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Studying

at the FH Aachen

experience
the world
then change it
TALK TO US
ABOUT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Look up for our continously offers of
internships, thesis or student work
possibilities at our R&D center in
Herzogenrath, Germany.
Please apply via the internet
www.ericsson.com/careers there you
find also all other job offers within Germany
or via email recruitment.aachen.germany@
ericsson.com.
We are looking forward to get to know you!

Dear Readers,

You are interested in studying at the FH Aachen. We are glad that


you are curious about the programmes we offer and invite you to
get an idea about our university. Experience how interesting and
exciting research is! See how experts are already working on the
scientific questions of the future! Find out which degree programme
is the right one for you!
The FH Aachen is known for providing an academic education
that is both practice-oriented and demanding. As a graduate of our
university, you have an excellent chance of finding an attractive job
immediately after completing your studies. The FH Aachen works
closely together with numerous companies. We offer you internships
in which you can directly apply current research results. In this
way you establish important and useful contacts even during your
studies.
However, studying at the FH Aachen also means enjoying life.
We live in an international region: Aachen and its marvellous Old
Town around the Cathedral and Town Hall, Jlich with its mediaeval
fortifications, the natural landscapes in the Eifel and Ardennes areas,
as well as the interesting cities of Maastricht and Lige. You can be
at the North Sea coast within three hours and it doesnt take much
longer to get to Paris and London.
This brochure is designed to help you get to know what the FH
Aachen has to offer and to make the right decision in choosing your
place of study. We wish you all the best for your future and hope to
welcome you here again soon!
Prof. Dr. Marcus Baumann
Rector

FH Aachen

Table of contents

Welcome
Aachen
Jlich
The university system in Germany
The right choice: university of applied
sciences or traditional university?
The FH Aachen
Engineering as a future profession for
women: girls@fh-aachen
Institutes
Expertise platforms

Studying
10
18
25
26
28
30
38
39

Studying
Bachelors and Masters
Internationally oriented studies
Dual degree programmes
at the FH Aachen
Overview of degree programmes

42
45

Bachelors degree programmes


Applied Chemistry |
Applied Chemistry (IOS)
Architecture
Civil Engineering
Business Studies

50

46
48

50
52
54
56

Biomedical Engineering |
Biomedical Engineering (IOS)
Biotechnology
Communication and
Multimedia Design (C-MD)
Electrical Engineering (Aachen)
Electrical Engineering (Jlich) |
Electrical Engineering (IOS)
Vehicle Propulsion Technology
Automotive Vehicle Integration/
Body Engineering
Wood Engineering
Computer Science
International Business Studies |
Business Studies/German-French |
European Business Studies
Communication Design
Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (Aachen)
Mechanical Engineering (Jlich)
Mechatronics
Physical Engineering |
Physical Engineering (IOS)
Product Design
Rail Vehicle Technology
Industrial Engineering

58
60
62
64
66
68
70
72
74

76
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96

FH Aachen

(IOS) Internationally Oriented Studies


You will find information on all degree programmes
in the degree programme brochures (available at the
General Academic Counselling Office and in the faculty)
or on the Internet at www.fh-aachen.de/bama1.html or
www.fh-aachen.de/broschueren_stg.html.

Dual Degree Programmes


Business Studies PLuS
Civil Engineering Network Engineer
Physiotherapy
Process Engineering
Electrical Engineering PLuS
Aerospace Engineering with
Commercial Pilot Training
Mechanical Engineering PLuS
Scientific Programming

98
98
100
102
104
106

Masters Degree Programmes


Aerospace Engineering
Applied Polymer Science
Architecture and Urban Design
Automation Technology and
Electrical Drives
Automotive Vehicle Integration /
Powertrain and Chassis Engineering
Civil Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Energy Systems
Entrepreneurship (in-service)
Facility Management
Industrial Engineering
Information Systems Engineering
International Business Management

114
114
116
118

FH Aachen

108
110
112

120
122
124
126
128
132
134
136
138
140
142

Communication Design and


Product Design
Mechatronics
Communications Engineering
Nuclear Applications
Product Development
Regenerative Energies
Technomathematics

144
146
148
150
152
154
156

First steps
Application procedure and registration
Internships
Numerus clausus and SfH
(formerly ZVS)
Cost and financing
Information for overseas students
Student Online Workload Assessment
(StOEHn)
University sport
Campus Office
Contact persons and addresses
Map
Legal Notice/Credits

160
162
163
164
166
168
170
172
173
174
176

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Welcome
to the FH Aachen

Aachen
Aachen is the westernmost city in Germany, located in a
region where three countries meet: Germany, Belgium and
the Netherlands

As you approach Aachen, you dont catch sight of a mighty


silhouette with skyscrapers, but a city in the midst of green
surroundings and, nevertheless, it has a population of around
250,000. Once you become better acquainted with this city that
is passionately revered and loved by its residents, you realise
how multi-faceted it is: a variety of pubs, the student district,
numerous concerts and open-air events in the summer, Carnival in
typical Aachen style, the famous Christmas Market or simply everyday life, which is always something special in Aachen. Feel the
enchantment of a stroll through the historical Old Town, along the
Old Town Hall and the Cathedral, cheer on the horses and riders
at the famous international CHIO horse show or the Alemannia
Aachen footballers at the Tivoli stadium Aachen has something
for everyone.
That, of course, also includes studies and career: Aachen is a
student town, as you cannot fail to notice. Not least of all, this has
impacts on Aachens business sector: by virtue of its universities
with their long tradition and currently more than 45,000 students, the city has become one of the most innovative high-tech
locations. Numerous companies and research facilities of large
corporations profit from the proximity to research and science
and personnel with top qualifications.
Well-known companies, such as Ericsson, Ford, Matsushita
and Mitsubishi, have located in Aachen in recent years. Other
long-standing corporations, including Philips, Zentis, Talbot,
Continental, Saint Gobain, Uniroyal, Grnenthal, Lambertz, Lindt &
Sprngli, as well as large enterprises in the service sector are also
headquartered in the imperial city of Aachen.

10 | Welcome

Information on the
city of Aachen
aachen tourist service e.V.
Information Office
Elisenbrunnen,
Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz
52062 Aachen
T +49 241 18029 60/61
F +49 241 18029 30
info@aachen-tourist.de
www.aachen.de
www.welcome-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Aachen nestles in an expansive basin, surrounded by fields,


forests and hills. The Hohes Venn nature park and Eifel National
Park are also located in this region where three countries come
together. This makes Aachen an ideal starting point for excursions
to neighbouring areas in Germany and across the border. Here, in
the Meuse-Rhine Euregion, Europe is a natural part of everyday
life. With its five regions, three countries and three languages, the
Euregion has a rich cultural heritage, immense scientific potential, future-oriented economic structures, a diverse landscape
and not least of all specific experience in living and working
together with European neighbours. No matter whether you are
Cologne or Dsseldorf, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris
all of Europe is just around the corner from Aachen.

FH Aachen

Welcome | 11

Jlich
Jlich the city of short distances offers a broad variety
of activities in the attractive surrounding Rur-Eifel district
not only for those interested in history

Thanks to the broad renewal of the downtown area in the mid1980s, the city has taken on a new, more modern appearance.
Low traffic congestion in the town centre and harmoniously integrated residential areas with traffic-calmed zones create an urban
setting with a high quality of life. The broad selection of shops,
restaurants, stylish cafs and pubs at Markplatz, Kirchplatz and
Schlossplatz as well as in the pedestrian zone offers something
for every taste.
Dating back 2,000 years, Jlich was and is still characterised
by the ideal picture of a Renaissance town designed by Alessandro Pasqualini. You can still find relics of this 16th century
town between Hexenturm and Schlossplatz. Wide streets, smooth
facades and uniform roof lines matched the ideal requirements of
the Italian High Renaissance.
Jlich offers everyone interested an extensive variety of
cultural activities. The special attractions include the citadel built
in the 16th century, Brckenkopf, which formed part of the
fortifications, Hexenturm and Aachener Tor, as well as a varied
cultural programme with concerts, theatre and exhibitions.
Jlich is also a city of science and research. Aside from the
Jlich campus of the FH Aachen, other top-notch scientific institutions that cooperate with the University of Applied Sciences are
located in the region. The research centre Forschungszentrum Jlich is one of 16 large research institutes in Germany and one of
the biggest in Europe. 4,300 people work here on future-oriented
projects in the fields of environmental technology, biotechnology,
materials research, information technology and energy.

18 | Welcome

Information on the
city of Jlich
Stadtmarketing Jlich e.V.
Postfach 2170
52403 Jlich
verein@
stadtmarketingjuelich.de
www.juelich.de

FH Aachen

The Jlich Technology Centre (JTC), integrated into the Aachen Technology Region, stands for trailblazing technology transfer from the universities and research institutions of the region.
Furthermore, an industrial estate measuring around 70 hectares
and situated in the immediate vicinity of the research centre and
the JTC offers ideal locational conditions for modern innovative
companies. Thanks to its proximity to the JTC, students at the
Jlich campus of the FH Aachen have numerous opportunities for
doing a practical semester and writing their thesis: not only in
laboratories with modern equipment at the campus institutes, but
also as part of the cooperation between the FH Aachen and the
companies based at the technology centre.

FH Aachen

Welcome | 19

20 | Welcome

FH Aachen

FH Aachen

Welcome | 21

The higher education


system in Germany

In Germany, students have a choice between different institutions


of higher education. Essentially a distinction is made between traditional universities and universities of applied sciences, both of
which confer academic degrees. Traditional universities are more
science and research oriented while universities of applied sciences provide practical or application-oriented education. There
are also universities of applied sciences that operated on a very
research-oriented basis like the FH Aachen. The most important
difference is that universities of applied sciences offer Ph.D. programmes only in cooperation with traditional universities.
Universities of applied sciences are a special feature of
Germany. Since their inception in the 1970s, their popularity has
grown. Today around a third of all first-year students in Germany
matriculate at a university of applied sciences and 32 percent of
the graduates come from these universities. About 70 percent
of the persons currently employed as engineers completed their
studies at a university of applied sciences.
There are approximately 150 universities of applied sciences in
Germany. By virtue of the new German Higher Education Freedom
Act (Hochschulfreiheitsgesetz), they are gaining increasing autonomy and are becoming public corporations. A small number of
universities of applied sciences are funded by the church or the private sector. Many universities of applied sciences developed out of
institutions that were geared to specific subjects, such as engineering schools and higher-level business schools. Thus, some faculties
of the FH Aachen can look back on a hundred-year-old history. The
Framework Act for Higher Education (Hochschulrahmengesetz) of
the German federal government elevated universities of applied
sciences to the same level as traditional universities in 1976.
FH Aachen

Information on
universities in Germany
www.hochschulkompass.de

Welcome | 25

The right choice: university of applied sciences


or traditional university?
Should I study at a university of applied sciences or rather
at a traditional university?
The question regarding the right type of institution of higher education preoccupies many pupils interested in taking up
further studies
What reasons speak in favour of studying at a university of applied sciences?
>> Professional individual counselling and intensive support of
the students on the part of the professors facilitate orientation during the studies and promote successful conclusion of
the degree programme. In the mechanical engineering degree
programmes, for instance, the dropout rate at universities
of applied sciences is considerably lower than at traditional
universities.
>> Practical and application-oriented education offers graduates
of universities of applied sciences very good employment
opportunities. In many degree programmes, students solve
a concrete problem from everyday practice as part of their
thesis. Some degree programmes additionally offer an integrated practical semester, enabling further practice-oriented work
on the specific course subject matter at a more in-depth level.
On the basis of its numerous contacts, the FH Aachen supports
students in their search for a suitable company for working on
their thesis and for completing a practical semester.
>> Teaching focuses on the implementability and potential utilisation of the course content. Universities of applied sciences
are at the pulse of the times they continuously adapt their
degree programmes to technical, economic and social developments. The term universities of applied sciences underlines
their profile as institutions of higher education that convey

26 | Welcome

FH Aachen

>>

>>

>>

>>

scientific understanding and methods for solving in-company


problems.
Direct entry into professional practice is the objective of the
bachelors degree programmes at universities of applied sciences. All bachelors degree programmes at the FH Aachen are
accredited as professional qualifications. This means that the
university not only meets a major requirement of the European ministries of education, but also complies with an express
demand of companies.
The application-oriented masters degree programmes at
universities of applied sciences offer a conscious alternative
to the theoretical bias of many courses of study at traditional
universities. However, this does not mean that universities of
applied sciences neglect the theoretical perspectives on questions. Rather, their systematic link to practical problems is a key
plus that makes masters graduates of universities of applied
sciences very attractive for companies. The masters degree
programmes of universities of applied sciences, of course, also
entitle students to take part in Ph.D. programmes.
The good networking with partner institutions of higher education on nearly all continents enables students of universities
of applied sciences not only to study abroad and do practical
semesters, but in many degree programmes also to obtain an
additional degree at another European institution of higher
education. As a result, universities of applied sciences maintain
a high level of competitiveness for their students on the international job market and foster their intercultural competence.
Universities of applied sciences have consistently integrated
training of more and more important key qualifications into
their degree programmes: making decisions on complicated
matters under time pressure, communicating with business and
project partners, organising problem-solving processes in a
team and much more.

As a result of the clear structure and practical orientation of universities of applied sciences as well as their informal atmosphere, students at these schools are often more satisfied with their
studies than those attending traditional universities. The internationally-recognised six and seven semester bachelors degree
programmes offer a university degree with professional qualifications within a relatively short time. Even as far as salary levels
are concerned, it is a matter of course in most sectors nowadays
to treat the graduates of both types of university equally and to
refrain from making any distinctions.

FH Aachen

Welcome | 27

The FH Aachen
The FH Aachen was established in 1971 as a result of the
amalgamation of several universities of applied sciences
and vocational training centres. Thus, it can look back on a
practice-oriented educational tradition going back more than
100 years.

Theory and practice are closely interlinked during the entire


courses of study. The fact that the approximately 220 professors
and around 600 staff members involved in teaching and research
are directly connected with professional practice guarantees a
scientifically well-founded education providing the relevant occupational qualifications.
Its more than 10,300 students profit from this. The FH Aachen offers them a first-class academic education in modern and
forward-looking occupations. Close cooperation with regional and
international enterprises as well as well-known research institutes, such as Forschungszentrum Jlich, are reflected in the quality
of the curriculum offered. The FH Aachen views new demands
on professional practitioners as an opportunity to continuously
adapt and extend the course content of the programmes it offers.
Currently, those interested in studying here can choose from
48 bachelors degree and 22 masters degree programmes in
engineering, business and design. Some degree programmes are
available in the form of dual and in-service courses of study.
A special plus is the location of the Aachen and Jlich
campuses in the Euregion in direct proximity to Belgium and the
Netherlands. The Communication and Multimedia Design Degree
Programme, the fourth and fifth semesters of which are taught
at the International Faculty at Maastricht in the Netherlands,
resulted from the cooperation with universities there. Internationality at both the teaching and study level represents one of the
key features of the FH Aachen. The university enables students to
prepare themselves for the requirements of a globalised working
world and develop skills for intercultural cooperation. In doing so,
it fosters the mobility of the students and lecturers in the courses
28 | Welcome

Contact
FH Aachen
Kalverbenden 6
52066 Aachen
T +49 241 6009 0
F +49 241 6009 51090
www.fh-aachen.de
FH Aachen
Jlich Campus
Heinrich-MumannStrasse 1
52428 Jlich
T +49 241 6009 50
F +49 241 6009 53199
www.juelich.fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

of study and in joint projects as well as through international


degrees in cooperation with its partner universities.
Apart from teaching, application-oriented research forms
the second strong pillar of the university. With four expertise
platforms and the research focal points of seven institutes, the FH
Aachen has, for years, held one of the top positions nationwide
among universities of applied sciences with a strong focus on
research.
The FH Aachens recipe for success works, not least, thanks to
close cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises and
research institutions, particularly in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. In
this region bordering Belgium and the Netherlands, the feeling of
living and working in Europe is a special plus.
The Aachen and Jlich sites
Seven of the ten faculties, with a total of over 7,000 students, are
located in Aachen: Architecture, Civil Engineering, Design, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Aerospace Engineering, Business Studies, Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics.
Furthermore, the Rectorate, the Head Office and the Central
Library are also here.
Three faculties with more than 3,000 students altogether are
located in Jlich: Chemistry and Biotechnology, Medical Technology and Technomathematics as well as Energy Technology.
All services for students, such as academic counselling, the
Department of International Affairs, the Registrars Office, department libraries, student dormitories and cafeterias, are available
both in Aachen and in Jlich. While the Jlich site displays a
campus atmosphere since all facilities are together in one place,
the Aachen site is not a campus university. Its facilities are spread
across the city of Aachen in seven buildings, some of which have
a long tradition.

Aachen site
Faculties:
Architecture
Civil Engineering
Design
Electrical Engineering
and Information Technology
Aerospace Engineering
Business Studies
Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics

Jlich site
Faculties:
Chemistry and Biotechnology
Medical Technology and
Technomathematics
Energy Technology

FH Aachen

Welcome | 29

Engineering as a future
profession for women:
girls@fh-aachen!
Engineering professions offer attractive career and pay
opportunities - for both genders

The demand for entry-level engineers will rise dramatically in


the coming years. This contrasts with an extreme shortage of
academically qualified specialists. Studying engineering is thus an
investment in the future.
Up to now, however, these future professions have been
a male domain. Although girls have better marks and schoolleaving certificates, they do not fully exploit their vocational
opportunities. Particularly in technical and technically-related
occupations there is an increasing lack of qualified and above all
of female young professionals.
The demand for women is higher than ever, not only in the IT
sector. Soft skills, such as communication strengths, organisational talent, ability to cooperate and creativity as well as courage
and assertiveness, characterise the work performed by engineers, both male and female. They advise, communicate, develop,
organise, sell and analyse and are therefore deployable in a wide
variety of professional fields. Nowadays companies offer flexible
working hour models, home office options and even their own
child care facilities to permit compatibility between family and
career.

30 | Welcome

Contact
FH Aachen
Projekt MINT 4 you
Dipl. Soz.-Pd.
Miriam Aldenhoven
Goethestrasse 1
Raum G 02407
52064 Aachen
T +49 241 6009 52470
aldenhoven@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Studies at the FH Aachen offer industry- and practice-oriented


education in small groups. It is possible to acquire the bachelors
degree in only three years. In a masters degree programme
(lasting about two years) you can gain in-depth knowledge in a
special field and additionally qualify for a Ph.D. programme. The
FH Aachen has been a holder of the family-friendly university
certificate since 2009 and will implement further measures in the
coming years to facilitate compatibility of studies, teaching and
family. Therefore, nothing stands in the way of a scientific career!

FH Aachen

Welcome | 31

Institutes
Institutes are scientific institutions of the university. They
bundle competencies to carry out intensive research and
development.

