Electrical Engineering and Information Technology - Master of Science (MSc)

The goal of the master’s course is to train electrical engineers and informational technology who are capable of implementing and expanding upon scientific methods to independently solve electrical engineering problems and to conceive, design and implement electrical engineering solutions.

Graduates of the master’s programme develop deep knowledge and understanding of the core areas of modern electrical engineering, which builds upon and significantly expands the knowledge gained at the bachelor’s level. Our engineers have full command of the current approaches across the spectrum of electrical engineering. They are fluent in its terminology and can cite and interpret its fundamental concepts. In addition, they acquire specialized knowledge in areas of concentration such as

  • automation engineering,
  • energy engineering,
  • communications engineering,
  • medical technologies or
  • microelectronics

Key data

Type of programme

Master of Science (MSc)

Type of study
  • full-time
Study curriculum

Information on the study curriculum

Application

Information for applicants

Start of programme
  • each winter and summer semester
Language of instruction
  • German and English
Admission
  • no restriction
ECTS credit points

120

Standard period of study (semester)

4

More about the course

Neben den klassischen Lehrveranstaltungen erarbeitet sich der Studierende verschiedene Themengebiete auch in Projektform mit Seminar- und Praktikumsanteilen, um das Wissen nicht nur theoretisch zu vermitteln, sondern auch im praktischen Einsatz zu erfahren und lösungsorientiert umzusetzen, und um die Teamfähigkeit zu stärken. Neben den forschungsorientierten Projekten der Universität wird dabei insbesondere eine freiwillige Industriepraxis gefördert.

Study

A green campus, several first places in university rankings, numerous research prizes and dedicated lecturers – that's Ulm University in a nutshell. What we value the most, however, is to provide a professional environment with a human touch. Students are able to find their way around quickly and receive substantial support right from the beginning. An active and lively exchange between students and professors is not only desirable but quite common here.

Keen on getting a taste of <link en/research/ - - "Opens internal link in current window">research</link> as soon as possible? Our interdisciplinary projects provide exciting insights!

We are fortunate to have numerous renowned companies close by in the Science City. For example, <link en/in/driveu/ - internal-link "Öffnet internen Link im aktuellen Fenster">driveU</link> is a cooperation between the Daimler Research Centre and Ulm University focused on research and development of autonomic driving ('driving a car without a driver'). The results of such collaborations frequently enrich our teaching.

Graduates coming from Ulm University are fit for the job market! Interdisciplinary research and practical exercises together with presentations from economy and industry prepare our students for their careers.

The Master’s of Electrical Engineering builds upon the content, methods and engineering competence acquired in the bachelor’s programme.

Students have the flexibility to customise their course of study by choosing from a broad spectrum of modularised course offerings and a diverse range of projects. They may, for instance, opt to delve deeply into one area of concentration, or alternatively, to develop competences in multiple core areas of electrical engineering. Thus, the programme allows both specialists and generalists to select a course of study that is the most appropriate for their future careers. Graduates leave the programme with a broad and detailed understanding of the state of the art in one or several areas of specialty.

Alongside the traditional lectures and coursework, students also acquire competence in various subject areas through projects completed in conjunction with seminars and internships. This ensures that knowledge is not only transferred on a theoretical level, but also through practical experience in creating real-world solutions while developing the student’s ability to work effectively within a team. Students have the opportunity to work in the university’s current areas of research and are also especially encouraged to participate in special projects with industry partners.

The ability to adapt easily to the methods and terminology of future clients or project partners within interdisciplinary research groups is further reinforced in the elective subjects where the methods of electrical engineering are applied to other scientific disciplines such as mathematics, the natural sciences or medicine. This allows students to develop interdisciplinary competence.

The crowning piece of the course is the master’s thesis in which students research a current topic in their area of specialty. As is the case with internships and projects, students have the opportunity to work with the international research teams of the engineering department for their master’s thesis as well. This enables students to become independent researchers capable of designing their own research processes and developing their own problem-solving strategies.

The degrees conferred are equivalent to qualification level 7 of the German Qualifications Framework (DQR) and level 2 of the Qualifications Framework for German Higher Education Qualifications (QRDH). 

Knowledge: Graduates will have acquired profound and broad knowledge in the areas of engineering, mathematics, information science and the natural sciences. They are enabled to perform independent scientific work and to exhibit leadership and responsibility in both a professional setting and in society at large. Our engineers approach new findings in their field with a critical awareness.

Skills – Graduates are able to:

  • analyse and solve scientific problems, even when they are unusually or insufficiently defined and reveal conflicting specifications.
  • abstract and formulate complex problems emerging from new or developing areas of research.
  • apply innovative methods of basic science problem solving as well as to develop new scientific methods.
  • develop approaches and solutions to complex and at times unusual questions, and where necessary apply knowledge from outside disciplines.
  • create and develop new work, products, processes and methods.
  • use their scientific judgement as engineers and information scientists to work with complex and possibly incomplete information and to recognise and deal with contradictions.

Competence – Graduates possess the competence to:

  • recognise what information they will need and to locate and acquire such information.
  • plan and execute theoretical and experimental studies.
  • critically evaluate and draw conclusions from data.
  • study and evaluate the application of new and emerging technologies.

Beyond the bachelor’s qualifications, master’s graduates are also able to:

  • methodically classify and systematically combine knowledge from diverse areas and deal with complexity.
  • quickly and systematically acquaint themselves with new tasks.
  • systematically reflect upon the overarching consequences of their work as engineers and to incorporate this reflection into responsible actions.
  • critically question existing methods and where needed to develop these methods further.

