, Methods & Concepts

Students are introduced to modern technology and innovation management in the Innovation Tools, Methods & Concepts module. They are familiarized with trends and current developments and can subsequently evaluate and shape them.

Contents

The focus is on tools and processes of modern technology and innovation management such as stage gate processes, technology roadmaps, foresight tools, large data analysis or simulation. At the same time, current trends such as the “Circular Economy,” “Big Data,” and “Digitization” will be discussed.

Current Challenges and Trends in Technology Management

These inputs address current issues that are relevant in the context of changing workplaces and increasingly digitized forms of work:

  • Disruptive Innovation and Disruptive Opportunities for Frugal Innovation
  • Technology foresight – Challenges and solutions
  • Circular Economy, Cradle2Cradle Innovation (C2C), and Business Model Innovation Opportunities
  • Complexity management with large data analysis and simulation

Technology Assessment and Acquisition

This input introduces a concept and methodology for the development of technology strategies and their combination with business strategies and/or policy decisions.  Concepts and applications of a range of integrated tools are presented, including technology assessment and hierarchical decision modeling.

Innovation Process

This input includes an introduction to the basic concepts of innovation management, the framework conditions of the innovation process, the management of idea generation and selection, and the management of alternative generation and implementation (technical problem solving).
 

Learning objectives

Current Challenges and Trends in Technology Management

  • Get to know important trends and current developments in technology management
  • Develop an understanding of the complex challenges facing the industry and the companies involved in technology and innovation
  • Combine already acquired knowledge and skills with the problems of the future

Technology Assessment and Acquisition

Develop an understanding of approaches and tools that help organizations and governments align their strategies and policies with the direction in which new technologies are moving.

Innovation Process

  • Know the basic activities and process steps along the phases of the innovation process
  • Know sources of resistance and obstacles in the innovation process and identify and apply appropriate methods to overcome them
  • Know important concepts and approaches from theory and gain an insight into empirical research work in this field

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

Attendance: 80 hours (10 days in class over a 15 week period)

Recommended semester

1st + 2nd semester

Exam / grading

Presentation, graded


NIT Languages

All NIT students learn a foreign language during their studies. German as a foreign language is compulsory for all students below level C1. Native speakers and students above the required level can choose another language (e.g. Chinese, French, or Spanish etc.).

Learning objectives

According to §4 (4) FSPO at least two of the levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) must be successfully completed for German as a Foreign Language. In other foreign languages, at least one increase in competence by one level must be demonstrated.

 

Module Supervisor

NIT Program Director

Inputs

IBH and other language schools in Hamburg

Learning path

Workload: 5 ECTS / 150 hours

Attendance: 75 hours total (weekly courses) over 2 semesters


 

Recommended semester

1st + 2nd semesters

Exam / grading

Participation and successful completion (graded) of two language courses as well as passing an official language exam such as TestDaF, Telc, DELE etc.

Practical Experience

The internship gives students an opportunity to test and apply their theoretical knowledge in practice. Working students develop an independent project in their company.

Contents

The internship/practical activity is an important part of the “my project” strand. The internship gives students the opportunity to test and apply their theoretical knowledge in practice. In addition, they can put the questions raised in their own projects into practice and find answers.

If students carry out their projects in cooperation with companies they can test direct applications on site during the practical phase lasting several weeks, test their product or service in direct contact with customers and get to know other relevant relationships in the company and on the corresponding market.
 

Learning objectives

Immersing students in an industry environment further deepens their learning experiences and increases their practical problem-solving competences. The internship also offers international students an opportunity to apply and expand their German language skills in a professional environment.


The internship experience also serves personal career orientation. Students get to know industries and companies/startups with relevance in their future career paths. Immersion in a real workplace over a period of several weeks offers the students an ideal opportunity to recognize the elements and aspects of their subject that really motivate and inspire them.

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 10 ECTS / 300 hours

At least 8 weeks full-time employment in practice

Recommended semester

3rd + 4th semesters
 

Exam / grading

Presentation (Poster Fair), internship certificate, ungraded

Master’s Thesis

In the Master's thesis, students formulate a research question or develop a business idea. Thus, the thesis can be a business plan or the business field development of a corporate innovation project. The aim of the Master's thesis is to show that the student is in a position to independently work on a topic in Technology Management, according to scientific aspects.