This takes place in cooperation with institutes of other universities in Germany and abroad, with research institutions and
frequently with industry. Students profit from the institutes in
several ways. As student assistants or as trainees, they are directly involved in research and development in collaboration with
the engineers. In addition, students can complete their thesis in
the framework of research projects at the institute itself. Teaching
events in the institutes own laboratories further underline the
practical orientation of the studies.
The FH Aachen currently has the following institutes:
>> Institute of Building Materials and Construction
>> Institute of Bioengineering
>> I.F.I. institute for industrial aerodynamics GmbH, institute at
the Aachen University of Applied Sciences
>> 3win-IfiM Institute of Innovative Mechanical Engineering, institute at the Aachen University of Applied Sciences
>> Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies
>> Institute NOWUM-Energy
>> Institute for Applied Polymer Chemistry
>> Solar-Institute Jlich
>> Institute for Thermoprocess Technology GmbH, institute at the
Aachen University of Applied Sciences

38 | Welcome

FH Aachen

Expertise platforms
The rather unwieldy term expertise platform stands for scientists of different disciplines and universities who work on
joint research projects

Interdisciplinary research ensures a sustainable and durable


research infrastructure and forms strategy- and content-oriented
systems. In addition, such networks provide an outstanding
opportunity to establish spin-off companies. They are not only aimed at enhancing the quality of research, but also at maintaining
close contact to the teaching staff.
For you as future students at the FH Aachen, the expertise
platforms offer the opportunity of setting up your own business
from the university after completing your studies. They have a
positive effect on the quality of your education: the latest scientific findings are immediately fed into the course content. And you,
too, can actively take part in the research discourse during your
studies, e.g. through your thesis.
Within the framework of support programmes for expertise
platforms at universities of applied sciences, the government of
North Rhine-Westphalia supports 20 such expertise platforms
at the federal state level. The FH Aachen provides four of these
platforms and thus holds a top position.

FH Aachen

Welcome | 39

Studying
at the FH Aachen

Bachelors and
Masters
The FH Aachen has completely changed over the
programmes it offers to the new degrees.

The FH Aachen offers bachelors degree programmes (Bachelor


of Engineering, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts) and
masters degree programmes (Master of Engineering, Master of
Science, Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration).
The aim of introducing the multistage model is to create a standardised European Higher Education Area, shorten the length of
studies and place a more pronounced focus on practical studies.
The introduction of multilevel degree programmes is one of the
biggest changes in the German higher education system within
the framework of the Bologna process. The introduction of multistage degree programmes at the FH Aachen has already been
completed.
Bachelors Degree
The bachelors degree is the first academic level and the first
degree with professional qualifications that is conferred by institutions of higher education (universities of applied sciences, traditional universities and vocational academies) on completion of
a scientific education. The standard period of study is six to eight
semesters. According to the European Credit Transfer System
(ECTS), students acquire 180 credit points for six semesters, 210
for seven semesters and 240 for eight semesters. The bachelors
degree from universities of applied sciences and traditional
universities also qualifies students for a subsequent masters
programme in which the studies can be continued, intensified and
expanded.
A bachelors programme at the FH Aachen is set up in such a
way that it prepares the students both for the scientific requirements of the subject area and for the practical demands of the
42 | Studying

Contact
General Academic
Counselling
Aachen site:
Robert-Schuman-Strasse 51
52066 Aachen
Room 0124, Ground floor
T +49 241 6009 51800,
-51801
Visiting hours:
Mon to Fri from 8:30 to
11:30 am (except Tue)
Jlich site:
Heinrich-Mumann-Str. 1
52428 Jlich
Room EGA 63
T +49 241 6009 53109
Visiting hours:
Tue from 9:15 am to 12
noon
studienberatung@
fhaachen.de
www.studienberatung.
fhaachen.de

FH Aachen

professional field. It is characterised by its pronounced orientation to practice and is closely linked to the demands of the
economy.
The courses are structured into modules. Modules make it
possible to design the degree programmes in a sensible manner; they are part of a structurally meaningful whole and build
upon one another. Modules describe measurable learning results,
i.e. what the students have to know at the end of the module.
They are study units that are self-contained in terms of content
and topics, they can be put together meaningfully, based on the
subject, out of the various types of teaching, such as lectures and
seminars, and are geared to the qualifications necessary for the
respective profession. The introduction of the bachelors degree
also increases the openness of the higher education system in
Germany. After all, a bachelors degree at a university of applied
sciences qualifies students for a masters programme, both at
a university of applied sciences and at a traditional university,
depending on the admission requirements stipulated by the institutions of higher education.
Masters Degree
The masters programmes at the FH Aachen provide a more
in-depth academic education and lead to a more research- or
application-oriented second university degree. The masters
degree enables graduates to work and apply methods according
to scientific principles, provides theoretical and analytical skills
and puts them in a position to adjust to new conditions openly
and creatively. One of the admission requirements for a masters
programme is a university degree counting as qualification for
FH Aachen

Studying | 43

a profession (e.g. a bachelors degree or diploma). Many masters


degree programmes have restricted admission; the admission requirements are stipulated individually by the respective institution of
higher education.
The skills acquired in a first university course of study or in vocational practice are intensified, specialised and extended. A distinction is made between consecutive masters degree programmes that
build on a specific bachelors degree programme in terms of content,
and non-consecutive masters studies that follow any completed
course of study at an institution of higher education. In addition, there are postgraduate masters programmes like the Master of Business
Administration (MBA), which is targeted at interested persons from
working life. You can follow up the masters degree with a Ph.D. The
standard period of study for masters degree programmes is at least
one year and at most two years, corresponding to 60 to 120 credit
points. In the case of a consecutive programme, the total standard
period of study may not exceed five years (300 credit points).

44 | Studying

FH Aachen

Internationally
oriented studies
The FH Aachen offers you the unique opportunity of completing some bachelors programmes partially in English

In the so-called internationally oriented studies (IOS), the courses


are given in English during the first two semesters and in German
in the following semesters. For this reason the admission requirements regarding the German language are not as high as in
other degree programmes, at least at the beginning of the course.
After the first year the courses are continued in German, so the
students also study German in the first two semesters of the courses. This bilingual aspect is undoubtedly an enormous advantage
for graduates in the long term. It enhances their job prospects,
also for entry to international sectors where it is necessary to
work, negotiate and communicate in English. In addition, the FH
Aachen offers ten masters degree programmes that are partially
or completely in English. You will also find internationality in
the Business Studies/Anglophone Countries, Business Studies/
German-French as well as European Business Studies Degree Programmes of the Faculty of Business Studies. Here you complete a
few semesters of your studies at an English-speaking or Frenchspeaking university or at two partner universities abroad within
Europe. The organised year abroad, which is a fixed element of
the degree programme, promotes the internationality and mobility of the students. They can communicate competently in two
languages and thus work subsequently at the cross-border level.

FH Aachen

Studying | 45

Dual programmes
at the FH Aachen

Due to increasing technical advance, globalisation and demographic change, there is a growing need for optimally qualified
specialists in business and industry.
That is why dual degree programmes have been developed
in recent years at the FH Aachen in close cooperation with the
Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK). The concept consists
of linking theory and practice in studies and training in a special way and enabling graduates to receive an officially recognised dual degree (IHK certificate and bachelors degree). For
companies, supporting students in dual courses of study is an
investment in the future. Companies then have at their disposal
university graduates who can be assigned directly to specialist
and management positions. Consequently, students in dual degree
programmes are often enticed to make a commitment to a company at an early stage based on its good career prospects. The advantages for students not only include the dual degree and good
job prospects, but in particular the fact that they are reimbursed
for their studies by the companies that provide the training.
Currently, the FH Aachen offers eight dual degree programmes in six faculties. The subject-related focal points are in the
business sector (Business Studies PLuS) as well as in engineering
and computer science (Civil Engineering Network Engineering,
Electrical Engineering PluS, Mechanical Engineering PluS, Process
Engineering, Scientific Programming, Aerospace Engineering with
Commercial Pilot Training). Recognised training occupations that
can be linked with a dual degree programme at the FH Aachen
include industrial business management assistants, industrial
mechanics, electronics specialists, chemical technicians, chemical laboratory assistants, concrete workers and steel fixers, duct
46 | Studying

Contact
FH Aachen
Coordination Office for
Dual Degree Programmes
Andreas Beumers
Kaiserstrasse 100
52134 Herzogenrath |
T +49 241 6009 51494
T +49 2407 5569 542
a.beumers@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

fitters, road construction workers, masons, pipeline fitters as well


as mathematical-technical software developers. As of winter semester 2011/12, the Physiotherapy Dual Degree Programme has
been offered for the first time as a major milestone in enhancing
academic education for nursing-related occupations and is implemented as a degree programme with integrated training together
with the School for Physiotherapy at the University Hospital
Aachen and the Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University.

FH Aachen

Studying | 47

Overview of
Degree Programmes

Bachelors degree programmes


Applied Chemistry |
Applied Chemistry (IOS)
Architecture
Civil Engineering
Business Studies
Biomedical Engineering |
Biomedical Engineering (IOS)
Biotechnology
Communication and
Multimedia Design (C-MD)
Electrical Engineering (Aachen)
Electrical Engineering (Jlich) |
Electrical Engineering (IOS)
Vehicle Propulsion Technology
Automotive Vehicle Integration/
Body Engineering
Wood Engineering
Computer Science
International Business Studies |
Business Studies/German-French |
European Business Studies
Communication Design
Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (Aachen)
Mechanical Engineering (Jlich)
Mechatronics
Physical Engineering |
Physical Engineering (IOS)
48 | Studying

50
50
52
54
56
58
60
62
64
66
68

Product Design
Rail Vehicle Technology
Industrial Engineering

92
94
96

Dual Degree Programmes


Business Studies PLuS
Civil Engineering Network Engineer
Physiotherapy
Process Engineering
Electrical Engineering PLuS
Aerospace Engineering with
Commercial Pilot Training
Mechanical Engineering PLuS
Scientific Programming

98
98
100
102
104
106
108
110
112

70
72
74

76
80
82
84
86
88
90
FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes


Aerospace Engineering
Applied Polymer Science
Architecture and Urban Design
Automation Technology and
Electrical Drives
Automotive Vehicle Integration /
Powertrain and Chassis Engineering
Civil Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Energy Systems
Entrepreneurship (in-service)
Facility Management
Industrial Engineering
Information Systems Engineering
International Business Management
Communication Design and
Product Design
Mechatronics
Communications Engineering
Nuclear Applications
Product Development
Regenerative Energies
Technomathematics

FH Aachen

114
114
116
118
120
122
124
126
128
132
134
136
138
140
142
144
146
148
150
152
154
156

Studying | 49

Applied Chemistry |
Applied Chemistry (IOS)

Chemistry is a part of our life always and everywhere. We


ourselves are made up of chemical substances, we are subjected
to chemical influences in the environment, and practically every
industrial process and every product has something to do with
chemistry. Therefore chemistry has a multiplicity of applications
in the widest possible variety of industries and fields. As well as
the chemical, pharmaceutical and plastic industries, chemists are
also employed in the machinery and food industries, in environmental and medical technology, and even in the fire service or
insurance. They develop and optimise new, innovative products
and materials and assure their quality with up-to-date testing
methods. Their activities can also include the development and
optimisation of chemical manufacturing processes as well as the
application and further processing of chemicals and materials
with all associated processes such as analysis, testing or quality
assurance. Alongside product quality, the profession also takes
account of economic aspects, health and safety at work, and the
impact on the environment. The major economic significance of
the chemical industry as one of the leading industrial sectors in
Germany on the one hand, as well as the involvement of chemists
with practical knowledge in the most varied of fields on the other
hand, guarantee a broad and varied professional spectrum for
graduates of this degree programme with above-average career
opportunities.

50 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

Applied Chemistry
Faculty:
Chemistry and
Biotechnology
Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters
7 semesters (with practical
training semester)

Applied Chemistry (IOS)


Faculty:
Chemistry and
Biotechnology
Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
1st 2nd semesters
English,
3rd 6th semesters
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters
7 semesters (with practical
training semester)

FH Aachen

The course is designed so that you will obtain an appropriate


quality and quantity of training in all major branches of modern
chemistry. In addition to the fundamentals of inorganic, organic,
physical and technical chemistry, analytical methods, biochemistry as well as polymer and plastic technology are also taught,
whereby it is possible for you to focus on a choice of elective
subjects according to your inclinations. Specialisations that are
available for developing graduates profile include environmental
chemistry and environmental technology, life sciences, food and
consumer protection as well as nuclear chemistry. Here, the learning and practice of manual skills in modern and well-equipped
laboratories plays a key role, so that the knowledge acquired
during the course can be applied in the graduates later career.
You can supplement these capabilities with further qualifications
such as rhetorical skills, knowledge of languages, communication
skills, group work and the acquisition of leadership qualities. You
determine for yourself the area in which you wish to qualify.

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr. Gereon Elbers
T +49. 241. 6009 53714
Elbers@fh-aachen.de

Applied Chemistry with practical training semester


During the main course you have the option to choose a practical
training semester. The standard period of study then lasts for
seven instead of six semesters. As a rule the practical training
semester is completed in the sixth semester.

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 51

Architecture

From time immemorial, architecture has stood at the interface


between building and art, between beauty and function. The role
of architecture is to make the useable, the useful, the utilitarian, beautiful, says Karl Friedrich Schinkel in his architectural
textbook. Perhaps it is precisely this association with beauty that
explains the continuing high level of attraction of the Architecture
Degree Programme regardless of any developments in the job
market.
Alongside a comprehensive basic knowledge of building
and construction, the course of studies provides students with
a broadly-based background in architecture and urban planning, opening up a multiplicity of opportunities for graduates in
architectural practices and public authorities. The main responsibilities here include construction as well as project and building
management. But the sharpening of your profile through the
bachelors degree programme in the direction of quality in everyday architecture and the city will also open up other modern
professional fields in an architectural environment, e.g. in building
management, environmental planning, process moderation,
medial interior design, or even in the field of virtual design. As
the first degree in a multistage degree programme, the bachelors
degree does not yet qualify you to practice as an architect or for
registration or licensing by the Chamber of Architects. But the
bachelors degree equips you to undertake a masters degree
programme in the same or a similar subject area.
The degree programme focuses on architecture on the one
hand and on urban and regional planning on the other hand. In
the course of your studies you will acquire skills in form and
presentation, design, urban and regional planning as well as cons52 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

truction, and alongside the history and theory of architecture and


building you will also deal with building projects and management. Thus the degree programme offers a widely varied spectrum and qualifies you with fundamental specialist knowledge and
methodological skills in the major core areas of the discipline.
Your studies will also cover philosophy, psychology, sociology,
moderation and presentation, learning and working habits and
the opportunity to learn foreign languages, enabling you to acquire a further range of important key qualifications.

Faculty:
Architecture
Degree
B.A.
Language of instruction
German
Standard period of study
6 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dipl.-Ing.
Dietmar Castro
T +49. 241. 6009 51120
castro@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 53

Civil Engineering

Civil engineers plan and construct buildings, bridges and dams


visible for all to see. But just as important are the invisible
products of their work, such as our supply and disposal systems
for water and waste products. Structural changes in the building
industry in recent years have also brought new tasks. Alongside their core business of planning and building, civil engineers
increasingly undertake responsibility for the entire lifecycle of
the buildings and facilities they create. This means that they are
also employed in the fields of project development, financing and
facility management.
With its orientation towards basic knowledge in the classic
fields of construction management, structural engineering, transport and traffic management, and water and waste management,
the course of studies provided by the Civil Engineering Bachelors
Degree Programme corresponds to the requirements of todays
job market and offers its graduates the best chances of entry into
a profession that is again in strong demand. Alongside this basic
knowledge, the degree programme also includes practical training
components such as company internships and excursions as well
as a specific orientation in one of the four fields of specialisation
within civil engineering. The training has as its objective that,
proceeding from an existing situation graduates are able to identify the need for optimisation and find an implementable solution,
taking into account the technical and economic possibilities.
A broad field of activities in the construction industry is
opened up to future civil engineers. Employment opportunities
are offered in construction firms, consulting offices, operators of
all kinds of built facilities, private and public supply and disposal
utilities, urban and municipal authorities, as well as trade asso54 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

ciations and representative organisations. By creating a sound


foundation in practical skills, the degree equips graduates to work
directly on technical projects or to commence a highly promising
masters degree programme based upon it.
After more than ten difficult years, the construction industry
is again on the advance. Anyone starting a course of studies in civil engineering today has a very good chance, together with their
relatively small number of fellow graduates, of completing their
degree at a time when many employment opportunities once
again await the civil engineer.
Civil Engineering with practical training semester
During the main course you have the option to choose a practical
training semester. The standard period of study then lasts for
seven instead of six semesters. As a rule the practical training
semester is completed in the fifth semester.

FH Aachen

Faculty
Civil Engineering
Degree Programme
Civil Engineering
Degree
Bachelor of Engineering
Language of instruction
German
Standard period of study
6 semesters
7 semesters (with practical
training semester)

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Haldor E. Jochim
T +49. 241. 6009 51155
jochim@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 55

Business Studies

Every day, we read new reports of economic and financial crises,


creating anxiety among people and sometimes stirring up their
fears. Can one, in such circumstances, study business with a clear
conscience? The answer is yes because economic issues have
never been as vital and exciting as they are today.
Over 150,000 students in Germany already know this. Business Studies is and remains the most popular university subject
in Germany and the trend is growing. Business Studies is one
of the most varied of subjects. Business administrators must not
only be able to handle facts and figures, understand legal frameworks and see problems in their context. Business administrators
must also be able to deal with people, because companies consist
above all of people with all their fears and anxieties. It is this variety that makes Business Studies exciting and at the same time a
major challenge. The employment market rewards this, and good
graduates are highly sought after by companies.
In our Business Studies Degree Programme you will acquire
fundamental and practical competencies in business administration for a promising professional career. You will not only become
familiar with the central fields of business administration such as
marketing, procurement and production, accounting and taxation,
controlling, finance, organisation or human resources. You will
also be at home in other disciplines that are relevant to business
practice, such as economics, law, computer science, mathematics
or statistics. In your degree thesis you will deal, as a rule, with
practical issues in and with a company. This will facilitate your
targeted entry into subsequent professional life.
After completing your bachelors degree you will be able to
independently analyse current problems of business administra56 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

tion and be in a position to develop viable solutions. In order to


express and implement these convincingly, during your course
you will acquire social and foreign language capabilities that will
strengthen your communication and teamwork skills. If you wish,
you can obtain international and intercultural experience in an
integrated overseas semester without losing time. You can choose
between more than 50 partner universities in more than 20 countries on 4 continents not only in countries like the USA, France,
Great Britain or Australia, but also in Costa Rica, Malaysia, South
Korea and many others.
In the framework of our mentoring programme, you will have
a professor as your individual contact person who will accompany your entry into your course of studies. Competent staff will
be available on a daily basis to answer practically any question
about the course. Rooms with modern presentation equipment
and free internet access via a fast WLAN connection, as well
as a library that is well equipped not only with books but also
with electronic media, give you a pleasant teaching and working
atmosphere. Virtual classrooms and online lectures on the one
hand, and project teams and individual coaching on the other
hand, show the variety that is offered by a modern university.
We are convinced that Business Studies at the FH Aachen
is a really good choice and offers an excellent preparation for
a successful career and life path. Use our internet site, come to
our information events, or simply look in and meet us and our
academic counsellors. Get to know us personally. We look forward
to meeting you!

