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Course documentation
Master's degree courseMechatronics,
Robotics, and Biomechanical
Engineering

Part A
School of Engineering and Design
Technical University of Munich

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Designation Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering

Organizational School of Engineering and Design

Assignment

Diploma Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Normal period 4 semesters & 120 credits

& credits

Study form Full-time, face-to-face course

Permit Aptitude procedure (EV)

Start date WiSe 2023/24

Language German and English

Main location Garching

course of study Prof. Dr.-Ing. Birgit Vogel-Heuser

responsible person

Possibly. supplementary Declarations ----------

for special courses of study

Contact person for questions Birgit Vogel-Heuser, Prof. Dr.-Ing.

about this document E-mail:[email protected] Tel.:
089 289 16400

April 19, 2023

As of

Academic Program Director

____________________________

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Veit Senner

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Table of contents

1 Course objectives ................................................ ................................................ ..............4

1.1 Purpose of the course of study................................................. ................................................ .. 4

1.2 Strategic importance of the course of study ................................................ ................................... 5

2 Qualification profile ................................................ ................................................ .............7

3 Target groups ................................................. ................................................ ....................... 10

3.1 Target group .......................................... ................................................ ............ 10

3.2 Prior knowledge................................................. ................................................ .................. 11
3.3 Target numbers ................................................ ................................................ ....................12

4 Needs analysis ................................................ ................................................ ................. 14

5 Competitor analysis ................................................ ................................................ ........17

5.1 External competition analysis ............................................ .......................................... 17
5.2 Internal competition analysis................................................ .......................................... 18

6 Structure of the course of study................................................... ................................................ .. 19

7 Organizational connections and responsibilities ........................................... ............ 33

8th Developments in the course of study ................................................ .......................................... 36

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1 Course objectives

1.1 Purpose of the course of study

Digitalization is one of the drivers of innovation in industrialized nations. An essential part of

digitalization is the development of intelligent, networked mechatronic systems that adapt flexibly
to changing requirements and constraints. Together with digitalization, robotics is also playing an
increasingly important role in production. As part of automated production processes, robots are
used in industrial areas such as manufacturing, logistics and automation. In addition to
production, robots and robot-like systems are also becoming increasingly important in everyday
life, such as in the service sector, in rehabilitation and care, in the agricultural and construction
sectors and, last but not least, in the rescue sector to support emergency services.

The development of a robot-like system is the result of interdisciplinary collaboration between

engineers from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, information technology and
computer science. The development of robot-like systems is not only limited to control aspects
and the interfaces with other IT systems, but must also take into account the mechanical aspects
and the interdisciplinary modeling of the overall systems.

Robotic, mechatronic systems must incorporate a variety of controlled variables and information
and provide a variety of system reactions. At the same time, they are required to interact
intelligently with people and the environment. The increasing interdisciplinarity and networking of
mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science and the resulting increasing
degree of complexity of such mechatronic systems represent a major challenge for modern
engineers in development, operation and maintenance.

Another challenge in engineering is not only to transfer human abilities (e.g. perception, flexibility,
sensitivity) to mechatronic systems, but rather to potentiate them. Mechatronic systems must be
able to perceive their environment, adapt to new and changing tasks and environments and be
able to act autonomously and, above all, energy-efficiently. This can be achieved, for example,
through the use of innovative materials, through energy and resource-optimized designs,
through control-optimized processes or through intelligent applications such as machine
learning. Solid skills in mechatronics, robotics and biomechanics as well as a holistic approach are
therefore essential for the design and development of such complex, mechatronic systems.
Without in-depth knowledge, such systems are hardly possible.

The purpose of the master's degree program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering" (MRBE) is
therefore to train top interdisciplinary talent at the interface between mechanical engineering,

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Electrical engineering and computer science training. The course enables students to develop
application-related, human-centered mechatronic and robot-like systems and thus develop
solutions for the challenges mentioned. To do this, they are taught a high level of engineering-
related IT expertise and a holistic understanding of technology and systems, as well as trained in
their interdisciplinary thinking and work and their problem-solving skills and communication
skills. By taking subject-related modules, students can consciously focus on the areas of “Digital
Mechatronic Systems”, “Control of Complex Systems”, “Engineering Mechanics” or
“Biomechatronics” and thus obtain certificates that provide the corresponding, method-oriented
focus for future employers Makes employers visible. The course trains engineers who can
responsibly advance mechatronic innovations either directly in industrial development or in
research (e.g. as part of a doctorate). The graduates carry out engineering activities in an
interdisciplinary context and thus play a crucial role as a bridge between the different areas of
activity (research, development, construction, production, ...) as well as different specialist
disciplines (overall system design, control engineering, mechanics, biomechanics, electrical
engineering, computer science). .

1.2 Strategic importance of the course of study

As a leading, entrepreneurial university, the Technical University of Munich follows, among other
things, the guiding principles in its teachingInnovations for people, nature and societyas well as
the training ofTalents with a sense of valuesandcross-disciplinary expertise. The goal of greater
interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity is also reflected in the newly founded TUM School of
Engineering and Design (ED) with its currentalmost 40 active study programs and their
collaboration with the TUM Integrated Research Institutes. The following figure provides an
overview of the number of courses offered in the ED's fields of study1, which also includes the
master’s program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering”:

Figure 1.2a: TUM School of Engineering and Design: Bachelor/Master degree programs in the fields of study

1For the ED's range of courses, see current daily information: https://wiki.tum.de/display/

edschooloffice/For+Students+and+Prospective+Students

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The master’s degree program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering”
focuses on training talent with cross-disciplinary expertise. It combines the three core
competencies of mechanical engineering, technical mechanics, control technology and
automation technology with core competencies of electrical and energy engineering as well as
information technology (see Fig. 1.2b) and takes people into account as users and as
inspiration for new, mechatronic developments . At the same time, teaching imports enable
greater exchange within the school, e.g. B. achieved with civil engineering or architecture (see
Fig. 1.2a) as well as across school boundaries, e.g. B. with the TUM School of Computation,
Information and Technology (CIT). The networking of the ED with the Integrated Research
Institute “Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence” (MIRMI) is of particular
interest to the degree program because MIRMI extends the course offerings in research-
related, mechatronic subject areas and future topics in robotics such as human Robot
collaboration or smart mechanical design added. By supplementing the elective areas with
suitable offerings (flexibilization/in-depth elective area, international experience), MRBE
students strengthen not only their interdisciplinary but also their transdisciplinary specialist
skills for e.g. B. the development of mechatronic systems in construction or the consideration
of ergonomic aspects for human-centered engineering.

Figure 1.2b: Areas of competence in the master's program in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering

In order to enable students to be optimally trained for the German and international job
market, the degree program offers both a high-quality German-language module range to
promote specialist language skills in German and to optimally convey the specialist content, as
well as an extensive English-language module range to intensively promote essential specialist
language skills in English at.

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Around 20% of the modules in the Mechanical Engineering department are currently offered in
English, and a further 15% in English and German, so that the MRBE course can also be studied
entirely in English in the interests of strategically promoting internationality if the module is
chosen appropriately. In order to further promote the development of innovative English-
language modules and intra-European networking, Mechanical Engineering has also been
intensively involved in the TUM EuroTeQ Engineering University project for several semesters2,
whose range of modules also benefits students enrolled in the MRBE.

2 Qualification profile

The following qualification profile corresponds in content to the specifications of the qualification
framework for German university degrees (university qualification framework - HQR) and the
requirements contained therein (i) knowledge and understanding, (ii) use, application and
generation of knowledge, (iii) communication and cooperation and (iv) Scientific self-image/
professionalism. The formal aspects according to the HQR (entry requirements, duration, degree
options) are detailed in Chapters 3 and 6 as well as in the corresponding subject examination and
study regulations.

