Naval Architecture, Bachelor of Science

Since time immemorial, ships have been a symbol of wanderlust, adventure, prosperity and technology. If you are fascinated by ship technology, you will learn about all its facets, from design and construction to propulsion technology and equipment. Our course of studies is characterized by a successful combination of theoretical-scientific and informatic basics and practical application. The fundamentals are the tools we need to ensure that everything functions efficiently and reliably in practice. Our graduates are highly sought-after in shipbuilding, in the supply industry, by shipping companies and classification societies.

Fact sheet

Study program Naval Architecture
Degree: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
Study length: 6 Semester
Credit points according to ECTS: 180
Language: Deutsch/Englisch
Type of study: Full-time study
Start of study: Winter semester (October)
Application period: June 1st – July 15th
Admission requirements: University entrance qualification, MINTFIT test recommended
Admission restriction: Yes
Dual studies possible: Yes

What characterizes this study program?

Hamburg is the ideal location to study Naval Architecture! We have the third largest port in Europe and you can see everything you need to know as a shipbuilder here. Strict environmental regulations and larger ships, which are being built in an increasingly complex way, require good engineers who are ready to take on the adventure of shipbuilding. The challenge is great, at TU Hamburg you can take it on!
The TU Hamburg is the only German university to offer an independent bachelor's degree program in Naval Architecture. This program provides you with comprehensive knowledge in all important scientific and engineering fundamentals such as mathematics, mechanics, thermodynamics and materials science. You will also learn how to construct ships and design them. You will understand why a ship floats, how it is propelled and how it withstands all extreme conditions in the water.

 

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How is the program structured?

In the Naval Architecture program, you will learn all the key engineering fundamentals, including mathematics, mechanics, manufacturing engineering, computer science, materials science, thermodynamics, design engineering, electrical engineering, fluid mechanics, and business administration. These advance your core subject expertise to enable cross-industry engineering collaboration. Starting in the third semester, you will acquire a broad range of shipbuilding skills such as hydrostatics, ship design and fabrication, and marine propulsion technology.

In addition to the technical area, there is also a choice of non-technical supplementary courses (6 ECTS), which include, for example, language courses, and a choice within the technical subjects (6 ECTS).

The bachelor thesis (12 ECTS) in the sixth semester rounds off your studies. This can be done either in a university-internal research institute or within an external company or institute.

What Job can I take?

Our graduates also, but not only, build ships. They work at construction and repair yards, engine manufacturers, component and supplier companies, classification societies, marine insurers, shipping companies, construction supervisors, design and engineering offices, management consultancies, and of course in research. In a global, economically strong and traditional industry, you can expect secure and well-paid jobs with great career opportunities and chances for international experience. You are not one of many, but your individual contribution is what counts. This makes the job of a naval architect unique among practical engineering disciplines.

What are the requirements?

You are interested in technology and engineering issues and want to solve existing deficits with your know-how? You can grasp problems holistically and solve them mathematically and scientifically? You want to learn the methods and tools with which you can plan plants, design airplanes, construct implants, enable robots or print elements three-dimensionally? Then this study program is the right place for you!

For the study of mechanical engineering, a general university entrance qualification or comparable is required. The overall grade and the subject grades in mathematics are included in the evaluation of your application.

Basic internship

A 10-week work-related internship is required for the degree program. The best time for the basic internship is before the beginning of the study, even if a proof must follow only in the fourth semester. It is possible to divide the practical activity into several sections or different companies. The internship is considered tertiary education and is therefore eligible for BAföG funding. Please inform yourself about the basic internship regulations before starting the internship!

 

How do I apply?

You can apply annually for the winter semester in the period from June 1st to July 15th. For this you need a university entrance qualification (usually Abitur) and sufficiently good German language skills (level B2.2). We conduct an online application procedure.

Get fit for your studies with MINTFIT. This free online test assesses your knowledge in the MINT subjects mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science. On the basis of completed test items, you will quickly receive individual feedback on your level of knowledge. You can easily catch up on missing knowledge on your own with the connected e-learning courses.

 

Further questions?

How to start?

