In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, distinguishing yourself requires more than ambition—it demands the right qualifications and skills. Our MSc in Digital Transformation Leadership provides the strategic expertise and cutting-edge knowledge essential to excel in this dynamic field. This master’s programme is designed to prepare you for independent entrepreneurial ventures or senior management positions with leadership responsibilities across various industries and business sizes.

The curriculum offers a unique combination of leadership, decision-making, and digital competencies, equipping you to advance into a future-oriented career in a global company or innovative start-up. Digital technologies are omnipresent in today’s society and business world, driving a digital revolution that evolves at an unprecedented pace. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, Big Data, the Internet of Things, and Blockchain are set to disrupt traditional business models and transform job roles in the industry.

Students will enhance their leadership and management knowledge, and acquire application-specific specialisation skills through real-world challenges and practical experiences

This programme provides you with all of the essential tools and practical skills to pursue a career in leading transformation projects and change agendas for the digital economy.

Suitable for aspiring managers and consultants who want to take on leadership roles in the digital domain.

Opens career opportunities across multiple industries like business management, government administration and digital consulting.

Helps you gain additional skills in Big Data, cybersecurity, and cloud computing through technical know-how provided by Amazon.

Provides in-depth knowledge about digital transformation efforts like innovation management, technology, and data control organisation.

The degree programme has been awarded the quality seal of the Accreditation Council Foundation. The Accreditation Council Foundation is a joint institution of the federal states of Germany for quality assurance in study and teaching at German universities.

Gisma University of Applied Sciences is state recognised. It also benefits from AMBA accreditation, which was awarded for the Global MBA and is an honour shared by only 6 universities in Germany and 2% of all universities worldwide. The prestigious AMBA accreditation represents innovation and excellence in education.

Gisma University of Applied Sciences supports flexible and individual learning by applying a systematic hybrid learning scheme. You will spend part of your lectures in class at our Potsdam campus. These face-to-face phases are complemented by e-learning sessions. You will work on cases, reflect on readings, take part in online discussions, and participate in group exercises and projects. This variety of learning methods is part of our unique teaching strategy, which includes student-centred pedagogy, project-based learning, collaborative learning, and personalised coaching.

The course is available to study both full-time and part-time. The standard period of study is two years full-time, part-time correspondingly longer. If you have the relevant academic or professional experience, you could be eligible to shorten the study period to one, or one and a half years. Talk to our programme consultants to find out whether this is the case for you.

The programme is modularised, which means each module is assigned a fixed number of credit points and concludes with an examination. This programme consists of 60, 90, or 120 ECTS credits, depending on the track and your eligibility. The standard track spans 24 months (120 ECTS), while the credit-based track can be completed in 12 or 18 months (60 or 90 ECTS), based on prior academic credits, qualifications, or work experience.

In the 2-year format (120 ECTS credits), the curriculum includes a ‘mobility window’ in the 5th semester: a semester reserved for you to study abroad, undertake an internship, or complete a business project in practice.

Leadership and Decision Making

HR Management and Organization Design

Cognitive Psychology & Leadership

Management of People in Cross Cultural Environments

Behavioural Competencies in Virtual Teams

Emotional Agility in International Business

CEO Decision Making & Case Studies

Project Management and Sustainability

Project Management

CSR, Diversity and Ethics

Digital Competencies

Innovation Management and Digital Transformation

I.M.E. in a Digital World

Digital Marketing and Analytics

Cybersecurity and Digital Risk Management

Electives in Cloud Computing, Big Data and Cyber Security from Amazon, Alibaba and Co.

Study Abroad or Internship or Business Project Option

Scientific and Methods Competencies

Research Methods and Scientific Work

Master Thesis

A digital transformation leadership degree can help you a manage and lead digitisation in any international organisation. As a consultant, you will be in the pole position to bring businesses to the next (digitised) level. Potential graduate opportunities:

Cloud specialists; annual salary ranges about € 65,000.

Digital product managers; annual salary ranges about € 68,000.

Financial analysts; annual salary ranges about € 48,100.

Solution architects; annual salary ranges about € 69,710.

Chief digital officers; annual salary ranges about € 1,41,463.

UX designers; annual salary ranges about € 42,602.

Digital transformation specialist; annual salary ranges about € 76,333.

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (business, economics or social sciences, psychology, law, engineering, computer science, or closely related sciences)

English proficiency: B2 (IELTS 6.0 overall, no less than 5.5 in any component) or equivalent scores in TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE or Duolingo. Gisma also offers an English test free of charge.