Knowledge and understanding:

The master's degree program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering" trains
students in the latest state-of-the-art technology for the mechatronic design of robot-like systems.
It provides them with in-depth specialist and methodological knowledge in the areas of control
engineering, mechanics, biomechanics, electrical engineering including energy technology and
computer science and the combination of these areas of knowledge for the targeted,
interdisciplinary design of overall mechatronic systems. Graduates have broad interdisciplinary
knowledge in all six elective areas (see Chapter 6: Obligation to take at least one module per area).
You understand how e.g. B. design decisions affect the programming of the robot system and
how humans as operators of robot-like systems can and must be taken into account in the system
design.

Depending on the chosen field of specialization (elective area), the focus of knowledge can vary
individually, thus providing a practice-oriented and needs-based orientation and training for later
industrial or scientific fields of activity. This deepening of knowledge forms the basis for the
development and application of independent ideas and enables graduates to solve application-
oriented and scientific problems in mechatronics, robotics and biomechanics.

When deepening the elective area “Overall system“The graduates of the master's degree
program have in-depth knowledge of the interdisciplinary relationships in the various fields of
mechatronics (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science) as well as a
strong systems engineering perspective. You will learn procedures and methods for this

2https://euroteq.eurotech-universities.eu/initiatives/building-a-european-campus/course-catalogue/ , accessed
September 30, 2022.

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Design, implementation, operation, digitalization and optimization of robotic, mechatronic
systems, taking people into account in the overall context of mechatronic systems.

When deepening the elective area “Control technologyThe graduates have advanced
methodological skills for the control engineering design of dynamic, robot-like applications. You
are able to select and design application-oriented controllers and regulations in order to
implement stable, observable and controllable systems.

In the elective area “mechanics“, graduates deepen their specialist knowledge in technical
mechanics as well as the modeling and (numerical) simulation of mechanical structures and
(multi-body) systems. You can describe real systems based on their mechanical properties and
analyze kinematic and kinetic relationships.

By deepening the elective area “Humans and biomechanics“, graduates are able to develop
biologically inspired mechatronic applications and to interactively and ergonomically design
interfaces for integrating people into the mechatronic production environment. Using the
methods they learn, they enable systems to perceive the environment, adapt to changing and
new tasks and environments, and act self-sufficiently (and, above all, energy-efficiently).

In the elective area “Electrical engineering including energy technologyThe graduates deepen
their specialist knowledge in the electrical engineering parts of mechatronics. You have
methodological knowledge in power electronics, circuit and system theory as well as the energy-
efficient design and operation of electronic circuits and machines.

With the elective area “Computer Science“The graduates of the course gain increased
information technology expertise and methodological knowledge for software engineering design
and the development of mechatronic systems. You know common algorithms and methods of
software development (e.g. machine learning) and can use them to implement intelligent controls
for mechatronic systems or applications.

Use, application and creation of knowledge

Graduates of the master's degree program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical
Engineering” are able to apply or transfer the in-depth specialist knowledge and methodical
solution-finding skills they have acquired to unusual, new or highly complex problems and tasks
in the interdisciplinary field of mechatronics. You can analyze mechatronic problems and systems,
select suitable methods for the design and development of the systems and, based on this,
develop application-related and novel, cross-disciplinary solutions. In doing so, they are able to
network the specialist knowledge of the disciplines involved with each other and with their
individual discipline, for example the mechanical design of the system, taking into account the
effects on the electrical and information technology parts of the system as well as people.
Graduates are able to develop technical solutions in an interdisciplinary context

8th
reflect. You will be able to successfully complete tasks in all mechatronic application areas, taking
into account the technical, economic, social and ecological conditions.

In the area of scientific innovations, graduates raise current research questions in the areas of
mechatronics, robotics and biomechanics and solve them through appropriate choice of research
methods and are able to critically question and communicate their results. In addition to the
training of interdisciplinary technical understanding and willingness to cooperate, social and
intercultural competence and personal development are promoted through international teams
and group projects, the International Experience as well as opportunities for further training in
the elective area of “interdisciplinary supplementation” (see required competencies for future
engineers according to VDMA -Kienbaum study 20223).

Communication and cooperation

Communication and cooperation are becoming increasingly important in the socially important
area of digitalization as well as interdisciplinary cooperation in the development of mechatronic
applications (see Figure 24). Graduates have broad systems thinking and, as a result, good
communication skills across disciplines in order to develop mechatronic systems taking all
perspectives into account and to communicate with the other disciplines (mechanical engineering,
electrical engineering, computer science) on a professional level. The competence imparted also
includes the goal- and situation-oriented inclusion of all relevant social and international actors
and groups and the critical dialogue with them on a factual and specialist level. Graduates have
oral and written specialist language skills as well as – depending on their choice – other social and
international skills (e.g. other languages). In addition, graduates recognize critical aspects of
working with others, can reflect on them and translate them into conceptual, solution-oriented
action.

3“Future skills in mechanical and plant engineering – an analysis along the product life cycle“, published in 2022,https://

vdma.org/viewer/-/v2article/render/51415038 (Accessed August 5, 2022).

4VDI/VDE - QUATOQ - Quality of work, employment and employability in the interplay of technology,
organization and qualification, p. 58.

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 Figure 2. Change in relevant competencies in mechanical engineering

Scientific self-image/professionalism
Graduates are qualified for responsible and demanding tasks in industrial research and
development, especially in interface functions in the coordination of individual disciplines
(mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science), and across disciplinary
boundaries, as well as for further research activities. They can analyze the current state of
research in their in-depth field, formulate new research questions and develop concrete,
application-oriented solutions. You are able to carry out scientific research in the subject area and
to realize sustainable, innovative products for various mechatronic areas and areas of application
(e.g. in manufacturing, logistics, automation as well as in the service sector or the agricultural and
construction sectors). You reflect critically on your own professional actions and can question
them with regard to social and ethical expectations and consequences.

3 Target groups

3.1 Target group

The intended target group of the ED master's program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering" are national and international graduates of a qualified bachelor's
program of at least six semesters in mechanical engineering, engineering (with mechatronics
elective area) or mechatronics or they have an at least equivalent degree that teaches
mechatronics basics, e.g . B. Electrical and information technology, computer science, physics, civil
or environmental engineering, each with a focus on mechatronics. The main target group are
graduates of the ED bachelor's degree in "Mechanical Engineering" and the ED bachelor's degree
in "Engineering Sciences" (with mechatronics elective area). When developing the curriculum,
particular attention was paid to ensuring that knowledge and skills from the

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The two aforementioned bachelor's degree programs in the areas of mechatronics, robotics and biomechanics can be
specifically deepened and expanded.

The other target group consists of students with interest in and qualifications in the professional
field of an engineer in the desired field of mechatronics, robotics and biomechanics. It is desirable
to have (i) existing specialist knowledge from your first degree in the field of mechanical
engineering and mechatronics based on the bachelor's degree program in mechanical
engineering at TUM and (ii) skills in scientific or basic and method-oriented working methods.
Applicants preferably already have previous mechatronics experience through a course of study
with a mechatronics background, course-specific vocational training and/or internships, stays
abroad or subject-specific further training completed during their bachelor's degree.

3.2 Prior knowledge

Applicants must have solid knowledge and skills in the areas of mathematics, technical mechanics,
control engineering, electrical engineering, automation, information technology, including
knowledge of the development of digital technologies for digitization and software development
in at least one programming language. In addition, applicants should have acquired basic
interdisciplinary skills in project and team work as well as methodological skills, such as problem
solving or presentation techniques. All applicants must have completed an internship of at least
eight weeks in an industrial company. Prospective master's students who do not meet this
requirement will be admitted on the condition that they complete a corresponding industrial
internship by the start of their master's thesis at the latest.

