Bachelor‘s Degree International Civil Engineering
Study Objectives of International Civil Engineering
The German construction industry doubles its size with it’s involvement in foreign construction projects: either through design and build projects or through subsidiaries and associated companies abroad. On the other hand, foreign companies and builders also come to Germany and provide design and construction services.
The course corresponds to the structural change in the construction industry and the new requirements of the 21st century Civil Engineer. Our goal is to provide a broad knowledge of engineering, construction operations and construction management skills and to communicate with the competent use of a foreign language. The Bachelor‘s degree program trains students for a career in cross-border engineering and construction companies as well as for a career in government and international agencies and organisations.
The course includes a 30 week period where students learn while studying abroad or on a work placement abroad how to live and work in a new culture. The acquired professional, social and intercultural competence are of inestimable importance for the future professional practice. To promote mobility and multilingualism, students have the opportunity to pursue their studies or their work placement abroad in many countries.
In the first two years of study one course out of the six each semester is taught in English.
Career Prospects
Graduates of this Bachelor degree program, in which Civil Engineering and foreign language skills are taught, have a broad spectrum of career options. These include the traditional professions in the construction industry, either those in design consultants and construction contractors or the public sector. Careers are also possible in global companies and organisations. Today the international mobility of students is of particular importance. Students of International Civil Engineering have to complete a period of work or study abroad as an exchange student. The requirements for Civil Engineers have changed dramatically in recent years. Increasingly, international organisations have project work in which Civil Engineering experts from other countries work together. Graduates from the International Civil Engineering course, are equipped with such job-related language and intercultural skills.
Construction Projects are more complex. They include the planning, financing, construction and operation of a facility up to the subsequent environmentally-friendly disposal. The knowledge and legal expertise of Civil Engineers are increasingly in demand. For such tasks the graduates of the International Civil Engineering degree program are well suited.
Study Path
Study Description
The modular Bachelor of International Civil Engineering is divided into three sections. The first section (first and second semesters) provides the maths and science fundamentals. The second section (third and fourth semesters) provides a broad basic education in the three fields of Construction Management, Structural Engineering and Planning & the Environment. In the 5th, 6th and 7th Semesters, students have the opportunity to either study abroad and complete a work placement or study in English for two semesters at the FH-Mainz before completing a work placement abroad. The assessment of the Bachelor‘s degree consists of:
- Courseworks and examinations;
- The Bachelor‘s thesis, which may be completed during the study abroad.
For all examinations passed, credits according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) are awarded. In the past ten years, the International Civil
Engineering degree has made exchange agreements with a number of partner universities. Students can choose with the support of the Course Leader and the International Office the location of their work placement or study abroad. The amount of tuition fees abroad varies widely from country to country. There are no tuition fees payable if students are part of an exchange agreement. Students may if they wish opt for Universities of their choice and pay the appropriate tuition fees. If you have any questions please contact the International Office at the University of Applied Sciences, Mainz. Before the start of the study abroad or work placement abroad, the selected modules or the skills to be trained as part of an agreement are matched and approved by the Course Leader. The study examinations taken abroad are fully recognised as contributing to the award of the Bachelor in International Civil Engineering at the FH-Mainz.
Studies and Family
The University of Applied Sciences Mainz guarantees all students child care places for children aged over 6 months. For more information on the “Tagesmütternetz” (childminders) contact the “Gleichstellungsbeauftragte” of the University.
Women in the Engineering Professions
The proportion of women among civil engineering students is growing steadily. It is currently at about 25% of the Department. The proportion of female graduates in the International Civil Engineering degree course is higher.
Consecutive Master‘s Program
For graduates with a good Bachelor degree there is the possibility of a higher qualification in an accredited consecutive Masters course in Civil Engineering (taught in German). The education builds on the Bachelor‘s degree program and is based on scientific principles and methods of Civil Engineering. It gives in-depth expertise in one of two possible specialisations:
- Construction Management or
- Structural Engineering.
After the successful completion of a study period of three semesters the academic degree "Master of Engineering (M. Eng.)" is awarded.
Further Study Courses:
- Bachelor Bauingenieurwesen
- Bachelor Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen (Bau)
- Bachelor Technisches Gebäudemangement
- Master Technisches Gebäudemangement (konsekutiv)
- Master Technisches Gebäudemangement (Weiterbildung)
Intake
Each winter semester
Deadline
Winter semester: 15 July
Duration of Study
The standard period of study is seven semesters and usually in the 5th, 6th or 7th semesters a 30 week period of study or work placement abroad is required.
Admission Requirements
- Allgemeine Hochschulreife (General Qualification forUniversity Entrance)
- Fachhochschulreife (Advanced Technical College Entrance Qualification)
- Hochschulzugangsberechtigung gem. § 65 Hochschulgesetz (beruflich qualifizierte Personen)
In addition a construction site experience of 12 weeks should be made before the start of the course. It must be completed before the beginning of the 4th semester.
