Become an expert mechanical engineer that focuses on the futureproof design, analysis and maintenance of machinery, structures, products and production processes.
Energy systems, production machinery, aeroplanes, automobiles, ships, medical devices: many systems and products that are essential to our modern life are in some way a product of mechanical engineering. And the field of mechanical engineering is continuously evolving, especially in today’s world, with the rise of the fourth industrial revolution, technological advancements and a growing urgency for sustainable development. So what does it take to build and optimise renewable energy systems, like wind turbines or heat pumps? What is the potential of smart manufacturing and maintenance technologies, like simulation, 3D printing or sensor technologies? And how can you make smart material choices for the design of aircraft, machine parts or medical equipment? These are just a few of the many versatile questions you might deal with in the Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Twente.
This two-year, English-taught Master’s focuses on the design, analysis, and maintenance of machinery, structures, products as well as production processes. It covers the breadth of the field of mechanical engineering, addressing subareas like solid and fluid mechanics, materials science, control and robotics, design, manufacturing techniques, tribology, biomechanics, and more. Whichever subarea(s) you will focus on is completely up to you. Thanks to the diversity of specialisations that you can choose from, you can develop your own expertise in one (or more) of the various subdisciplines within mechanical engineering.
START date
You can start your studies in September or February. In case you need to follow the pre-master’s first, you can start in September and continue with the Master’s afterwards.
Choose a specialisation
You have a lot of freedom to tailor your Master’s in Mechanical Engineering to your interests and ambitions. You will build your own expertise within one of the seven specialisations, which represent different domains of mechanical engineering. You can choose one of the following specialisations:
Aeronautics
How can we move towards a more sustainable future of air travel? How can you reduce large CO2 emissions or noise pollution? But also, how do the principles of aerodynamics for aeroplanes apply to wind turbines, ships, or cars? The specialisation in Aeronautics will turn you into an expert in the development of new high-tech applications in which aerodynamics interact with acoustics, structures, and propulsion, designed for the aeronautical sector as well as other relevant fields.
2 yearsFull-time
Design & Manufacturing
Successfully developing new products, machines, production processes and factories in today’s manufacturing industry takes more than just knowledge of state-of-the-art production methods. In the specialisation in Design & Manufacturing, you will gain a bigger understanding of design and production processes and manufacturing facilities as a whole, by focusing on the methodological design of engineering products, processes and production facilities.
2 yearsFull-time
Energy & Flow
If you are eager to contribute to the advancement of sustainable energy systems, processes, and equipment, while ensuring high performance and minimal environmental impact, the specialisation in Energy & Flow is the perfect fit for you. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of various aspects related to energy generation, transport, storage, and utilisation through sustainable approaches, by delving into the realms of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, advanced materials, acoustics, sustainable design, and economics.
2 yearsFull-time
High-Tech Systems & Materials
Every system, whether it is a machine, a wind turbine or an aircraft, can be reduced to a set of components that interact. What does it take to ensure optimal collaboration between these elements and materials within a system? That’s what the specialisation in High-Tech Systems & Materials is all about. It is a broad, yet profound specialisation that will help you understand the behaviour of materials and systems to ensure optimal interaction and performance within products and manufacturing processes.
2 yearsFull-time
Maintenance Engineering & Operations
Maintenance is a key element of modern industrial processes and operations. Over the years, maintenance has become increasingly predictive, intelligent, and strategic. The specialisation in Maintenance Engineering & Operations will help develop innovative solutions to improve the maintenance of machinery, structures and production facilities, thereby improving the economic and environmental performance of systems and organisations.
2 yearsFull-timeEnglish
Personalised Health Technology
Mechanical engineering is an important aspect in the healthcare sector when it comes to medical device design and development. Exoskeletons, special wheelchairs, surgical instruments, and even entire artificial hearts or lungs are all devices that could not be manufactured without the application of mechanical principles. If you want to build expertise in the domain of healthcare technology as a mechanical engineer, the specialisation in Personalised Health Technology is right for you.
2 yearsFull-time
Smart & Sustainable Industry
In light of the fourth industrial revolution, the manufacturing industry is pushing hard for modernisation. But what does it take to future-proof the industry? What is the potential of innovative, digitally-driven technologies such as autonomous robots, digital twins of factories, artificial intelligence and sensor technologies? The specialisation in Smart & Sustainable Industry focuses on the development, analysis, simulation and control of innovative and digitally-driven production systems.
