M.Sc. Automation and Safety

Study period

4 semesters (2 years)

Credits

120

Study begin

Winter and summer semester

Study place

Campus Duisburg

Language

50% German & 50% English

Description

Complex engineering systems in mechanical or electrical engineering etc. are developed with constantly increasing demands on automation technology as well as system reliability and availability. As a result, modern methods of both automation technology and safety engineering are gaining in importance.

In the context of "Industry 4.0", issues related to process monitoring, fault detection and diagnosis, fault-tolerant systems, human factors, functional safety and system reliability are also gaining in importance both in research and in industrial applications.

The tasks here are beyond the scope of classical control engineering/automation and cover other areas such as product development, plant design, and risk assessment of machines and plants as well as distributed systems. Numerous classical engineering areas such as mechatronics, automation technology and process informatics come together here. The orientation of the master's program is aimed at the complexity of modern technical systems with a high risk potential, which is analyzed and made controllable with suitable methods.

The Master's program "Automation and Safety" is offered in the two profile areas or specializations

  • "Automation and Control Engineering (ACE)" and
  • "SAFE Systems (SaSy)".

The "Automation and Control Engineering" specialization has a stronger methodological focus in the area of control methods and is based on the fundamentals of the bachelor's program "Electrical and Electronic Engineering".

The "SAFE Systems" specialization combines modern control and automation methods with safety and reliability engineering methods and has a broader application focus. The program builds on the fundamentals of engineering bachelor's degree programs in mechanical, electrical, or safety engineering.

Admission requirements are, in addition to a corresponding bachelor's degree, the relevant fundamentals of control and automation technology or dynamics, which can also be made up through requirements (additional courses).

In both profiles, the following areas in particular are covered in greater depth:

  • Mathematics (e.g. vector analysis, numerical mathematics) and additional physical fundamentals
  • Process automation technology
  • Higher theoretical methods of control engineering (in different proportions)
  • Real-time systems and distributed computer systems (in different proportions)
  • Human Factors
  • Fault diagnosis and fault tolerance in technical systems

The following areas are specific for the majors:

  • State and parameter estimation (ACE)
  • Diagnosis and prognosis and functional safety (SaSy).
  • In the SaSy specialization, a distributed sequence of practical labs and seminars imparts fundamental knowledge as soft skills with practical application knowledge for industry and research.

The nationally and internationally unique Master's program qualifies students to solve particularly complex or demanding tasks in automation technology. This is intended to achieve the following specific goals:

  • Ability to familiarize oneself with complex also interdisciplinary contexts
  • Ability to solve even complicated automation and monitoring tasks, which require sophisticated methods of modeling, control, and system analysis.

For master graduates of the "Automation and Safety" master program, all professional fields of activity in national and international research as well as in the relevant industry are open due to the extensive and fundamental knowledge.

Study at UDEStudy plan

Study plan

Study plan

You can find the examination regulations for your study program here: Examination regulations according to study programs

Study plans as well as information about the modules in the study program can be found in the module database VDB:

Automation and Safety (Safe Systems) Graphic illustration
Automation and Safety (Automation and Control Engineering) Graphic illustration

Information material

Study plans as well as information about the modules in the study program can be found in the module database VDB:

Admission

Admission requirements

  • Completion of a bachelor's degree program in the ISE study program with an overall grade of 2.5 or better or
  • equivalent degree from another home or foreign university with an average grade of 2.5 or better. The assessment of equivalence is made by the examination board.

If the admission requirements according to paragraph 2 are not fulfilled or if a change of the field of study within the study program "ISE" takes place during the transition from Bachelor to Master, the examination board can combine the admission to the Master program with the condition to prove certain knowledge until the registration of the Master thesis. The type and extent of these requirements are determined individually by the examination board on the basis of the course content completed as part of the previous degree. The extent of the requirements is up to 2 courses.

Further information regarding admission requirements can be found on the pages of the study program "ISE". 

Admission

This study program has unrestricted admission (study places are not limited). Enrollment takes place during the enrollment period at the student register's office at the Duisburg campus. [Forms and further information]

For national applicants the following applies until further notice
National applicants for the ISE Bachelor's or ISE Master's program are requested to submit their Abitur/Bachelor's or comparable degree certificates to the ISE Examination Committee in order to obtain confirmation of their special enrollment requirements and foreign language skills. This certificate must be presented at the time of enrollment.

ISE Examination Board

University of Duisburg-Essen
Faculty of Engineering
SG 182
Geibelstr. 41, 47057 Duisburg
pa-ise@uni-due.de 

Prospective students from non-EU countries should apply at the International Office of Campus Duisburg by 15.07. for the winter semester and by 15.03. for the summer semester.

Language Skills

Upon enrollment, applicants must provide proof of English and German language skills corresponding to the completed level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Study-related stays abroad

For students who have acquired their university entrance qualification at a German institution, a stay abroad of three to six months is obligatory.
For students who have already completed this stay abroad as part of their ISE Bachelor's program, a further stay abroad is optional (§ 11 PO).

General Information

Living & Studying at the University of Duisburg-Essen

Semester

The academic year is divided into semesters.

  • Winter semester: from October to March
  • Summer semester: from April to September

Lecture period

The winter lecture period usually starts in mid-October and ends in mid-February. In summer, the lecture period usually starts in mid-April and ends in July. During the winter semester there is a break of about two weeks during the Christmas holidays.

Examination phase

The examination phase begins about one week after the end of the lecture period and lasts about seven weeks.

Semester fee

All students have to pay a semester fee (social contribution) of about 320,- Euro per semester. You can find the current amount here. The social contribution includes, among other things, a semester ticket for public transportation in North Rhine-Westphalia and discounts on meals in the university's canteen and cafeteria.

Living expenses

We recommend to consider approximately 800 to 1000 Euro of personal expenses per month. 

Accommodation

Accommodation is possible in dormitories of the Studierendenwerk and in premises of the free housing market. The rent in a room in a student dormitory is about 300,- Euro per month. You can find more information about housing options here.

Contact

You have questions? We have answers!

Support Center for (International) Engineering Students Student advisory service

SG 119
Geibelstr. 41
47057 Duisburg
Phone: +49 (0)203 379 3776
E-mail: scies@uni-due.de

SCIES

Student council ISE - International Studies in Engineering

We are your point of contact! If you have questions about your studies or general concerns about us or our lecturers, you can contact us. We will solve your problems and answer your questions directly if possible or forward you to the right people. Just write us an email (info@isefs.uni-due.de)

Website of the student council

For prospective students and enrolled students General student counseling

ABZ offers counseling to prospective students, enrolled students and graduates on all questions concerning the choice of study program, studies and the transition into working career.

ABZ student counseling

Support in the Faculty

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Steven X. Ding
Room BB 511
Tel.: 0203/379-3386
Office hourse: by appointment

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dirk Söffker
Room MB 341
Tel.: 0203/379-3429
Office hourse: by appointment

Board of examiners