The master’s program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering” includes German
and English-language courses. If you choose appropriate modules, the course can be studied
entirely in English.

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3.3 Target numbers

In the last five semesters (from winter semester 2019/20 to winter semester 2021/22), an average of
102 students took up a master's degree in mechatronics and robotics at TUM.

Figure 3.3a: Numbers of applicants and beginners for the “Mechatronics and Robotics” master’s degree from winter semester (WiSe) 2019/20

to winter semester 2021/22

The number of applicants fluctuated between 244 (SoSe 2020) and 495 (WS 2020/21) (see Figure
3.3a). On average, 380 prospective students applied per semester (see Figure 3.3a). The number
of beginners fluctuated between 80 (SoSe 2020) and 133 (Winter 2020/21) per semester. The
average admission rate was 27%, as many applicants were unable to sufficiently demonstrate
their professional suitability for the course of study.

500
400
300
200
100
0
WiSe 2019/20 Summer semester 2020 WiSe 2020/21 Summer semester 2021 WiSe 2021/22

Africa America Asia Europe (EU) Europe (non-EU)

Figure 3.3b: Origin (nationality continent extended) ofApplicantsof the Master’s “Mechatronics and Robotics” from
winter semester (WiSe) 2019/20 to WiSe 2021/22

While the number of applicants from Africa, America and Europe (European EU and non-EU
countries) remained almost constant, a doubling of applicants and first-year students from Asia
was observed (see Figure 3.3 b, 3.3c).

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 150

100

50

0
WiSe 2019/20 Summer semester 2020 WiSe 2020/21 Summer semester 2021 WiSe 2021/22

Africa America Asia Europe (EU) Europe (non-EU)

Figure 3.3c: Origin (nationality continent extended) ofFirst-year students of the Master’s “Mechatronics and Robotics”
from winter semester (WiSe) 2019/20 to WiSe 2021/22

In the past, more than half of the German applicants (64% in the 2019/20 winter semester) came
from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg (see Figure 3.3d). It is now clear that Germany-wide and
international interest in the Master's degree in “Mechatronics and Robotics” has increased
significantly - by 20 percentage points - between the winter semester 2019/20 and the winter
semester 2021/22.

Figure 3.3d: Applicants for the Master's "Mechatronics and Robotics" by federal state

Given the increasing interest in mechatronics and in particular the design of robotic systems
involving humans, a further increase in the number of applicants is to be expected. The goal is to
have beginner numbers of between 160 and 220 students per semester over the next five years.

An appropriate supervision relationship between teachers and students will continue to be

ensured in the future, particularly in university internships and when supervising coursework.
With the MIRMI, a new competence center was founded at TUM, whose range of courses has
since been further expanded. The new students in the “Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering” degree program benefit from these newly created capacities.

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4 Needs analysis

For the Munich metropolitan region and the entire southern German region, the employees are from the
main occupational group “mechatronics, energy and electrical professions”5an important size:

Figure 4a: Proportion of employed people from the main occupational group “mechatronics, energy and electrical professions”

Numerous companies and research institutions in the fields of mechatronics, biomechanics and
the design of robotic systems that rely on the know-how of these employees are based in the
greater Munich area. A key strategic goal of the course is therefore to satisfy the demand for
university-trained specialists from these and other institutions in (Southern) Germany and
beyond.

5QuBe project, QuBe base projection 6th wave, Federal Statistical Office; https://www.bibb.de/documents/pdf/

Berufe_Dossier_9_Mechatronik_Energie_Elektroberufe.pdf (Accessed on October 17, 2022).

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This not only has a positive effect on the institutions mentioned: Given the diverse collaborations
with external partners from research and industry and TUM-internal partners, students benefit
from practice-relevant, industry-oriented teaching content and insights as well as opportunities
for student research work and activities in an industry-related or industrial environment: A Profit
for everyone involved.

According to the VDI news “New skills for digital transformation” (May 20226), the search for
qualified personnel in mechanical and plant engineering is becoming increasingly difficult and
threatens to become a permanent obstacle to growth and prosperity in Germany. “The
German mechanical and plant engineering is one of the sectors of the economy whose
success depends fundamentally on well-trained employees.”(VDMA
Short position 20217). There are already too few qualified specialists being trained in Germany.

A VDMA member survey from 2022 confirms: “Four out of five companies are confronted with a
“skills gap” – also due to the shortage of skilled workers.”7. Of the companies surveyed, 80% are
investing in further training and 56% in retraining their engineers to better equip them with
“future skills”.8thto qualify. The VDI9also predicts that from 2020 more engineers will retire than
enter professional life.

In mechanical and plant engineering, the development of IT and automation technology solutions is a
significant competitive advantage. According to the VDMA Kienbaum study from 202210Half of the
mechanical and plant engineers surveyed see a significant increase in the importance of digitalization
management and 35% see the skills of systems engineering, which are increasingly taught in the
master's program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering".

The digitalization of the industry is also causing an increase in the demand for mechatronics
experts. Companies that need additional specialists in connection with an Industry 4.0 project are
looking for engineers with interdisciplinary degrees, including mechanical engineers with
additional qualifications in electrical engineering (39 percent) or with additional IT qualifications
(37 percent).11

Mechatronics experts have excellent prospects on the job market, and not just in mechanical and
plant engineering. In other sectors, for example the automotive industry, the shift towards
electromobility is also growing

6W. Schmitz, “New competencies for digital transformation”, VDI News, No. 9, p. 31, May 2022.
7A.Rade, “Skilled workers desperately wanted” VDMA short position 2021, https://www.vdma.org/documents/
34570/4887563/KuPo_Fachkr%C3%A4fte Mangel.pdf/a0e24774-760e-55e9-93e6-43917311820c?t=1638184682215
(Accessed: August 5, 2022).
8thVDI/VDE - QUATOQ - Quality of work, employment and employability in the interplay of technology,
organization and qualification, p. 58.
9www.vdi.de/uploads/media/VDI_Broschuere_Ingenieure_auf_einen_Blick_2013.pdf (Accessed: June 28, 2022).
10VDMA Kienbaum Study 2022, “Future skills in mechanical and plant engineering – an analysis along the product
life cycle“,https://vdma.org/viewer/-/v2article/render/51415038 (Accessed August 5, 2022).
11https://www.vdma.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=77be0456-6ad0-0e3e-

b479-2de5f5b9f98f&groupId=34570 (Accessed March 23, 2022).

15
Requirement at Mechanical engineers and mechanical engineers with
Electrical engineering knowledge.12This can also be seen in the target sectors of the graduates of
the existing TUM master's programs in the field of Mechanical Engineering (see Figure 4b, right).
With a share of 47% of students, the industry or economic sector of automobile and commercial
vehicle construction is the main industry for graduates with a master's degree in mechanical
engineering and mechatronics. 17% of students pursue a doctorate after completing their
master's degree, while 77% enter industry.13

Figure 4b: Left – activities of graduates after completing their studies; Right – target sectors for
those starting their careers after completing their studies

In addition, the proportion of mechatronic components in a large number of products in almost

all industrial sectors is becoming ever larger. More and more mechatronics engineers will be
needed in the future to ensure the smooth interaction of system solutions from different
engineering disciplines.

With the master's degree program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering", the
School Engineering and Design and the Mechanical Engineering Department are working to meet
the need for interdisciplinary trained engineers who have technical understanding, specialist and
methodological knowledge and skills in mechanical engineering ( including biomechanics),
electrical engineering and computer science to meet the future challenges of digital change.

