Program Overview

Overview of the Automotive Engineering M.Sc. Program

The English-taught Automotive Engineering (M.Sc.) Master's program at RWTH Aachen University is part of the extensive catalog of Master's degree programs in Mechanical Engineering. The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is among the most acclaimed in the world and one of the largest in Europe. Automotive Engineering is an essential part of the different institutes and research entities. With the Institute for Automotive Engineering celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2022, education and research in this field have a long tradition.

Program Details

• The program was originally introduced in 2000 and attracts a vast number of applicants each year.
• Students are taught the technological basics and in-depth knowledge of the conception and the development of passenger cars and commercial vehicles as well as the conception and the development of motorcycles and off-highway vehicles.
• This comprises technical vehicle design with regard to market, legislative, and manufacturing requirements.
• Course modules cover all major research and development domains such as chassis, body, drivetrain, safety, driver assistance systems, thermal management, electronics, connected and automated driving, and others.
• An extensive focus is on autonomous driving.
• Graduates will be proficient in relevant technological areas like vehicle dynamics, energy efficiency, acoustics, mechatronics, structural fatigue, and durability.

Curriculum and Research Areas

• 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.
• The Master's thesis is usually embedded in a real project on state-of-the-art topics with industrial partners or different partners in publicly-funded projects (e.g., EU funding).
• Research areas include:
  • Automotive design
  • Vehicle Concepts & HMI
  • Vehicle Structures
  • Vehicle Dynamics & Acoustics
  • Energy and Powertrain Systems
  • Vehicle Intelligence & Automated Driving
  • Traffic Psychology & Acceptance

Lectures and Course Structure

• The program includes a variety of lectures, such as:
  • Alternative and Electrified Vehicle Propulsion Systems
  • Automated and Connected Driving Challenges
  • Automated Driving
  • Automotive Engineering – Practical Course
  • Automotive Engineering I – Longitudinal Dynamics of Vehicles
  • Automotive Engineering II – Vertical and Lateral Dynamics of Vehicles
  • Automotive Engineering III – Active Safety and ADAS
  • Automotive System Evaluation
  • Bots and Vehicles in Agriculture
  • Mechatronics in Vehicle Engineering
  • Strategies in the Automotive Industry
  • Structural Design of Vehicles
  • Transportation Design – Fundamentals and Industrial Practice
  • Vehicle Acoustics

Program Structure and Duration

• Standard period of study: 3 semesters
• ECTS-Points: 90
• Language: English

Career Opportunities

• After graduation, students will enjoy a highly regarded Master's degree with a multitude of possible opportunities to work in research, industry, consultancies, or other sectors.
• The degree qualifies students to continue towards a German Dr.-Ing. degree or continue in PhD degree programs around the world.