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Business Studies
Degree:
B.A.
Language of instruction:
German, optional English
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Kff. Agathe Odinius
T +49. 241. 6009 51907
odinius@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 57

Biomedical Engineering |
Biomedical Engineering
(IOS)

Today, health consciousness and every individuals wish for even


better quality of life are increasing more and more, and the desire
for optimal medical provision is growing in spite of rising costs in
the healthcare sector. In the coming years, the number of over 80
year-olds requiring extensive medical care will triple. These are
only a few of the reasons why biomedical engineering will remain
a major growth market in the future. Imaging techniques, such
as examinations with X-ray apparatus and magnetic resonance
tomography, life-support systems such as heart pacemakers and
respiratory devices, or the diagnostics of biological and chemical
substances at a molecular level, such as for example blood glucose testing or DNA analysis, make innovative biomedical engineering absolutely essential.
On account of their interdisciplinary training, graduates of
the Biomedical Engineering Degree Programme are in demand
wherever physics, chemistry, biology and engineering meet.
You will find possible career openings in the fields of research
and development, medical device technology and product development, biomedical applications, quality assurance, customer service and technical support. Thanks to intensive research
and development in specific focus areas, you will be able to
base your studies on up-to-date scientific knowledge. After
successfully graduating from bachelors degree programme,
you will also have the possibility of further deepening your
specialist knowledge in the internationally-oriented Biomedical
Engineering Masters Degree Programme.
During your studies you will acquire an understanding of
medically-related technology and current medical issues. You
will be involved in the development of innovative biomedical
58 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

products. Within the course profile you will encounter highly


current subject areas that will be of importance for the start of
your subsequent career. These practically-oriented focus topics
include medical physics, biophysics, cell biology, biosensors,
biomaterials, biomechanics, fluid dynamics, measurement and
control technology, imaging techniques and diagnostic procedures in medicine, physiology and anatomy as well as cardiotechnology.
There is a close cooperation with the Forschungszentrum
Jlich, one of the largest research facilities in Europe. Joint
teaching events are sometimes held in highly-developed laboratories, and the opportunity also exists to carry out degree
work or practical training in joint research projects.

Biomedical Engineering
Faculty:
Medical Engineering and
Technomathematics
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Biomedical Engineering
(IOS)
Faculty:
Medical Engineering and
Technomathematics
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
1st 2nd semesters
English,
3rd 6th semesters
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Ing. Dariusz Porst
T +49. 241. 6009 53272
porst@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 59

Biotechnology

Biotechnology is one of the most modern and innovative disciplines of the present day. It combines classical biology and
technology. It employs biological principles and mechanisms, and
implements them by using technology to engineer products. Biotechnology is established in many fields, ranging from the insulin
that is of vital importance for diabetics to so-called functional
food. The curriculum is designed so that students receive an appropriate quality and quantity of training in all major branches of
modern biotechnology. Microbiology, gene technology, immunology and environmental biotechnology, cell culture and bioprocess
engineering, to mention only the most important, represent the
core disciplines with which you will engage, not only theoretically
but also in intensive practical work in the well-equipped laboratories. As well as providing you with the essential equipment in
natural science and technology that serves as a necessary basis,
the varied nature of the degree programme will teach competencies in fields related to biotechnology, the mastery of which is a
vital prerequisite for success in your professional life.
The rapid progress of research in molecular and cell biology
in the last 20 years is opening up more and more innovative and
highly interesting fields of industrial application and creating new
jobs. Graduates of the Biotechnology Degree Programme find
positions in companies that are connected with the life sciences in
the broadest sense. These include firms working in biotechnology
and microbiology, the chemical industry, the cosmetic industry,
the pharmaceutical industry and the food industry. Further areas
of employment are in the field of agro-technology, in research
institutes, universities and colleges, food monitoring and environmental authorities, or in waste management and recycling.
60 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

Your work activities will mainly comprise the implementation of


learnings from science and research in production, development,
technical sales and finishing as well as in the monitoring and validation of production processes.
A further possibility for graduates of the Biotechnology
Bachelors Degree Programme is to commence a masters degree
programme at the FH Aachen.
Biotechnology with practical training semester
During the main course you have the option to choose a practical
training semester. The standard period of study then lasts for
seven instead of six semesters. As a rule the practical training
semester is completed in the sixth semester.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Chemistry and
Biotechnology
Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters/7 semesters
(with practical training
semester)

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr. Dr. (TR) Aysegl
Temiz-Artmann
T +49. 241. 6009 53922
a.artmann@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 61

Communication and
Multimedia Design
(C-MD)

Students of the C-MD Degree Programme are prepared for a field


of activity in which todays future will already have moved into
the past tense by tomorrow. The use of modern media is changing
as fast as new technologies are developed and therefore it is
almost impossible to predict what the media world will look like
10 years from now, for example.
But how can students be equipped for this rapid pace of
change? The best way is by acquiring a sound knowledge of the
tools of the trade. This includes broadly-based specialist knowhow coupled with profound methodological knowledge, through
which contexts and development potentials become recognisable
and manageable.
And that is the aim of C-MD: The degree programme trains
methodologically and conceptually strong personalities with expert knowledge in a variety of specialist disciplines. The graduates of C-MD are thus in a position, for example, to develop, implement and manage media concepts in a broad range of professions.
The disciplinary spectrum of C-MD fills a gap that has long
been the subject of criticism by companies and institutes: there
are too few specialist personnel available who are able to occupy the interface between different specialised disciplines (e.g.
computer science, design or business studies). Structured and
profound communication across disciplinary boundaries is the
prerequisite for producing high-quality results. This is where
C-MD applies its comprehensive approach. During their studies,
students are taught the relevant fundamentals of the following
disciplines:

62 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

Technology: Information technology, audio/video technology,


platforms, technical feasibility etc.
Design: Media theory, principles of design, designing for different target groups etc.
Business administration: Economic behaviour, marketing, project management etc.
Communication: Communication theory, communication techniques, media-related and target-group oriented communication
etc.
An important basis for this degree programme is knowledge of
how communication functions. Communication is at the heart of
every social or technical interaction, and thus forms the basis on
which creative, logical-analytical and technical understanding is
founded.
Alongside its interdisciplinary nature, the international aspect
is also very important. To prepare students for the requirements
of globalisation, significant parts of the specialisation programme
take place at the International Faculty (IF) in Maastricht, where the students attend teaching events and carry out projects
together with students of the two partner universities the Hogeschool Zuyd (NL) and the Katholieke Hogeschool Limburg (B). The
teaching language here is English.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology
Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German (Aachen),
English (Maastricht)
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Des. Peter Zymelka
T +49. 241. 6009 52406
zymelka@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 63

Electrical Engineering
(Aachen)

Almost nothing functions nowadays without electrical engineering and electronics. In Germany, about half of industrial
production depends directly or indirectly on the use of modern
electrical and electronic systems. Products and innovations
in both of these areas increasingly determine the speed and
quality of technical progress. But here, the precept for action is
not technical feasibility but sustainable benefits for humanity
in its environment. Areas such as modern medical provision,
environmentally-friendly transport concepts, alternative energy
generation and energy saving, are reliant on electrical engineering and electronics.
Thus the career prospects for electrical engineers are extraordinarily good, and not only in the electrical engineering industry.
Graduates find opportunities to transfer to other sectors, for
example sales, materials management and logistics, or to work as
technology managers in the software/IT area. Increasingly, banks,
insurers and management consultancies also fill their vacancies
with electrical engineers. The qualities that are demanded here
include a process orientation plus the combination of deep-seated
specialist knowledge with non-technical competencies such as
methodological and language abilities.
Therefore the Electrical Engineering Bachelors Degree
Programme is designed to equip its students not only with the
specialist prerequisites for professional life, but also with soft
skills. In terms of specialist knowledge, alongside the fundamental mathematical, physical and electrical engineering theories
and methodological procedures, from the third semester the
broad spectrum of electrical engineering is taught, divided from
the fourth semester into the three specialisations of automation
64 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

technology and electrical drives, communications engineering and


vehicle electronics.
In all key subject areas, the emphasis is placed on the
teaching of systematic methods for overcoming electrical engineering problems, through which students acquire the foundation for lifelong learning. Alongside this, the social skills that are
in ever greater demand, such as teamwork, foreign languages,
presentation techniques and communication abilities, play an
especially important role. The aim of the course is to foster these
various competencies concretely and in a way that is as integrated as possible through group practical work and in a practical
project.
Electrical Engineering with practical training semester
During the main course you have the option to choose a practical training semester. The standard period of study then lasts for
seven instead of six semesters. As a rule the practical training
semester is completed in the sixth semester.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters/7 semesters
(with practical training
semester)

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Ing. Franz Hunds
T +49. 241. 6009 52154
hunds@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 65

Electrical Engineering
(Jlich) | Electrical
Engineering (IOS)

The secure, reliable, cheap and environmentally-friendly supply


of energy is one of the central pillars of our industrialised society,
and assuring global energy supply is one of the most important
challenges of the future. Electrical energy technology is concerned with the generation, distribution and conversion of electrical
energy. At the Jlich Campus, students in the Electrical Engineering Degree Programme receive comprehensive training in this
special sub-discipline of electrical engineering.
In the first two semesters you will be taught fundamental mathematical, physical and electrical engineering theories and procedures together with application-oriented specialist knowledge.
In the further course of the degree programme you will learn to
apply special methods and processes in engineering terms, and to
place them in their overall context. Emphasis is placed on a knowledge and understanding of the scientific interconnections of the
respective fields of study. In all key subject areas, the emphasis
is placed on the teaching of systematic methods for overcoming
electrical engineering problems, through which the students acquire the foundation for lifelong learning.
During the course of studies at the Jlich Campus, modern
electro-technical and electro-mechanical components and systems
are presented which can address the electrical energy technology
issues of the future. Students can deepen the knowledge acquired in lectures and exercises through extensive practical work.
Measurement, control and regulation technology is applied along
with electrical drive technology, power electronics, power station
technology, electrical energy distribution, automation and control
technology, network management and high-voltage technology. There is intensive cooperation with the Solar-Institut Jlich
66 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

(SIJ) of the FH Aachen, especially in the field of power station


technology. Examples include the development of its own lowcapacity wind power generator and a solar pump for operation in
developing countries. In addition, non-technical content such as
e.g. business administration also plays an important role in the
curriculum.
With the development of new techniques, combined with the
use of computer-aided programming systems and new communication technologies, new and very exciting career prospects
in energy supply have emerged for graduates of the Electrical
Engineering Electrical Energy Technology Degree Programme. Currently there is a shortage of highly-qualified electrical
engineers, and this will probably increase further. Therefore,
graduates are generally able to find an interesting job quickly and
without problems.
Electrical Engineering with practical training semester
During the main course you have the option to choose a practical
training semester. The standard period of study then lasts for
seven instead of six semesters.

Electrical Engineering
(Jlich)
Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters/7 semesters
(with practical training
semester)
Electrical Engineering
(IOS) Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
1st 2nd semesters
English,
3rd 6th semesters
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Andreas Mohnke
T +49. 241. 6009 53285
mohnke@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 67

Vehicle Propulsion
Technology

Propulsion technology is a major and decisive area of focus


for the future development of the automobile. Alongside the
continuous further development of combustion engines, electric motors for vehicle propulsion are playing an increasingly
important role in a variety of drive strategies. The construction of
the propulsion system is developed on the basis of typical usage
profiles of different automobile classes and the wishes of customers associated with these, essentially coupled with the question
of the form of energy storage to be employed and the degree to
which current and future customer expectations can be met.
These are typical challenges in the automobile industry
requiring highly-qualified specialists. With its Vehicle Propulsion
Technology Degree Programme, the FH Aachen offers students
the opportunity to acquire a broad, practically-oriented package
of qualifications in this field.
Initially, in the first to third semesters, core engineering and
natural science subjects are taught. These lay the foundation on
which the later course-specific subjects from the automobile field
are built. Examples of these include vehicle dynamics, combustion
engines as classical drives, as well as alternative vehicle propulsion systems and energy storage systems in the field of alternative
drives. Due to the universitys close links with regional as well
as international companies, course contents are coordinated to
the requirements of the job market going forward into the future.
The specialist theoretical knowledge is put into practice, and thus
further deepened, in exercises and practical work which accompanies the lectures.

68 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

In addition, in the course of the programme from the first


semester onwards, soft skill subjects are offered from which students must select two from a subject catalogue. Thus they can e.g.
improve their language skills, learn presentation techniques and
rhetorical skills, or develop their organisational and teamwork
abilities.
Students are introduced to the world of work at an early
stage in the bachelors programme with two practical projects. In
these they can apply or deepen their specialist skills, and develop
contacts with companies. Alongside the course of studies, there is
also the opportunity to become involved in university-supported
study projects such as the Aixtreme Racing Team. Thus a direct
practical orientation is already provided during the degree programme, students can directly apply what they have learnt, and
extensive practice is obtained in independently structured work.
Interested students have the chance to benefit from the
universitys cooperations and contacts e.g. for bachelors degree
work and can be put into contact with partner universities for
overseas semesters.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Ing. Philipp Zeius
T +49. 241. 6009 52363
zeius@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 69

Automotive Vehicle
Integration/
Body Engineering

Degree programmes from the automotive sector such as the


Automotive Vehicle Integration/Body Engineering Bachelors
Degree Programme are the right choice for all students who are
interested in automobiles. With a combination of subjects that is
unique in Germany offering qualifications in association with
well-known companies in the automobile industry the degree
programmes guarantee targeted preparation for a job in the automobile industry.
Graduates find employment with vehicle manufacturers, system, module and component suppliers, testing and experimental
laboratories, independent engineering service providers, material
manufacturers, public and private organisations, and in many
high-technology branches of mechanical engineering. In general,
the following activities can be distinguished within the industry:
research, development, construction, technical sales, finishing,
testing, maintenance and operation.
More recently, the potential for jobs in environmental simulation, product assurance, quality control and management has also
increased. Career prospects are particularly good in the automobile sector. The automobile industry still counts as one of the
most powerful job motors in both Germany and other countries.
The majority of students in the automotive degree programmes
(bachelors and masters degrees) already have an employment
contract in their pocket before completing their degree.
Teaching in the Automotive Vehicle Integration/Body Engineering Bachelors Degree Programme is at a high level and offers
a clear practical orientation on account of the involvement of
companies from the automobile industry. The programme is divided into fundamental mathematical and natural science modules
70 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

such as mathematics, physics and data processing, and the fundamentals of engineering including material science and bonding
techniques, electrical engineering, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and control technology to mention only a few of the course
modules. During the programme, students will begin to specialise
in subjects such as lightweight construction, vehicle integration,
vehicle body construction, aerodynamics in vehicle construction,
and combustion engines.
The programme will offer you intensive support from the
professors and staff, and will foster your teamwork skills through
study in small groups. The use of English, implicit in the application-oriented approach, gives students a synergy effect and offers
them additional advantages.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Ing. Katrin Brittner
T +49. 241. 6009 52930
brittner@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 71

Wood Engineering

In view of the debates about sustainability and the greenhouse


effect, wood is growing in importance as a material and component. Wood offers a broad spectrum of sustainability. Its material
sustainability as a constantly renewable raw material is clear without any doubt. But interest has also focused on wood as a building material in recent years because of its ecological sustainability due to the low CO2 emissions involved in its production and
the binding of CO2 in finished wooden structures. With growing
awareness within society of the need to use resources in a sustainable way, the economic importance of wood as the classic sustainable raw material will constantly increase. The use of wood
will expand, whether as a fuel, in wooden products or in wooden
buildings, so that good or very good career prospects exist for
the wood engineer and can be anticipated into the future. With its
targeted training of wood engineers, the FH Aachen in cooperation with the vocational training centre Berufsausbildungszentrum
Euskirchen (BZE) aims to promote the positive development of
wood construction and meet the constantly growing needs of the
job market.
In this new degree programme we place great value on the
term wood engineer. A fundamental education in engineering
equips future wood engineers to work in all areas of constructional engineering, regardless of the raw material involved. In any
case, a basic knowledge of building materials such as steel and
concrete as well as reinforced concrete is absolutely essential
because wooden structures are almost always attached to steel or
reinforced concrete constructions. But the specialisation is clearly
focused on the subject of building with wood. The degree programme will provide students with all the knowledge and skills
72 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

necessary for the design, calculation and construction of structures in wood, as well as for the control and monitoring of production processes. Knowledge of business administration, company
and human resources management and calculation will also be
taught, preparing graduates for jobs in corporate management.
The regional wood industry and economy will be closely involved
in the training of wood engineers; companies will cooperate in the
production of bachelors theses, and firms will send lecturers offering additional elective modules to provide students with further
qualifications.

Faculty:
Civil Engineering
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Haldor E. Jochim
T +49. 241. 6009 51155
jochim@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 73

Computer Science

The term computer science is understood as the science of


systematic and logical-methodological processing and storage of
information. So you dont need to be a hacker to complete a successful degree course in computer science. The career prospects
for computer scientists are very good, because in recent years
the number of graduates has come nowhere near to meeting
the demand. Since its establishment in 1970, computer science
has developed into a key technology in society. Systems for the
generation and storage of information penetrate all walks of life,
and increasingly influence not only industry and business but also
administration and services.
The objective of a Bachelor of Science degree in computer
science is the ability to work competently in a professional field,
on a sound scientific footing and in an application-oriented way.
Graduates find occupations in firms working in information technology, communications, production and services, including banks
and insurance companies, as well as in research and development
departments. The role of a computer scientist with the profile
acquired at the FH Aachen is the implementation of scientific and
research knowledge in information technology concepts. The potential fields of responsibility are thus very broad: from research,
development, testing and simulation, through sales support,
quality management, maintenance and operation, to working in
management.
The Computer Science Bachelors Degree Programme provides
you with a solid basis in computer science, mathematics, natural
sciences and business studies on the one hand, while on the other
hand offering you the opportunity to work in one of the attractive
research and development areas or in a small or medium-sized
74 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

company in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. Alongside the fundamentals of programming, algorithms, data structures, technical and
theoretical computer science, the degree programme includes modules on computer architectures and operating systems, networks
and databases, and graphical data processing. Specialisations are
offered in computer science and computer engineering.
Particular value is placed on a solid training in software
engineering. And because no computer scientist nowadays works
alone, but develops software exclusively in large real and virtual
groups, the course attaches great importance to the teaching of
teamwork skills.

Faculty:
Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology

Computer Science with practical training semester


During the main course you have the option to choose a practical
training semester. The standard period of study then lasts for
seven instead of six semesters. As a rule the practical training
semester is completed in the sixth semester.

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Ing. Franz Hunds
T +49. 241. 6009 52154
hunds@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters/7 semesters
(with practical training
semester)

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 75

International Business
Studies | Business Studies/
German-French | European
Business Studies
The world is flat, the American journalist and writer Thomas L.
Friedman informs us, and he describes how the process of globalisation has turned our globe (again) into a flat world. Companies
make use of this development through the partial or complete relocation of hardware and software production abroad and the use
of cheap but well-trained labour in Asia. Often, at least a proportion of these jobs are lost to the industrialised countries. Global
competition in a flat world becomes competition between individuals, and leads, especially in the western world, to redundancies,
reductions in real wages and major cuts in social services. This
competitive struggle can be avoided, Friedman writes, by those
who are among the untouchables, i.e. workers whose position
cannot be touched because they possess the right knowledge, the
required skills, the good ideas and the necessary self-discipline.
The International Business Studies, Business Studies/GermanFrench and European Business Studies Bachelors Degree Programmes are your first step on the way to becoming untouchable. A
solid basis is created by the teaching of a practical knowledge of
business administration (such as marketing, logistics, organisation, human resources, finance, accounting, tax and controlling)
as well as aspects of other disciplines that are of importance for
business (such as economics, computer science, law, mathematics
and statistics). The training is supplemented by deepening the
students knowledge of languages and further key qualifications
such as communication and teamwork skills as well as intercultural
competencies. Additionally, in the third year of the course, students
acquire specialised knowledge in three subjects with potential
for development; these subjects can be selected according to the
students inclination and intended subsequent career.
76 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

International
Business Studies
Faculty:
Business Studies
Degree:
B.A.
Language of instruction:
German, English
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Business Studies/
German-French
Faculty:
Business Studies
Degree:
B.A.
Language of instruction:
German, French
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

FH Aachen

Special features of the three degree programmes are the


overseas study periods integrated into the courses and the dual
degrees offered. In the International Business Studies Degree
Programme, students spend the second or third year of their
course in an English-speaking country abroad (Great Britain,
Australia or the USA). In the bi-national Business Studies/GermanFrench Degree Programme, students spend the third year of their
course studying at one of the four partner universities in France.
In the tri-national European Business Studies Degree Programme,
students acquire language and intercultural skills not just in two
cultural environments but three. After studying at the FH Aachen
for the first three semesters, the students attend a European
partner university in the fourth semester of their course, and then
spend the fifth and sixth semesters in another European country
in order to study in a further foreign language.
For all three degree programmes, the reward for successful
completion is a dual degree: both the B.A. from the FH Aachen
and the corresponding academic title (generally also B.A.) from
the host university where you studied for a year.
The broadly-based education in the fundamentals of business
administration offered by the degree programmes enables graduates to enter employment in practically all fields of responsibility
in companies in many different sectors, or in public administration and social institutions or as a company founder. The specialisations allow students to choose their own individual areas of focus,
facilitating entry into specialist fields of employment.
The overseas study programmes also predestine graduates
for employment in internationally-operating companies in Germany and abroad. Graduates thus have good job prospects despite
FH Aachen

European Business Studies


Faculty:
Business Studies
Degree:
B.A.
Language of instruction:
German and two additional foreign languages
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Oliver Fuchs, International
Faculty Office
T +49. 241. 6009 51903
fuchs@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 77

heavy competition. According to a survey by IW Consult, there


will be a continuing growth in the importance of internationallytrained, qualified executives who possess an extensive knowledge
of languages, are able to think and act in a multicultural way, and
not least have the capacity to comprehend the whole picture.
As well as an immediate career start after the bachelors degree,
it is also possible to enter a postgraduate masters degree programme which can also be completed internationally.

78 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

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FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes


Experimental and numerical
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| Studying | 79

Communication Design

In all places and at all times, information is communicated: from


sender to recipient; from A to B. The timetable at the bus stop, the
exhibition stand, the government statement, the sound made by
the engine of a sports car all of these express the desire to send
a message. Communication designers give this desire a concrete
form. They launch the message on its journey, they choose the
right medium, set the right note, send the right signals. Their work
consists of conception, drafting and design.
The communication designer masters all the disciplines associated with design. A graph presents an interpretation, a picture
shows a perspective, a film tells a story, sounds arouse feelings,
typefaces underline attitudes, and multidimensional animations
convey space. Conscious decisions about design are based on
sound technical and scientific understanding. Ideas are fed by
interconnections to art and the media.
The Communication Design Bachelors Degree Programme at
the FH Aachen is not focused on one single field of employment
because it doesnt exist. The students learn to find their way in
the marketplace for creative minds. They are conceptually-powerful advisors, and in the process of creation they always have their
eye on the results. Communication designers at the FH Aachen are
not trained for one single job market but can navigate in many,
whether in advertising and media agencies, design offices, or in
companies with their own communication department, whether in
publishing or in the print, online, radio or television media.
Interaction in teams is taught in small seminar groups and in
permanent contact with professors and staff. Alongside the design
and technical fundamentals, further modules of the bachelors degree programme cover design-relevant disciplines, e.g. marketing,
80 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

art history, design history, architecture, text and media theory. In


parallel to the teaching events, students already have the opportunity to explore real life. They immerse themselves in projects,
take over responsibility, act in a networked way across disciplinary boundaries, and sharpen their sensitivity and understanding
for future challenges.
At the heart of the seven-semester Communication Design
Bachelors Degree Programme is a holistic, project-based course
of studies, teaching the methodological and specialist aspects
of fundamental principles, theory and key qualifications in a
practically-oriented way. Contents are developed by and with the
students in project work on the basis of real assignments. The
Aachen 7+3 Model devotes seven semesters to the bachelors
degree programme in order to be able to offer this first degree
for professional qualification at a high standard of quality. The
degree is compatible with postgraduate masters degree programmes in the EU and the consecutive three-semester Communication
Design and Product Design Masters Degree Programme at the FH
Aachen.
The Degree Programme, Communication Design with practical training semester (B.A.), allows students to obtain their degree in eight semesters and to use the 5th, 6th or 7th semesters
to complete an internship in a company relevant to their subject
in Germany or abroad.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Design
Degree:
B.A.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing.
Detlef Burkel
T +49. 241. 6009 51504
dburkel@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 81

Aerospace Engineering

The dream of flying is as old as humanity. Although the construction of the first airworthy flying machines at the beginning of the
19th century and the first manned space mission in the 1960s are
already far in the past, it has lost none of its fascination.
In the Aerospace Engineering Bachelors Degree Programme,
the students learn to reach for the stars in a modern way. In the
first four semesters, the fundamentals of natural and engineering
sciences are taught with a strong reference to aerospace. Subsequently, students can choose their area of interest in one of the
following specialisations: aeronautical engineering, flight operation engineering, propulsion engineering and astronautical engineering. Here, specialist knowledge, skills and methods are taught
in detail and deepened in exercises and practical work. Supplementary classes on soft skills such as self-organisation and time
management provide students with the necessary qualifications
to be able to realise their specialist and methodological skills in a
timely manner in concrete projects, and to present and implement
the results.
Among other things, the contents of lectures and exercises
are tested out in student projects. A second Pico-satellite, COMPASS-2, is currently under development by a group of students.
Its predecessor, the COMPASS-1 CubeSat with edge dimensions
of only 10 centimetres which was also developed by students
was launched into space in 2008 and sent data from there back
to Earth. Practical projects such as these offer close-up contact to
applied astronautical engineering and provide motivation through
international contacts.
At the FH Aachen, the aerospace engineering subject areas
are linked to the innovative fields of automobile engineering in
82 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

the framework of the Synergetic Aerospace/Automotive Engineering expertise platform and thus benefit from synergy effects.
Close collaboration with regional and internationally-operating
companies, renowned research institutes and numerous universities throughout the world guarantees an education that is appropriate for the growing demands of the employment market. One
such partner is the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Leading scientists from the DLR contribute actively to the lecture programme. With the involvement of industrial companies, the content of
the degree course is optimally designed to meet the requirements
of the aerospace industry.
Some of the course subjects are taught in English. Students
can directly experience international relationships on all continents. Through cooperations and other contacts, places for those
interested can be found for internships and bachelors theses in
companies and for overseas semesters at universities all over the
world.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Ing. Mohsen Bagheri
T +49. 241. 6009 52438
bagheri@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 83

Mechanical Engineering
(Aachen)

Mechanical engineering is one of the most important branches


of production in Germany and an engine for technical Innovation. Mechanical engineers develop and build machinery and
equipment, taking account of its rational use, technical development and business requirements. Their activities range from the
development, planning, calculation, construction and testing of
new or improved technical products, through quality assurance,
maintenance and servicing, to technical application consulting
and sales. Mechanical engineers work for industrial companies
in the machinery and plant building sector as well as in electrical
machinery and vehicle building, in engineering offices, in research
and teaching, in the public services, or as independent professionals in planning and construction, or as expert consultants. A very
wide range of careers is open to them, which with the appropriate qualifications, determination and mobility can reach into the
higher echelons of management.
Graduates of the Mechanical Engineering Degree Programme
receive the best possible preparation for all of these wide-ranging
tasks, not only through knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics, natural science and engineering acquired in the basic
course of studies, but also through optional alternative specialisations in development and design, manufacturing and production
planning oriented to the main areas of the mechanical engineering profession. Already during their studies, students learn to
shape the production creation process as effectively as possible,
whether through simulated processes at an industrial level or
through practical phases accompanying the course. Small groups,
as well as tutoring and mentoring programmes, ensure excellent
personal support from the very beginning of the course.
84 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

Close cooperations with regional and internationally-operating companies guarantee an engineering training that fulfils the
growing demands of the globally-oriented job market. Alongside
the teaching of technical knowledge, the course places special value on the acquisition of additional essential qualifications such as
a basic knowledge of business administration and law, languages,
teamwork skills, project management, communication skills and
the capacity to think in a structured way. With this combination,
mechanical engineering at the FH Aachen has been placed among
the leading group of German universities of applied sciences
in the research rankings for many years. For its graduates, this
opens up outstanding career prospects in the future-oriented field
of mechanical engineering. In the coming years, the number of
engineers reaching retirement age will far exceed the output of
graduates from the universities.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Academic counsellors:
Dipl.-Ing. Helmut Hbner
Tel. +49. 241. 6009 52433
huebner@fh-aachen.de
Dipl.-Ing. Johann Pfeiffer
T +49. 241. 6009 52434
pfeiffer@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 85

Mechanical E
ngineering
(Jlich) | Mechanical
Engineering (IOS)

The subjects of the efficient use of energy, the exploitation of


new energy sources and energy conversion technologies, and the
influence of energy conversion on the environment, will be major
determinants of our future lives. The emerging shortage of energy
and increasing climate changes, and especially the CO2 issue,
will result in interesting fields of activity for young engineers,
for example in the modernisation of power stations in Germany
and worldwide. The renewable energies sector solar technology, wind energy and biomass utilisation has been experiencing
double-digit growth rates for some years.
In the next few years, 20 billion euros will be invested in new
power stations in Germany alone. This means that a large number
of new jobs will be created for engineers who fit the profile that
is taught in the Mechanical Engineering Bachelors Degree Programme. Alongside a comprehensive basic knowledge of mechanical engineering, depending on their choice of elective subjects the
graduates of the degree programme will acquire broadly-based
knowledge in the specialisations of energy technology, environmental technology, power plant technology, or nuclear technology. The responsibilities of the mechanical engineer range from research, development and construction to manufacture, operation
and maintenance. More recently, the potential for jobs in quality,
environmental and project management, environmental simulation and product assurance has also increased. Thus, mechanical
engineers find positions e.g. in manufacturing industry, with power station operators, in the renewable energies sector, in planning
and development offices for energy and environmental technology, in nuclear power stations and the nuclear industry, as well as
in many high-technology branches of mechanical engineering.
86 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

Mechanical Engineering
(Jlich)
Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters/7 semesters
(with practical training
semester)

Mechanical Engineering
(IOS) Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
1st 2nd semesters
English,
3rd 6th semesters
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

FH Aachen

After an intensive basic training in which you will acquire


specialist knowledge of mechanical engineering, you will be able
to create your own profile of skills through the different subject
specialisations. The power plant technology specialisation is offered jointly with the Powertech Training Center in Essen (KWE),
where power station operators often have their young engineers
trained. In addition, an energy and environmental seminar is offered with contributions on technical and scientific developments
in energy and environmental technology. The lecturers are drawn
from industry and from respected scientific institutions.

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Christian Faber
T +49. 241. 6009 53524
faber@sij.fh-aachen.de

Mechanical Engineering with practical training semester:


During the main course you have the option to choose a practical
training semester. The standard period of study then lasts for
seven instead of six semesters.

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 87

Mechatronics

Dramatic changes are taking place today in many branches of


engineering. In the field of mechanical engineering, electrical
engineering/electronics and information technology are increasingly gaining influence over classic methods and ways of working.
Already today, many technical problems can only be solved with
an interdisciplinary approach. Therefore, in order to master the
manifold technical challenges of the future, traditional boundaries
in engineering must be overcome.
As a new, future-looking technology with substantial growth
potential, mechatronics combines elements from the traditional
disciplines of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and
computer science. This leads to a great demand for mechatronic
engineers who are able to master the increasing integration of
electronic components into mechanical engineering products. A
very wide choice of employment opportunities is thus available
to mechatronics graduates, with outstanding career prospects in
functional areas such as technical sales, development and design,
work preparation and production technology, manufacture and
assembly, as well as quality assurance.
The teaching of fundamental knowledge of mathematics,
natural sciences, electrical and mechanical engineering as well as
business administration, and a deeper knowledge of the basic mechatronic elements sensors, actuators, data processing and automatic control technology prepares graduates for the increasing
demands of the job market, including globally-oriented opportunities. The students profit from the strong integration of the study
programmes in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics with those of the Faculties of Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology and of Aerospace Engineering. Graduates
88 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

of the degree programme capable of developing the mechatronic


systems with which faster, cheaper and more complex solutions
can be made possible. In elective subjects, students can determine
their own individual focus and specialise in a technical area. For
example, more deep-seated knowledge can be acquired in control
or construction technology, in numerical simulation, in the field of
manufacturing technology or quality assurance, microelectronic
components and much more. In addition, the graduates become
familiar with the basic elements of modern project management
methods, presentation and communication techniques, and creativity techniques. Small groups, as well as tutoring and mentoring
programmes, ensure excellent personal support from the very
beginning of the course.

Faculty:
Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics
(In cooperation with
the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering and Information Technology and
the Faculty of Aerospace
Engineering)
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Klaus-Peter Kmper
T +49. 241. 6009 52325
kaemper@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 89

Physical Engineering |
Physical Engineering (IOS)

Wherever the results of physical research flow into technical


developments, graduates of the Physical Engineering Degree
Programme can perform a bridging function. They plan and
construct physical-technical devices, develop measurement
and manufacturing processes, simulate technical systems with
mathematical models and conduct physical experiments in the
framework of research and development projects. They are also
involved in the monitoring and testing of large-scale physicaltechnical devices. Their main task consists of applying physical
laws and principles to create marketable products. When for
example surgical applications, high-precision manufacturing
processes, CD burners or measuring devices are created from
high-energy laser beams, physical engineers are at work. With
their broadly-based scientific education and technical training,
a multiplicity of possible professions and fields of responsibility is open to graduates, e.g. in the semiconductor and automobile industry, in mechanical engineering, the optical industry,
laser technology and medical engineering i.e. wherever technical problems must be solved with a systematic and interdisciplinary approach on the basis of specialist knowledge of the
natural sciences. They work in engineering offices for specialist technical planning and in the development of software
for technical and scientific applications. The focal subjects are
particularly relevant to these professional fields because they
are targeted at extremely technically-demanding topics where
rapid development is taking place. Qualified physical engineers
will therefore always have good career opportunities.
Within the course profile you will encounter highly relevant
subject areas that will be of importance for starting your subse90 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

Physical Engineering
Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters/7 semesters
(with practical training
semester)

Physical Engineering (IOS)


Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
1st 2nd semesters
English,
3rd 6th semesters
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters/7 semesters
(with practical training
semester)

FH Aachen

quent career. These include construction technology, laser and


optical technologies, measurement and control technology, semiconductor technology and nanotechnology as well as business
administration. There is a close cooperation with the Forschungszentrum Jlich. Joint teaching events are sometimes held in
highly-developed laboratories, and the opportunity also exists
to carry out degree work or practical training in joint research
projects.

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Arno Frster
T +49. 241. 6009 53140
foerster@fh-aachen.de

Physical Engineering with practical training semester


During the main course you have the option to choose a practical training semester. The standard period of study then lasts
for seven instead of six semesters.

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 91

Product Design

It is the inner values that count, so it is said. Yes, of course. And


preferably they should be nicely packaged. Aesthetics, function,
handling what exactly does the product stand for? The first
thing is what we see, and that alone already expresses a value;
regardless of whether it is a toothbrush or an office furnishing
system.
Product design produces artistic, creative and functional
spaces for working and living. It communicates in space, in exhibition and stand designs, in guidance systems, in environmental
design. The products speak for themselves in interior design, in
furniture design, in transportation design. Product design is about
dealing creatively and courageously with the senses and with
meanings.
Product designers analyse and plan, design and model, they
have a command over both theory and practice. They develop
and lead projects in stand construction, and they design sets or
exhibitions. They work as product or Industrial designers in design agencies, as independent designers, or as internal designers
in the construction and design departments of large firms in all
branches of industry.
The Product Design Bachelors Degree Programme at Aachen
does not just train ordinary service providers. The students learn
to find their way in the marketplace for creative minds. They are
innovative and conceptually-powerful advisors in all industries,
and in the process of creation they always have their eye on the
results.
The Product Design Bachelors Degree Programme is projectoriented. From the start there is close collaboration with companies and public institutions. As well as a practical insight into
92 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

projects, this also means teamwork and dialogue, for example


with partners from industry and culture. Students acquire practical handicraft skills in the processing of wood, plastic, metal and
ceramics in the facultys own workshops.
Marketing, art and design history represent as much the
background for meaningful product design as its marketing,
presentation and communication. Product designers are equally at
home with demand analyses and manufacturing techniques, with
digital and analogue model building. They are skilled at free and
technical drawing, and can work with 2D/3D CAD systems.
At the heart of the seven-semester Product Design Degree
Programme is a holistic, project-based course of studies, teaching
the methodological and specialist aspects of fundamental principles, theory and key qualifications in a practically-oriented
way. Contents are developed by and with the students in project
work on the basis of real assignments wherever possible also
commissioned by external bodies from business and culture. The
Aachen 7+3 Model devotes seven semesters to the bachelors
degree programme in order to be able to offer this first degree
for professional qualification at a high standard of quality. The
degree is compatible with postgraduate masters degree programmes in the EU and the consecutive three-semester Communication
Design and Product Design Masters Degree Programme at the FH
Aachen.
The Bachelors Degree Programme, Product Design with
practical training semester, allows students to obtain their degree in eight semesters and to use the 5th, 6th or 7th semesters
to complete an internship in a company relevant to their subject
in Germany or abroad.
FH Aachen

Faculty:
Design
Degree:
B.A.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dipl.-Des.
Manfred Wagner
T +49. 241. 6009 51540
m.wagner@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 93

Rail Vehicle Technology

Rail Vehicle Technology is a degree programme that will turn you


into a much-sought-after specialist in a sector whose worldwide
advance is only just beginning. All over the world, new railways
are being built in order to manage increasing flows of goods and
passengers in a way that limits the harmful effects of traffic. In
Europe too, where the railway made the industrial revolution
possible in the 19th century but declined in significance in the
last decades of the 20th century, today the renaissance of rail is
unmistakable. Slowly but surely, rail is again capturing greater
shares of the transport market. As problems of energy supply and
its consequences for the climate grow, so does the importance of
a means of transport that on account of its fundamental physical
principle consumes less specific energy than any other form of
land transport. In other words, physics is your partner and your
guarantee for a successful career.
The B. Eng. Rail Vehicle Technology Degree Programme focuses on the vehicle. Understanding this requires core mechanical
engineering competencies, so the degree programme starts with
a three-semester basic training in mechanical engineering which
you will complete jointly with your fellow-students from the
Mechanical Engineering Bachelors Degree Programme. You will
benefit from the organisation and support, as well as the high level of competence, of the teachers in the Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics Faculty of the FH Aachen. The high quality of
its teaching regularly results in top places in university rankings,
as most recently in the 2011 access and Universum university
ranking.

