Degree: Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Regular program length: 4 semester (full-time program)

Credit points (ECTS): 120 credit points

Language of instruction: German

Limited capacity:
First semester: no
Higher semester: no
Application possible for:
First semester: winter and summer term
Higher semester: winter and summer term
Application deadline:
German and EU nationals
First semester: September 30 for winter term, March 31 for summer term
Higher semester: September 30 for winter term, March 31 for summer term
Non-EU nationals
First semester: July 15 for winter term, January 15 for summer term
Higher semester: July 15 for winter term, January 15 for summer term

What you can expect in our master's program

The master's degree program in Mobility and Infrastructure at KIT offers you an in-depth, research-oriented education in the fields of urban and traffic planning, traffic engineering and road engineering. The standard period of study is 4 semesters and you will earn 120 ECTS credits.

The central component of the program is the technical and scientific application of the qualifications acquired in the bachelor's degree, geared towards the job profile often referred to as "traffic engineer". There are three 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 three study profiles on offer represent the different characteristics of the job profile. You can choose from:

  • Urban and Transport Planning
  • Traffic Engineering
  • Highway Engineering

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

In the supplementary study part (30 CP), you can sharpen your profile and think outside the box. It is divided into the Subject-Specific Supplement (24 CP) and the acquisition of Interdisciplinary Qualifications (6 CP).

In the Subject-Specific Supplement (24 CP), you can choose freely from all modules of the degree program and thus deepen your knowledge within your profile or think outside the box and get a taste of the other subject areas. You can choose from around 25 modules. Take a look at the module handbook to see what options are available to you.

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

Program structure

Semester 1-3:

  • Profile studies (10 moduls at 6 CP each, 60 CP total)
    • Profile Basics: 5 compulsory modules (30 CP)
    • Profil Specialization: 5 compulsory modules (30 CP)
  • Supplementary studies (5 modules at 6 CP each, 30 CP total)
    • Subject-Specific Supplements (4 moduls at 6 CP)
    • Interdisciplinary Qualifications (6 CP)

Semester 4:

  • Master's thesis with presentation (30 CP)
Sample study plan

Profile: Urban and Transport Planning

1st semester

  • Profile Basics
    • compulsory: Urban and Regional Planning (6 CP)
    • compulsory: Urban Renewal (City Management, 3 CP)
    • compulsory: Models and Methods in Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning (6 CP)
  • Profile Specialization
    • Project Integrated Planning (6 CP)
    • City Transport Facilities (6 CP)
    • Space and Infrastructure (Introduction to GIS, 3 CP)

2nd semester

  • Profile Basics
    • compulsory: Urban Renewal (City Management, 3 CP)
    • compulsory: Planning of Transport Systems (6 CP)
    • compulsory: Laws and Proceedings Concerning Traffic and Roads (6 CP)
  • Profile Specialization
    • Space and Infrastructure (Logistics, Supply and Disposal, 3 CP)
    • Intermodality in Freight, Long-Distance and Air Transport (Freight Transport, 3 CP)
    • Network Economics (Transport Economics, 3 CP)
  • Subject-Specific Supplement
    • Special Issues of Public Transport (6 CP)

3rd semester

  • Profile Specialization
    • Intermodality in Freight, Long-Distance and Air Transport     (Long-Distance and Air Traffic, 3 CP)
    • Network Economics (Competition in Networks, 3 CP)
  • Subject-Specific Supplement
    • compulsory elective: 2D/3D Image Analysis and Image Based Tracking Methods (6 CP)
    • compulsory elective: Interdisciplinary Design – Urban and Transportation Planning (6 CP)
    • compulsory elective: Technology of Rail Vehicles (6 CP)
  • Interdisciplinary Qualifications
    • Technology and Society – Mobility in Transition(FORUM, 3 CP)
    • English B2: Science and Technology (SpZ, 3 CP)

4th semester

  • Master's thesis with presentation (30 CP)

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 thesis. 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.

With a master's degree in Mobility and Infrastructure, you will be excellently trained to meet the challenges of traffic route planning, especially in times of the traffic turnaround. Thanks to your in-depth specialist knowledge, you will have excellent career prospects. Depending on your career goals and personal interests, you will be qualified for management positions at a construction company, engineering office or public building authority for tasks in construction management, construction planning or design.

With a comprehensive understanding of the social background to mobility and the economic relationships between users and operators, you will be able to plan, build and operate road or rail-based transportation systems in a sustainable manner that meets demand.

Industries such as building construction and civil engineering, engineering offices, public administration, consulting firms, railroads, postal services, insurance companies, the energy industry, software companies and many more can offer you scope for your professional activity.

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 Mobility and Infrastructure M.Sc. at KIT

  • future-oriented engineering degree program

  • interdisciplinary orientation, especially with links to economics, computer science, architecture (urban planning) and mechanical engineering (automotive engineering)

  • study in small, well-supervised groups

  • research-oriented teaching through active involvement in research 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 Mobility and Infrastructure are based on the current admission regulations:

  • bachelor's degree
    a bachelor's degree (or at least an equivalent degree) from a university, university of applied sciences, university of cooperative education or a foreign university. The degree must have been completed within a standard period of study of at least three years and with a minimum number of 180 ECTS credits.
    • either: in an engineering degree program such as civil engineering, transport engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, architecture or computer science
    • or: in a planning-oriented degree program such as geography or spatial planning
  • minimum knowledge and minimum achievement in the following areas
    • higher mathematics to the extent of at least 12 CP
    as well as in one of the following four subject areas:
    • mobility and infrastructure of at least 10 CP
    • geography and spatial planning of at least 10 CP
    • vehicle and drive technology of at least 10 CP
    • modeling, simulation, computer science and operations research of at least 10 CP

In the case of missing minimum credits, admission may be granted on condition that you successfully complete these missing credits 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 Mobility and Infrastructure, 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

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.

Application for the 1st semester

 
Application portal for summer term
opens December 01, 2025.

Application for a higher semester

 
Application portal for summer term
opens December 01, 2025.
Annette Hildinger
Student advisor
Student advisory services (ZSB)

+49 721 608 - 44930Annette Hildinger does-not-exist.kit edu

 

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Zentrale Studienberatung (ZSB)
Engelbert-Arnold-Str. 2
76131 Karlsruhe

Studierendenservice

 

+49 721 608 - 82222

 

Contacts for students

Contacts for applicants

 

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Studierendenservice
Kaiserstr. 12
76131 Karlsruhe

 

Business hours

International Students Office
First point of contact for international applicants

+49 721 608 - 44911

Contact form

 

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
International Students Office (IStO)
Adenauerring 2
76131 Karlsruhe

Current studies and examination regulations Mobility and Infrastructure M.Sc.
Titel Stand Download
26.02.2025, veröffentlicht 27.02.2025

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30.03.2023, veröffentlicht 30.03.2023

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20.05.2022, veröffentlicht 20.05.2022

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28.03.2022, veröffentlicht 28.03.2022

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04.09.2020, veröffentlicht 04.09.2020

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19.07.2019, veröffentlicht 19.07.2019

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Teaching calendar

ST 2025

04-22-2025 to 08-02-2025

WT 2025/26

10-27-2025 to 02-21-2026

ST 2026

04-20-2026 to 08-01-2026

WT 2026/27

10-26-2026 to 02-20-2027

ST 2027

04-19-2027 to 07-31-2027

WT 2027/28

10-25-2027 to 02-19-2028

ST 2028

04-18-2028 to 07-29-2028

Lectures will not take place:
  • from 12-24 to 01-06
  • the week after Pentecost
  • on all public holidays in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg