Business Administration and Engineering: Electrical Power Engineering B.Sc.

 

"When the sun is shining and the wind blowing, the price of electricity is at rock bottom," states a RWTH engineer succinctly. Electricity is a special type of commodity: it has to be produced the minute it's needed. This moment determines the amount and price.

The fluctuation in the amount of energy and market value poses not only technical but also economic challenges to the energy sector. Energy prices perpetually change but must be kept stable for users. At the time same time electricity providers want to make a profit and successfully perform in the international market. Additionally, political objectives – like the energy transition – must be accompanied and implemented by professionals.

A broadly based field of work is open to industrial engineers. In this field between technology, economics, and politics. Their training contains both technical and business and economic components and provides them with the necessary interdisciplinary skills.

At RWTH the business administration and engineering course of study focuses on technical skills in engineering right from the beginning.

Starting in the fifth semester students can begin to specialize in a technical concentration. Students select two of four electives, gaining an initial look of energy technology in Aachen:

• Power Electronics - Fundamentals, Topologies and Analysis deals with questions regarding the efficient control and transformation of electrical energy with the help of electronic power switches, for example in the automotive branch, in wind power stations, solar and fuel cells, battery systems, or industrial engines.
• The Elective Section planning and operation of electricity supply systems is occupied with methods of grid planning and operative systems operation, for example with the profitability calculation of power plants and electric grids, as well as ensuring supply reliability.
• The Elective Section High and medium voltage switchgears and facilities focuses on switchgear and plant technology, from physical fundamentals to economic aspects.
• Electricity supply components and facilities considers and evaluates the function and interaction of components and facilities for electrical power supply. Focus is placed on the entire process chain – from creation to transmission to distribution and then to application.

 

Degree Content

In the first four semesters all students acquire technical, business, and economic skills. The challenging focus on fundamental subjects and mathematics particularly provides them with the understanding necessary for technical principles, structural concepts, and complex processes. A twelve-week industrial internship in the sixth semester offers an initial look at possible fields of application.

Curriculum

Semester	Engineering Sciences	Mathematics, Natural Sciences	Business Administration and Economics
1.	Introduction to Circuit Analysis	Advanced Mathematics I, Fundamentals of Computer Science	Principles of Management, Internal Accounting and Bookkeeping
2.	Electrical Systems Modeling and Analysis	Advanced Mathematics II, Physics	Quantitative Methods of Economics, Sales and Purchasing
3.	Signals and Systems	Advanced Mathematics III	Decision Making, Production and Logistics, Introduction to Economics
4.	Introduction to Electromagnetic Fields, Systems Theory, Computer Science Practical I	Statistics for Industrial Engineers	Macroeconomics: Markets and Strategic Decision-Making, Elective Module
5.	Electrical supply systems, Computer Science Practical II, Electives		Human Resources and Management, Investment and Financing, Introduction to Empirical Economic Research
6.	Bachelor's thesis, Industrial internship

You can find a detailed curriculum on the Faculty's website.

Programs Abroad

The energy market is increasingly becoming a global market, as supply levels must be adjusted worlwide and supply grids expanded. International experience is becoming increasingly important for budding engineers and often plays a decisive role for one's career.

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology offers partnership programs with outstanding European and non-European universities. Aside from the EU mobility program ERASMUS+ it also offers academic stays in Japan, Taiwan for example. Additionally, the T.I.M.E. double Master's program offers strong students excellent possiblities to prepare for an international career. Students acquire degrees from two renowned universities – RWTH and the partner university.

RWTH students profit not only from the Faculty's exchange programs but also from the University's strategic partnerships with international universities. They can, for example, complete short stays at one of the IDEA League universities while completing a term paper. The UROP Abroad program, the only one of its kind in Germay, offers the possibility to participate in research projects at international universities during Bachelor studies. These stays abroad are partially funded by RWTH-specific funding.

All of RWTH's collaborative programs are listed on the webpages about studying abroad. Find out more about subject-specific possibilities on the faculty's webpage for offers abroad.

 

Prerequisites

Personal Prerequisites

Ideally new students bring keen interest in both technical relationships and economic problems. Basic mathematical and physics skills are a good prerequisite. The ability and aptitude for formal, mathematical analyses are recommended. Good English skills improve the chances for success in one's studies as well as career prospects. RWTH Aachen offers a bridge course program to intensify and complete your knowledge before beginning your studies.

Enrollment Prerequisites

RWTH "Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Computer Engineering" Self Assessment

RWTH "Economics" Self Assessment

 

Decision Aids

Individuals interested in business administration and engineering studies should be as interested in business questions as they are in engineering relationships. The program offers less technical breadth as courses of study in the related engineering sciences. The business administration component is also only concentrated on the most crucial content. For this reason, industrial engineers are often called generalists. However, a more correct term would be "specialist" for interdisciplinary problems. This also characterizes the demands during studies. If you want to review whether you are suited to these studies, you are welcome to attend lectures as a school student. You can also gather initial impressions at the Schüleruni, during the orientation week, or in Sample Studies for Girls.

 

Media Library

Do you want more insight and impressions? Use our diverse information available! You can find our recommendations in the media library.

 

Career Prospects

Because the supply of affordable and sustainably produced energy is relevant worldwide, industrial engineers have good prospects in the job market both nationally and internationally. They can work, for example, in the management of companies active in energy, supply, automotive, and environmental engineering. Due to their ability to simultaneously take economic and technical aspects into consideration, they typically work in operations management, project planning, trading, or businss communications.

RWTH graduates possess excellent technical training, which allows them to also find employment in purely technical fields of work. Later on many graduates pursue consulting or assessment responsibilities.

 

Master's Degree Prospects

Graduates of the Business Administration and Engineering – Electrical Power Engineering course of study can pursue the epononymous Master's course of study at RWTH.

A comprehensive offer of elective modules allows students to select in individual focus in the following areas: high voltage engineering, electric machines, electrical drive engineering, automation engineering, electricity generation and trade, and battery storage system technology.

To supplement their technical curriculum they choose one of four economic research areas or the field General Business and Economics and build their own skill profile.

With the appropriate adjustments to the curriculum and additional requirements, students can also pursue the Master's program in electrical engineering, information technology, and computer engineering. Students, who enjoy teaching, can pursue Master's programs in teacher training offered by the Faculty.

Students can also continue their studies – possible with adjustments during Bachelor's studies – in RWTH's interdisciplinary Master's courses of study, such as Automation Engineering or Sustainable Energy Supply.

 

Module Handbook and Examination Regulations

The module handbook provides a description of all modules of a degree program and offers a comprehensive insight into the program contents.

The examination regulations are comprised of legally binding provisions on learning objectives, prerequisites for study, the course structure and processes, and examination procedures.

Regulations that generally apply to all Bachelor's and Master's degree programs, including information on language proficiency requirements, can be found in RWTH's General Examination Regulations. These general regulations are further specified and complemented by the subject-specific examination regulations.

If two examination regulations are valid for a degree program during a transition phase, the most current version shall apply to students enrolling in the program for the first time.

Please note that only the German examination regulations are legally binding.

Module Handbook
Subject-Specific Examination Regulations
RWTH's General Examination Regulations

 

Faculty

The Bachelor course of study Business Administration and Engineering: Electrical Power Engineering B.Sc. is offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology in collaboration with the School of Business and Economics.