Need advice: FH Südwestfalen vs Philipps-Universität Marburg for MSc – Dev career focus

Hi everyone,

A friend of mine has offers from two German universities for his master’s and is stuck deciding which to choose. His goal is to land a high-paying IT job after graduation, preferably in software development, and he’s not aiming for a PhD or research career.

The options are:

1️⃣ Philipps-Universität Marburg – MSc Computer Science

Research-oriented, strong in theoretical CS (algorithms, AI, distributed systems, security). Flexible electives, can pick practical/software-heavy modules. 4 semesters → slower entry into job market but deeper technical foundation. Likely better for long-term growth in pure development roles.

2️⃣ FH Südwestfalen – MSc Informatics & Business

Applied, industry-focused, with ERP, IT quality, Industry 4.0, and some software dev & IoT modules. 3 semesters → faster graduation and job market entry. More business integration, but dev path possible by choosing the right electives + doing internships/projects. Needs proactive effort to match Marburg’s dev credibility (e.g., working student roles, GitHub portfolio).

The dilemma:

Marburg = stronger built-in technical depth for dev, but slower to graduate. FH SWF = faster to graduate, more practical/industry-linked, but would require him to actively seek dev internships and avoid ERP-heavy modules.

Given the German job market for dev roles, which path do you think offers better career outcomes for someone focused on high-paying development jobs? Would FH SWF + strategic internships be just as good, or is Marburg’s academic weight worth the extra semester?

Any insight from people who’ve studied at either university or landed dev jobs in Germany would be super helpul.