12Pohl E., Fiehöfer B. (2016) The job market for engineers. In: Career entry for engineers. Springer
Vieweg, Wiesbaden.
13Survey of graduates of the master's degree programs at the TUM Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
in winter semester 2020/21, internal survey by the TUM Center for Study and Teaching.

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5 Competitive analysis

5.1 External competition analysis

The master’s degree program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering” competes
with master’s degree programs at Bavarian, national and international universities (see overview
of comparable degree programs in Table 5.1).

International (I)
Bavarian (B) /

Biomechanics
National (N) /

Mechatronics

robotics
Course name university
Mechatronics (M. Sc.) Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg b X
Mechanical Engineering (M. Sc.) University of Bayreuth b W
Automotive and Mechatronics (M. Sc.) University of Bayreuth b x x
Mechanical Engineering (M. Sc.) TU Braunschweig N v
Mechatronics (M. Sc.) University of Stuttgart N x
Mechatronics and Information Technology (M. Sc.) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) N x v
Mechatronics (M. Sc.) TU Darmstadt N x v
Mechatronics and Robotics (M. Sc.) Leibniz University Hannover N x x
Robotic Systems Engineering (M.Sc.) RWTH Aachen/RWTH International Academy N x x
Construction and Robotics (M.Sc.) RWTH Aachen N x
Applied Machine Learning (M.Sc.) Imperial College London I x
Robotics and Autonomous Systems Graduate Program Stanford I x
Robotics, Systems and Control (M. Sc.) ETH Zurich I x x
Mechatronics (M. Sc.) Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU) I v x v
Bionics Engineering (M. Sc.) School for advanced Studies Lucca (IMT) I x x
Master of Engineering Berkeley I v v
Biomedical Engineering (M. Sc.) TU Vienna I x
BioMedical Engineering (M.Sc.) TU Delft I x
Biorobotics (M. Sc.) University of Bristol I x x
Biorobotics (M. Sc.) University of Twente I x x
Human and Biological Robotics (M. Sc.) Imperial College London I x x
Table 5.1: Comparison of the orientation of comparable study programs (x: fixed component, V: specialization, W: elective area)

Compared to the internal Bavarian competitors with comparable degree programs (Friedrich
Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) and the University of Bayreuth), the master's
degree program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering" offers the following
advantages: a broad view of the overall mechatronic system and the interdisciplinary system
connections, many attractive specializations and the possibility of making these specializations
visible in the form of certificates. The mechatronics education at the TUM School of Engineering
and Design actively takes into account the human being from whom all (bio)mechatronic systems
are thought - a new perspective that so far only one German and only a few foreign universities or
mechatronics degree programs have taken according to the curriculum .

At the national level, the offerings of six other leading German technical universities
(Braunschweig, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Darmstadt, Hanover, Aachen, all TU9) were examined for
comparable master's degree programs. The result is that the master's program

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“Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering” of the ED has a unique selling point
throughout Germany thanks to its structure into six thematic elective areas (master modules),
which offers both an overview of mechatronic systems and allows a great deal of freedom of
choice to build individual in-depth profiles. Due to the location advantage, which has already been
explained in more detail above, there are also a number of exciting cooperation and internship
opportunities for students that are unparalleled in Germany.

“Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering” also competes internationally with

comparable master’s programs. If you compare the courses offered by the international
universities listed in Table 5.1 with the ED's master's degree program, the result is similar to the
domestic comparison: Due to the variety of thematic elective areas, the ED degree program is
ideally suited to provide a comprehensive understanding of the system and a broad view of the To
convey the domain of mechatronics and at the same time to enable individual in-depth profiles.
None of the other study programs at foreign universities under consideration offer this
perspective.

Regardless of the assessment of the content, the master's degree programs in mechatronics,
robotics and biomechanics presented are not in direct competition either nationally or
internationally, given the existing need for skilled workers (see Chapter 4).

5.2 Internal competition analysis

In addition to the mechanical engineering view of cyber-physical systems, the master's degree
program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering" also focuses on the entire
system, i.e. the interactions between electrical engineering, software and mechanics, and is
therefore complementary to TUM's internal degree programs in other faculties and schools. The
elective area “Humans and Biomechanics” brings human-centered engineering further into the
focus of the degree program. In addition, due to the flexibility in choosing the master's modules,
the master's degree program offers extensive specialization options as well as certificates ("Digital
Mechatronic Systems", "Control of Complex Systems", "Engineering Mechanics",
"Biomechatronics") for students who want to set individual priorities.

Below, fundamentally similar TUM degree programs on the subject of mechatronics, robotics and
biomechanics are named and the differences between the degree programs are presented.

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology offers a specialization in a core area of
“Automation and Robotics” within the master’s program “Electrical Engineering and Information
Technology”. This includes the areas of specialization

• Control and Machine Intelligence,

• Machine Perception and Data Analysis,

• Mechatronic Systems.

The course focuses on the interaction between electronics, control logic, sensors and artificial
intelligence. Compared to the master's degree program

18
However, “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering” lacks reference to the actual
physical, mechanical nature of mechatronic systems, and the perspective on their design/
construction is almost completely missing. No mechanics modules are recommended in any
specialization areas, although they are essential for building robot-like systems. The interaction
between software and mechanics, which characterizes cyber-physical systems, is therefore largely
ignored. Furthermore, the module catalog does not contain any modules from computer science
that would allow even further specialization in the area of artificial intelligence and data analysis.
In contrast, the master's degree program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical
Engineering" allows students to specialize even more in the field of information technology, while
also taking into account the interactions with mechanics that characterize the design of
mechatronic systems.

The master’s degree program “Robotics, Cognition, Intelligence” is offered at CIT. The focus of this
course is on imparting knowledge and skills in controlling robots, signal processing and artificial
intelligence. The focus here is on the software technology of mechatronic systems. In comparison
to the MRBE course, there is a lack of focus on the mechanics of such systems as well as a view of
mechatronic systems as an overall system. The focus here is almost exclusively on the software.
However, the design, construction and construction of robot-like systems is a central topic in
modern mechatronics, especially in the control of robots.

The master's degree program "Medical Technology and Assistance Systems" at TUM ED focuses
on technologies to improve quality of life and novel medical treatment methods for people.
Where necessary, he also deals with aspects of mechatronics and robotics, but with direct clinical
and patient relevance, such as: B. Assistance systems for arthroscopic procedures. In addition to
the task-adapted design of automated handling machines, the focus is on topics such as risk
analysis and questions of clinical approval. In contrast, the MRBE course of study is much broader
for traditional engineering professions. The elective area “Humans and Biomechanics” enables
graduates of the MRBE to consciously focus on humanoid robotics, but without the need for a
direct clinical connection.

6 Structure of the course of study

The standard period of study for the master’s program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering” is four semesters. It is possible to start studying in both the winter
and summer semesters. The number of credit points (CP) to be earned is 120. They are provided
modularly and are divided as follows (see Figure 6a).
• Elective area master modules: 60 CP
• Elective area of university internships: 8 CP
• Elective area of interdisciplinary supplement: 5 CP
• Elective area International Experience: 6 CP
• Elective area research practice: 11 CP
• Master's thesis with scientific work: 30 CP

19
30 CP should be earned in each semester.

Figure 6a: Representation of the curriculum of the four-semester master's program in Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering

The teaching and examination languages are German and English. The Master's thesis can be
written in German or English. The course can also be studied with knowledge of only one of the
two languages, but then with a limited selection of modules.

