Department of Design Production & Management

Information for prospective students

Design Engineering studies the processes that are related to part and product design. The entire design process is regarded from conceptual design to manufacturing & maintenance. The research areas primarily focus on the development of design support tools and techniques. This can for instance be design methodologies, but also CAD tools. Methods help to structure the chaotic and complex design process, while other methods aim to stimulate creativity. Software design support tools are all around us, as for instance Matlab or finite element method packages, but also increasingly more customer-specific design applications are being developed.

Within our Chair we develop the use of Virtual Reality as a full-fledged design tool. Also Additive Manufacturing techniques (a.k.a. 3D printing) are utilized when it comes to quickly realizing a visual mock-up or even an entire product.

The Chair's ultimate goal is to make engineering design more efficient and effective.

Organization of the Master track

The first year of the master you will follow courses from a self-composed course list. Part of the course list contains courses that belong to the chosen competence profile (Parts 1a & 1b). For the Design Engineering track this is usually the Design & Construction profile, but the Research & Development and Organization & Management profiles are also possible.

More information about the courses can be found on the Mechanical Engineering Study programme website. The composition of the course list Parts 2, 3 & 4 leaves much room for individual interest and specialization. You are therefore advised to come up with a substantiated concept for your Design Engineering course list and discuss this course list with the track coordinator.

The second year of the master is composed of an internship and master thesis research. You are free to find a suitable company yourself, but we can of course help you. The most important is that you find an interesting assignment and that you obtain some industry experience. Moreover, it is the ideal opportunity to familiarize yourself with your study specialization in an industrial setting.

The track's capstone project is the master thesis project. Together with the track coordinator you will find a suitable, challenging thesis assignment. Within our Chair many running research projects can facilitate your assignment either internally or with an external party. The current research possibilities are presented here. When you start your thesis assignment, there may be new possibilities so keep in touch with the track coordinator. Possibly other staff members of our Chair, e.g. the teacher of that interesting course you followed, also have attractive possibilities.

Course list

The second part of the course list contains Design Engineering courses (Parts 2 & 3). A range of design courses is offered at the UT. Next to that there are many deepening and broadening courses. Finally, you are allowed to choose a number of free electives within your course list (Part 4). Your final course list is completed in consultation with the track coordinator.

Part 1. Compulsory subjects related to the chosen profile (R&D, D&C or O&M)

See the study programme website.

Part 2. Core subjects Design Engineering

From this list you must select a minimum of 3 courses.

Part 3. Specialization courses Design Engineering

From this list you must select a minimum of 3 courses. You may also select courses from Parts 1b & 2 to complete your specialization.

Part 4. Free electives

Free electives are to complement your course list.