To make it easier for you to start your studies at the TUHH, you will find various offers here:

  •     New@TUHH provides you with information on starting your studies, on preliminary courses, on the orientation week, StartING@TUHH, registration at the library and at the computer center.
  •     Bridge courses in computer science, mathematics, programming.
Can I include a semester abroad?

Semesters abroad and internships abroad are possible at any time, but are recommended in the second half of the program. They are not mandatory. Since the industry has a distinctly international orientation, experience abroad during studies is very suitable as preparation for a career.

Can I study in the dual program?

 

Yes, you can! All Bachelor of Science degree programs at the TU Hamburg can be studied dual. Since 2003, the Technical University of Hamburg has also offered its Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in a dual study variant in cooperation with more than 50 cooperating companies.

The study concept combines complete university studies with professional practice in the engineering field. The students are employed by one of our cooperating companies and, as cohorts across study programs, represent the entire spectrum of engineering sciences.

The program is rounded off by seminars on the development of social skills, so that graduates can face the challenges of the working world in a responsible manner.

You can find more information about the dual study program at the TU Hamburg here: https://dual.tuhh.de/  

 

What master's degree programs are available?

After completing the bachelor's degree in Naval Architecture, students can continue in the consecutive master's degree program in Naval Architecture and Offshore Technology or in the Joint European Master in Ship and Offshore Technology (DAAD-funded, internationally oriented, predominantly English-language program).

How is campus life?

The TU Hamburg is one of the youngest universities in Germany. On the clearly arranged and cozy campus you will quickly get to know your new fellow students and in spring and summer numerous seating areas and green spaces invite you to linger together in the fresh air. In an almost familiar atmosphere, we celebrate our summer festival every year in June, where our TU's own beer brewing group "Campusperle" also offers its creations. Of course, you can also get involved in our numerous AGs, which also organize regular events, e.g. screenings by the cinema AG, concerts by SingING or SymphonING, or the participation of the HULKs in international robot soccer championships.

If you decide to study at the TUHH, you also decide for Hamburg, the metropolis on the Elbe, Germany's second largest city and certainly its most beautiful. Hamburg combines urbanity and maritime life and is also Germany's greenest city with over a million inhabitants. You will never get bored here: rowing on the canals during the day or jogging in the city park, sunset on the Elbe, a concert in the Elbphilharmonie or a pub night on the Schanze and the fish market at dawn. Here you will find everything for the adventurous, but also numerous quiet places to pause. Together with your fellow students, you will certainly explore Hamburg and its treasures quickly and get to know your new favorite place.

How do I start my career?

Career Center and Alumni Network TU&You

The TUHH Career Center supports students and graduates in the transition from university to work. The services offered include company contact fairs, the TUHH-PraxisPlus internship program for prospective TUHH master's students, case study workshops and job application training. The alumni network TU&YOU offers the opportunity to make contact with former TU members while still a student through a variety of events such as research afternoons, homecoming events and anniversaries.

www.tuhh.de/tuhh/uni/service/career-center.html

www.tuandyou.de

Where can I find the relevant regulations?

All modalities for admission to the Bachelor's program are regulated in the Statutes on Studies.

The framework conditions for examinations at TUHH are defined by the General Study and Examination Regulations (ASPO) and the Subject-Specific Study and Examination Regulations (FSPO). The Module Handbook describes the concrete design of the modules provided for in the curriculum and their learning objectives. They also provide information on content, recommended prior knowledge and literature for preparation.

All regulations relevant to the study program, the module manual and study plans can be found here.

Whom can I contact?

If you have any questions about your studies, you can always contact the Central Student Advisory Service or the Head of the Mechanical Engineering Program and the Student Council!

Program Coordinator

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Friedrich Wirz
M-12 Schiffsmaschinenbau
  • Schiffsmaschinenbau
Office Hours
Nach Anmeldung bei Frau Schütt
Denickestraße 15 (K),
21073 Hamburg
Building K, Room 1531
Phone: +49 40 42878 4661
Logo

Selected contributions from "spektrum - Das Magazin der TU Hamburg"

Das Wetter im Meer
Schifffahrt klimaneutral machen
Auf Kurs Richtung Schiffbau
Schiffsmotor auf drei Etagen

This study program is accredited.