hdbw-hochschule.com Master's degree programmes
Digital Factory and Operational Excellence
DIGITAL FACTORY AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Digital transformation is a key issue today, especially in the field of logistics and production. The spectrum of topics that companies have to deal with in order to survive in national and international competition ranges from smart logistics and big data to process simulation and Industry 4.0.
With Digital Factory and Operational Excellence, HDBW's English-language Master's programme in Industrial Engineering with Business Studies, you will qualify for this important and promising area.
At a glance
- each winter and summer semester
- full time 3 semester
- 720 € each month
- No numerus clausus
Career perspectives with a Master's degree in Digital Factory and Operational Excellence
Be part of making the digital transformation a success! As a graduate of the Master's programme Digital Factory and Operational Excellence, you will qualify for this booming field. You can make full use of your will to optimize, your organizational talents, and the business and technological know-how you have acquired.
Your possible areas of operation are:
- Logistics and Production Manager
- Supply Chain Manager
- Lean Manager
- Industrial Engineering
- Management Consultant
What you can expect in this Master of Industrial Engineering

In the Industrial Engineering with Business Studies Master's degree programme Digital Factory and Operational Excellence, we teach you to view value chains from a business, IT and process perspective. In addition to optimization methods of lean production, the program also focuses on digital applications of factory planning.
In addition to business methods of work science, investment and decision theory, we teach you the basics of employment law. You will learn classic analysis and design methods, as well as digital tools for planning and optimizing production and logistics areas. And also gain insights into the digitalisation of the value chain during technology lectures.
This English-taught degree programme is rounded off by a focus on the specifics of international and intercultural project work.
Why study at a private university in Germany?
In this English-language Master's programme in Industrial Engineering at HDBW, you can expect small, international study groups that cooperate on an equal footing and in direct contact with excellent professors and lecturers with extensive operational experience.
At our University of Applied Sciences you can apply and deepen the knowledge you have acquired in study groups, while writing seminar papers and in giving presentations.
You also benefit from a very personal university atmosphere and specific support. As a result, you will achieve your study and career goals faster and more efficiently than in bigger and more anonymous institutions.
Voices on the Master in Industrial Engineering with Business Studies

"As a forward-looking and innovative company, we offer students on the master's degree courses in Cyber Security and Digital Factory and Operational Excellence the opportunity to combine their theoretical knowledge with our practical company content. We benefit greatly from the input and fresh ideas of the HDBW students. At the same time, we see this as an investment in the long-term retention of the skilled workers we need in our company."

