The study course combines the field of mechanical engineering with sustainability aspects. It is motivated by tremendous global changes, which are driven by the limited availability of resources, the challenges arising with the man-made climate change, and the increasing complexity of interacting systems. Accordingly, technological change and a sustainable future are inseparably linked. Our study programme offers fundamentals of engineering science and equally addresses sustainability topics in the fields of mobility and production as well as processes and energy. These are represented as specialisation areas in the curriculum. The study programme is internationally oriented, and it targets students from Germany and from abroad.
A special place to study: Braunschweig
More than 16,000 people work in research institutions in the Braunschweig region and an additional 20,000 in industrial research and development - this represents about 4% of the total employment in the region and therefore the highest density of scientists in Europe. Thanks to the large number of students, Braunschweig is a very lively and colourful city: You will find all sorts of clubs, ranging from mainstream to alternative to electro, from pubs to jazz clubs. If you are looking for something a bit different at the weekend: The German capital Berlin is only a 90-minute train ride away. The city is known for its many parks and recreational spaces and is home to a number of top sports clubs.
A wide range of options
You are interested in all areas of sustainability and could not decide which specialisation area to choose? No one expects you to commit to a particular direction right away: We take three semesters to teach you the basics. Furthermore, we offer numerous options for lectures in your selected specialisation area so that you can study exactly according to your interests. This principle continues later in the large number of master's degree programs we offer.
Beyond the lectures
You can also get involved in a professional and interdisciplinary way outside of lectures. Get involved in one of the many student initiatives - such as joining the Lions Racing Team and sending Formula Student cars to the race track. Maybe you would like to spend a semester interacting with someone with professional experience in business or academia - then join our successful Mentor.ING program. And if you want to take a break and concentrate on your own studies in peace and quiet, then the Masch.Bau student house with its study rooms is at your disposal.
Information on the study programme
The study programme consists of the following elements:
- Compulsory modules
- specialisation modules
- integrated modules and project work
- an internship and
- the Bachelor's thesis.
The first two semesters focus on fundamentals of mechanical engineering and mathematics as well as economic, environmental and social sustainability. In the third semester, students choose between the three specialisation areas. Each specialisation area consists of compulsory modules and a laboratory as well as a catalogue of various elective modules. The proportion of specialisation modules in comparison to fundamentals increases continuously until the end of the studies. Most of the lectures are accompanied by tutorials. The study programme ends with the completion of the Bachelor's thesis.
Across all semesters, certain credit points are reserved for courses that address topics beyond the technical field of sustainable engineering. These courses can be particularly used to improve foreign language skills.
The Bachelor programme Sustainable Engineering of Products and Processes offers three specialisation areas:
Energy & Process Engineering
The specialisation area is focused on processes of energy or material conversion that enable our everyday supply of heat and electricity as well as products such as sugar, toothpaste or medicines. Whilst engineering of these processes has been very successful to enable mass production at low cost, sustainability requires a holistic optimisation, also considering aspects such as climate impact, waste and pollution, impact on society on a global scale, or dwindling resources.
Mobility
Sustainable mobility considers ground-based transport and air traffic as an overall system. Facing a global share of 24% of carbon-dioxide emissions due to transport systems based on fossil fuels, a new balance of technical, economic and ecological considerations is needed when designing the future means of transport. Disruptive technologies, such as “green” hydrogen, the electrification of drive/propulsion systems, and machine learning algorithms will contribute in shaping this paradigm shift of mobility.
Production
Technical products are complex systems that affect the environment through the use of energy and raw materials as well as through the generation of emissions. Solutions towards achieving a sustainable development demand a life cycle-oriented approach. The aim is to minimise costs and optimise revenues as well as minimise risks and environmental impacts throughout the entire product life cycle.
Those with experience abroad and foreign language skills are in particularly high demand in the business world. Today, large companies operate globally, research projects are carried out in international teams, and technical literature is written in English. Therefore, it is important that you use your studies to gain experience abroad and to professionalize your foreign language skills.
As part of our international university partnerships, we offer you many opportunities to study abroad.
Exchange opportunities:
- Europe: more than 100 ERASMUS partner universities e.g. in Sweden, Spain, France, Netherlands, Greece.
- America: partner universities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, USA and Canada
- Asia: partner universities in India, China, Japan and Korea
In addition, you can complete internships in foreign companies.
In the master's program, additional opportunities to gain experience abroad are also offered. In our dual degree programs, you can earn a second, foreign university degree without extending your study time.
Study abroad
This Bachelor programme is suitable for you if you:
- enjoy the combination of technology and natural sciences
- are interested in a bilingual education and an international context
- enjoy finding solutions to complex problems
- have a good basic understanding of mathematics
- like to think and work abstractly and analytically
- like to combine different disciplines and work in an interdisciplinary way
The prospective fields of employment in industry are diverse and include a variety of job profiles. In addition to professions that deal explicitly and directly with the subject of sustainability (e.g. life cycle assessment specialist, sustainability manager), the relevant knowledge and skills are also required for many other professions, in particular interdisciplinary ones. In the future, sustainability will no longer be just a downstream, supplementary aspect, but an integral part of research, development and production. This will be particularly evident in the fields of mobility, process engineering and industrial production. Technologies in the areas of energy efficiency, raw material and material efficiency, sustainable mobility, sustainable water management, and waste and recycling management are expected to account for 20 % of German GDP in just five years, according to the Federal Environment Agency.
To apply for the bachelor programme Sustainable Engineering of Products and Processes, you need a university entrance qualification, the completion of a pre-study internship and proof of your language skills in German and English.
University entrance qualification
In most cases, your university entrance qualification is the German Abitur, but there are also other degrees with which you can study at TU Braunschweig.
More information on the admission requirements for German applicants
International students usually need an educational qualification with which they can also study in their home country. This means you must
- have completed secondary school
- and have passed the university entrance exam (if this exam exists in your home country).
In some cases, you must have already studied at a recognized university in your home country or have previously attended the Studienkolleg in Germany.
More information about the admission requirements for international applicants
Language skills
Required language skills in German:
- German Abitur,
- completion of two years of school education in German,
- German as a school subject in the last eight years or
- successful completion of the DSH 1, Test-DaF 4x3 or a comparable test.
If the German language skills are not met at the time of the application, students can still be admitted if they prove at least basic knowledge in German language (A1 level).
Required language skills in English:
- a university entrance qualification in an English-speaking country,
- completion of two years of school education in English language,
- English as school subject in the last eight years or
- successful completion of an internationally recognised test as stipulated in the admission regulations.
