The Federal Diploma of Higher Education consists of two levels.

• first stage: module examinations
• Second stage: federal examination

Passing the module examinations is a prerequisite for admission to the Federal Professional Examination for Management Professionals. Persons who have received positive confirmation of their application for recognition of the equivalence of educational achievements are exempt from the corresponding module examinations.

Module content Management for management specialists:

• Business administration
• Finance and accounting
• Human resources
• Organization
• Project management
• Law

Module content Leadership for management specialists:

• Self-knowledge
• Self-management
• Leading a team
• Informing the team, communicating with the team
• Conflict resolution in a team

In the written part of the final examination for the Federal Diploma of Higher Education, a case study lasting three to four hours is worked on.

The oral part of the final examination consists of a 45 to 60-minute interview.

A survey conducted by the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch among those interested in management specialist courses shows the reasons for a specific inquiry to schools. 41% stated that they had asked one or more schools for this further education course because they had read a convincing online evaluation. In contrast, 33% did so following a recommendation. 26% already knew the school(s) before making the inquiry. In addition, two people gave us interesting further reasons for their school inquiry in a free text response, as for them the trigger was the "region of residence", "because the course is nearby", "the name appealed to me", "teaching times", "form of teaching" or "because online further education appeals to me the most".

The management specialist continuing education, further training course can be completed on a part-time basis and takes around one and a half to two years. The course can be completed as face-to-face teaching, as e-learning or as a combination of both. Those with little prior knowledge of accounting/bookkeeping should attend a basic accounting course beforehand. This takes an additional one to three months, depending on the provider.

Management specialists who can demonstrate at least three years of professional experience, including at least two years of management experience (at organizational unit level), have the opportunity to take the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE). The Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) is also conducted by the Swiss Association for Management Training.

Furthermore, a management specialist with a Federal PET Diploma is admitted to various other Federal Professional Examinations (AFPE) and Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE), provided that he or she meets the admission criteria for the desired course of study.

Management specialist training is worthwhile for the following reasons:

• Acquire practical management knowledge
• Take on managerial functions in business and administration
• contribute significantly to the achievement of organizational goals
• Integrate business contexts into management work
• Design and manage organizational change processes
• Preparation for the professional examination for the federal certificate organized by the Association for Management Training SVF

The SVF Leadership Specialist means that this person has successfully completed the SVF Leadership and SVF Management modules. With the two certificates, he/she is then admitted to the Federal Professional Examination - provided at least one year of management experience has been gained. The Swiss Association for Leadership Training (SVF) organizes the SVF certificates. These are very popular - over 7,800 module examinations are taken every year. Even with the SVF Certificate in Leadership or SVF Certificate in Management, successful graduates already have a good qualification in their pocket.

Management specialists with a federal certificate perform the following tasks:

• Take on management tasks in lower to middle management in companies in various industries and professional fields
• Analyze business contexts and integrate findings into management work
• Timely implementation of the organizational goals defined in advance using various planning and decision-making techniques
• use modern personnel management tools, including recruitment and employee development
• Develop project plans appropriate to the situation
• Lead project successfully through the various project phases incl. budget, controlling
• Derive target-oriented measures from projects
• Conducting discussions and negotiations

Persons with the following qualifications are admitted to the Federal Professional Examination for Management Specialists:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, Vocational Baccalaureate, Specialized Baccalaureate, Secondary School Certificate or equivalent qualification

and

• At least three years of professional experience after completing an apprenticeship, including at least one year as a group or team leader.

Or

• Anyone who does not hold a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (apprenticeship certificate), a school-leaving certificate or an equivalent qualification must provide evidence of at least six years' professional experience, including at least one year as a group or team leader.

As well as

• Successfully completed module qualifications or certificates of equivalence

The "Swiss Association for Management Training" is responsible for assessing the equivalence of the educational achievements for the management specialist.

The forms "Application for equivalence of educational achievements" and "Pre-assessment of admission" are available on the homepage of the sponsoring association.

The Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Leadership is suitable for anyone who wants to lead or already leads a team or group professionally. The course provides the necessary knowledge to manage conflicts in a team, to lead a team and to communicate in a team. Self-knowledge and self-management, combined with business know-how, round off the competence profile of management specialists.

A management expert who has passed the professional examination has the following responsibilities:

• Achievement of defined key figures
• Budget responsibility
• Personnel management

According to graduates, you can achieve the following with a management specialist training course:

• Gain very interesting and practical knowledge as a management specialist
• quickly use and apply what they have learned from their management specialist training in everyday life
• competently take on management responsibility
• have knowledge of leadership (aspects of interpersonal relationships) and management (business management)
• Clarity about your own understanding of leadership and leadership behavior through training as a leadership specialist
• Responsible for team leadership
• Resolving and addressing conflicts through conflict management
• Design networked management processes
• develop their leadership skills through self-knowledge and self-management in order to meet the high demands of the complex world of work
• Targeted preparation for the federal examination for the management certificate
• contribute to the success of the company as a management specialist with the subordinate team
• Further development possible in the field of business or marketing at a College of Higher Education

The results of a survey conducted by the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch show the reasons for the interest in continuing education for management specialists. 79% of those surveyed still match the course with their own needs for further development. 18 % show their interest on the basis of a recommendation. For 3% of participants, their interest in this course is based on the fact that it is explicitly requested in job advertisements. Self-motivation and recommendations are therefore responsible for the interest in a course for management specialists. A free text response presumably shows the classic reason for interest: "I am offered a management position and would like to complete a suitable course.".