Consumer Science

The Master in Consumer Science (MCS) at TUM School of Management is one of a kind in Germany. It guarantees you a unique academic experience with fellow students from many different countries and academic backgrounds. This diversity, combined with the broad curriculum of the program, nurtures the exchange of different perspectives, fosters intercultural skills and prepares you for a successful career in an international setting. For a comprehensive description of the program, please refer to the degree program documentation:

• Degree program documentation for the Master’s program in Consumer Science (PDF)

The MCS program combines perspectives from a variety of disciplines, which makes it particularly challenging. You will need a sound theoretical and methodological foundation. This is provided mainly by courses during the first semester, preparing you for more specialized courses in your second and third semester.

The program includes a mandatory Project Studies module that provides you with hands-on experience in a practical, interdisciplinary environment.

In today’s interconnected world, consumer science is becoming more and more important. Companies, governments, NGOs and research institutions all over the globe are looking for graduates who understand how consumers operate in their economic, social and environmental contexts, against the backdrop of ongoing digitalization. As a specialist in consumer research with interdisciplinary and international experience, you will be in an excellent position to meet the requirements of future employers.

The first semester concentrates on the required basics of Consumer Science.

In the second and third semester, the focus lies on the courses of the chosen specialization – “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, “Management and Marketing”, and “Economics and Econometrics” and the project studies. The program is completed with the Master’s Thesis in the fourth semester.

In detail:

• Program structure (PDF 152 KB)
• Module catalog: Description of the program’s contents

Required language skills for admission:

You need sufficient English language skills if you wish to apply for this program. Evidence of your language proficiency has to be submitted before the end of the application deadline. Learn more about recognized certificates and other ways to prove your English language skills.

This evidence of your language proficiency confirms that you comply with the minimum language requirements for admission to the program. Depending on the program and your individual background, it may be necessary for you to keep working on your language skills during your studies. Be sure to take a look at the services of our Language Center.  

Language of instruction:

The language of instruction for this program is usually English. This means that most of the modules are offered in English. Some courses may, however, be taught in German.To learn more about the language of instruction for each module, contact the departmental student academic advisor of this program.   

• Information on exams
• Information on studying abroad
• Information on internships

The tuition fees for international students from third countries for this degree program are 6,000 euros per semester.

Many international students can have their fees waived or receive scholarships to finance them. You can find all information on waivers and scholarships here.

Please note: The semester fee as a contribution to the student union must be paid additionally. It varies depending on where you are studying. You can find all information on the semester fee here.

Minimum requirements to apply for a Master’s program at TUM are a recognized undergraduate degree (e.g. a Bachelor’s) and the successful completion of the aptitude assessment procedure. The aptitude assessment allows the TUM school to which you are applying to evaluate your individual talents and motivation for study.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents.

Here you will find detailed information on the requirements for the documents you need to upload for application and admission to TUM.

Generally, applicants with a qualification for postgraduate studies (e.g. a Bachelor’s) obtained outside of Germany must have their documents reviewed in advance through uni-assist (Preliminary Documentation).

In detail:

• Applying for a Master’s program: Application, admission requirements and more
• Important information about your application from the TUM school

• Degree Certificate and Diploma or Subject and Grade Transcript of Studies to Date
• Transcript of Records
• Proof of English Language Proficiency
• Curricular Analysis
• Module Catalog
• Complete and Current Résumé
• Passport
• GMAT (optional)
• Preliminary Documentation (VPD) if the qualification for graduate studies (e.g. a Bachelor’s) was obtained outside Germany)

If you have completed your Bachelor's degree in China, India, Pakistan, Egypt or Bangladesh, you must provide proof of a GMAT (classic/focus) with a percentile ranking of at least 65%.

For more information, please click here.

For applicants from other countries, the GMAT is still optional. However, depending on the GMAT score, additional points will be awarded in the first stage of the assessment process.

Depending on your previous education and origin, we may require additional application documents. You can find out which documents these are when you apply online via TUMonline.

• Application for Enrollment (signed)
• Degree Certificate and Diploma (authentic document)
• Transcript of Records (authentic document)
• Most Current Photo (as for ID)
• Digital notification of your health insurance status from a German public health insurance provider (requested by applicant)

We may require additional documents depending on the type of educational background you earned and your country of origin. After accepting an offer of admission in TUMonline, you will receive a list of documents you must submit to TUM in hardcopy for enrollment.

In case the Admission Test is relevant to the final assessment, you will be invited, at least one week in advance, to complete an online test on a specific date. The test consists of about 40 to 50 questions and is divided into four categories:

1. Fundamentals: Mathematics, Statistics, Empirical Research Methods, Quantitative Methods (25%),

2. Fundamentals of Business Administration, Micro- and Macroeconomics (25%),

3. Fundamentals of Social/Communication Sciences and Consumer Behavior (25%),

4. Short written text on an issue in the context of consumer science (25%).

Application period for the winter semester: 01.04. – 31.05. 

Information about applying for a higher subject semester

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents. Please be aware that we can only process your application if you upload all required documents within the application period.

We will review your application as soon as it is complete. Please check your TUMonline account regularly, to see if we have any queries to your documents or if you have to amend one or more documents.

After receiving admission, you will see in TUMonline which documents you have to submit for enrollment, and in which form.

We recommend that you submit the documents for enrollment as soon as possible after receiving admission. If individual documents are not available by then, you can submit them up to 5 weeks after the start of the lecture period. You will, however, only be enrolled once we have received all documents.

You can check the status of your application at any time in your TUMonline account.

Selection takes place through an aptitude assessment procedure. The aptitude assessment is a two-part procedure after the submission of an official application to a program. In this procedure, the TUM school determines whether you meet the specific requirements for its Master’s degree program.

In the initial stages, the grades you obtained during your Bachelor’s program, as well as your written documents, will be evaluated using a point system. Depending on the amount of points accumulated, applicants are either immediately admitted, rejected, or invited to the online Admissions Test. 

• Aptitude Assessment for Master
• Description of the Aptitude Assessment (PDF 162 KB)