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FH Aachen

Deeper specialisation starts from the third semester. Here,


in small groups, you will acquire a comprehensive knowledge of
rail vehicle technology, with special focus being placed on rail as
a system. Therefore, subjects like propulsion technology, control
and safety systems, play a major role along with maintenance
and quality assurance. In projects and in the practical training
semester you will have repeated opportunities to measure your
knowledge against practical requirements. This combination of
mechatronic knowledge prepares you for the digital world in
which product functionality is becoming more and more dependent on control systems and software. If you choose this degree
programme you should have no fear of electrical power and computers, but no particular prior knowledge is required.
With this modern training, a wide field of applications becomes open to you so that you can view your future career with
confidence, not only in the railway industry but also in other sectors. Incidentally: it is not a question of physical brawn, but rather
of brains and of networked thinking.
So, a question for the ladies: How about it? The male domain
of railways is waiting for a breath of fresh air.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellors
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Manfred Enning
T +49. 241. 6009 52461
enning@fh-aachen.de
Dipl.-Ing. Tim Tappert
T +49. 241. 6009 52472
tappert@fh-aachen.de

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 95

Industrial Engineering

The challenges of increasing international integration and globally


accessible markets demand new and creative strategies from
companies. Production systems must have a high level of technical development and at the same time be suitable for global markets. At the same time, business decision-making processes are
becoming ever more complex. The paths to a solution often lie at
the interface between technology and business. This is where the
industrial engineer operates. He not only knows about technical
progress, the business environment and changes in society, but as
a generalist he also understands the interdependencies of these
dynamic elements.
In the Industrial Engineering Degree Programme within the
mechanical engineering subject area, the FH Aachen offers integrated training in technical and business disciplines. The degree
programme is a cooperation between the Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering and Mechatronics and the Faculty of Business Studies. The broadly-based contents are taught initially with the fundamentals in the core course and subsequently on a specialised
basis in two specialisations: industrial engineering or sales engineering. While the industrial engineering specialisation enables
students to acquire an extended knowledge of internal corporate
processes (e.g. quality management, corporate management and
logistics), the sales engineering specialisation focuses particular
attention on customer-related processes (e.g. sales, communication and the conduct of negotiations). Graduates of this degree
programme produce concepts that affect the whole value-added
process of a company. They test projects for their viability, carry
out market and customer analyses, draft marketing strategies and
draw up sales and turnover plans. They produce proposals based
96 | Studying | Bachelors degree programmes

FH Aachen

on technical and business aspects, and conduct customer counselling and training. They develop and optimise solutions that
require both technological knowledge and business-oriented and
strategic thinking.
This integrated engineering and business training opens up
excellent career prospects and a wide variety of fields of activity
in production, procurement and logistics, through to controlling,
marketing and sales, quality, project and product management,
or environmental protection. As mediators between the different
ways of working and thinking of natural scientists, engineers,
computer scientists, business administrators, economists, lawyers
and other specialists, industrial engineers have a holistic view of
the company. Solving problems of an interdisciplinary character
is the core competency of industrial engineers, and predestines
them for leading positions in technology companies.

Faculty:
Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics
(In cooperation with
the Faculty of Business
Studies)
Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
7 semesters

Academic counsellors:
Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering and Mechatronics
Dipl.-Ing.
Andreas Liffmann
T + 49. 241. 6009 52433
liffmann@fh-aachen.de
Dipl.-Ing.
Johann Pfeiffer, SFI
T +49. 241. 6009 52434
pfeiffer@fh-aachen.de
Faculty of Business
Studies:
Dipl.-Kff. Agathe Odinius
T +49. 241. 6009 51907
odinius@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Bachelors degree programmes | Studying | 97

Business Studies PLuS

If you do not want an either/or option, but you want both:


practical studies and vocational training with your own income;
if you are motivated, want to assume responsibility at an early
stage and do not shy away from a certain additional work
load, then you should combine your completion of studies in
a Bachelor of Arts degree with the vocational qualification of
an industrial employee, wholesale and export specialist, retail
merchant or tax expert on the Business Studies PLuS (Teaching
and Studies combined with Practical Experience) Degree Programme.
This integration releases synergies which enable the time
for your overall training to be considerably shortened to four
years compared with a sequential flow of the two qualification
pathways. The particular PLuS of this degree programme is
the fact that you can apply the specialist knowledge you have
acquired in your studies in practice time and again in the training phases in the company and can learn the relevance of this
knowledge to the business. Conversely, you can recognise and
formulate the practical requirements to the academic side as
the training period progresses.
During the six study semesters at the FH Aachen, experienced professors pass on fundamental, solid, practical
knowledge in business studies teaching to you, for example on
marketing, logistics, organisation, human resources, finance,
accountancy, taxes and management accounting and control.
Areas of other disciplines important to business studies such
as economics, computer science, law, mathematics and statis-

98 | Studying | Dual Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

tics are added to this. In the advanced studies, you can acquire
extendable specialised knowledge in three subjects which may
be selected in a targeted way depending on your inclination
and career aspiration.
As a graduate of the Business Studies PLuS Degree Programme, you will possess methods and techniques to analyse
and illustrate current business studies problems independently
and develop practical solutions. In order then to be capable of
supporting and implementing these persuasively as well, you
will acquire further key qualifications such as communications
skills and the ability to work in a team, language skills and
intercultural competences.
In particular, medium-sized and larger companies in all sectors are eligible as a sphere of activity for which an early close
interlocking of academic and professional training constitutes a
particular feature of this qualification.
The conclusion of a corresponding contract of vocational
training with a cooperating company is a requirement for taking
up your studies.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Business Studies
Degree:
B.A.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
8 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Kff. Simone Breuer
T +49. 241. 6009 51909
s.breuer@fh-aachen.de

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 99

Civil Engineering
Network Engineer

Sectors such as water, gas and electricity must be dealt with holistically due to the gradual deregulation of and competitive pressure on companies. This is the task of a network engineer. He is an
expert in the planning, installation, operation and maintenance of
water, gas and electricity networks. His tasks include the network
management, metering, telecommunications and design and supervision of all the operational areas (water, gas and electricity).
The Civil Engineering Dual Degree Programme with the specialisation in network engineering consists of block times: in the
first two semesters, students spend three days per week at the
Kerpen training centre and two days at the FH Aachen. From the
third semester, students attend the FH Aachen three times a week
and the Kerpen training centre or comparable organisations on
two weekdays. The last two years of training take place exclusively at the university of applied sciences.
During their studies, participants learn the basic principles in
construction management, transport and traffic management, water and waste management and pipeline construction. The training
focuses on road, pipeline, drainage, track, well-drilling and special
civil engineering works. Theory and practice are closely interlinked from the outset. This early entrance into company practice
also offers an ideal opportunity to deepen what you have learned
in the practical phases. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of
knowledge and ability for practice rather than learning for examinations.

100 | Studying | Dual Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

As a degree, students obtain a full professional qualification


(pipelayer, bricklayer, concrete and steel-reinforced concrete
constructor, carpenter, duct builder or road builder (m/f)) and the
corresponding completion of studies (Bachelor of Engineering
Network Engineering Specialisation) after only four years. This
shortened period of training and study as well as the breadth in
the training and the experience gained create inestimable benefits
for the graduates in their professional lives. The pay from the
training may also assist students in financing their studies.

Faculty:
Civil Engineering
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
9 semesters, including
approximately 3-year
training period
Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Haldor E. Jochim
T +49. 241. 6009 51155
jochim@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 101

Physiotherapy

There are more than 100 000 physiotherapists in Germany most


of them have not completed university studies, but attended a vocational college. This may prove to be inadequate in their career,
particularly when going into research or when moving abroad
where a course of physiotherapy studies is the rule. A joint course
offered by the faculty of Medical Engineering and Technomathematics of the FH Aachen and the faculty of Medicine at the RWTH
Aachen in cooperation with Aachen University Hospital (UKA) can
remedy this.
The degree programme combines the technical competence of
both universities with practical training at the university hospital.
It covers six semesters and has an intake capacity of 20 students
per academic year. After one year of training at the School of
Physiotherapy at the UKA, there are four semesters in which
studies and training run in parallel. Students complete the final
academic year until the completion of their Bachelor of Science
full-time. After a total of four years, they will then have both a
completion of studies and a completed training course as a statecertified physiotherapist in the bag.
The professional image of the physiotherapist has changed; it
has become more complex. Alongside the therapy, the focus in the
future will increasingly be on health promotion and counselling
as well as the development of existing rehabilitational procedures, but also the development of new examination and therapy
methods.
In this way, the degree programme will be research-oriented,
but will also convey communicative and educational competences.
Physiotherapists play a major role in health care; in their
work, they provide a valuable supplement to traditional medicine.
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FH Aachen

The professional image now embraces far more than massage and
medical gymnastics; physiotherapists analyse the restrictions of
their patients and establish appropriate treatment plans. The therapy is finally evaluated and the patient given extensive advice.
In addition, greater demands will also be made of competences in
teaching and research in future.

Faculty:
Medical Engineering and
Technomathematics
Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
8 semesters, including
3-year training period

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.
Aysegl Temiz-Artmann
T +49. 241. 6009 53922
a.artmann@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 103

Process Engineering

Industry is increasingly focusing on the combination of practiceoriented and academic qualification. Graduates of process and
procedural degree programmes can currently select from a vast
number of attractive job offers. The career prospects are excellent.
Together with the Rhein-Erft Akademie in Hrth - one of the most
important institutions for vocational training in Germany - the
FH Aachen offers the Process Engineering Dual Bachelors Degree
Programme (in service and incorporating training). There are, in
principle, two admission options for this offer:

As an A-level student, you are interested in a dual studies


course, i.e. in the combination of vocational training for
instance as a chemical technician or related vocational training
with studies in process engineering. The training is modular
at the training company (for example Evonik or LyondellBasell)
and at the Rhein-Erft Akademie corresponding to the valid training framework and ends with the IHK final examination after a
shortened training period of 2.5 years, i.e. prior to the specialisation studies.
As a trained specialist with a chemical/technical background and
professional experience (for instance as a chemical laboratory
assistant, chemical engineer or industrial chemistry foreperson),
you would like to improve your qualifications through study
and enhance your opportunities for advancement. You will also
require the university admissions authorisation.

104 | Studying | Dual Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

Incorporating training and in service means that the teaching


events take place during the semester but alternately on Saturdays, evenings, on specific days of attendance in the week and
several weekly blocks. At the same time, the length of study is
extended to eight semesters so that the weekly studying time remains in a balanced framework. The core studies begin in Hrth at
the Rhein-Erft Akademie and the specialisation studies continue
at the Jlich Campus of the FH Aachen. The teachers are the professors of the FH Aachen who are supported in the core studies
by experienced lecturers from industry. A specific advantage for
students who combine vocational training and studies is that a
visit to the vocational school is not provided, but specific topics
of the vocational school training are communicated within the
context of additional tuition at the Rhein-Erft Akademie and so
take place at the same location as the teaching events of the core
studies.
In the course of their studies, students deal with planning,
operation and optimisation of chemical and physical processes
for converting substances and energy. Another important aspect
of the studies is the in-service learning. For in-service studies,
competences acquired in vocational practice can be taken into
account in the studies. In studies which incorporate training, this
is only possible in specialisation studies.
The application for the studies takes place at the Rhein-Erft
Akademie which organises study entrance and basic studies as a service. The studies are liable for costs (approximately 300 euros per
month plus the social and student body contributions of the FH).

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Chemistry and
Biotechnology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
8 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Uwe Feuerriegel
T +49. 241. 6009 53100
feuerriegel@fh-aachen.de

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 105

Electrical Engineering
PLuS

Electrical Engineering PLuS is a dual degree programme which incorporates training and includes training for electronic technicians
in industrial engineering in parallel with studies. The studies last
for a total of eight semesters and end with the degree of Bachelor
of Engineering. The IHK examination for electronic technicians in
industrial engineering is taken as early as in the fifth semester.
In the first two semesters, your training takes place in the
company and at the technical school in Dren. The FH Aachen
instructs you in a few foundation subjects at the technical school
at this time in order to provide you with a transition as successful
as possible into the third semester your first semester at the
university.
In the following three semesters, you take part in the events
at the FH Aachen on four days per week; one day per week is
reserved for training at the technical school. The periods in the
training company are limited to the lecture-free periods from the
third semester.
In the sixth and seventh semester, you study during the
lecture period on five days per week at the FH Aachen. The eighth
semester comprises a practical project and the bachelors thesis,
preferably in the training company.

106 | Studying | Dual Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

As regards content, the first five semesters comprise the mathematical/natural science and the engineering science subjects; from
the sixth semester, subject-specific basic principles follow. Here,
you become familiar with traditional electrotechnical systems and
learn to apply technical processes from an engineering viewpoint.
The focus here is on the knowledge and understanding of the
academic issues of the respective subject areas.
In the seventh semester, you select a specialisation depending on your inclinations and career aspirations. The contents of
the studies communicated correspond to those of the normal electrical engineering studies at the Jlich Campus of the FH Aachen.

Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
8 semesters, including
approximately 3-year
training period

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Josef Hodapp
T +49. 241. 6009 53045
hodapp@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 107

Aerospace Engineering
with Commercial Pilot
Training

Current studies by Boeing and the magazine Aero International


make it clear that international airlines will be on the verge of
a shortage of pilots in the next few years, as too few pilots are
being trained. Furthermore, there will be ever more commercial
aircraft in the next few years, which will, in addition, produce an
increased demand for new pilots.
Many sectors are also seeking specialists who possess both
aeronautical knowledge and engineering competences and so
know and combine the theoretical and the practical side of aviation. Dual trained specialists who bring along both prerequisites
are necessary for occupations which combine the aeronautical
and engineering side. This may be technically oriented tasks in
the aviation industry and their authorities or working as a test pilot. Graduates with a dual qualification will be faced with a broad
spectrum of career options and may work both as an engineer
and as a pilot.
The Aerospace Engineering with Commercial Pilot Training
Degree Programme should cover the need for qualified personnel
in aerospace with the objective of linking the practical experience of a trained pilot with the consolidated knowledge of an
engineer. This combination enables the student to see the aviation industry from the perspective of the flying personnel and
therefore constitutes a great advantage to your current or later
occupation as an engineer. For example, the knowledge of the
work flows in flight operation may be beneficial in engineering
problem-solving.

108 | Studying | Dual Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

The degree programme has a standard period of study of ten


semesters. During the first seven semesters, the academic part
will be completed at the university as well as the entire flight
theory part and one part of the practical flight training. The final
three semesters are used to complete the flight practice training. The Aerospace Engineering with Commercial Pilot Training
Bachelors Degree Programme is an application-oriented degree
programme. The orientation of the course content on the solution of actual engineering tasks as well as the integrated project
semester in which the pilot training takes place emphasise the
practical orientation.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
10 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Dipl.-Ing. Mohsen Bagheri
T +49. 241. 600952438
Bagheri@fh-aachen.de

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 109

Mechanical Engineering
PLuS

Mechanical Engineering PLuS is an eight-semester dual studies


course incorporating training in which students complete vocational training in parallel with their university studies in the first
five semesters concluding with the IHK examination to become an
industrial mechanic.
In the first two semesters, your training takes place in the
company and at the technical school. The FH Aachen instructs
students in a few foundation subjects at the technical school at
this time in order to provide them with a transition as successful as possible into the third semester their first semester at
the university.
In the following three semesters, students take part in
the events at the FH Aachen on four days per week; one day
per week is reserved for training at the technical school. The
periods in the training company are limited to the lecture-free
periods from the third semester.
In the sixth and seventh semesters, students study during
the lecture period on five days per week at the FH Aachen.
The eighth semester comprises a practical project and the
bachelors thesis.

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FH Aachen

As regards content, the first five semesters comprise the mathematical/natural science and the basic engineering principles
of mechanical engineering. From the sixth semester, the basic
principles of energy and environmental technology follow. Here,
students primarily acquire fundamental knowledge of energy
conversion methods and the associated systems engineering.
In the seventh semester, you select a specialisation. The
contents of the studies communicated correspond to those of
the normal mechanical engineering studies at the Jlich Campus of the FH Aachen.

Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
B.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
8 semesters, including
approximately 3-year
training period

PLuS coordinator:
Dr. Inna Ramm
T +49. 241. 6009 53761
ramm@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 111

Scientific Programming

Natural and engineering science issues rank high in modern industry. To resolve these issues, the relevant contexts are initially
illustrated as mathematical models. These models may subsequently be implemented in appropriate software and contribute to problem-solving in a computer-assisted way. In addition
to extensive knowledge of applied mathematics and software
engineering, this implementation also requires a corresponding
understanding of the natural and engineering sciences.
Graduates of the Scientific Programming Dual Degree Programme will find their field of application here: with their comprehensive knowledge in mathematics and computer science and
depending on their personal interests in individual subjects
from science and engineering, they are in a position to work in
interdisciplinary teams on the mathematical modelling and algorithmic approach to such types of problem. In short, this concerns
modelling, simulation, optimisation and visualisation of complex
technical or economic processes.
Students of the degree programme are enrolled at the FH
Aachen and receive training to become a Mathematical/Technical
Software Developer (MATSD) at the Forschungszentrum Jlich,
the RWTH Aachen or a company in the Aachen/Jlich vicinity
involved in the training at the same time. The third teaching site
alongside Aachen and Jlich is Cologne. This link enables students
to transfer their theoretical knowledge from the studies embedded in realistic business procedures and scheduling into practical applications. The dual degree of studies and training provides
graduates of the Scientific Programming Dual Degree Programme
with good job prospects in all industry and economic sectors in
which mathematics and computer science are used in combinati112 | Studying | Dual Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

on. The sector ranges from large-scale industry and software houses to insurance companies and banks to research departments.
Only applicants who have concluded a training contract to
become a Mathematical/Technical Software Developer (MATSD)
with one of the partner departments may be admitted onto the
bachelors degree programme.

Faculty:
Medical Engineering and
Technomathematics
Degree:
B.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
6 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Christof Schelthoff
T +49. 241. 6009 53806
schelthoff@fh-aachen.de
Head of training at the
Forschungszentrum Jlich:
Prof. Paul Jansen
T +49. 2461. 616430
p.jansen@fz-juelich.de
Head of training at the
RWTH Aachen:
Dr. Alexander Vo
T +49. 241. 80 24767
voss@rz.rwth-aachen.de
Head of training for the
Cologne site:
Dipl.-Inf. Karola Merkel
T +49. 241. 6009 53814
merkel@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Dual Degree Programmes | STudying | 113

Aerospace Engineering

Recent surveys indicate that most German companies are looking


for young engineers and the trend is expected to progress!
The availability of experts in the aerospace industry has lagged
behind demand for several years. Consequently, many students
in the field of aerospace engineering are hired even before they
receive their degrees.
With the Masters Degree in Aerospace Engineering, students
acquire additional expertise and new insights in the field of system technologies, advancing to a level they could not have achieved in undergraduate studies due to the rapid pace of technical
progress, and thus qualifying themselves for attractive positions
in this innovative growth industry.
The prerequisite for admission is a bachelors degree or diploma in aerospace engineering or another degree programme in
engineering or industrial engineering.