The elective areas “Master Modules”, “Interdisciplinary Supplement”, “International Experience”

and “University Internships” follow the interdisciplinary, systems engineering training approach of
the Mechanical Engineering Department of the ED and include thematically appropriate modules
from a variety of other TUM departments or schools as well as international ones TUM partners.
The coursework and theses can also be completed within a clearly defined framework outside the
departments or schools under the supervision of professionally qualified examiners. This can
result in the following exemplary study plan (see Figure 6b). Due to the variety of modules in the
elective areas, the forms of examination may also differ from the standard in Figure 6a.

20
Figure 6b: Exemplary study plan of a four-semester master's degree program in Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering

Through digitalized educational processes, training can be significantly more individualized. For
this purpose, a wide variety of teaching/learning formats are used for the different courses, such
as: B. inverted classroom or combinations of online and face-to-face teaching with highly
interactive formats. According to Bloom's or Krathwohl's taxonomy, the acquisition of skills should
be aimed at up to the highest levels, i.e. independent research. The problem-based learning
approach is typically used. The specific teaching methods can be seen in the module descriptions.
Additional innovative offers for obtaining credits such as: B. Summer schools as part of the
International Experience offer students opportunities to gain deeper insights into the respective
subject areas and to improve their knowledge, e.g. B. to be applied to specific use cases and
implemented in practice.

1st and 2nd semester: Master modules, flexibility/in-depth elective subject area,
university internship

In the first year of study, students primarily complete modules from the elective area of master's
modules (amount of each module: usually 5 credits), through which they quickly acquire the
central content of the course of study and their desired field of study, as well as develop the
relevant professional skills. The “Flexibility/In-depth Elective Subject Area” area expands the range
of selectable master’s modules to include engineering modules from other faculties and schools
at TUM as well as other German and international universities. These modules are supplemented
by university internships (amount per module: usually 4 credits), in which students learn, under
supervision, to develop solutions to application-oriented, engineering tasks from their field of
study. Interdisciplinary skills such as communication skills,

21
Holistic thinking, the ability to reflect or organizational skills are trained in the elective area
“interdisciplinary supplementation” (scope per module: usually between 2 and 5 credits).

Elective area Master modules

There are a total of 68 master modules to choose from in the “Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering” master’s degree program. They are divided into six thematic elective
areas. As shown in Figure 6c, the elective areas were created to give students an overview of all
the central subject areas of mechatronics and their intersections. Interdisciplinarity and the
acquisition of comprehensive basic knowledge of mechatronics are guaranteed by this elective
concept.

Figure 6c: Departments in the master’s program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering”

Master modules worth at least 60 credits must be taken. At least five credits or ten credits must be
taken per subject-related elective area in order to ensure subject-specific breadth and an overall
overview of mechatronic systems. Figure 6d shows this election concept and the distribution of
credits. By occupying the elective areas

22
Figure 6d: Elective concept and distribution of credits for “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical
Engineering”

"Electrical engineering including energy technology" and "Computer science", students have the
opportunity to choose modules worth up to 30 credits outside of the ED's module offerings (minimum
enrollment in elective areas 1 to 4, maximum enrollment in elective areas 5 and 6 and choice of
electrical engineering and /or information technology modules in flexibilization). A wide opening,
particularly in the areas of electrical engineering, information technology and computer science,
strengthens the students' interdisciplinary training and is a unique selling point of the course within
and outside of TUM.

The six elective areas consist of: (The complete list of modules is shown below for elective areas
1-3, and exemplary modules for elective areas 4-6.)

1. Elective area 1 “Overall system”: Students acquire methods for interdisciplinary systems
engineering of mechatronic systems, as well as the ability to network the various specialist
areas of mechatronics. At least 10 credits must be chosen in this elective area from the
following module list:

• Intelligent systems and machine learning for production processes (de)

• Machine system technology (de)
• Measuring and sensor technology in mechanical engineering (de)
• Robot dynamics (en)
• Concepts and Software Design for Cyber-Physical Systems
• Engineering Methods and Data Management for Mobile and Stationary
Mechatronics Systems (en)
• From theory to industrial practice – advanced software engineering for
mechatronic systems (en)
• Fundamentals of human centered robotics

2. Elective area 2 “Control engineering”: This elective area enables the acquisition of methods
across the entire spectrum of control engineering, such as state space methods or
modeling methods of control systems. At least 10 credits must be chosen in this elective
area from the following module list:

23
 • Mechatronic device technology (de)
• Modern methods of control engineering 1 (de)
• Modern methods of control engineering 2 (de)
• Advanced Control(s)
• Advanced Robot Control and Learning
• Modeling and Reduction of Complex Systems
• Optimal Control and Decision Making

3. Elective area 3 “Mechanics”: This elective area teaches the basics of the dynamics of
mechatronic systems. At least 5 credits must be chosen in this elective area from the
following module list:

• Movement technique (en)

• Finite elements (en)
• Kinematic design of joint structures with Matlab and CAD (de)
• Gear transmission - design and switching elements (de)
• Vibration Measurement (Experimental Vibration Analysis)
• Engineering Dynamics (Technical Dynamics)
• Multibody Simulation(s)
• Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

4. Elective area 4 “Humans and Biomechanics”: This elective area focuses on human
fundamentals and biomechanics in order to lay the technical foundations for the
development of human-centered systems. Modules on ethical responsibility and
technology assessment are also offered in this area. At least 5 credits must be chosen in
this elective area, e.g. b.

• Digital human modeling: basics (de)

• Digital human modeling: deepening (de)
• Applied biorobotics
• Biomechanics - basics and modeling (de)

5. Elective area 5 “Electrical engineering including energy technology”: This elective area
focuses on the applications of electrical engineering (including energy engineering)
methods for mechatronics. At least 5 credits must be chosen in this elective area, e.g. b.

• Microtechnical sensors/actuators (de)

• Electric actuators and sensors in controlled drives (de)
• Autonomous systems(s)
• Power Electronics for Distributed Energy Systems

6. Elective area 6 “Computer Science”: This elective area focuses on the applications of
computer science and computer-aided processes for mechatronics. At least 5 credits must
be chosen in this elective area, e.g. b.

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 • Virtual Reality in Ergonomics
• Software development for autonomous driving (de/en)
• Physics-based machine learning (en)
• Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence

Flexibility/in-depth elective areas

A maximum of 15 credits can be earned as part of the flexibility/in-depth elective area to enable
subject depth and individual specialization in engineering. In this area, additional master modules
from the master's program in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering and/or
modules from other TUM schools/faculties can be selected. Recognition of non-equivalent
engineering modules from studies at home and abroad is also possible upon application.

Certificates

By taking subject-related modules, students can receive up to two of four possible certificates
when they complete their master's degree. The aim of the certificates is to support students in
structuring and building profiles and to provide employers with guidance on the method-oriented
focuses of future applicants. To obtain the respective certificates, modules amounting to at least
19 credits must be selected from the module lists defined for each certificate and the master's
degree must be completed. All certificates can also be achieved with only English-language
modules. A total of four certificates are offered in the course:

1. Digital mechatronic systems / Digital mechatronic systems (de/en)

• Choice of at least 19 credits from the following module list:
- Digital human modeling basics (de)
- Digital human modeling in-depth (de)
- Intelligent systems and machine learning for production processes (de)
- Measuring system and sensor technology in mechanical engineering (de)
- Advanced Parallel Computing and Solvers for Large Problems in Engineering
- Concepts and Software Design for Cyber-Physical Systems
- Engineering Methods and Data Management for Mobile and Stationary
Mechatronics Systems (en)
- From theory to industrial practice – advanced software engineering for mechatronic
systems (en)
- Virtual Reality in Human Factors Engineering
- A maximum of one of the following two internships:
• Internship “Controller implementation on microcontrollers” (de)
• Internship “Advanced Industrial Software Engineering and Object-Oriented Development
in C++ and Matlab” (en, planned from summer semester 2023)
2. Regulation of complex systems / Control of complex systems (de/en)

25
 • Choose at least 19 credits from elective area 2 “Control engineering” including a maximum of 4
credits from the recommended internships (see Table 1, p. 27).

