Systems Engineering: Information and communication systems

With the factories of the future set to make increasing use of intelligently networked machines, there is growing demand for experts with the technical and organisational skills to supervise and manage all of the processes involved, from the initial product idea through to end-of-life product recycling. These experts need to understand the fundamentals of mechanical engineering, informatics and electrical engineering in equal measure, and they need to be able to speak the ‘languages’ of these different disciplines. The Master’s degree programme ‘Systems Engineering’ at Saarland University is an innovation-driven engineering programme that is firmly based on the underlying physical foundations of the subject. Graduates from the programme have the skills to understand and exploit the software and technology used in controlling complex systems and processes.Over the course of the programme, students can specialize in areas that reflect their abilities or particular fields of interest. The areas of specialization offered are: production systems, systems design, microsystems engineering, sensor-actuator systems, information and communication systems and integrated systems. Teaching modules cover subject matter in the areas informatics, materials science and materials engineering, and economics. Lab courses, practical assignments and seminars are used to make sure that students are actively integrated in research and development projects early on. Students can complete their Master’s thesis project in one of the research groups in the department, or at one of the research institutes or industrial partners, either at home or abroad, with which the programme cooperates.Graduates from the programme are highly sought after in many area of industry, such as automotive and mechanical engineering, microelectronics and automation, or medical and communications technology. Alternatively, graduates may choose to continue their academic research careers by working towards a doctoral degree in the engineering sciences.