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The three- or four-semester masters degree programme


focuses on methods and technologies relevant to aircraft and
space vehicles. The programme offers students the opportunity
to expand their expertise in aerospace engineering, astronautical
engineering, propulsion and simulation by taking elective courses
and thus to prepare for entry into the job market as highly-qualified specialists. The curriculum is supplemented by interdisciplinary modules in such areas as foreign languages, human resources management, corporate start-ups, project management and
contract and patent law. The advantages of the masters degree
programme lie in its clear practical orientation underpinned by
the involvement of companies from the aerospace industry in
the intensive guidance provided by professors and staff, and in
the opportunity to study in relatively small groups.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
M.Eng.
Language of instruction:
English
Standard period of study:
3 semesters
4 semesters (incl. research
semester)

Academic Counsellor:
Dipl.-Pd. Corinna HornigFlck
T +49. 241. 6009 52428
floeck@fh-aachen.de
master-fb6@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 115

Applied
Polymer Science

Graduates with degrees in Applied Polymer Science have that


certain something that graduates of traditional, highly-specialised degree programmes lack: they have gained a comprehensive
overview of the most important aspects of polymer chemistry,
polymer analysis and polymer physics, and are familiar with the
mechanical aspects of plastics processing and applications involving the use of plastics.
They have also acquired a repertoire of additional skills
and know-how that is required for management functions in the
industry, including quality management, business management,
legal and patent issues, project management and international
teamwork. Thus, from the viewpoint of the industry, they fill a
gap that guarantees them above-average chances for employment
worldwide, since the gap between supply and demand in the market for qualified college and university graduates remains very
wide today. With some 500,000 employees and revenue amounting to 80 million EUR in Germany alone, the plastics industry is
one of the most important branches of the German economy and
ranks among the nine leading industries according to the PrognosInstitut. Moreover, polymers form the basis for applications in
the rubber industry and are essential components of adhesives,
additives, paints and fibres.
The principal goal of this masters degree programme is to
qualify students who have already earned a degree in a scientific
or engineering discipline for positions of responsibility in the
field of applied polymer science, especially in industry, through
a concentrated course of studies. The broad-based programme
focuses initially on the chemical, physical, analytical and mechanical principles of plastics and polymers in scientific and practical
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contexts. Later on, students have the opportunity to specialise in


elective subjects, such as composite fibre and plastic materials,
paint and coatings, polymer nanotechnology and renewable raw
materials, and to acquire necessary fundamentals in business
management and corporate governance.
In 2009, the FH Aachen and the Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University
of Applied Sciences signed a cooperative agreement, thereby
laying the cornerstone for the intercollegiate Institute for Applied
Polymer Chemistry. The Applied Polymer Sciences Masters
Degree Programme is now offered jointly by the two universities.
Cooperation with universities in the Netherlands and Belgium
in practical courses fosters an international orientation. The
involvement of instructors from industrial firms such as BASF AG
and Degussa AG strengthens the link to practical application and
offers initial points of contact for students who may later seek
employment with these companies.
Students who complete this degree programme are eligible
for admission to a programme of doctoral studies offered at our
laboratories in cooperation with the RWTH Aachen.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Chemistry and Biotechnology
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German; some courses
also in English (optional)
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Thomas
Mang
T +49. 241. 6009 53886
mang@fh-aachen.de
Prof. Dr. Walter Rath
T. +49. 241. 6009 53888
rath@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 117

Architecture and
Urban Design

Architects plan and design houses, apartment buildings, public


buildings and industrial facilities, and are also concerned with
complex urban structures and redevelopment measures. In their
work they consider technical, aesthetic, economic and building
law requirements as well as the needs of the people who live,
learn, work and relax in the buildings they design. Architects
combine artistic design with technical application. Architects
may work as freelancers, in architects firms or in the building
sector. Urban designers steer the processes of architectural and
spatial development in communities, an activity that involves
such matters as traffic planning, utility supply, waste disposal and
recycling, land use and development and nature and landscape
conservation. Thus they may assume functions in public administration or in planning firms or construction companies. The Master
of Arts in Architecture and Urban Design qualifies graduates for
upper-level civil service positions, and also for admission to doctoral degree programmes.
Graduates of the Architecture and Urban Design Masters
Degree Programme are entitled to use the title of Architect after
completing two years of practical work in the field. The curriculum is design-based. A distinctive feature of this programme at
the FH Aachen is its orientation toward the Euregion. During the
course of your studies, you will thus focus on the architecture
and urban design of the neighbouring regions (eastern Belgium,
Belgian Limburg, Dutch Limburg, the Province of Lige and the
Aachen region). Accordingly, joint design modules and courses are
conceived and offered in cooperation with other institutions of

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higher education in the Euregion (Lige, Diepenbeek, Maastricht,


Heerlen). This offers you a unique opportunity to experience international dialogue first hand during the course of your studies.
The programme is both occupation-oriented and academic in
character. All courses (general, engineering and design) are interdependent and interrelated. The knowledge you have acquired
during your undergraduate studies is augmented both substantively and methodologically. Within the substantive context of architecture and urban design, through representative projects relating to specific topics, you will learn to establish social references,
to structure, interpret and evaluate influences and conditions, and
to present conceptual proposals. As your studies progress, you
will begin to focus on an area of specialisation either in architectural design or urban and regional planning.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Architecture
Degree:
M.A.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dietmar Castro
T +49. 241. 6009 51113
castro@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 119

Automation Technology
and Electrical Drives

Automation and drive technology (ADT) is the heart and soul of


every production plant. It is found in electric cars and in wind
turbines. The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information
Technology at the FH Aachen offers a Masters Degree Programme
in Automation Technology and Electrical Drives that caters for
the strong demand for highly qualified engineers in this industrial
sector. Students have excellent job prospects, as the industry is
eager to recruit specialists in this field. The degree programme
emphasises aspects of electrical engineering, but also incorporates elements of mechanical engineering and computer science.
It aims to equip students with a comprehensive, practicallyoriented body of knowledge. A totally restructured curriculum
and close ties with business enterprises support that goal. Like
the other two masters degree programmes in Communication
Engineering and Information System Engineering, this programme
builds on areas of specialisation offered in the Electrical Engineering Bachelors Degree Programme. The new degree programme
also offers graduates of the Mechatronics Bachelors Degree Programme an opportunity to acquire additional in-depth knowledge
relevant to their field of specialisation.

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In addition to basic principles of drive and control technology, automation technology and robotics, students also receive
academic training in the fields of power electronics and renewable energy as well as energy technology and electro-mobility.
The curriculum is supplemented by engineering management and
human resources development modules. Thus the new degree
programme is designed to qualify graduates not only for top positions in business but also for careers in research.
A career path with a future! According to statistics published
by the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association (ZVEI), the German electrical engineering industry recorded revenues of 165 billion EUR in 2010 Automation and drive
technology accounted for 25 percent of that total. The industry
currently employs 815,000 people in Germany.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology
Degree:
M.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
3 semesters

Academic Counsellor
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karl-Josef
Lux
T +49. 241. 6009 52160
lux@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 121

Automotive
Vehicle Integration/
Powertrain and
Chassis Engineering
The current shortage of engineers has affected the automotive
industry as well. In the greatest demand are experts with knowhow in powertrain integration. Thus the job prospects of students
in automotive programmes are extraordinarily good.
With the Automotive Vehicle Integration/Powertrain and
Chassis Engineering Masters Degree Programme, the FH Aachen
offers its students an opportunity to develop their skills and
know-how in this innovative growth industry. The most recent advances in the field of system technology, which cannot be covered
in undergraduate programmes due to the rapid pace of technical
progress, are incorporated into the masters degree programme.
The prerequisite for admission is a bachelors degree or diploma
in automotive or vehicle engineering or an equivalent degree in
engineering or industrial engineering.
The three- or four- semester masters degree programme covers methods and technologies in the fields of system design and
vehicle powertrain systems. Students can specialise in powertrain
engineering, body engineering or simulation by selecting the
appropriate elective courses, and thus prepare for entry into the
labour market as highly qualified experts. The programme also
deals with specialised topics such as higher mathematics, CAD
methodology, FEM, structural dynamics, powertrain calculation
and vehicle dynamics.

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The curriculum is supplemented by interdisciplinary modules


in such areas as foreign languages, corporate start-ups and project
management. Masters degree candidates also benefit from the
clear practical orientation of the programme which is ensured
by the involvement of companies from the automotive industry
and from the intensive guidance provided by professors and staff
as well as the opportunity to study in relatively small groups.

Faculty:
Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
M.Eng.
Language of instruction:
English
Standard period of study:
3 semesters/4 semesters
(incl. research semester)

Academic Counsellor:
Dipl.-Pd. Corinna HornigFlck
T +49. 241. 6009 52428
floeck@fh-aachen.de
master-fb6@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 123

Civil Engineering

The requirements posed by the construction industry for prospective civil engineers have become increasingly demanding
in recent years. In addition to in-depth practical engineering
know-how, the industry expects candidates for employment to
have a sound grasp of economic and legal aspects of relevance
to the planning, construction and operation of building structures
and facilities. The Civil Engineering Masters Degree Programme
is designed for individuals with leadership potential who are prepared to assume responsibility for engineering matters within the
context of projects, assignments or corporate functions. It aims to
offer academic training that goes beyond the standard contents
of civil engineering curricula, offering indispensable qualifications
in management, business administration and law. Achievement
of that goal is ensured by the proven engineering expertise of
the faculty as well as close interdisciplinary cooperation with the
Faculty of Business Studies.
This masters degree programme thus combines engineering
and business while adding two new areas of specialisation: civil
engineering and infrastructure. The inclusion of the civil engineering specialisation is a reflection of the fact that this traditional
field is expected to offer the greatest numerical potential for work
in future years. Although new construction will play a less important role, refurbishing and upgrading will become increasingly
important. The infrastructure specialisation encompasses increasingly important measures devoted to environmental protection
and to maintaining and improving the function, operation and
economic efficiency of infrastructure systems such as traffic and
transportation facilities, including roads, waterways and railways,
airports and port facilities, flood protection systems, water supply
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FH Aachen

networks, residential sewage systems and sewage and waste


treatment facilities.
The inclusion of aspects of business and law in the spectrum
of topics relating to civil engineering and infrastructure expands
the programmes objectives to the point that graduates are well
qualified to meet the practical requirements of the civil engineering profession. The wide range of elective courses and the
interchangeable character of learning modules enable students to
develop distinctive individual profiles. Furthermore, the variety
of modules offered promotes the networked thinking processes
required of general planners.
These specific characteristics equip graduates to work in
organisations with an international orientation. Job prospects are
excellent, as experts with leadership skills as well as engineering
and business know-how will always be in demand.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Civil Engineering
Degree:
M. Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
4 semesters, 3 semesters
from the summer
semester 2013

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Haldor Eckhart Jochim
T +49. 241. 6009 51155
jochim@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 125

Biomedical Engineering

Good health is a fundamental human need. The interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Masters Degree Programme offered
in cooperation with the Forschungszentrum Jlich and selected
international universities and research institutes responds to
this need with state-of-the art methods. It unites quantitative,
analytical and integrative methods ranging from the molecular
level to that of the whole organism. This methodological spectrum
expands students grasp of basic biological processes and enables
them to adopt innovative approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The masters degree programme
equips graduates to transfer and apply engineering concepts
to scientific and practical problems encountered in biology and
medicine. Graduates focus on one of five possible specialisations
artificial organs and cardiovascular engineering; biomechanics,
biophysics and medical physics; chemical sensor and biosensor
technology; and medical computer science equipping them for
employment in the medical technology industry, as independent
entrepreneurs or for an academic career. Progressive advances
in modern medical technology ensure that qualified biomedical
engineers will be needed in increasing numbers in future which
means that you have excellent job prospects.

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FH Aachen

This masters degree programme offers students with a


bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering the opportunity to
gain in-depth expertise and add to their grasp of subjects and
issues of relevance to medicine. As courses are conducted exclusively in English, your prospects of gaining entry into international
industries in which you will be required to work, negotiate and
communicate in English are significantly improved.

Faculty:
Medical Engineering and
Technomathematics
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
English
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Hans-Joachim Weber
T +49. 241. 6009 53005
weber@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 127

Biotechnology

The Biotechnology Masters Degree Programme is offered by the


Faculty of Chemistry and Biotechnology of the FH Aachen in collaboration with the Faculty of Medical Engineering and Technomathematics, the Forschungszentrum Jlich (FZJ) and the Fraunhofer
Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Aachen.
Students who have completed a seven-semester bachelors
degree programme (210 credits) can earn the internationally recognised Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in three semesters (90
credits). The M.Sc. degree qualifies graduates for immediate entry
into a variety of professional careers or admission to advanced
studies in a doctoral programme.
The masters degree programme is designed for students
who have earned a bachelors degree in biotechnology at the FH
Aachen or a comparable degree and have demonstrated through
their prior academic achievements that they are fully capable of
meeting the requirements for work in the field of biotechnology.
The Biotechnology Masters Degree Programme leading to a
Master of Science degree is a research-oriented course of study
for specialists. Building on previously-acquired knowledge of
engineering and science, it proceeds to specialised studies in the
use of biological systems (organisms or their constituent parts)
and their products in technical applications. In the course of the
programme, students acquire advanced theoretical knowledge
in relevant subdisciplines of science and engineering, thereby
developing the skills and insights required to analyze complex
phenomena through the independent application of scientific
research and development methods, to develop problem-solving
strategies and to apply them effectively in practice.

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FH Aachen

This programme is interdisciplinary and combines scientific


subject matter with engineering themes.
The curriculum has been designed to ensure that students
acquire a command of the relevant aspects of molecular biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, bioprocess engineering,
biosensor technology and nanobiotechnology, red biotechnology,
marine biotechnology, safety and law, and are capable of applying their acquired experimental skills in independent research
and development.
To that end, students are offered a modular, interdisciplinary
canon of subjects in the following focal areas, which are embedded thematically in teaching events across module boundaries:
Molecular biotechnology:
Genetic engineering methods used in the recombinant production of biomolecules; genetic methods applied in the technical
evolution of biocatalysts (gene shuffling, directed evolution and
structure-based protein design), high-throughput methods for the
analysis of intracellular processes, applied bioinformatics, intracellular signal processing and substance transport to and from the
cell, metabolic pathway design, energy metabolic pathways and
secondary metabolism in plants, enzyme catalysing mechanisms,
the industrial use of enzymes, antiserum and monoclonal antibody harvesting as well as their purification and use in analysis.
Red biotechnology:
Red or medical biotechnology plays an important role in the detection and diagnosis of diseases. These relationships are studied
in detail with reference to relevant examples: Products of red
FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 129

biotechnology and their practical application (immunology of


new vaccines), and Gene therapy and regenerative medicine.
Special environmental biotechnology:
Microbial pollutant degradation and environmental analysis.
Bioprocess technology:
Cell culture process engineering, kinetic models for the description of metabolic effects, mass balances.
Biosensor technology and nanobiotechnology:
Basic principles of sensor technology for chemical and biological
values, interpretation of different transducer principles and their
application in the analysis of liquids and gases, production methods for sensor components, reciprocal effects of biomolecules
and inorganic nanomaterials, and strategies for coupling biomolecules to biosensors.
Marine biotechnology:
Principles of marine ecology, economic use of the ocean, offshore
technology, marine microbiology and global material cycles,
microbial settlements in extreme locations and interfaces, the biotechnological potential of marine organisms.

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Safety and law:


Focal areas include good laboratory practice (GLP), good microbiological practice (GMP) and good scientific practice (GSP), legal
principles of genetic engineering, safety classification of genetic
engineering measures, legal and safety aspects of the release of
genetically modified plants into the environment.
The educational profile of a biotechnologist thus closes the gap
between the traditional natural sciences and engineering. Consequently, it builds on a solid foundation of scientific and mathematical knowledge acquired in a corresponding bachelors degree
programme.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Chemistry and
Biotechnology
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
3 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Thorsten Selmer
T. +49. 241. 6009 53715
selmer@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 131

Energy Systems

In times of dwindling resources and global climate change, efficient and sustainable energy use is an important focus of discussion within political circles, the business community and society
at large. It is up to the industrialised nations, in particular, to
develop solutions in response to the steadily rising global demand
for energy in order to ensure an acceptable standard of living
for future generations as well. This requires the contributions of
highly-qualified experts.
In an effort to meet this need, the FH Aachen offers a foursemester Energy Systems Masters Degree Programme in cooperation with the Forschungszentrum Jlich.
The requirement for admission to the masters degree programme is a bachelors degree or diploma in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, process engineering or physical
engineering or another relevant engineering degree.
The Energy Systems Masters Degree Programme encompasses the scientific and technical aspects of energy systems and
energy system simulation. Students also confront the general problems associated with high energy consumption on a global scale.
These include economic aspects of energy production as well as
environmental issues and the sustainability of various energy
systems, such as fuel cells, bio-fuels, solar power plants, systems
designed for the production of energy from hydrogen, and other
technologies used to reduce CO2 emissions. Studies in management and business administration also equip students with the
organisational know-how required for management positions in
the energy industry.

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FH Aachen

Employment prospects are excellent, as international demand


for energy technicians is very high. Graduates of this masters
degree programme qualify for middle and senior management
positions in national and international companies, development
organisations, government ministries and administrative bodies,
planning firms and corporate consulting agencies.

Faculty:
Energy Technology
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
English
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Gerd Breitbach
T +49. 241. 6009 53541
breitbach@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 133

Entrepreneurship
(in service)

The MBA degree programme in Entrepreneurship is designed to


strengthen your business and entrepreneurial qualifications, enabling you to meet the challenges you will encounter in management positions. The programme is designed for working students
(classes are held on Friday evenings and Saturdays) and requires
about 18 months of study. The regular tuition fee is currently
18,000 euros. The core of the programme comprises essential
aspects of entrepreneurship, which are analysed and developed
systematically in well-structured lectures and problem-oriented
exercises involving case studies and simulations. Subjects include
business administration, accounting, company leadership, law,
management and corporate start-ups. Candidates are expected
to complete a practical business administration or organisational
project in a company and to document their work in a masters
thesis. All courses are conducted by experienced professors from
the FH Aachen and other universities (including the University
of Edinburgh) as well as adjunct instructors who hold executive positions in firms in the national and international business
community.
The specially-designed curriculum prepares graduates for
senior management positions and qualifies them to take over
existing companies or found new businesses. Equipped with a
comprehensive, holistic foundation of outstanding qualifications,
graduates can also assume significantly higher positions in their
current occupational fields. Because it specifically addresses students with entrepreneurial skills and interests, it helps solve the
pressing problem of management succession that faces so many
small and medium-sized enterprises today.

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FH Aachen

Entrepreneurship is also concerned with the establishment,


preservation and growth of young companies. Emphasis is placed
on the development of profit potential through innovative products or innovative methods. Entrepreneurs must exhibit a very
high level of risk awareness, the willingness to accept risks and
the ability to manage risk, but they must also be open to change.
This requires distinct personality structures as well as social and
communicative skills which are acquired and developed in a number of ways in this masters degree programme from corporate
simulations to personality assessments or training in professional
public speaking.