3. Engineering Mechanics (de/en)

• Choice of at least 19 credits from elective area 3 “Mechanics” including a maximum of 4 credits from
the recommended internships (see Table 1).

4. Biomechatronics / Biomechatronics (de/en)

• Choice of at least 19 credits from elective area 4 “Humans and Biomechanics” including a
maximum of 4 credits from the recommended internships (see Table 1).

Elective area of university internships

In the master's program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering", students choose
university internships (8 credits, usually 2 modules) from a common module catalog, which currently
includes the internships in Table 1, sorted according to recommendations for each elective area. A
targeted expansion of the offering is planned. The current status is available in TUMonline. The module
catalog includes offers from various departments in order to strengthen the interdisciplinarity of
training, especially in the master's programs, which are located on the border between mechanical
engineering and other engineering as well as sports and natural sciences.

The university internships serve as an introduction to practical engineering methods, (software)

tools and/or procedures and are intended to meaningfully complement the content of the chosen
elective area(s). Based on the in-depth elective area, there is a further practical, industry-specific,
fundamental or application or method-oriented in-depth study. The modules usually have a
module size of 4 credits each, as the workload of the internships usually consists of an internship
with 4 SWS (corresponds to 60 hours of attendance or 2 credits) and 60 hours of independent
study (or 2 credits). With the goal of meaningfully supplementing the thematic focus, a module
scope of a total of 8 credits is sufficient to achieve the corresponding qualification goals of the
Master. These 8 credits are usually divided into two modules in order to enable students to
individually and professionally specialize in at least two areas or internships. The restriction to an
internship would not only limit individual choice, but also methodological training.

Table 1. Overview of university internships for the master's degree program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering” with thematic recommendations depending on the elective area (master modules).

26
 pillar Recommended internships

• Industrial robot internship (de)

• Development of intelligent distributed embedded systems in
mechatronics – internship (de)
• Controller implementation on microcontrollers (de)
Elective area 1: • Robot dynamics - internship (de)
“Overall system” • Internship Systems Engineering (de)
• Internship Simulation Technology (de)
• Internship Advanced Industrial Software Engineering and
Object-Oriented Development in C++ and Matlab (en)
• Think. Make. Start)
• Real-time capable devices and robots (en)
Elective area 2: • Modern methods of control engineering (de)
“Control technology” • Controller implementation on microcontrollers (de)
• Computer-aided draft regulations (de)
• Vibration measurement technology internship (de)
Elective area 3: “Mechanics”
• Mechanical internship (de)
• Ergonomic internship (de)
Elective area 4: “Humans and
• Internship Numerical Biomechanics (de/en)
biomechanics”
• Interaction Prototyping (Practical Course)
Elective area 5:
• Internship Electromobility (de)
“Electrical engineering incl.
• Measurement technology-microtechnology (de)
Energy Technology "
• Internship computer-aided regulation design (de)
Elective area 6: “Computer Science” • Internship Industrial Software Development for Engineers /
C++ (de)

After successfully completing the internships, the students have a deep understanding of the
interaction between the theoretical foundation and the practical application of the learned
methods, software tools and/or procedures and can use this knowledge to find solutions to real
engineering problems from their chosen industry-specific, basic-oriented or application-oriented
Develop method-oriented study focus. In the “Simulation Technology Internship,” for example,
application-related skills for modeling and simulating technical products and processes are
taught. Students learn how to use simulation tools such as Matlab/Simulink and the Stateflow
toolbox, which is specialized in mapping state machines, to map continuous and event-oriented
processes in a simulation model and to optimize them with the help of suitable theoretical
methods.

University internships usually take place in small groups. Here, students independently develop
solutions to concrete, realistic tasks in individual and/or group work and can clarify questions and
discuss further topics with their supervisors in individual meeting units. In the university
internships in the master's program, the approach of research-based learning, which was already
characteristic of the project seminar of the ED bachelor's program in mechanical engineering, is
taken up again and deepened.

27
3rd and 4th semesters: Flexibility/in-depth elective subject area, university internship,
international experience, interdisciplinary supplement, research practice and master's thesis

In the second year of study, students complete additional master's modules and expand their
interdisciplinary and specialist skills by choosing modules in the areas of “interdisciplinary
supplementation” and “international experience”. The “International Experience” also promotes
international further education for students. Through the “Research Practice” module, students
are specifically trained in independent scientific work. As part of the Master's thesis (with the
seminar “Key competencies for scientific practice - development”), this competence is further
deepened.

Elective area International Experience/stay abroad

The “International Experience” elective area (scope: 6 credits) promotes students’ international
further education. Depending on their individual needs and inclinations, students choose from
one of the following areas in order to strengthen their professional competence and their
specialist language skills at an international level:

• International virtual (distance learning) and face-to-face courses of the EuroTeQ

program (https://euroteq.eurotech-universities.eu/initiatives/building-a-
europeancampus/course-catalogue/ ),

• International subject-related summer and winter schools at a

university institution,
• preferably English-language supplementary modules from the TUM ED module
catalog (current overview in TUMonline),
• Selected, preferably English-language courses from the TUM Integrative
Research Institutes MIRMI, MDSI and MEP that are currently being developed14
,
• Selected, preferably English-language courses from the UnternehmerTUM
program for students to strengthen entrepreneurship and leadership skills as
well as technologies (e.g. Technology
Entrepreneurship Lab;https://www.unternehmentum.de/angebot/academy-
forinnovators ).

Students who also want to integrate a stay abroad into their studies can generally do this in all
semesters of the master's program: The diverse range of master's modules, university
internships, interdisciplinary supplements and international experience modules, some in the
winter semester and some in the summer semester can be attended, the research practice and
the Master's thesis, which can also be carried out at a partner institution abroad, bring the
flexibility necessary for the stay abroad into the study plan.

14https://www.mirmi.tum.de/mirmi/home/ ;https://www.mdsi.tum.de/mdsi/startseite/ ;
https://www.mep.tum.de/mep/startseite/ (accessed on October 14, 2022).

28
Achievements completed abroad in the area of interdisciplinary supplements and international
experience will be recognized upon application to the ED Master's Examination Board, provided
there is no significant difference. The following recognition options are available for master's
modules: Modules with a scope of at least 3 credits, for which equivalent modules can be
determined in the ED master's module catalog, will - if no precedents already exist - be checked
for recognition by the responsible lecturers upon request. If precedents exist, there is no need for
review by teachers. In this case, the master's examination board decides on the basis of a
recognition list that is updated regularly.

Modules with a scope of at least 3 credits for which no equivalent modules could be identified in
the ED master module catalog can - after consultation - be recognized for a maximum of 15
credits in the elective area “Flexibility/In-depth Elective Areas”. A recognition list is also maintained
for these modules.

If students are planning a study-related stay abroad, the following options are available to them
at the ED:

• A one- or two-semester ERASMUS study stay at one of the currently over 80 European
mechanical engineering partner universities at the ED,
• a two to four semester double degree course at one of ED's currently ten predominantly
European mechanical engineering partner universities, for which both the Master of
Science (TUM) and the degree from the partner university are awarded,
• a study visit to a university cooperation partner of a TUM professorship with the right to
write a topic, often used to write a semester paper or a master's thesis,

• a one- or two-semester study visit to one of TUM's numerous non-European partner

universities via the TUMexchange program,
• a one- or two-semester internship abroad.
In addition, students are free to privately organize stays abroad outside of existing partnerships.

