What you can expect in our master's program

The master's degree program in Engineering Structures at KIT offers you an in-depth, research-oriented education in the fields of structural engineering, building materials technology and geotechnics. The standard period of study is 4 semesters and you will earn 120 ECTS credits.

The central component of the course is the engineering application of the qualifications acquired in the bachelor's degree program, supplemented by in-depth and extended knowledge and methods. There are four study profiles to choose from, which you can use to sharpen your professional profile. The wide range of modules allows you to design your studies flexibly and individually.

The four study profiles on offer represent the different characteristics of the job profile. There is a choice:

• Construction Engineering
• Modeling and Simulation in Construction Engineering
• Building Preservation, Building Materials and Building Physics
• Geotechnics

You choose one of these study profiles for your Profile Studies. Each profile comprises a combination of five compulsory modules (30 CP) and seven compulsory elective modules (42 CP). The choice of study profile is made under the guidance of a mentor during the first semester.

In the Supplementary Studies (18 CP), you can sharpen your profile and think outside the box. It is divided into the Subject-Specific Supplement (12 CP) and the acquisition of Interdisciplinary Qualifications (6 CP).

In the Subject-Specific Supplement (12 CP), you can choose freely from all modules of the degree program and in this way deepen your knowledge within your profile or look beyond the horizon into other subject areas. You can choose from over 60 modules. Take a look at the module handbook to see what options are available to you.

To obtain the Interdisciplinary Qualifications (6 CP), you can choose courses from the respective course catalog of the House of Competence (HoC) or the "Studium Generale, Forum Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft" (FORUM, formerly ZAK) or language courses from the Language Center (SpZ).

Program structure

Sample study plan

Profile: Modeling and Simulation in Construction Engineering

Internship

The study program does not include a compulsory internship. You can complete a voluntary internship during your studies. If it serves the objectives of your studies and covers at least half of the lecture period, you can apply for a semester off (leave of absence). Such an internship offers you valuable experience outside the university and can make it easier for you to start your career later on.

Master's thesis

At the end of your studies, you will complete your master's thesis (30 CP), an academic paper that allows you to apply and deepen the knowledge and skills you have acquired. It deals with a specific topic from your field of study and requires independent research, analysis and the preparation of a written paper. The master's thesis takes 6 months to complete. You can start it as soon as you have achieved 42 subject-related credit points. Upon request, the master's thesis can also be completed in a company or at another KIT department. The master's thesis also includes a presentation of your results.

Make your studies international

You have various options for integrating a stay abroad into your master's degree course. For example, you can study at a foreign university of your choice for one or two semesters via Erasmus+ or as a freemover. You can also do an internship abroad. In addition, selective mobility is possible via Eucor - The European Campus: KIT students can flexibly attend individual courses in addition to courses at KIT or study full-time for an entire semester or year at an Eucor partner university.

Further information on outgoing programs offered by the KIT Department of Civil Engineering, Geo- and Environmental Sciences can be found on the website, from the contact persons of the KIT Department responsible for stays abroad or from the International Students Office.

Depending on your career goals and personal interests, a master's degree will qualify you for management positions at a construction company, engineering office or public building authority for tasks in construction management, construction planning or design. Civil engineers with a master's degree have excellent career prospects and many fields of activity; they can be found in management positions in the following sectors: Structural and civil engineering, in engineering offices, public administration, consulting firms, railroads, postal services, insurance companies, the energy industry, software companies and several others. In this profession, you mainly design, plan, calculate, build and manage residential, commercial, administrative and industrial buildings, transportation routes (roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, hydraulic structures (locks, dams, reservoirs, etc.), power plants, environmental protection facilities (irrigation and drainage systems, sewage treatment plants, waste incineration plants), civil protection structures and much more.

If you have scientific ambitions and a good master's degree, then it could also be interesting to pursue a doctorate and a subsequent career at a university or research institution.

