Automotive Engineering M.Sc.

 

Within this program, students are taught the technological basics and in-depth knowledge in the conception and the development of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and optionally of motorcycles and off-highway vehicles. This comprises technical vehicle design with regard to market, legislative and manufacturing requirements. Course modules cover all of the vehicle’s main domains such as chassis, body, drivetrain, safety, driver assistance systems and others. Graduates will be proficient in relevant technological areas like vehicle dynamics, energy efficiency, acoustics, mechatronics, structural fatigue and durability.

The program provides in-depth knowledge of industrial design approaches and research topics with regard to real-world vehicle requirements, market developments and legislative constraints.

 

Degree Content

This three semester program consists of two semesters of compulsory and elective courses; a 22 week Master's thesis concludes the study program in the third semester. The courses are taught in English and usually comprise lectures and adjacent exercises as well as a written or oral examination. The Master's thesis can be written in English or German language, with basic knowledge of German required for the registration of the Master's thesis. The students have the possibility to attend a German language course during their studies, a time slot is reserved for German language courses.

Compulsory subjects add up to 44 credits, and elective course of 16 credits are to be taken within the first two semesters. The Master's thesis itself is worth 30 credits. The final grade is the credit-weighted average of all prior modules. They include all modules that have been enrolment conditions upon acceptance to the program (maximum 30 credits).

The course of study has its own homepage, where you can find all the information about the course of study lay out.

 

Prerequisites

A prerequisite for starting studies is a first university degree, with which the necessary background education can be proven, as determined in the exam regulations. The exam board determines whether it fulfills the entrance requirements.

For a first point of reference and the detailed description of language requirements please visit the course of study website. There you can also find a contact person who will be pleased to assist you with any questions.

 

Career Prospects

The program’s goal is to provide qualification for most demanding positions in the automotive sector. This includes jobs in industrial, research and development and other private or public organizations. Jobs in traffic systems technologies and traffic guidance/organization are also possible.

The outstanding reputation of the Institut für Kraftfahrzeuge (ika) in the automotive world and of RWTH Aachen University as top university underlines the excellent prospects for Master's program graduates.

 

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 Master course of study in Automotive Engineering is offered by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and hosted by the Institute for Automotive Engineering (ika) of RWTH Aachen University, which is one of Europe’s leading institute in automotive engineering.