Joint programme offered


by the Aachen Institute of
Applied Sciences e.V. (AcIAS) and the FH Aachen
Degree:
MBA
Language of instruction:
Primarily German, English
Standard period of study:
3 semesters

Contact:
Marion HuthmacherKirschall
T +49. 2421. 251010
ht@mba-entrepreneurship.
com
Address:
AcIAS, Aachen Institute of
Applied Sciences e. V.
Markt 2
52349 Dren

FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 135

Facility Management

Facility management (FM) is a management discipline concerned


with facilities (structural and technical systems, equipment and
infrastructure) and services (internal corporate services which are
not part of a companys core business, such as supply, disposal
and recycling, cleaning, etc.). Facility managers adopt a result-oriented approach to the entire facility lifecycle. Within the framework of planned, managed and controlled organisational processes, facility management is devoted to meeting the basic needs
of people at their workplace, supporting key corporate processes
and enhancing profitability.
Thus, FM involves the continuous monitoring, analysis and
optimisation of all cost-related processes affecting facilities and
services. It covers the entire lifecycle of real-estate object, from
planning, administration and upkeep to disposal and recycling of
buildings, plant, equipment and services. Facility managers are
not as a common prejudice suggests merely well-educated
building supervisors or administrators. They are responsible
for the strategic and operational management of buildings and
services in support of the optimum conduct of a companys
core business. They design workplaces as well as communal and
residential conditions in a professional manner in order to ensure
that these places meet the relevant economic, social and environmental requirements. They regard users, facilities and processes
as components of a comprehensive organisational structure. The
goals of their work are to increase economic efficiency, preserve
value, optimise use and minimise resource consumption in the
interest of protecting the environment. To achieve these aims,
facility managers must respond to the requirements of corporate
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FH Aachen

cilities. They may hold management positions or serve as consultants, and they may perform their duties as a company employee,
an FM service provider or a planning firm.
Above all, facility managers must have a grasp of the general
context in which facilities and services are embedded. Therefore, the Facility Management Masters Degree Programme offers
a broad and diverse range of qualifications. Students acquire
and develop know-how in construction engineering and physics,
systems engineering, building automation and technical building
management, including lifecycle and availability analysis, as well
as service management. Other subjects included in the curriculum
include real-estate economics and administration as well as business administration, law, energy management, computer science,
human resources management and communication. As courses are
offered on a maximum of three days per week, you will also find
it possible to work and study at the same time.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Civil Engineering
Degree:
M.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Programme Director:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ursula
Holthaus-Sellheimer
T +49. 241. 6009 51168
holthaus@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 137

Industrial Engineering

The core field of industrial engineering is summarised in its original German name, Arbeitsingenieurwesen (roughly: operational
engineering). The scope of application of industrial engineering
has expanded considerably in recent years, however. Industrial
engineering is concerned with the organisational and technical
design, implementation and advanced development of industrial
processes within business enterprises. For the industrial engineer,
a business enterprise is an integrated system in which human
resources, materials, finances, plant and equipment, and information are planned and managed in keeping with relevant social and
legal requirements.
The Industrial Engineering Masters Degree Programme is
oriented toward the occupational profile of middle management
executives with operational responsibilities in largely technical
environments, and enables students to acquire key skills and
know-how as candidates for management positions in the field of
industrial engineering.
The target group addressed by this programme consists of
graduates who hold degrees in industrial engineering or industrial business management. In order to establish a common base of
knowledge for students with differing academic backgrounds, studies in the first semester are organised on the basis of a Y-model, in
which the students from each subject background are introduced to
the specific subject matter of the other field.

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FH Aachen

Courses taken by all students cover a range of subjects, including management skills, business administration and legal issues,
technical management, plant and production technology and information technology. As their studies progress, students are offered a
wide range of elective courses designed to prepare them for future
occupational responsibilities, thereby enabling them to specialise in
certain areas in accordance with their personal interests.
The programme is completed with a masters degree thesis. In
most cases, the theses are devoted to topics of industrial relevance
and are researched and written in cooperation with an industrial
enterprise or in conjunction with a project carried out within such
an organisation.

Faculty:
Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics
(In cooperation with
the Faculties of Energy
Technology and Business
Studies)
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German, some courses In
English
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering and Mechatronics
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Ludger Knepper
T +49. 241. 6009 52445
knepper@fh-aachen.de
Faculty of Business
Studies
Prof. Dr. rer. pol.
Rolf Dietmar Grap
T +49. 241. 6009 51968
grap@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 139

Information Systems
Engineering

Students enrolled in the Information Systems Engineering (ISE)


Masters Degree Programme acquire specialised skills and knowledge in the basic subdisciplines of computer science, i.e. information systems as well as mobile and distributed virtual systems.
Basic mathematical and theoretical knowledge is supplemented
in advanced courses, with an emphasis on practical application.
Students gain a command of methods and subject matter that will
qualify them to assume technical management positions in the
field of computer science.
In the Information Systems Engineering Masters Degree
Programme, students acquire the skills and knowledge they
need to perform management functions in companies specialised in development, application engineering or consulting.
One of the primary goals of the programme is to equip graduates to deal with practical assignments in a holistic manner
and to assume responsibility for decisions taken in all phases
of a project, from conception and feasibility assessment to
implementation and operation. Technical expertise is thus a
fundamental qualification acquired by prospective IT specialists who complete the masters degree programme. A range
of elective courses enables students to specialise according to
their personal inclinations and career plans during the two theoretical semesters and the final semester, in which they work
on their masters degree thesis. Building upon their sound basic
qualifications, they have the opportunity to respond dynamically to contemporary issues and currents by choosing from a
continually updated selection of elective subjects. In this way,
the programme responds ideally to the needs of the rapidly
evolving IT market.
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FH Aachen

Through its numerous industrial contacts, especially at the


national level, the FH Aachen has an excellent grasp of current market developments and potential future technologies
and products. The FH is engaged in a number of joint projects
with industrial companies and research institutes. The insights
gained in this context are reflected in the curriculum, which is
focused on the basic knowledge required for the study and development of future innovations. These close ties with industry
facilitate direct entry into professional life for graduates of the
masters degree programme.
The programme is designed to respond to the needs of the
newly-structured subdisciplines of computer science as they
become evident in practice. It qualifies graduates for self-reliant practical work on difficult and unusual IT projects.
Thanks to the balanced combination of theory and practical
exercises, graduates have excellent prospects for employment
in businesses and institutions both in Germany and abroad.
Graduates who hold the Masters Degree in Information
Systems Engineering also qualify for employment in upperlevel civil service positions and for admission to a doctoral
degree programme.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology
Degree:
M.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
3 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Heinrich Fassbender
T +49. 241. 6009 51913
fassbender@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 141

International Business
Management

Good to Great is the apt title of a book by management researcher Jim Collins. It could be otherwise expressed as Only the best
is good enough. In his study, he found that consistently successful companies had been moved into the fast lane by leadership
personalities with the capacity to think very clearly in entrepreneurial terms and to concentrate on the essentials. Above all, they
possessed the ability to see through complexity and to recognise
patterns behind the flood of data and turn them to the advantage
of their companies.
This is a key element of the International Business Management Masters Degree Programme. The interdisciplinary subject
matter and the social and communication skills acquired in the
course of the programme equip graduates to assume management
responsibilities at various levels of the corporate hierarchies of
internationally active companies of all sizes and in all business
sectors.
Having been introduced to the fundamental theories, models
and instruments of business administration and neighbouring
disciplines during their bachelors degree course, students
enrolled in the masters degree programme proceed to integrate and deepen that know-how. At the same time, they are also
encouraged to reflect critically on their knowledge in order to
determine whether and how it should be modified in an international corporate setting characterised by increasingly complex
interdependencies under the influence of continually changing
business conditions, for the purpose of solving practical strategic
and operational problems.

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FH Aachen

The programme offers a choice of two options. Specialisation


in Customer and Service Management encompasses potential,
market-oriented management with a focus on the goal-, customerand service-oriented design of corporate value-added processes.
Students who specialise in Finance, Auditing, Control, Taxation
and Accounting are concerned with financial management and
focus on corporate planning, documentation, control, communication and steering functions. The two areas of specialisation
build upon a common set of courses and are regularly linked by
teaching events offered to all students in later semesters.
Students acquire the capacity for self-organisation and develop communication and social especially intercultural skills
while exploring the ethical and social dimensions of business and
economic activity. The curriculum includes at least one semester
of study at one of the Facultys partner universities abroad. The
standard period of study is the equivalent of four full-time semesters.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Business Studies
Degree:
M.A.
Language of instruction:
German, English
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Dipl.-Vw. Melanie Reinders
T +49. 241. 6009 51930
reinders@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 143

Communication Design
and Product Design

Everywhere we see codes: at school, on the floor of the stock


exchange, in the waiting room, at the racing track, in front of the
mirror poses, signals, hand signs, facades, scents, sounds. The
world is a vast marketplace of designed information and products,
all competing for attention. Goods are traded the kind we can
see and touch but so are news, opinions, feelings, ideas and
values. What this means for the designer is clear: design is more
than one might think. Communication and thus design in the
21st century begins with the search for the underlying text, the
basic attitude. What message do I wish to convey? And in what
form? Is the object of my design process really only an isolated
solution? In what dimensions should I think and act? The capacity
to control the interplay of product features, messages, presentation and marketing is an essential skill today.
The Master of Arts in Communication Design and Product Design at the FH Aachen is a degree programme for thinking in contexts. Its distinctive feature consists in the exploration of points
of intersection between different design disciplines in concrete
projects. Through the institutionalised blending of disciplines,
young designers learn to perceive something that many designers recognise only after years of on-the-job training: the entire
communication and product world with all its frontier zones the
broad spectrum of design. Thus they are able to find their way
in every market after graduation, as freelance designers or in
service to an employer. Future fields of activity will emerge from
the coordinate system consisting of communication and space,
product and communication, space and interaction.
This consecutive, three-semester masters degree programme
combines the disciplines of communication design and product
144 | Studying | Masters Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

design. In keeping with the motto that the whole is more than
the sum of its parts, the profile is multilayered and multidisciplinary in terms of both media and dimensions. The programme
incorporates various approaches to design and thus enables
graduates to conceive, realise and manage complex work and
problem-solving processes while subjecting them to critical reflection at the same time. The masters degree programme is essentially design-based and oriented toward concrete student projects.
The curriculum includes specific modules devoted to theory and
synthesis through which students learn to pursue an explorative
approach to their work and to analyse subject matter scientifically.
Graduates of the Communication Design and Product Design
Masters Degree Programme are both practitioners and strategists.
They have expert knowledge in design strategy and are capable
of integrating concepts and designs into a complex project process
that includes both implementation and reflection.
One objective for students of the Communication Design and
Product Design (M.A.) Degree Programme is to achieve a level of
qualification as independent, critical designers in the creative industries. The coaching programme assists students in developing
their personal goal-oriented profiles. Completion of the masters
degree programme also qualifies graduates for admission to a
doctoral programme.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Design
Degree:
M.A.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
3 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dipl.-Des. Oliver Wrede
T +49. 241. 6009 51516
master@design.fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 145

Mechatronics

Industrial development processes have been evolving at an increasingly rapid pace for some time. Products are becoming more
and more complex and product life cycles shorter, while product
development itself is subject to shorter deadlines and tougher
budget restrictions. The process of developing a product under
these conditions requires a team that covers an increasingly deep
and broad range of professional expertise. The trend is towards
mechanical-electrical-electronic products, in short: mechatronic
products. Typical mechatronic systems are miniaturised products
capable of recording and evaluating data independently and
then based on flexibly-programmed logic respond by carrying
out the required actions. The required sensors (for temperature,
pressure, distance, etc.) correspond to the human senses, the
signal processing system to the brain, and the actuators (e.g.
micro-switches, servo-mechanisms, motors) to the limbs, nerves
and muscles.
Systems of this kind must be designed by engineers sufficiently versed in both mechanical and electrical engineering that
they can carry out integrated product development effectively
within a team. But they must also possess the qualifications of
specialists in one of the two fields so that they can follow the
most recent advances in technology and incorporate them into
the product development process.
The Mechatronics Masters Degree Programme prepares
students to meet these labour market requirements and offers
excellent job prospects based on practically-oriented training
and the acquired capacity for interdisciplinary scientific work.
The programme is designed for graduates of bachelors degree
or diploma programmes in the fields of mechanical engineering,
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FH Aachen

electrical engineering, mechatronics or related disciplines and


leads via a corresponding adaptation module in the first semester
to a broad, practice-oriented command of mechatronic principles,
components and systems. It concludes with a practical masters
thesis conducted in an industrial setting or at a research institute,
which thus guarantees that the practical approach emphasised
over the entire course of the programme also meets the test
of industrial criteria. As most courses are conducted in English,
students acquire a strong international orientation. This makes
the programme attractive for graduates with bachelors degrees
from foreign universities. At the same time, German students
acquire outstanding international qualifications by virtue of their
command of technical English and their close interaction with
foreign students.

Faculty:
Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics
(In cooperation with the
Faculties of Electrical Engineering and Information
Technology and
of Aerospace Engineering)
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
English
(Several elective modules
are conducted in German.)
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic Counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Klaus-Peter Kmper
T +49. 241. 6009 52325
kaemper@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 147

Communications
Engineering

In the Communications Engineering Masters Degree Programme,


special skills are acquired in the core fields of communications
engineering, i.e. in telecommunication networks, mobile telecommunication, microwave technology, high-speed digital technology, radio technology and digital signal processing. It teaches
methods and knowledge that will qualify its graduates to practice
the profession of communications engineer in leading specialist
functions.
A principal goal of training in the masters degree programme is to equip graduates to accomplish the tasks set in practical
application in a comprehensive way, and to take responsibility
for all relevant decisions from the initial idea, through viability
testing, to its implementation and operation. The expertise that
is taught in the masters degree programme is therefore a basic
qualification for development engineers in the communications
industry. Elective subjects enable students to extend their specialist training in the field of communications engineering beyond
the basic qualifications during the two theory semesters and
subsequent masters degree work. The elective subjects deepen
and extend the areas of the communications engineers activity
in those fields where scientific knowledge and complex methods
are prerequisites for a high standard of practical professional
competency. This offers students optimum chances to specialise
in accordance with their personal inclinations and to become
familiar with interdisciplinary fields of activity for which there is
no standard education.
Young graduates are predestined for product development as
a major field of activity. This, together with the certainly growing field of R&D, is an area in which very well trained engineers
148 | Studying | Masters Degree Programmes

FH Aachen

with a masters degree are required. But the specialisation of the


programme in the direction of communications engineering also
gives rise to further opportunities, so that the following activities
are also covered:

Telecommunication companies
Information technology companies
Manufacturing companies
Research and development departments in a variety of companies

Research institutions
University institutions
In particular, the degree also equips graduates to work in higher
public administration and for doctoral studies.

FH Aachen

Faculty
Electrical Engineering and
Information Technology
Degree:
M.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
3 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Thorsten Benkner
T +49. 241. 6009 52130
benkner@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 149

Nuclear Applications

Although many people are aware of atomic energy, other fields


for the application of nuclear science are generally little known.
Yet we benefit every day from these technologies, which are used
in sectors as diverse as agriculture, aerospace, medicine, biotechnology, chemical engineering, electricity generation, material science, metallurgy and nanotechnology. Investigations into material
transport and conversion processes using short-lived radioactive
materials so-called tracers are indispensible for research.
Whether for the development of medicaments and the diagnosis
and treatment of diseases, or the optimisation of fertilizers and
pesticides radio tracer investigations are of extreme importance.
Forecasts suggest that the need for qualified graduates in the field
of nuclear technologies will continue to grow in the coming decade, and already today there is a serious shortfall of specialists.
The FH Aachen recognised the need for specialists by industry, research institutions and public-sector employers at an early
stage, and its offering of the Nuclear Applications Masters Degree
Programme is a pioneering step. The European Master of Science
in Nuclear Applications (EMiNA) Programme was introduced as
long ago as March 2003 and trains some 30 students per year in
the application of nuclear technologies. The FH Aachen runs the
degree programme in close collaboration with European research
centres, industry and universities in the framework of the CHERNE
network.
The course of studies equips its students to put scientific
principles into practice and develop them further. Course contents include radiation measurement and radiation protection, the

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FH Aachen

production of radio nuclides, the generation of nuclear energy,


nuclear disposal and the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear chemistry,
and applied biomedicine such as nuclear imaging and therapy.
In addition to the theoretical teaching events, students acquire
application-oriented skills through extensive practical work and
projects that will give them an optimal start for a professional
career in industry. Alongside the specialist subjects, students will
also concern themselves with business-related issues, the fundamentals of management, the organisation and planning of research
projects, and the enhancement of their skills in scientific writing
and presentation.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Chemistry and
Biotechnology
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
English
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Ulrich W.
Scherer
T +49. 241. 6009 53894
scherer@fh-aachen.de,
nuclear@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 151

Product Development

In both science and practice, there are more and more interfaces
between previously separate disciplines. This applies in particular to application-oriented disciplines. The teaching that is often
typical in Germany and abroad mainly provides prospective
engineers with technical knowledge but does not prepare them
adequately for management responsibilities. The Product Development Masters Degree Programme builds a bridge between
engineering and management. The aim of the course is to equip
graduates to take on leadership responsibilities in the management of research, development, design and production, i.e. the
complete chain of industrial product development. This requires
competencies reaching far beyond those of a qualified technician.
A training is required that deepens existing specialist technical
competencies and additionally integrates management skills.

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FH Aachen

The Product Development Degree Programme is aimed at


graduates in mechanical engineering or a related engineering degree programme, and prepares them specifically for management
positions in the field of industrial product development. The students can choose between the two specialisations of development
management and mechanical engineering design. The course is
completed with a masters thesis, the subject of which is generally
derived from an industrial task and which is also conducted in
close collaboration with or in a company.

Faculty:
Mechanical Engineering
and Mechatronics
(In cooperation with
the Faculties of Energy
Technology and Business
Studies)
Degree:
M.Eng.
Language of instruction:
German, partly English
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Andreas Gebhardt
T +49. 241. 6009 52918
gebhardt@fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 153

Regenerative Energies
(in service)

For the summer semester 2012, the German Alliance for Applied
Sciences (HAWtech) is offering a postgraduate Regenerative Energies Masters Degree Programme which takes students to a Master
of Engineering degree in an in-service course of six semesters.
The members of HAWtech are six leading universities of
applied sciences throughout Germany in the field of engineering
FH Aachen, HTW Berlin, HS Darmstadt, HTW Dresden, HS Esslingen and HS Karlsruhe. Each of the six participating universities
has a strong technical focus as well as a very high reputation in
its region. The universities close integration with regional, often
smaller and medium-sized, businesses coupled with an international orientation guarantees attractive job chances for graduates. Studying at all the universities in HAWtech means practical,
application-oriented teaching with the most up-to-date content
and highly-qualified lecturers. The masters degree opens up a
multitude of new career opportunities for students in a sector
that offers more perspectives and growth potential than almost
any other.
In the technically-oriented masters degree course, working
engineers will be optimally prepared for the new demands being
placed on the energy industry sustainable generation of power
and heat from the sun, wind, water and biomass. Graduates will
be qualified to drive forward the emerging energy transition in a
variety of positions in business and society.

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FH Aachen

The degree programme is designed for people in employment


who have already completed a degree course, preferably in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or process engineering, and have some initial professional experience.
With the acquisition of knowledge about regenerative energy
systems, graduates will not only help to build a cleaner future but
will also enhance their chances in the employment market for
an even greater choice of even more exciting jobs in the energy
sector.