"The close linking of digital web technologies as an interface to the customer with the most modern manufacturing processes allows us to produce exactly according to the customer's needs, starting with quantity 1. We print light, and for this we need bright minds that can build on an excellent education. We are glad to have found such a university partner in the HDBW."
Student Life at HDBW
All about the Master's programme in Industrial Engineering with Business Studies: Digital Factory and Operational Excellence
Completed Bachelor's degree
- Industrial Engineering or
- Business administration with corresponding focus or
- Production management or
- Logistics Management or
- Mechanical engineering or comparable subjects
- Other courses of study on request from the HDBW study advisory service.
ECTS
- Ideally 210 ECTS, but at least 180 ECTS.
- In case of a Bachelor with 180 ECTS, individual agreements will be made before the start of the program in order to complete the missing ECTS
Language level
B2 in English
The monthly tuition fee in the Master's programme Industrial Engineering, Digital Factory and Operational Excellence, is:
- 720 € full-time study 3 semesters
- 432 € part-time study 5 semesters
Your advantages at the HDBW
- No additional registration fee
- All courses & examination fees are already included
The Master's degree programme Digital Factory and Operational Excellenceis offered at HDBW Munich
Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft (HDBW)
Konrad-Zuse-Platz 8
D – 81829 München
In addition, it is offered part-time at the HDBW study center in Bamberg; online modules together with HDBW in Munich
Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft (HDBW)
Study Center Bamberg
Lichtenhaidestraße 15
D – 96052 Bamberg
- March 14th (Summer Semester) and September 30th (Winter Semester) for national and EU-applicants
- December 15th (Summer Semester) and June 30th (Winter Semester) for non-EU-applicants
Why? Veryfing your application documents, visa processs etc. take much longer
Programme Start
- Summer Semester, starting mid-March
- Winter Semester, starting beginning of October
Study Period
- 3 semesters full-time
- 5 semesters part-time
Duration Winter Semester
- October 1st until March 14th
- Lectures from beginning of October until end of January
- Examination period generally until Mid-February
Duration Summer Semester
- March 15th until September 30th
- Lectures from Mid-March until beginning of July
- Examination period generally until end of July
Duration of studies - depending on study time model
- 3 semesters full-time study
- 5 semesters of part-time study (reduced number of modules per semester, some block lectures, some part-time lectures in the evenings or on Saturdays)
Degree
Digital Factory and Operational Excellence - Master of Science (M.Sc.)
ECTS
- 90 ECTS points are acquired in the HDBW Master's programme
- 300 ECTS credits in total in the HDBW Bachelor & Master programme
What study time models are available in the Master's programme Digital Factory and Operational Excellence?
This English-speaking Master's degree in industrial Engineering with Business Studies is offered both as full- and part-time programme.
Lectures take place in individual block weeks in presence on campus. Further modules are offered online either in the evenings, Fridays or on Saturday.
Industrial Engineering Master Full-time | Digital Factory and Operational Excellence
The state-recognized Master of Science degree Digital Factory and Operational Excellence can be completed as full-time study at HDBW in Munich.
The practice-oriented lectures and seminars of this full-time Industrial Engineering Master's programme spread over 3 semesters:
- Semester: Analysis and Planning
- Semester: Management, Design and Optimisation
- Semester: Strategy and Evaluation
Module Plan Digital Factory and Operational Excellence: Full-time studies
- Business Planning, Finance und Entrepreneurship 5 ETCS
- Business Analysis and Optimization Methods 5 ETCS
- Global Supply Chain Management, Risk Management, Global Purchasing Strategy 5 ETCS
- Big Data, Analytics and Business Intelligence 5 ETCS
- Production strategy and produce in international Networks 5 ETCS
- Work Science 5 ETCS
- Lean Production and Production Optimization 5 ETCS
- Digital Factory Planning and Process Simulation 5 ETCS
- Digital Value Chains and Smart Logistics 5 ETCS
- Leadership and Change Management 5 ETCS
- Agile Project Management in International Project Teams 5 ETCS
- Project Work 5 ETCS
- Introduction to Cyber Security 5 ETCS
- Decision Theory and Development of Evaluation and Performance Measurement Systems 5 ETCS
- Masterthesis 18 ETCS
- Masterthesis Final Exam 2 ETCS
Industrial Engineering Part-time Master | Digital Factory and Operational Excellence
The state-recognized Master of Science degree in Digital Factory and Operational Excellence can also be obtained at the HDBW as a part-time programme in Munich or Bamberg.
This involves hearing a reduced number of modules per semester. Some of these take place as block lectures or in the evening or at weekends during the part-time lecture period.
The practice-oriented courses of the part-time Master's programme are spread over a total of 5 semesters:
- Semester: Analysis and planning
- Semester: Management, design and optimization
- Semester: Strategy and evaluation
- Semester: Project planning
- Semester: Master thesis
Module Plan Digital Factory and Operational Excellence: Part-time studies
- Business Planning, Finance und Entrepreneurship 5 ETCS
- Work Science 5 ETCS
- Big Data, Analytics and Business Intelligence 5 ETCS
- Production strategy and produce in international Networks 5 ETCS
- Business Analysis and Optimization Methods 5 ETCS
- Leadership and Change Management 5 ETCS
- Digital Value Chains and Smart Logistics 5 ETCS
- Digital Factory Planning and Process Simulation 5 ETCS
- Lean Production and Production Optimization 5 ETCS
- Decision Theory and Development of Evaluation and Performance Measurement Systems 5 ETCS
- Introduction to Cyber Security 5 ETCS
- Global Supply Chain Management, Risk Management, Global Purchasing Strategy 5 ETCS
- Production strategy and produce in international Networks 5 ETCS
- Agile Project Management in International Project Teams 5 ETCS
- Project Work 5 ETCS
- Masterthesis 18 ETCS
- Masterthesis Final Exam 2 ETCS
Qualification goals: Master Industrial Engineering with Business Studies
- You know the components and action dimensions of factory design, planning and optimization.
- You are familiar with classic analysis and design methods as well as digital tools for planning and optimizing production and logistics areas, such as programming, simulation, Industry 4.0.
- You can develop strategies in the international production network as well as in supply chain management and evaluate them on the basis of key figures.
- You can apply the methods of lean management / lean production as well as other management methods.
- You know the business and legal basics of investment theory and employment law.
- You know the terminology of business intelligence, big data and the associated information technology applications.
- You will learn the specifics of international and intercultural project work.
Your next steps:
Let us advise you personally!
Apply now!
To online application-processHDBW Professors and external lecturer in Master's degree: Digital Factory and Operational Excellence

Prof. Dr. Matthias Pfeffer
Faculty Engineering / Industrial Engineering with Business Studies
Program Director

Prof. Wolfgang Decker
Faculty Industrial Engineering with Business Studies

Prof. Dr. Markus Kleinschwärzer
Faculty Industrial Engineering with Business Studies

Prof. Dr. Sabine Rathmayer
Faculty Business Informatics
Programme Director & Vice President Research