The general qualifications for the practice of engineering acquired in the bachelor’s studies are expanded and developed in the master’s programme.

The curriculum of the Master's Programme in Electrical Engineering has a modular structure and is divided into 5 module groups. Within the module groups, students may choose modules specific to the Electrical Engineering Department, those from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in general, as well as offerings throughout the entire University. The module groups are:

1.      the core modules
2.      the concentration modules
3.      the interdisciplinary modules
4.      the applied modules
5.      the research-oriented master's thesis

There are 8 core modules to choose from; students must complete a minimum of 22 credits (4 modules) of the available core modules. In the Master's Programme in Electrical Engineering, these core modules bring students deeper into the fundamentals of the classical core areas of electrical engineering, which are: electronics, energy technology, telecommunications engineering, high-frequency engineering, substances and materials, systems theory, measurement technology and signal processing. Building on the knowledge gained in these areas during their bachelor's studies, students are able to expand their competences in the core modules of their choice.

The concentration modules allow for specialisation in a particular area or the broad acquisition of competences in a range of disciplines. Students in the Master's Programme in Electrical Engineering may choose from all of the master's modules in engineering.

The interdisciplinary modules allow students to acquire cross-curricular competence. Students can choose modules from offerings of the entire University of Ulm – generally with a particular emphasis on competences in physics, mathematics, business and economics, psychology, medicine or general requirements, so called "ASQ" (Allgemeine Schlüsselqualifikationen). This module group allows students to go beyond their main programme of study by acquiring exactly the competences they need to achieve a targeted specialisation.

The applied modules allow students to acquire practical competence. By placing the requirement at ≥ 10 credits, students complete either one internship with an industry partner and one university project, or 2 university projects, thus allowing them to acquire extensive practical competences in the area of concentration they choose for their programme of study.

An important part of this framework for the master's programme are the elective fields of concentration. These areas of concentration:

  • serve as a guide for the acquisition of competences in a field of research within the course of study,
  • offer an elective course framework,
  • help to guide students in designing their own course of study,
  • are composed of a list of elective modules with the various module groups defined in the course of study,
  • are customised to the fields of research,
  • are included in the diploma documentation students receive upon successful completion of the required modules and their programme of study,
  • do not represent a requirement to complete all module components,
  • and as such allow students to refocus their studies on a new area concentration within an individualised programme.

The areas of concentration in the Master's Programme in Electrical Engineering are:

  • Hardware Systems Engineering
  • Communications Engineering
  • Nano, Micro, and Optoelectronic Engineering
  • Automisation and Energy Technology

The areas of concentration and their elective modules are defined in the general and specialised progammes of study.

An overview of all courses in the Department of Engineering for the current semesters (Winter Semester Oct. 1st - Mar. 31st and Summer Semester Apr. 1st - Sept. 30th). LSF

Semester abroad? Why not! Our exchange programmes offer various opportunities to meet people from different cultures and improve your language and intercultural skills. It is well worth your time to go abroad and expand your horizon, both on a personal and professional level.

The many international students on our campus also create an international flair.  The <link en/io/ - - "Öffnet internen Link im aktuellen Fenster">International Office</link> is here to support both incoming and outgoing students. The International Office offers international prospective students who wish to apply for a German-taught study programme at Ulm University, <link en/io/degree-phd/prospective-students/preparatory-course/ - - "Öffnet internen Link im aktuellen Fenster">a preparatory course</link>.

ERASMUS Koordinator for electrical engineering: Prof. Carl Krill, Ph.D. carl.krill(at)uni-ulm.de

 

Career perspectives

The University of Ulm is located in the heart of a region whose companies possess a strong technological and industrial orientation both in its immediate vicinity as well as in the surrounding areas. You will find medium-sized companies that are global leaders in their respective markets as well as local subsidiaries and headquarters of major global concerns such as BMW, Bosch, Cassidian, Continental, Daimler, EADS, IBM, Liebherr, NSN, Porsche, Siemens or Zeiss. These companies maintain their international leadership position by closely following trends in scientific research in order to develop cutting-edge innovative products. As a result, they compete for graduates in their high-demand technological fields.

Regardless of their chosen subspecialty, all graduates of the Master’s Programme in Engineering of the University of Ulm will encounter excellent career opportunities both locally and internationally. The university maintains a robust working relationship with the aforementioned and other companies and students of the engineering sciences have many opportunities to acquire practical experience through voluntary internships and work-study positions. Many students at the University of Ulm choose to write their master’s thesis on topic of current research and development directly related to their practical experiences.

From energy supply to automation engineering, from microelectronics to information and communication technology, electrical engineers can be deployed in all areas of the development of modern technological systems. The fields of application range from the automotive industry to mobile communications to medical technology. The majority of our students are seeking to garner a position in research and development at local and international companies. They come to the University of Ulm because they recognise that our programme’s broad training and methods-oriented approach will provide them with optimal prerequisites and opportunities for reaching their goals. Many candidates also find employment in management, production optimisation, application and distribution.

The demand for highly-trained graduates of the engineering and information sciences currently far outpaces supply, such that virtually every graduate is sure to find employment.

With their methods-oriented and scientifically broad training, graduates of the engineering and information sciences of the University of Ulm are also optimally positioned to pursue careers in university research and doctoral studies. The master’s degree is the gateway to careers at institutions of higher learning, universities and research institutes such as the Fraunhofer or Max Planck Institutes.

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