Elective area Interdisciplinary supplement

In the master's program "Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering", students

choose interdisciplinary supplements (5 credits, usually 1-2 modules) in the areas of ethics,
philosophy, language and transversal key skills in order to develop their ability to reflect, their
social, economic and political contextual skills, to strengthen their language skills and their self-
development. The following offer, the targeted expansion of which is planned, is available:

• Selected modules from the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology (SOT) to
strengthen interdisciplinary research and teaching that deal with the interrelationship
between technology and society as well as ethical issues,

29
 • Module “Ethics Applications in Human-Technology Research” (MW2457; 2 CP),

• changing offers as part of the module studies in philosophy (TUM) at the Munich University
of Philosophy (HFPH),

• University language courses in all languages offered and at all levels of the European
Framework of Reference for Languages (including German language courses for foreign
students) at TUM or abroad,

• Changing offers in the area of transversal key competencies from the Center for Key
Competencies (ZSK):
https://wiki.tum.de/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=963839191

The current status is available in TUMonline and on the websites mentioned. At least 3 credits
must be chosen from the area of ethics/philosophy (“Ethics of human-centered engineering”).

The interdisciplinary aspects of the qualification profile, which enable graduates to carry out
qualified professional work and civic engagement as well as to develop their personality, do not
only take place in the elective area mentioned above. Rather, a large number of modules,
particularly in the areas of international experience, research practice and the master's thesis,
include elements of personality development.
TUM also offers a variety of outstanding student initiatives. With the student teamTUMBoring15
Students gain practical experience in various areas such as design and development or
management. In September 2021, the team managed to win the competition final of the “Not-a-
Boring Competition” in Las Vegas announced by Elon Musk and his tunnel drilling company “The
Boring Company”. It successfully prevailed against 390 other teams.

As part of student competitions (e.g. Tech4Bavaria Challenge16) in the area of automation and
crafts, students should, on the one hand, develop professional skills in conceptual planning,
commercial calculation and technical implementation of a sophisticated mechatronic system. On
the other hand, students should be able to develop helpful soft skills in the areas of time
management, team organization and presentation of results by working together in a team.

Most of these initiatives are connected to one or more professorships, which are the contact point
for technical and administrative support and make infrastructure (particularly workshop
workstations, machines and tools) available for shared use. The groups themselves are places of
lively interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange in which students from different nationalities
and disciplines - from natural sciences, computer science, engineering and economics and social
sciences - come together in teams to work together on projects and often participate to prepare
for top-class international competitions.

Students who are active in these groups develop their personality, methodological and social skills
and gain a variety of ideas that go far beyond the purely technical

15https://tum-boring.com/de/unser-team (Accessed on October 14, 2022).

16https://www.mec.ed.tum.de/ais/competition/ (Accessed on October 14, 2022).

30
go out. You will gain practical experience, particularly in project management (dates, costs,
personnel, communication, ...), in interdisciplinary and intercultural team work but also in press
and public relations and finding sponsors.

Elective area of research practice

Within the “Research Practice” elective area, students choose either academic work as part of a
team project, a semester paper or a research internship. Each of the three options mentioned is
graded and awarded 11 credits. For the master's degree in “Mechatronics, Robotics, and
Biomechanical Engineering”, work in the areas of the disciplines and research focuses relevant to
mechatronics, robotics and biomechanics is particularly suitable.

Team project

By participating in the team project module, students practice the activities of a mechatronics
engineer. The team project is designed as project work. Each student usually works on an
individual project that is part of a larger project context in which several students work on partial
aspects of a project in parallel under the guidance of an examiner. This opens up increased
opportunities for professional exchange within the project team, which can bring about
professional synergies and contribute to further strengthening of social skills. The individual
contribution of each student must be clearly assigned and will be graded. The examiners support
the students by introducing the topic at the beginning of the work, providing suitable literature
and giving advice both during the technical work and when preparing the written paper.

The semester work module builds on the skills that the students have acquired as part of their
bachelor's thesis and deepens them. The aim of the module is to enable students to work on a
scientific problem from the field of mechatronics largely independently using the methods
learned during their studies and to assess it based on the relevant specialist literature. They use
their in-depth know-how in the use of software tools and/or programming languages
independently and in a targeted manner to work on a specific interdisciplinary problem. The
results are evaluated, summarized, checked for plausibility by the students and interpreted
scientifically. On this basis, students are able to formulate new observations and findings.
Processing is carried out according to an independently created project plan within the scheduled
processing time.

At the end of the module, students are also familiar with the guidelines for ensuring good
scientific practice. You are confident in writing a scientific paper, especially in scientific language,
in citation rules, in structuring the work and in presenting and discussing the results.

31
Term paper

The “semester work” option is largely identical to the team project in terms of content, methods
and objectives. The main difference is that a project is worked on individually with the support of
an examiner. Semester work and team projects are both equally suitable for laying the foundation
for a Master's thesis.

Research internship

The research internship - like a team project and semester paper - is carried out at a university
professorship that is authorized to examine in the ED or at a scientific research institution
(including international) that cooperates with the ED. The aim of the module is for students to
work out their own engineering problem under the guidance of academic staff or university
lecturers and to identify possible solutions, which can be worked on in the subsequent Master's
thesis. This format can be supplemented by seminar-like additional events, journal clubs (peer
review in small groups) and retreats (examinations lasting several days to deepen and discuss
scientific topics), which serve to use presentation techniques as well as the ability to analyze and
evaluate possible solutions and appropriate communication. In contrast to team projects and
semester papers, greater emphasis can be placed on additional events and the scientific work can
be smaller.

Compulsory module “Master's Thesis” (with seminar “Key competencies for

scientific practice – development”)

The “Master's Thesis” module ties in with research practice in terms of content, methodology and
objectives and helps to expand and deepen the skills acquired there. As part of the Master's
thesis, students also work on an interdisciplinary engineering project, which, however, is
significantly more extensive and demanding than the bachelor's or semester work projects.
Although an examiner is available as a contact person here, special emphasis is placed on working
on the project as independently as possible. The services to be provided are a scientific paper,
which is accompanied by a final lecture, as well as the report for the seminar on scientific work -
development (ZSK). The master's thesis is supervised and evaluated by an expert examiner who
has been appointed as the topic provider for the master's degree program “Mechatronics,
Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering”.

After successfully completing the module, students are able to work on scientific problems in
mechatronics independently and to design their own methods and solution approaches using the
specialist knowledge from their studies as well as relevant specialist literature, which they use
independently. The students apply the methods and tools they have learned from mechatronics
and biomechanics to a comprehensive engineering problem and learn to recognize both the
advantages and limitations of these methods. The results are evaluated and summarized by the

32
Students checked for plausibility and scientifically justified. Based on their results, the students
are able to justify and prove their new methods and solutions. Processing is carried out according
to an independently created project plan within the scheduled processing time.

Furthermore, students are able to write a scientific paper independently without the help of a
supervisor, while complying with the TUM statutes for ensuring good scientific practice and
misconduct and applying the quality criteria of good scientific practice. In addition, students are
enabled to criteria
of academic writing and work and to reflect on them on your own
Transferring scientific work as well own projects according to the existing criteria
to plan, structure and implement as well as to reflect critically. If possible, scientific publishing
within one's own research group should be tried out as part of the Master's thesis.

