Transportation Systems M. Sc.

As a transport systems expert, you will plan railways and roads, simulate traffic, design intelligent transport systems and analyse traffic data. You will be able to evaluate the relevant economic, social and environmental aspects. As students on the Master's programme come from all over the world, you will also be experienced in working in multicultural teams.

Graduates with a degree in Transportation Systems have exciting career paths open to them. You will advise transport companies, communities and authorities on current transport planning and anticipate future demand. You could help shape the mobility strategies of major cities or work for technology companies working on autonomous vehicles and intelligent traffic management solutions. The demand for experts in this field is growing all the time - become one of the thought leaders of future mobility.

As a graduate of the international Master’s program you possess the required knowledge and skills to deal with present and future challenges in the complex area of modern transportation. You know how to design and operate modern transportation systems and integrated intermodal transport management systems.

You are able to design railways and roads, simulate traffic, apply and design intelligent transport systems, as well as analyze transport data and statistics. Your skills allow you to advise municipalities in questions regarding transport planning strategies of today and anticipate future demand. You are capable of analyzing and evaluating the relevant economic, social and environmental aspects. Since the students of the master’s program come from all over the world, you are also experienced in working in multicultural teams.

As a graduate in Transportation Systems, you can start your career as a transport consultant or transport planner in different areas of the transportation sector. Possible areas of employment include governmental agencies, public transport authorities, urban and regional planning departments, as well as private or state owned transportation companies. You are also qualified to apply for positions in freight and logistics enterprises, the automotive sector or in infrastructure maintenance. Furthermore, you have the option to continue your research in scientific institutions and organizations worldwide.

The first three semesters are composed of seminars and lectures – combined with field trips and exercise courses that are based on real life studies. In addition, the master’s program includes a project seminar that enables students to explore scientific questions and practical solutions in an experimental environment.

The students can specialize in one of the following fields of study:

• Transportation Infrastructure
• Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
• Transportation Demand Management

The fourth semester is dedicated to the master’s thesis.

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, transportation engineering, environmental engineering, engineering sciences, computer science, mechanical engineering, management & technology, or comparable degree programs related to transportation science

     At the time of application, at least 140 credits must be provided. 

• English language proficiency: Students whose bachelor's degree was not taught in English must provide proof of English language proficiency by means of a recognized language test (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS).
   
• Basic knowledge of German is a great advantage for social life and the German job market.

• Degree Certificate and Diploma or Subject and Grade Transcript of Studies to Date 

At least 140 credits if the final transcript is not yet available.

• Proof of English Language Proficiency

For students whose language of instruction was English, this must be officially confirmed (e.g., on certified degree certificates), or alternatively, sufficient knowledge of the English language can also be demonstrated by 60 credits earned in a bachelor's degree program with English as the language of instruction and examination.

• Statement of purpose (Letter of Motivation)

Written in English (max. 2 pages). Applicants should explain what specifically qualifies them for the Transportation Systems master's program. Please justify your exceptional motivation and commitment, e.g., by providing information on vocational training in the field of transportation, internships, transportation science courses, or stays abroad (please attach confirmations or certificates). Please do not forget to include a document in which you explain that the letter of motivation for the master's program is your own work and that no sources other than those listed have been used. This declaration must be signed by you.

• Collection of Work 

Please submit an English copy of your bachelor's thesis or an English summary of it. If you are unable to submit either a copy or a summary of your bachelor's thesis, please submit a sample of your previous academic work (e.g., scientific papers, term papers), preferably in the field of transportation. Files up to 50 MB can be uploaded.

• Complete and Current Résumé
   
• Passport
   
• Preliminary Documentation (VPD) if the qualification for graduate studies (e.g. a Bachelor’s) was obtained outside Germany)
   
• GRE/GATE for applicants from China, Bangladesh, India, Iran, or Pakistan

Applicants who have completed their first degree in these countries must provide proof of subject knowledge in the form of a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test or a Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). For other applicants with a first degree that was not completed in a signatory state to the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region of April 11, 1997 (Lisbon Convention), submission of the test is recommended. No additional requirements are necessary for degrees from signatory states to the Lisbon Convention.