Characteristic features of Engineering Structures M.Sc. at KIT

• future-oriented engineering degree program
  

• study in small, well-supervised groups
  

• research-oriented teaching through active involvement in research projects and engineering projects
  

• integration into the Eucor university network enables participation in courses at the universities of Freiburg, Basel, Strasbourg, Colmar and Mulhouse
  

What KIT has to offer

• central campus close to the city forest and right next to the city center
  
• 24-hour library offering single and group working places
  
• wide range of inexpensive catering options (dining hall, cafeteria, Koeri and Pizzawerk)
  
• numerous interdisciplinary offers for personal and professional development, e.g. Lernlabor, Schreiblabor and Perspektivenlabor
  
• study abroad, e.g. via Erasmus
  
• excellent university sports facilities with a large selection of sports
  
• comprehensive cultural offerings with university orchestras, choirs and theater groups
  
• extensive support for career entry and self-employment
  
• internationally oriented degree programs and diverse exchange programs
  
• modern laboratories and practical teaching methods
  
• Lernraum app
  
• diverse student initiatives, clubs and opportunities to actively participate in campus life
  
• stay in touch after graduation via the alumni network
  

Admission requirements

The requirements for admission to the master's degree program in Engineering Structures are based on the current admission regulations:

• bachelor's degree
  a successfully completed bachelor's degree (or at least an equivalent degree) in Civil Engineering (or a course with essentially the same content) at a university, university of applied sciences, university of cooperative education or at a foreign university. The program must have been completed within a standard period of study of at least three years and with a minimum number of 180 ECTS credits.
  
• minimum knowledge and minimum achievements in the areas of
  • statics and mechanics amounting to at least 30 CP
    
  • mathematics to the extent of at least 20 LP
    
  • building materials and constructions of at least 18 CP
    
  • structural engineering of at least 10 CP
    
  • geotechnical engineering of at least 10 CP
    

  The above-mentioned study and examination achievements can only be taken into account once when calculating the credit points required for admission.

  In the case of missing minimum achievements, admission can be granted on the condition that you successfully complete these missing achievements by the end of the first semester of the master's degree program. Proof that the condition has been fulfilled must be provided by the time you re-register for the 3rd semester at the latest. Conditions are set by the admissions commission and will be communicated to you as part of the admission process.
  

Language requirements and certificates

For the master's degree program in Engineering Structures, you need sufficient knowledge of the German language. Your German language skills must correspond to at least level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Important: you must provide proof of the required language skills regardless of your citizenship and by the end of the enrollment period at the latest, but preferably at the time of application.

In what form do I have to provide the language certificates? Please read the following chapters on this website carefully. If you have any further questions, please contact

• Students Office if you are applying as a German, German national or a person with German equivalent status
• the International Students Office if you are a non-EU national

Proof of sufficient German language skills

As proof of your German language skills, your higher education or master's entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, university degree or a professional qualification that entitles you to study) is sufficient if you have acquired it at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction.

In concrete terms, this means that you do not have to submit additional proof of German if you

• have obtained your Abitur at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad,
• are a graduate of a bilingual secondary school in Germany or abroad and have passed a bilingual German examination, such as the AbiBac or the Gemischtsprachiges International Baccalaureat (GIB) or
• you graduated from a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country regarding the recognition of your school-leaving certificate or language certificate as proof of language proficiency for university studies in Germany.

A complete list of foreign school-leaving qualifications and language certificates that are recognized as proof of sufficient German language skills can be found on the website of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Laender (KMK) in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you have already completed a German-language degree at a German university, this can also count as proof of German language proficiency - but only if the diploma supplement, transcript of records or degree certificate clearly states that German was the sole language of instruction and examination.

If, on the other hand, you did not obtain your higher education or master's entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction, you must provide proof of German language proficiency at least at DSH-2 level. This corresponds to CEFR level C1.

Only the following certificates are accepted in accordance with the KIT admission and enrollment regulations:

• passed German section of the Feststellungspruefung (assessment test)
• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with overall result DSH-2
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 4 in all four parts of the exam
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - second level (DSD II)
• Goethe certificate C1 or higher
• passed telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule exam
• Austrian Language Diploma C1 or higher

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable C1 proof of German at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the C1 certificates listed above for your German language skills by the application deadline, admission is still possible if you can present a provisional document proving that you have at least B2 language level. Proof of B2 level only includes

• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with an overall result of DSH-1
  
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 3 in all four parts of the exam
  
• passed telc German B2 exam

But please don't forget: you still have to submit the C1 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take a recognized language test.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extensvion can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Student Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

Weitere Ansprechpersonen:

• KIT-Fakultät für Bauingenieur-, Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften
• Fachstudienberatung
• Prüfungsausschuss
• Informationen zum Auslandsstudium
• Fachschaft Bauingenieurwesen

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• Course catalog current term PDF (English)
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