The four-semester, interdisciplinary Master of Industrial Engineering and Management at KIT aims for a qualification, both broad and research-focused, in the following five thematic core fields: Business Administration, Economics, Informatics, Operations Research, and Engineering. 

A shared aspect of the core fields is that they put special emphasize on learning and applying quantitative methods; these are the mathematical techniques of theoretical and empirical analysis. The course of study is designed in order to provide the students with a wide horizon and versatile problem-solving skills for their professional lives. They should be able to familiarise quickly with the specific methods of their field of work, particularly with the formally sophisticated methods. This should give them a considerable degree of flexibility in their professional career.

In order to ensure the quantitative focus of the course of study, special consideration is given to ensure that successful applicants have obtained a profound knowledge of mathematics and statistics as well as sufficient basic knowledge of most of the other core subjects in their preceding Bachelor's studies.

The wide range of the qualification is ensured by the rule that at least one module worth 9 credit points (usually comprising two lectures with tutorials) must be completed for each of the five specified thematic core subjects. A second module must be completed for both Business Administration and Engineering. In two additional modules, focuses can be developed in a selected core subject or in statistics. Law or sociology can be chosen for one of these modules as well. At least two seminars and the Master's thesis develop the skills to compose and present independent pieces of research. The possibility of an international exchange is provided through ERASMUS+ programs and bilateral direct cooperation programs.

In Business Administration and Economics, a variety of theoretical approaches are applied as well as all commonly applied methods of empirical analysis: from the collection and analysis of field data to laboratory experiments and computer-aided simulations.

The Business Administration courses comprise accounting, finance economy, business management, information engineering and management, industrial production, and marketing. The Economics courses comprise microeconomic and macroeconomic theories, industrial economics and network economics, public finance and economic policy, as well as political economy. In Operations Research, the advanced methods and models of continuous, discrete, stochastic, and dynamic optimisation are taught and algorithmically applied. Informatics focuses on specialised theoretical fundamentals as well as on advanced practical methods for applying information and communication technologies in economy, management, and society.

The program in classical Engineering takes advantage of numerous specialisation options within the KIT faculties of mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, and informatics as well as chemical engineering and process engineering.

This sound, scientific education provides graduates with the ability to describe and interpret characteristics, terminologies, doctrines, and limits in the thematic core subjects and electives, as well as reflect the current state of research and further develop it selectively.

Their broad knowledge base allows them to think in an interdisciplinary manner and to consider issues from different perspectives. They are also familiar with the limits and with the areas of overlap of the various disciplines. They are prepared for applying complex mathematical and computer-based methods in practice. They are able to take a nuanced approach to a wide range of problems, information, and current requirements as well as analyse, compare, and evaluate them using suitable methods and concepts – also within a team. They can exchange views with expert representatives at a scientific level and take on responsibility, even within an international team. They are particularly qualified for jobs in industry, the service sector, or public administration, as well as for a continued research career (doctoral study).