In the area of presenting, they demonstrate their rhetorical and technical skills. They impress
with a structured lecture in which they present important aspects of the Master's thesis in a
compact and complete manner to an expert audience within the given lecture time in an
understandable and comprehensible manner.

In the seminar Scientific Work - Development (ZSK), students acquire in-depth knowledge of how
to design their Master's thesis. Knowledge, skills and abilities for writing the scientific thesis
should be internalized. The focus here is on the above-mentioned ability to reflect on one's own
scientific work, the planning and implementation of one's own scientific project, as well as
presenting scientific findings in an adequate manner based on common standards. The research
of relevant literature from the perspective of qualitative selection is focused and scientific
literature databases are evaluated. Through research, the students learn to overview the research
groups and to look at the latest status in the subject area. This makes it possible to gain a
qualitative overview of the research debates on the topic and to present scientific findings in an
appropriate manner based on common standards. Furthermore, students learn to independently
control the process of writing their own scientific work and to reflect on questions of scientific
ethics and to incorporate these into their own project.

7 Organizational connections and responsibilities

administration

Organizationally, the master’s degree program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical

Engineering” is located at the TUM ED. The majority of the compulsory and elective modules are
offered by the ED teaching staff. In particular, the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine
Intelligence (MIRMI) and the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology (CIT)
provide additional modules for this course of study.

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The central work areas of the TUM Center for Study and Teaching (TUM CST) and other ED
facilities are responsible for administrative aspects of study organization (see the following
overview):

• General Course Guidance:

TUM CST - Student advice and information (information and advice for
prospective students via hotline/service desk)
E-mail:[email protected]
Tel.: + 49 (0)89 289 22245

• Subject-specific study advice ED:

Ms. Dr.-Ing. Anna Reif

[email protected]
+ 49 (0)89 / 289 15022
Room: MW 0026a

• Advice on stays abroad/internationalization:

TUM Global & Alumni Office: Email:
[email protected]

ED:
Ms. Saskia Ammon
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)89 / 289 15021
Room: MW 2011
Ms. Ammon primarily looks after students who are planning or carrying out an ERASMUS
study stay or a double degree course at a TUM partner university. The TUM Global and
Alumni Office is responsible for the ERASMUS internship program and a study visit via
TUMexchange.

• Women’s representative at the ED:

Dr. Annette Spengler

E-mail:[email protected]
Tel.: + 49 (0)89) 289 27102

• Advice on barrier-free studies:

TUM CST - Service point for disabled and chronically ill students and prospective
students
E-mail:[email protected]
Tel.: + 49 (0)89 289 22737

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 decentralized: Ms. Dr. Ingrid Mayershofer
Email: [email protected]

Tel: +49 (0)89 / 289 15020

• Application and enrollment:

The TUM CST, Application and Enrollment Department is responsible for the formal
application process.
TUM CST - Application and Enrollment Email:
[email protected]
Tel.: + 49 (0)89 289 22245

As part of the professional aptitude assessment (aptitude procedure), applicants

are supervised by:
Ms. Lisa Käsdorf and Ms. Martina Sommer
[email protected]
+ 49 (0)89 / 289 15697
+ 49 (0)89 / 289 15696
Room: MW 0026a

• Contributions and scholarships:

TUM CST – Contributions and scholarships (semester contributions, scholarships)

Email:[email protected]

• Central examination matters:

The central examination matters (notifications, final documentation) are handled by the CST,
Graduation Office and Academic Records, Garching Campus.

• Decentralized exam administration:

The decentralized examination administration is the responsibility of the Master's Examination Committee in

Mechanical Engineering.

Chairman: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Zäh

Secretary: Mrs. Rosemarie Nadig
[email protected]
+ 49 (0)89 / 289 15695
Room: MW 0012

Processing: Ms. Korinna Schroll

[email protected]
+ 49 (0)89 / 289 15693
Room: MW 0011a

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• Quality management studies and teaching

TUM CST - Study and Teaching - Quality Management:

www.lehren.tum.de/startseite/team-hrsl/

ED:
Dean of Studies: Prof. Dipl. Arch. ETH Mark Michaeli Email:
[email protected]

Quality management: Brit warrior

E-mail:[email protected]

Organization of the QM circle: Dr. Ingrid Mayershofer

Email: [email protected]

Evaluation officer: Dr. Thomas Wagner

Email: [email protected]

Coordination of module management Dr.-Ing. Anna Reif

Email: [email protected]

Overall responsibility and coordination lies with the incumbent Academic Program Director.
Since 2022 this has been Prof. Dr.-Ing. Veit Senner. He is supported in carrying out the
associated tasks by Dr. Ingrid Mayershofer (Tel.: +49 (0)89 / 289
- 15020; [email protected] ) and Dr.-Ing. Anna Reif (Tel: +49 0(89) / 289 – 15022;
[email protected] ).

8th Developments in the course

The master’s degree program “Mechatronics, Robotics, and Biomechanical Engineering” takes up
the tradition of the master’s degree program in Mechatronics and Robotics, which is now being
phased out. A key difference to its predecessor is the significantly increased interdisciplinarity of
the courses offered and the strengthening of systems engineering thinking and the competence
to design mechatronic systems. In addition, people and the human-mechatronics interface are
placed more at the center of the degree program, especially through the new elective area
“Biomechanics” in order to give people more space in the degree program.
On the one hand, this responds to the future needs of employers, which were discussed in more
detail in the last expanded quality management circle for the course. On the other hand, this
realignment goes hand in hand with changes at the personnel and structural level: A new
professorship for biomechanics is imminent at the ED, which will play a key role in teaching the
course. In addition, the further development of the course is based on the competency profile and
the new one

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TUM teaching concept in relation to the new school structures and comprehensive Integrated
Research Institutes.
The strategic expansion of the competence profile to include the topic of “Humans and
Biomechanics” is also linked to the idea of addressing more female interested parties, who are
currently significantly underrepresented in the degree program at 17%.17How attractive human-
centered engineering courses can have on female students is shown, for example, by: B. the TUM
M.Sc. “Human Factors Engineering” with a female quota of over 50%.

Bearing in mind the fact that the diverse and dazzling future topic of “digitalization” cannot be
sensibly dealt with alone on the basis of the state of knowledge in one discipline, the ED has
designed the new course of study to be extremely interdisciplinary. As part of their elective
master's modules, students have the opportunity to choose not only suitable modules from
mechanical engineering but also from a specified catalog of modules from electrical engineering,
information technology and computer science. In addition, you are free to choose additional
modules from the above-mentioned or other departments or schools as part of the “Flexibility/In-
depth Elective Areas” elective area. University internships, interdisciplinary supplements and
international experience modules as well as coursework can also be completed to a certain extent
at other TUM schools.
However, the principles of interdisciplinarity and flexibility do not stop at the borders of the TUM:
the recognition of engineering modules that have been completed at other domestic and foreign
universities is also made easier, which also contributes to increasing the internationality of the
degree program. Through the International Experience, the international orientation and training
of the students becomes more visible in the curriculum.
For the students, the course of study will not only be more interdisciplinary, more flexible, more
international and more up-to-date. It also opens up certain scope for individualizing the study
program via the “Flexibility/In-depth Elective Areas” elective area. The assignment of the master's
modules to six thematic elective areas (master's modules) - complete systems, control
engineering, mechanics, humans and biomechanics, electrical engineering including energy
technology and computer science - also facilitates orientation and increases the transparency of
the courses on offer.
Overall, a future-oriented and competitive course of study has been created, which we are
continually working to further develop: Let's engineer the future!

17TUM dashboard, mechatronics and robotics study cases, as of summer semester 2022, accessed on October 4th, 2022.

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