Contents

  • Formulation of a workable research question or elaboration of a business idea (the topic develops directly from the MyProject strand; business plans are required for startup projects, while business field development projects are required for corporate innovation)
  • Independent operationalization of the topic or development of a concept
  • A well-founded literature search, data collection, and evaluation or literature/source/market analysis
  • Writing an independent academic thesis with supervision/coaching by the learning guides
  • In addition, an input on scientific writing takes place at the beginning of the project: “Good scientific practice and writing”

Learning objectives

The aim of the Master’s thesis is to prove that the student is in a position to work on a specific question from the field of Technology Management independently, using scientific methods within a specified period of time.
High expectations are placed on form and content. The aim is for all students to have a solid methodological framework and knowledge of content at the end of the working period, which will enable them to successfully complete their scientific work.

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 15 ECTS / 450 hours over three months

8 hours attendance (one date)

Recommended semester

4th semester

Exam / grading

Written Master’s thesis, short presentation, graded
 


COMPLEMENTARY STUDIES

Complementary Studies supplement the NIT curriculum with modules on highly topical aspects of technology and digitalization in which students learn methodological skills and new strategies. The contents are oriented towards the challenges of digital transformation such as data science, machine learning, coding, or ethics.

Participants learn to follow a problem-solving approach and to solve problems in a structured, systematic, and efficient way. Students wishing to complete the Master's program in Technology Management with 120 ECTS can earn additional credit points from five elective modules in this area.

Data Science and Machine Learning for Managers

In this module, students learn how to acquire, cleanse, and transform large amounts of data online using various techniques. The aim is to explore, visualize, and model the related data in a target-oriented way, using modern methods of machine learning.

Contents

  • Basic Workflows in Data Science
  • Programming Basics: Functions, Loops, Apply Data Access, Scraping and Import
  • Data Transformation with dplyr and data.table
  • Dealing with Text Data
  • Exploratory Data Analysis
  • Data Visualization with ggplot2
  • Data Modeling Overview
  • Unsupervised Machine Learning
  • Supervised Machine Learning
  • Deep Learning
  • Data Communication: R Markdown, Shiny Dashboards

Learning objectives

After completing this module, students will be able to:

  • Obtain large amounts of data via APIs or web scraping from the Internet
  • Clean and transform data
  • Explore and visualize data in a goal-oriented way
  • Model data using modern machine learning techniques with respect to classifications and predictive predictions
  • Communicate data and results in the form of products and applications  

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

48 hours (6 days in class over a 15 week period)
 

Recommended semester

Freely selectable

Exam / grading

Project presentation, graded

Technology and Ethics

The Technology and Ethics module introduces the philosophical questions of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In small teams, students develop the ability to formulate and concisely express arguments on the ethics of AI in respect of philosophical aspects.

Contents

  • An in-situ and case-related introduction to the philosophical questions of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • The alignment problem: Are there ethical standards to which AI should be aligned (avoidance of distortions, etc.)?
  • The regulatory problem: How should we regulate AI technologies?

Learning objectives

  • Demonstrate knowledge of philosophical issues related to the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Acquire the ability to express clearly and concisely arguments about the philosophical questions related to the ethics of AI
  • Ability to work in small teams on the philosophical questions of AI ethics

Module Supervisor

Prof. Dr. Matthew Braham
Sandra-Luisa Moschner

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

32 hours attendance (4 days in class over a 15 week period)

 

Recommended semester

Freely selectable

Exam / grading

Short written reports, essay, ungraded
 

Legal Aspects of Technology Management

Students learn professional and methodological skills to put legal issues related to new technologies into practice and to understand and draft related contracts. This module focuses in particular on trademark and patent law, European data protection practice and the drafting of contracts.

Contents

Part 1: Industrial property rights in practice

  • Basics of trademark law
  • Fundamentals of copyright law
  • Basics of design law
  • Fundamentals of patent and utility model law as well as the protection of corporate practices

Part 2: Handling data in practice

  • Fundamentals of data protection in Europe
  • Design of samples for practice

Part 3: Drafting contracts

  • Types of license agreement/project agreement
  • Fundamentals of contract drafting
  • Contract interests
  • Essential contents of the contract

One attendance day takes the form of an excursion.

Learning objectives

Students will be able to implement legal questions in connection with new technologies and to understand and draft contracts in this field in a professional and methodical way.

