The education to become a graduate of business administration with the title Diplom-Kauffrau (female version) or Diplom-Kaufmann (male version), for which the bulk of first-year students in Mannheim enrolled previously, is divided into the Grundstudium (undergraduate studies), which is laid out for four semesters, and the Hauptstudium (graduate studies) which should be completed in five semesters. The focus of the Grundstudium (undergraduate studies) is the acquisition of fundamental knowledge in business administration, economics, statistics and law. Moreover, examinations in the areas of data processing, programming, mathematics as well as methods in cost accounting (preparatory courses, the so-called Propädeutika) are to be passed. In the Hauptstudium (graduate studies) a deepening and specialisation takes place. Along with the general business administration subjects (ABWL) and the general economics subjects (AVWL), two specialised business administration subjects (SBWL) and an elective (Wahlfach) are to be taken.