What does the everyday working life of mechanical engineers FH look like?

Mechanical engineers work in industrial and service companies or in engineering offices. They look after an existing product portfolio, monitor the markets and the competition and develop new products. As project managers, they are responsible for the entire process, from the initial idea through development and testing to series production. They ensure that deadlines, costs and quality are met. Other areas of responsibility include supporting the assembly department, technical customer service and sales. In addition to coordinating and supporting project partners, they prepare documentation, clarify feasibility issues and are responsible for patent and legal matters.

Target group and skills: Who is the mechanical engineering course at a university of applied sciences suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The degree program "Mechanical Engineer FH" is aimed at the following groups of people:

• Young professionals who have a mechanical-technical vocational qualification and would like to qualify for corresponding management tasks by studying at a university of applied sciences
• People interested in technology who would like to learn how things work and implement their own ideas.

Prospective Mechanical Engineers FH should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Technical understanding and analytical skills
• Precise and independent way of working
• Ability to organize, plan, communicate and work in a team
• Interest in physical processes
• Very good knowledge of German and English

Requirements for admission to the Mechanical Engineering degree program at a university of applied sciences:

The respective universities of applied sciences decide independently on admission and the admission procedure for the Mechanical Engineering / Mechanical Engineering degree program.

You should normally expect the following admission requirements:

• Federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) in a field related to the field of study and technical vocational baccalaureate.

Or

• Other EFZ / vocational baccalaureate, high school baccalaureate, specialized baccalaureate and relevant one-year internship/work experience in a field related to the field of study

Or

• Degree from a higher technical college (HF) in the same or related subject area

Or

• High school diploma and internship contract with a company in the field of mechanical engineering (for practice-integrated studies)

Note:

• Without a vocational baccalaureate, admission may be possible via an admission course or an entrance examination. Information can be obtained from the respective university of applied sciences
• Some universities of applied sciences also offer preliminary courses (e.g. mathematics or English) so that you have the best possible start to your studies.

*Good to know: The respective universities of applied sciences decide independently on the admission procedure for the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering / Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. They can largely design their courses themselves. Institutional accreditation in accordance with the Higher Education Funding and Coordination Act (HFKG) (Chapter 5.) of the federal government is a prerequisite for the designation right "university of applied sciences" or "university" and "university of teacher education", the granting of federal contributions and program accreditation.

Subject matter and content of the course

The design of the courses in mechanical engineering is at the discretion of the universities of applied sciences. Consequently, the subject matter may vary from university of applied sciences to university of applied sciences. This also applies to the specializations/specializations offered.

The following areas are often covered in the basic studies:

• Machine technology
• Physics
• Mathematics
• Computer science
• Business administration
• Chemistry
• Electrical engineering
• Materials engineering
• Mechanics
• Production development
• CAD
• Project management
• Etc.

Students also have the opportunity to specialize thematically according to their interests. For example, the following specializations are offered in mechanical engineering (reminder: the specializations vary depending on the provider)

• Biomechanical Engineering
• Energy technology
• Renewable energies
• Fluid mechanics & hydraulic machines
• Product development & industrial design
• Plastics technology
• Lightweight construction technology
• Operations Management
• Production technology
• System and automation technology
• Process engineering

Costs and financing of further training

The amount of the costs depends on various factors. For example, the school, the training location, the training model and also the sponsorship of the university of applied sciences (public, semi-private, private). In general, the following costs can be expected for the 6-8 semester mechanical engineering degree course:

• Course feesFees: between CHF 700 and CHF 1000 per semester (public school) for residents of Switzerland. Students from abroad must expect higher course fees.
• Application/registration feebetween CHF 200.- and CHF 300.-
• Examination fees(per semester): these fees are normally already included in the course fees
• Additional costsSome providers charge extra costs for teaching materials, course materials, copies/printouts, student ID/campus card, etc. Please contact the school of your choice directly and ask what extra costs you can expect.

Duration of study, training model, number of teaching hours, teaching format, workload and learning effort

• Duration of studies and training modelThe Mechanical Engineering / Mechanical Engineering degree program is modular and lasts 6 semesters in the full-time model or at least 8 semesters in the part-time model (in addition, a professional activity of at least 50% is possible, 60% to max. 80% is recommended) or practice-integrated model (internship workload is usually 40%).
• Number of lessonsStudy achievements are expressed in so-called ECTS points (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System Points), a kind of tool for the standardized study structure of Bachelor's and Master's degree courses at universities. As a rule, 180 ECTS points are required for a Bachelor's degree, which corresponds to 4,500-5,400 hours of work. (One ECTS point corresponds to a student workload of 25 to 30 working hours). This includes all study units such as lectures, tutorials, exercises, coursework, semester examinations, etc.
• Teaching formatIn addition to traditional classroom teaching, many universities of applied sciences now also offer online courses and forms of learning.
• Learning effort: You should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons as well as for self-study - how much depends on your previous knowledge, working style, learning speed and chosen training model.

Tip:Many schools now offer taster lessons or even half or full taster days. This gives you the opportunity to get a taste of student life and get to know the campus better. You can also ask the students on site direct questions about the course.

Degree, diploma and title

As already mentioned, the Mechanical Engineering degree course is divided into modules that form a self-contained learning unit lasting one semester and a grade is awarded for each module.

What exactly this performance assessment looks like varies from university of applied sciences to university of applied sciences. These can be semester or module examinations, project or seminar work, papers, presentations, discussions and case studies.

The Mechanical Engineering course is completed with a Bachelor's thesis (12 ECTS). This independent written work is written by the students individually, usually in the last two semesters of study. The thesis is written on a current topic or current problem from the subject area. The aim is for students to demonstrate that they are able to work independently on a task in a scientifically sound manner, within a given time frame and in compliance with the formal requirements. It is not uncommon for the Bachelor's thesis to be written in collaboration with a company.

Finally, the Bachelor's thesis is usually defended in a presentation.

However, even in this final qualification procedure, the respective university of applied sciences determines the details.

Diploma and title

Students who have earned at least 180 ECTS credits and have passed the Bachelor's thesis and presentation in the Mechanical Engineering degree program receive a Bachelor's degree from a federally accredited university of applied sciences and are entitled to use the title "Bachelor of Science [FH] in Mechanical Engineering" or "Bachelor of Science [FH] in Mechanical Engineering".