Bachelor | Fachbereich Maschinenbau und Kunststofftechnik

General Mechanical Engineering (B.Eng.)

Course Outline

Be it vehicles, wind turbines or medical systems - mechanical engineering is the basis for a wide range of technical applications. The bachelor‘s programme in General Mechanical Engineering provides a broad foundation in engineering over six semesters.

In project work from the first semester onwards, students learn how to design functional and safe products using modern simulation software and how to systematically consider sustainability. The course also covers the influence of materials, the design of manufacturing processes, machine control and economic efficiency in development and production. Numerous core electives, e.g. Circular Design or Virtual Product Development, allow for individual specialisation. In addition, students improve their language and teamwork skills.

At the start of the programme, optional preliminary courses and the Study Programme+ are available. The first year of study is closely interlinked with the Mechatronics and Polymer Engineering programmes, so that a change is possible. The EUT+ university alliance and established non-European partnerships offer a variety of study abroad opportunities.

Study programme in brief

Semester	6 Semester
Study location	➔ Darmstadt
Start of studies	➔ Winter semester
Language	➔ German
Form of admission	➔ Without admission restriction.
Dual/Cooperative	➔ yes
Study Programme+	➔ yes

Study Facts

Optimise your academic success: A mix of small groups, individual support and manifold learning formats offers ideal study conditions and prepares you most effectively for your career.

Professional experience as part of your studies: A practical semester and projects with real clients help you to establish contacts in the professional world at an early stage.

Benefit from the practical experience of our teaching staff: They come from the professional world, impart up-to-date knowledge and prepare you for the demands of the industry.

State University: Our study programmes are accredited and therefore quality-assured. As a state university we do not charge tuition fees.

Outstanding Place of Learning: According to UNESCO, h_da is an ‘Outstanding Place of Learning for Sustainable Development’.

"With excellent qualifications and a strong practical focus, many h_da graduates have become successful employees in our development departments.”

Christian Moll
Human Resources Manager, DILAS Diodenlaser GmbH, Mainz

Entry Requirements

For this degree programme there's no restricted admission. It starts in the winter semester. The entry requirements include qualifications, such as:

general higher education entrance qualification (allgemeine Hochschulreife)
subject-specific higher education entrance qualification valid in Hesse (fachgebundene Hochschulreife)
technical college entrance qualification valid in Hesse (Fachhochschulreife)
vocational qualifications: h-da.de/studium-ohne-abi

Applications with a foreign certificate need to be made via uni assist.de/en.

The 8-week pre-study internship may be completed either before or while studying. Further information for the pre-study internship you can find here.

A detailed description of the admission requirements can be found in the Special Provisions of the Examination Regulations.

Course structure

In the first year of your degree, you will join the closely interlinked introductory phase with Bachelor’s degree programmes in Mechatronics and Polymer Engineering. This allows to switch between these programmes without any difficulty.

From the 3rd to the 6th semester follows the foundational and advanced studies programme. Besides compulsory modules, you can choose from numerous core electives in the 4th and 5th semesters.

The practical phase and Bachelor’s thesis in the 6th semester provides you with the best possible preparation for starting your career.

A detailed description of the admission requirements can be found in the module manual and Special Provisions of the Examination Regulations (BBPO).
An overview of the individual modules in the course structure can be found in the module diagramme:

This standard degree programme can also be undertaken as a dual study programme in partnership with a collaborating company, or as a study programme+ with additional practical component and modules.

To prepare students for their degree programme, h_da offers preparatory courses.

Career Prospects

Mechanical engineers work primarily in development, design, manufacturing and sales, either at a technical level, in management positions or as a freelancer.

In global companies or regional SMEs, they work in the following sectors:

mechanical and plant engineering
vehicle construction
energy and environmental technology
aerospace technology
medical technology
materials technology
management consulting

More about the career path of a mechanical engineer you can find in the following video:

Vom Studium zur Ingenieurin – Maschinenbau

Contact us

The first place of contact for most questions about studying is our student advisors, the Student Service Centre (SSC) or direct contacts from the faculty.

Head of degree programme

Zentrale Anlaufstelle der Fachbereichs
Alexander Landfester

Communication Schöfferstraße 3
64295 Darmstadt
Office: C12, 01.20

+49.6151.533-68550
alexander.landfester@h-da.de

Consultation
im Wintersemester 2026 während der Vorlesungszeit donnerstags von 13:00 bis 14:00 Uhr und nach Vereinbarung per E-Mail

Student counselling