FH Aachen

Degree:
M.Eng.
Standard period of study:
6 semesters
Language of instruction:
German

Contact person:
Maja Schmidt
Berlin University of Applied
Sciences (HTW), Programme
Manager Regenerative
Energies in the German Alliance for Applied Sciences
(HAWtech)
Wilhelminenhofstrae 75A,
12459 Berlin
T +49. 30. 5019 3370
maja.schmidt@htw-berlin.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 155

Technomathematics

The rapid development of computer technology has made many


new methods and procedures possible in applied mathematics,
and others will follow in future. Innovative computing methods
such as parallel algorithms or grid computing are playing an ever
greater role in computer simulations in science and technology.
Such computing procedures should, in turn, also find applications
in industry. In addition to an extensive knowledge of applied
mathematics and software technology, this also requires an
appropriate understanding of natural and engineering sciences.
The treatment of natural scientific and engineering issues in
companies demands close collaboration between mathematicians,
computer scientists and users. Technomathematicians are trained
for precisely this environment, and their ability to cooperate with
engineers and specialist scientists enables them to gain a growing
number of posts in many companies.
The consecutive Technomathematics Masters Degree Programme builds on the Scientific Programming Dual Bachelors
Degree Programme and is offered in cooperation with the Forschungszentrum Jlich. It prepares you for working independently in research and development on scientific and technical questions. You will thus have access to a multiplicity of attractive fields
of work in a very wide range of sectors in industry and research,
such as simulation and optimisation, product development, statistical quality control, software development and consulting on
information technologies.

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FH Aachen

The Technomathematics Masters Degree Programme qualifies


you to work independently in the development of mathematical
models for scientific and technical issues and their realisation in
computer programmes. To this end, you will deepen your specialist knowledge of applied mathematics, especially stochastics and
numerics, scientific computing and computer science, as well as in
the natural and engineering sciences. The close cooperation with
the Forschungszentrum Jlich makes unique resources available
to you. For example, the high-performance computers installed
at the Jlich Supercomputing Centre are put to practical use for
the realisation of concepts taught in the framework of certain
teaching events. Furthermore, modern mathematical software
systems, programming and visualisation tools are applied in lectures and practical work.

FH Aachen

Faculty:
Medical Engineering and
Technomathematics
Degree:
M.Sc.
Language of instruction:
German
Standard period of study:
4 semesters

Academic counsellor:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Martin Reiel
T +49. 241. 6009 53219
reissel@fh-aachen.de
Prof. Dr. rer. nat.
Gerhard Dikta
T +49. 241. 6009 53219
dikta@fh-aachen.de

Masters Degree Programmes | Studying | 157

The first steps


at the FH Aachen

Application procedure
and registration
You need to register before commencing your
studies. This assumes that you have already
successfully applied for a university place. The
most important steps, contact persons and
links are set out for you here.

Application to study at the FH Aachen


First of all, you must without fail take note of the deadlines for
applications no application is possible beyond the deadline. A
list of all current deadlines is available at:
www.fh-aachen.de, if you enter the web code 11111153.
Check whether your desired degree programme is offering
student places for its first semester in the winter and/or summer
semester.
The degree programmes at the FH Aachen are subject to
specific entrance and registration requirements. Alongside the
required university admissions authorisation, these may be
internships, aptitude tests or language requirements. The specific
qualifications and registration requirements can be found in the
information brochures for your degree programme:
www.fh-aachen.de/broschueren_stg.html
Applicants with German educational certificates can obtain all
the information on the degree programmes currently on offer and
how to apply online on the website www.fh-aachen.de/bewerb.
html. The university publishes any exceptions on its web pages.
There are different application procedures for foreign applicants. For most degree programmes, you need to have your
application to study at the FH Aachen pre-checked by Uni-ASSIST,
the Application Service for International Students. You can obtain
all the relevant information on this from the Registrars Office and
online at: www.fh-aachen.de/dlc_bewerb_ausland_wise.html and
www.uni-assist.de.

160 | First Steps

Registration takes place


in the Aachen and Jlich
Registrars Office respectively
Aachen
Stephanstrae 58 62
52064 Aachen, Germany
T +49. 241. 6009 51620
Room 103
Jlich
Heinrich-MumannStrae 1
52428 Jlich, Germany
T +49. 241. 6009 53117
Room H 103
studierendensekretariat@
fh-aachen.de
www.studentensekretariat.fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

Information on qualifications and other registration requirements and application documents are available at: www.fhaachen.de, if you enter the web code 0311142. If the demand for
student places is higher than what is on offer, a selection process
often takes place. In this process, student places are allocated in
accordance with the criterion of qualification level (average grade
of the university admissions authorisation) in conjunction with
the qualifying period.
Registration
If, after successful application, you have received your notice of
admission to study at the FH Aachen, you must enrol yourself
(register) in person (or represented by an authorised person) or
by post within the period specified in the notice of admission. If
all registration requirements have been met, after your registration you will receive your student identity card and the semester
ticket, each of which are valid for one semester.

FH Aachen

First Steps | 161

Internships
An important part of your studies and the
optimum preparation for entering the professional world later on

As an application-oriented university, the FH Aachen attaches


great importance to its students gaining professional experience
in companies before taking up their studies. This insight into
manual and business procedures and companies social structures complements teaching and studies and provides you with an
optimum preparation for your subsequent career.
A business activity lasting several weeks is part of the registration requirements for almost every degree programme. This
internship should be closely connected to the future contents of
your studies. You may also complete it abroad.
The specific provisions regarding your degree programme,
which internships are recognised in your case and what your
internship should cover, are available in Qualifications and
other registration requirements which you can download on the
internet for any degree programme at www.fh-aachen.de/bewerb_quali.html.

162 | First Steps

FH Aachen

Numerus clausus and


SfH (formerly ZVS)
Numerus clausus (NC) stands for limited number and designates a limited number of places
in certain subjects at universities

If more applications are expected for a degree programme than there


are university places available, a selection process among the applications must take place. In most instances, this is based on the grade
average of the university admissions authorisation and the qualifying period. A few persistent misapprehensions surround the numerus clausus. The most widespread misapprehension is that grades
for NC subjects are predetermined. In fact, NC values are produced
afresh in each selection procedure as a result of the current average
grades and qualifying periods of the applicants. Only the number
of university places is predetermined. Gaining a university place
primarily depends on the quantity and quality of rival applications.
The first admissions are allocated in the main procedure by means of
the grade/qualifying period rankings. In the event that not everyone
takes up this offer of a university place, the next few acceptances are
allocated in what is known as a succession procedure, in the order
of the grade/qualifying period rankings, until all the places are filled.
The threshold values published in the NC tables always refer only to
past main procedures and only offer an orientation figure. Only when
university places are still unfilled and there are no more applicants
on the ranking list does the FH Aachen grant the remaining places
to applicants who applied directly to the FH Aachen for the random
selection process. www.fh-aachen.de/losverfahren.html
SfH / hochschulstart.de
In NRW, the Foundation for Higher Education Admission
(SfH/hochschulstart.de) allocates the university places on
certain degree programmes. The FH Aachen does not currently
participate in the university place allocation procedure at hochschulstart.de.
FH Aachen

First Steps | 163

Costs and financing


Overview of fees, deadlines and costs

The cost of studying, or rather the question of its financing is for


many students a key criterion for or against taking up their studies. Semester fees, costs for study materials and living expenses
will be incurred and not all students can be fully financially supported by their parents. Anyone lacking the time to earn money
with a part-time job must consider alternative ways of financing
their studies. An overview of the fees charged at the FH Aachen is
given below.
Semester fee
The semester fee (currently 215.80 euros) consists of your social
insurance contribution (68 euros), student body contribution (17.50
euros) and the costs for the semester ticket (130.30 euros). The social insurance contribution is provided to Aachens Student Activities Office for the joint financing of services such as the refectories
and halls of residence. Proportions of the student body contribution go to the students union (AStA), the social fund of FH Aachen e.
V. and the departmental student organisations. In addition to this,
the student body contribution includes the regional semester ticket
from the Aachen Transport Authority (AVV) and the NRW semester
ticket which permits the free use of public transport (2nd class,
local journeys) within NRW for a whole semester.
When do I have to pay the fees?
The fees are charged at the time of enrolment and acknowledgement. You will receive the relevant bank transfer order by post.
Cross-registered students who attend individual events at the FH
Aachen, as well as visiting students, are currently charged a sum
of 100 euros per semester.
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FH Aachen

Living expenses
Living expenses depend on your lifestyle, but one cannot personally influence average rental prices or the costs of food and
health insurance; so living frugally does not help by itself. The
largest part of students monthly expenditure goes in rent. This
usually comprises a third of the overall living expenses. German
students spend approximately 770 euros per month on average
(source: 18th Social Survey, 2006).

Monthly costs (average):


Rent (incl. utilities)
Food
Clothing
Travel costs (car/public transport)

Leisure, culture and sport
Health insurance
Telephone/internet/radio and TV charges
Study materials/learning resources (books, etc.)

FH Aachen

266
147
50
82
62
54
43
35

First Steps | 165

Information for
overseas students
Here is where you will find important additional
information and tips for you as international
students coming to Aachen to study.

Admission to studies
Before entering the Federal Republic of Germany, you should
have already gathered appropriate information on the requirements for admission to your studies. In particular, it is recommended that you inform yourself on whether the educational certificates you acquired in your native country entitle you to study at
a university in Germany. Basic information on this is available on
the internet at the Central Office for Foreign Education (www.anabin.de). Specify the degree programme in which you would like to
take up your studies, because the university admissions authorisation varies from subject to subject. In addition to appropriate
educational certificates depending on the programme of studies
knowledge of German, practical experience or similar may be
part of the university admissions authorisation.

An overview of the most


important authorities in
the city of Aachen and
downloadable documents
are available at:
www.aachen.de/DE/
stadt_buerger/politik_verwaltung/behoerdenwegweiser/index.html

You can obtain information on the respective admission requirements at:


www.fh-aachen.de/bewerb_unterlagen.html
or in the degree programme brochures at:
www.fh-aachen.de/broschueren_stg.html
Visa
Apply for a study applicant or student visa from a German diplomatic mission abroad (embassy) before entering the Federal
Republic of Germany. It is not possible to convert a tourist or
other type of visa into a student visa after entering the Federal
Republic of Germany.

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FH Aachen

Residence permit
If you come to Germany for your studies or a study semester,
the German authorities assume that your stay in Germany is of a
temporary nature. You will therefore receive a residence permit
which is granted for temporary stays and is not a permanent residence permit. You should apply for the residence permit at the
service office of the town or city in which you are living before
your visa expires. A branch office of the Aliens Authority has
been set up for students of the FH and the RWTH Aachen in the
SuperC (Student Service Centre) of the RWTH Aachen at Templergraben 57.
Information is available from the Department of International
Affairs at:
www.aaa.fh-aachen.de/9901.html
Important
It is a strict requirement, both for the granting of a visa and for its
extension, that you must go to the authority in person and submit
the following essential documents there:
>> A fully completed application for the issuing of a residence
permit
>> A valid visa (if required)
>> A valid passport
>> An up-to-date passport photo
>> Evidence of the reason for your stay
>> Evidence of a currently valid health insurance policy
You pay a fee of 60 euros for the initial application. These details
may change at short notice you will find the latest information on the web pages of the international office of your place of
residence.
Proof of financing
Overseas students must prove to the German diplomatic missions
abroad and to the Alien Authorities that the financing during their
stay in Germany is secured. You can obtain more detailed information on this, and help and tips on all aspects of staying, living
and studying in Germany, from the Department of International
Affairs:
www.aaa.fh-aachen.de

FH Aachen

First Steps | 167

Student Online Workload Assessment


(StOEHn)
The term StOEHn designates the Student
Online Workload Assessment of the Aachen
Universities

StOEHn is a joint project by the FH Aachen and the RWTH Aachen


and serves to determine the actual student workload. Its aim is to
establish the amount of time students must spend at the university and at home in order to be able to complete a module successfully. The workload is expressed in ECTS points. One ECTS point
corresponds to a workload of 25 to 30 hours.
Ensuring the feasibility of completing degree programmes
The workload required per module is estimated when preparing
the curriculum for the degree programmes. StOEHn offers students the opportunity to evaluate this estimate by continuously
entering details of the times they were present for attendance at
teaching events and the periods spent on private study.
Only through students active participation in the survey can
deficiencies in the workload estimates be detected and corrected.
Correcting any such deficiencies will ensure the feasibility of
completing the degree programmes and consequently the quality
of the university training in the long-term.
Participation via CampusOffice access
The workload for each module documented is therefore determined during the entire semester. The students of the bachelors
degree programmes can log in to the StOEHn questionnaire as
often as they like via their CampusOffice access, https://www.
campusoffice.fh-aachen.de, and enter or update their time spent.
By participating, the students can give those responsible for their
degree programme the opportunity to discover whether the planning for the workload of the module is appropriate.

168 | First Steps

FH Aachen

In this way, corrections can be made in good time so that


students can complete their studies within the planned time.
Results
The results of the survey will be analysed per module after the
semester ends and where sufficient data is available published on the internet. The data entered will of course be treated
as strictly confidential and not passed on to a third party. Any
information published will be done anonymously.
Its pays to take part!
The continuous participation of the students is rewarded: valuable prizes are now being drawn at the end of the semester
(for example: notebooks, laser printers or book tokens). Besides,
regular participation helps students to gain an overview of their
own (working) time and is, at the same time, a useful aid for the
practical arrangement of their own (working) time.

FH Aachen

First Steps | 169

170 | First Steps

FH Aachen

University sport

70 types of sport, 650 courses

The University Sports Centre (HSZ) is the first port of call for all
FH students who are keen on sports. Various sporting facilities
are on offer to the students and staff of all the Aachen universities. The HSZ currently offers more than 70 different types of
sport and over 650 courses, many of which are free of charge.
Since the 2010 summer semester, the HSZ has offered a
course in event management directly aimed at students of the
Faculty of Business Studies at the FH Aachen. Successful graduates of the new course receive 5 credit points. The HSZ is a central
department of the RWTH Aachen and is financially supported by
the FH Aachen. There is an overview of the types of sport and
course times at:
hochschulsport.rwth-aachen.de
Sport in Aachen and Jlich
The sports facilities in Aachen and Jlich are very varied from
martial arts to water sports and cycling, horse riding, climbing,
dancing, track and field athletics and various ball sports almost
everything is on offer. The sports office of the city of Aachen
has all the important information and the addresses of Aachens
sports clubs.
The Forschungszentrum Jlich also opens its sports facilities
to members of the FH. Courses offered and other information can
be found at:
www.fz-juelich.de/bsg

FH Aachen

First Steps | 171

Campus Office

Your own personal lecture timetable planner

The CampusOffice system is an online service provided for students. Via CampusOffice, you have access to the lecture programme of the FH Aachen and to the module schedules of the individual degree programmes. CampusOffice enables you to organise
your events with the help of a lecture timetable planner. Using
this system, you can receive a notification via e-mail if your event
is cancelled or if the room changes. You will find addresses, as
well as weekly and semester overviews of the rooms for events,
in the lecture hall schedule. In addition to this, CampusOffice offers you the opportunity to keep a personal appointment diary.

172 | First Steps

FH Aachen

Contact persons
and addresses

Department of International Affairs


Robert-Schuman-Strae 51 | 52066 Aachen
T +49. 241. 6009 52839, -51018, -51019
9 am - 11.30 am on Mon, Weds and Thurs and by arrangement over the phone
aaa@fh-aachen.de | www.aaa.fh-aachen.de
General Course Guidance Service
Robert-Schuman-Strae 51 | 52066 Aachen
T +49. 241. 6009 51800, -51801
Daily apart from 8.30 am -11.30 am on Tuesdays
studienberatung@fh-aachen.de
www.studienberatung.fh-aachen.de

Faculties of the FH Aachen


FB 01 | Architecture
Bayernallee 9 | 52066 Aachen
FB 02 | Civil Engineering
Bayernallee 9 | 52066 Aachen
FB 03 | Chemistry and Biotechnology
Heinrich-Mumann-Strae 1 | 52428 Jlich
FB 04 | Design
Boxgraben 100 | 52064 Aachen

AStA
Stephanstrae 58-62 | 52064 Aachen
T +49. 241. 6009 52807
10 am - 1 pm Mon-Fri
asta@fh-aachen.de
www.asta.fh-aachen.de

FB 05 | Electrical Engineering and Information Technology


Eupener Strae 70 | 52066 Aachen

Registrars Office
Stephanstrae 58-62 | 52064 Aachen
T +49. 241. 6009 51620
8.30 am -12 pm on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri; 1.30 pm 3
pm on Tues and Thurs, closed on Wednesdays
studentensekretariat@fh-aachen.de
www.studierendensekretariat.fh-aachen.de

FB 07 | Business Studies
Eupener Strae 70 | 52066 Aachen

FB 06 | Aerospace Engineering
Hohenstaufenallee 6 | 52064 Aachen

FB 08 | Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics


Goethestrae 1 | 52064 Aachen
FB 09 | Medical Engineering and Technomathematics
Heinrich-Mumann-Strae 1 | 52428 Jlich
FB 10 | Energy Technology
Heinrich-Mumann-Strae 1 | 52428 Jlich

FH Aachen

First Steps | 173

Map

174 | First Steps

FH Aachen

FH Aachen

First Steps | 175

Legal Notice/Credits
Editor | The Chancellor of the FH Aachen
Kalverbenden 6, 52066 Aachen
www.fh-aachen.de
The texts are based on the information from
the Faculties and Departments of the
FH Aachen
Person responsible in the terms of German
press law | Dr. Roger Uhle | Head of Department of Media/Public Relations and Marketing
Editors | Arnd Gottschalk, Simon Olk |
Department of Media/Public Relations and
Marketing

Design concept | Ina Wei, Jennifer Loettgen,


Bert Peters, Ole Gehling |
Seminar Prof. Ralf Weimantel,
Faculty of Design
Production and advertising |
vmm wirtschaftsverlag gmbh & co. kg,
kleine grottenau 1 | 86150 Augsburg |
www.vmm-wirtschaftsverlag.de
Typesetting |
vmm wirtschaftsverlag gmbh & co. kg
As at | December 2011
Printing | Kessler Druck + Medien, Bobingen
Print run | 2,000 copies

NS+P

DR.NeumaNN,SchmeeRuNDPaRtNeR
Rechtsanwlte,Wirtschaftsprfer,Steuerberater
www.neumann-schmeer.de

176 | First Steps

FH Aachen

FH Aachen

First Steps | 177

Picture credits

All pictures copyright of FH Aachen / www.lichtographie.de


apart from
12/13, 14/15, 16/17 city of Aachen
20/21, 22/23 town of Jlich
55 PIXELIO / Rolf van Melis
59 PIXELIO / Bernd Sterzl
65 FH Aachen / Thomas Schnitzler
69, 103, 107, 151, 177 FH Aachen
71 PIXELIO / U. Herbert
85 FH Aachen / Faculty of Design
87 PIXELIO / Arno Bachert
89 PIXELIO / Peter Kirchhoff
93 FH Aachen / Jeanne Niermann
95 FH Aachen / Faculty of Design, Christian Kim
97 Siemens Pressebild
105, 170, FH Aachen / Arnd Gottschalk
115 PIXELIO / Kurt
121 Bosch Rexroth AG
128 FH Aachen / Prof. Dr. Thomas Krause
133 Kraftanlagen Mnchen GmbH
139 Mercedes Benz AG
145 FH Aachen / Faculty of Design, Yi-Ting Wang
149 PIXELIO / Thorben-Wengert

178

FH Aachen

Generation

Zukunft

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