The minimum score is 157 for Quantitative Reasoning (QR) and 3.0 for Analytical Writing (AW).

We may require additional documents depending on your educational background and your country of origin. Complete the online application to receive a comprehensive list of the required documents. 

Please consider the specific requirements for documents for application and enrollment at TUM.

Selection takes place through an aptitude assessment procedure. Aptitude assessment is a two-part procedure after the submission of an official application to a program. In this procedure, the TUM School or Department determines whether you meet the specific requirements for its master’s degree program.

The TUM Center for Studies and Teaching will first check the formal criteria of your application. If relevant documents are missing or not available in the required format, they will be marked as “not OK” in your applicant account on TUMonline. Once all formal criteria have been marked as “OK,” the application will be forwarded to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for an aptitude assessment.

In stage 1, the grades you obtained during your bachelor's program, as well as your written documents, will be evaluated using a point system. Depending on the amount of points accumulated, applicants are either immediately admitted, rejected or invited to an admissions interview.

• Subject-related qualifications from undergraduate studies (max. 60 points)
• Average grade from undergraduate studies (max. 10 points)
• Letter of motivation (max. 30 points)

Applicants with 70 or more points will receive a letter of admission.

Applicants with 59 points or less will receive a rejection letter. Applicants with a score between 60 and 69 points will be invited to an aptitude test (second stage).

In stage 2, applicants will have a personal interview about their motivation for the program and their academic and personal background. For applicants living abroad, the interview can be conducted via video conference. Interviews usually take place in June and July (for applications received before March 15) or in August and September (for applications received after March 15). Applicants will be informed of the interview date one week in advance.

• Aptitude Assessment for Master
• Description of the Aptitude Assessment (German) (PDF 286 KB)

If you have any further questions, please contact the TUM Center for Study and Teaching (TUM CST) directly by email at studium(at)tum.de.

• Application for Enrollment (signed)
• Degree Certificate and Diploma (authentic document)
• Transcript of Records (authentic document)
• Most Current Photo (as for ID)
• Digital notification of your health insurance status from a German public health insurance provider (requested by applicant)

We may require additional documents depending on the type of educational background you earned and your country of origin. After accepting an offer of admission in TUMonline, you will receive a list of documents you must submit to TUM as authentic documents for enrollment.

Please consider the specific requirements for documents for application and enrollment at TUM.

In the week before lectures begin, TS students are welcomed with a kick-off event. There is also an opportunity to get to know students from higher semesters. Later in the semester, there is an information event on the fields of study. Students will be notified of the exact dates by email.

There is no mandatory internship. Voluntary internships can be completed at home or abroad. Practical experience is considered extremely valuable.

TUM stands for a cosmopolitan attitude and international scientific exchange. Through exchange programs such as Erasmus+, TUMexchange and Departmental Programs, TUM Global & Alumni Office and and the TUM School of Engineering and Design offer a wide variety of opportunities for students in gaining international experience. A stay abroad can be optionally integrated into the program.

The master's thesis, in the form of a scientific paper and a presentation on its content, is often done in cooperation with industry. The topic of the master's thesis must be approved by TUM before the start.

Any professor who is involved in the TS program can supervise the thesis. Upon agreement of the TUM supervisor, the Master's thesis can be written in cooperation with transport-related companies or authorities. Working on the thesis must not exceed six months. For further information, please refer to the examination regulations of the master's program in Transportation Systems.

You can find available topics on the websites of the chairs and professorships involved in the master's program in Transportation Systems: 

• Chair of Road, Railway and Airfield Construction
• Chair of Traffic Engineering and Control
• Chair of Transportation Systems Engineering
• Professorship for Travel Behavior
• Chair of Urban Structure and Transport Planning
• Professorship of Design and Operation of Public Rail Transport Systems