Module Supervisor

Monika Sekara

Inputs

Kurt Schüneman

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

40 hours attendance (5 days in class over a 6 week period)
 

Recommended semester

Freely selectable

Exam / grading

Term paper and presentation, graded
 

Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a new and different approach to solving problems and developing innovations. The focus is on people, needs, and deeper interrelationships. Design Thinking is a process, instrument, and mindset at the same time. Students learn the basics of design thinking in the course and use it as an example to solve a tricky problem. In the further course of the module, the instruments and working methods learned in this module are deepened and supplemented in an application-oriented manner.

Contents

Design Thinking as a method for creative, human-centered recognition and solution of problems represents a strong alternative to the predominant management approaches of recent decades. In this module, students learn and use this methodology to meet the challenges of the real world by developing innovative solutions that do not simply replicate existing solutions but challenge conventional thinking. Through practical experience in designing, managing, and improving products/services/business models, students improve their creative problem-solving skills, develop habits for self-reflection, and maintain their peer-to-peer collaboration skills.

Learning objectives

Theoretical basis

  • Students can describe the interdisciplinary genesis and core principles of Design Thinking
  • Students can explain the relationship of design thinking to other innovation practices, product development methods and management approaches (e.g. Lean Startup, Agile).
  • Practical project
  • The students are able to create and defend a human-oriented design challenge through a practical partner.
  • The students are able to generate design concepts and evaluate them with internal heuristics as well as feedback from users.
  • Students can improve and further develop their design concepts through rapid iteration.
  • Students can discuss design concepts with their practice partner with a focus on prototypes and visualizations.
  • The students will be able to improve their social competences by learning to give and receive feasible and effective feedback.
  • Reflection and application
  • Students can discuss the benefits and challenges of a people-centric approach to both product development and corporate culture.

Module Supervisor

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

60 hours attendance (8 days over a 15 week period)

Recommended semester

Freely selectable

Exam / grading

Presentation and final report, ungraded

Digital Supply Chain

In the Digital Supply Chain module, students deal with the effects of disruptive technologies such as blockchain technology or the Internet of Things. They will also assess their impact on the logistics industry and the management of global supply chains in a digital world. Strategies for reducing environmental impact in logistics are identified and further developed.

Contents

Introduction to logistics, supply chain and supply chain management:

  • Development of a customer-oriented supply chain strategy
  • Physical network planning and logistics cost optimization
  • Global procurement strategies and strategic supplier selection


The impact of disruptive technologies, understanding the risks and opportunities for the logistics industry and global supply chains:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
  • Blockchain technology and the transformation of world trade
  • Cloud-based computing, big data and big data analytics
  • The physical Internet (PI) and the Internet of Things (IoT)


Managing new supply chain risks and creating resilient supply chains in a digital world.
The environmental imperative:

  • Strategies to reduce the environmental impact of logistics
  • Reverse logistics
  • Omni-channel retailing and its impact on logistics
  • Intelligent products, intelligent cities and urban logistics
  • Logistics and supply chain management in a circular economy

Learning objectives

  1. Understand how companies formulate their logistics and supply chain strategy for competitive advantage
  2. Comprehend how organizations develop global sourcing and supplier selection strategies
  3. Assess how various disruptive technologies affect or may affect the logistics and supply chain sector
  4. Develop an understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities of the supply chain in a networked digital world
  5. Critically describe the latest advances in sustainable logistics and the impact of logistics on the environment
  6. Understand the concept of the physical Internet and the opportunities it offers for transport and logistics
  7. Appreciate the role of logistics and supply chain management in the digital environmental service sector

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

40 hours (5 days in class over a 10 week period)
 

Recommended semester

Freely selectable

Exam / grading

Presentation and learning journal, graded

 

Coding

The Coding module enables participants to start programming. Common programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and Java are considered and evaluated. In a practical project the students learn to program web applications with JavaScript.

Contents

Coding I

  • Getting Started with Programming
  • Programming in JavaScript
  • Logical Expressions and Operators

Coding II

  • HTML and CSS
  • Web applications with JavaScript
  • Practical project

Learning objectives

  • Understanding and using the JavaScript language
  • Logical thinking
  • Knowledge of web development with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

 

Module Supervisor

Teresa Holfeld       

Inputs
Coding School Hamburg

Learning path

Workload: 6 ECTS / 180 hours

66 hours attendance (weekly) in 10 weeks

Recommended semester

Freely selectable

Exam / grading

Presentation, graded



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