2 yearsFull-time
Career perspectives
Technological advancements, environmental challenges and a lack of (technical) personnel have pushed the demand for mechanical engineers in the labour market. That is why you can look forward to great career prospects. The majority of graduates of this Master’s has a job soon after graduation. Many of them even get a job offer before graduating, for example by the company they are performing their thesis at.
Job opportunities for Mechanical Engineers
As a mechanical engineer, you can pursue a career in a wide variety of sectors, from the manufacturing, energy, transport, aeronautics, automotive, consumer goods and the maritime industry to the biomedical field. Wherever your interests lie, this Master’s prepares you for a broad range of engineering positions such as manufacturing engineer, product developer, maintenance engineer, materials scientist, system engineer, or process manager, to name a few examples. You might join the R&D department of an industrial company, or you could pursue a career in consultancy or research. You can, for example, also continue with a PhD or EngD programme after graduation, as offered by UT’s Twente Graduate School (TGS).
Programme overview
Related programmes
Below you find a list of educational programmes which are (closely) related to Mechanical Engineering.
Engineering & Technology
Applied Mathematics
In this Master’s, you will apply mathematics to challenging issues in diverse sectors. You will learn how to discover new patterns and how to predict them through mathematical models.
Applied Physics
Deepen your understanding of the laws of physics to find technical solutions in a wide range of areas such as IT, sustainability, healthcare, chip design, digitalisation, finance, space and more.
Biomedical Engineering
Contribute to better healthcare by designing and developing medical innovations for improved diagnostics, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and a better quality of life.
Business Information Technology
Become an expert in IT-based business innovation, able to devise new services and radically improve the way businesses work with the use of IT.
Chemical Science & Engineering
This Master’s will help you to develop novel chemical processes, materials and molecules and contribute to innovations that benefit our society in areas such as health, water, food and sustainability.
Civil Engineering & Management
If you are eager to focus on both the technical and non-technical aspects of civil engineering projects and systems, then the Master’s in Civil Engineering & Management is the programme for you.
Computer Science
In this Master’s, you will learn to solve the biggest challenges of tomorrow’s digital society by designing and developing more secure, scalable, and efficient ICT systems.
Construction Management & Engineering
This Master’s helps you to become an expert in managing large-scale, complex construction projects in an increasingly digitised industry, using an innovative, holistic approach.
Electrical Engineering
In this Master’s, you will learn to shape the future of electronics by developing novel electronic devices and systems, from circuits to sustainable energy technologies.
Embedded Systems
This Master’s programme equips you with expertise in designing the software and hardware of complex embedded systems in vehicles, pacemakers and chipsets amongst others.
Humanitarian Engineering
Combine engineering and sociocultural knowledge in creating sustainable, impactful solutions to promote well-being in underserved communities.
Industrial Design Engineering
Combine design and engineering in creating innovative products that enrich people’s lives. During this two-year Master’s, you learn to optimise both products and the development processes involved.
Industrial Engineering & Management
Become a creative, multidisciplinary manager with both technological know-how and engineering and management skills and optimise processes and solve problems in complex, globally active organisations.
Interaction Technology
Delve into the field of human-computer interaction and design and develop interactive technologies that are meaningful to people and society.
Nanotechnology
Tackle big, societal issues at the smallest level: become an expert in the upcoming field of nanotechnology and invent, design, and develop innovative solutions on the extremely small nanoscale.
Philosophy of Science, Technology & Society
Philosophy of Science, Technology & Society is the premier Master's programme for learning how to critically analyse and assess the impact of scientific and technological developments on society.
Robotics
In this Master’s, you will learn to create robots that fit seamlessly in society, industry, and healthcare, revolutionising quality of life, safety, and efficiency.
Spatial Engineering
Natural disasters, poverty, food shortage, epidemics, climate change: learn to tackle society’s greatest and complex challenges using spatial data and technical and socio-economic knowledge.
Sustainable Energy Technology
Do you feel called upon to make a valuable contribution to the sustainable energy transition? Become an expert in the development, implementation and integration of sustainable energy technologies.
Technical Medicine
This Dutch-taught Master’s will equip you to become a technical doctor who can use medical technologies to their full potential.