Futher Information about the Bachelor’s Degree International Civil Engineering
Contact for subject-specific questions
International Civil Engineering
Holzstraße 36
55116 Mainz
Tel.: +49 (0)6131 / 628 - 1311
Fax: +49 (0)6131 / 628 - 1309
info.bau(at)fh-mainz.de
Contact for general questions about registration
University of Applied Sciences Mainz
Office for examination and study affairs
Lucy-Hillebrand-Str. 2, 55128 Mainz
Tel.: +49 (0)6131 / 628 - 7382
Tel.: +49 (0)6131 / 628 - 7387
studierendenbuero(at)fh-mainz.de
Studying abroad
Direct Exchange Principles
This paragraph is for all students of the Civil Engineering Department including Technisches Gebäudemanagement (Ba/Ma). All Students of the Civil Engineering Department may exchange with one of our partner universities abroad, if given approval of the International Civil Engineering Course Leader.
The final year of the BEng International Civil Engineering has been built on the principle of “Direct exchange“. “Direct exchange“ is defined as an exchange of an equal number of Final Year Civil Engineering Undergraduate students from each partner institution.
Without a “Direct exchange” students are classed as “Freemovers” and would be expected to pay the tuition fees at the host institution.
Students participating in the exchange program will be accepted upon recommendation of the home institution, provided that they fulfill the admission requirements of the host institution.
Language competency should be at a level which would allow participating students to attend classes taught in the language of classes at the host institution.
Tuition and fees, where applicable, will be paid directly to the students’ home institution. Each student will be responsible for his/her own transportation to and from the host institution, as well as for room, board and maintenance including appropriate health insurance while attending the host institution.
The host institution will help arrange accommodation for the exchange students.
Exchange students will pay themselves for such accommodation.
Exchanges will be for two semesters.
The goal of the exchange will be to exchange at least two students per year from each institution. Students in any field are eligible for the exchange, provided that the host institution offers courses compatible with the students’ course of study.
If either university is unable to select an equal number of qualified candidates in a given year, then that institution may equalise the exchange during the next two years.
Eligibility for Student Exchange
To be eligible to participate in the Student Mobility Program, student MUST:
- Be enrolled at FH-Mainz as a local student.
- Be studying (or have studied) the modules ‘Bauverfahrenstechnik (English)’ and ‘Auslandsbau’ at the time of application.
- Have a minimum cumulative average point (CGPA) of 2.7 for undergraduate on the 4-point scale at the time of applying.
- Have completed 120 ECTS credits at the time of exchange (so there is no need to return to FH-Mainz to sit exams).
- Meet a minimum English entry requirement of IELTS band 6.0 or TOEFL score of 550 (or equivalent). If the language of tuition is not English then a similar language proficiency must be demonstrated in the host language.
- Have good disciplinary record.
- Have good financial standing/status, no debts with FH-Mainz.
- Demonstrate financial ability to support his/her stay in host country.
- Satisfy the host university/institution’s entry and study requirements.
- Meet the host country’s visa requirements.
- Must secure consent from sponsorship bodies (eg. Bafög).
- Be a good ambassador for FH- Mainz.
Student pathway change (Studiengangwechsel)
If a student wishes to change his pathway from the ‘Bachelor Bauingenieurwesen’ to the ‘Bachelor Internationales Bauingenieurwesen’ or the other way around, he/she can do that without losing any credits earned in the other course. He/she should consult with the Course Leader on how to leave his/her old course (Exmatrikulation) and apply for the new one (Immatrikulation).
Our Current Partner Universities
- University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
- TEI Athens, Greece.
- The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
- Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland.
- University of Brescia (UNIBS), Italy.
- Universidad del Desarrolla, Santiago, Chile.
- University of Dundee, Scotland.
- EPOKA University, Albania.
- HAMK University of Applied Science, Finland.
- VIA University College, Horsens, Denmark.
- London South Bank University, England.
- Universidad de Monterrey, Mexico.
- The University of Northumbria at Newcastle, UK.
- Opole University of Technology, Poland.
- l'Ecole Supérieure d' Ingénieurs des Travaux et de la Construction (ESITC) de Cachan, Paris, France.
- Cape Peninsular University, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Perak Malaysia.
- St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University, Russia.
- Technical University of Prague, TCzech Republic.
- SAXION University of Applied Sciences, Holland.
- Seoul National University of Technology, South Korea.
- Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia.
- Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Uludag University, Turkey.
- Ulyanovsk State Technical University, Russia.
- Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain.
Incoming Students
Information for incoming students.
Outgoing Students
Information for outgoing students can be found here.