Transportation Economics and Data Science Dresden University of Technology

Our Master’s programme in Transportation Economics and Data Science provides you with scientific methods and tools for understanding, processing and solving imminent transport-related issues.

The compulsory module (25 credits) provides the sound methodological knowledge for this degree programme.

As part of the elective modules (65 credits), at least four modules from five offered specialisations, one from five research seminars, as well as supplementary courses from the fields of transport economics, economics, business administration, transport engineering, technical languages ​​and a professional internship must be chosen.

These are the five specialisations:

• Computational Logistics: The course content consists of analytical methods for solving problems and supporting decisions in transport and logistics companies as well as managing transport systems and services.
• Transport Policy: The course content consists of economic and econometric methods for the analysis of a variety of transport policy issues (e.g. emissions, congestion, noise, and safety) and the design and assessment of adequate transport policy measures.
• Spatial and Environmental Economics: Contents include economic and econometric methods for analysing the spatial, economic and environmental impact of mobility in cities and regions as well as the evaluation and design of relevant policy interventions to improve the spatial allocation and reduce negative environmental impacts of transport.
• Statistics: This course deals with methods of multivariate statistics. The theoretical basics as well as the application of the methods to transport and economic data are covered.
• Data Analytics in Transportation: This course covers methods of data analytics and their application. These methods are relevant for preparing and analysing surveys and experiments and studying structured and unstructured data (Big Data) in the transport sector.

In addition, you can acquire skills in foreign languages or integrate a vocational internship into your studies. Therefore, the Master's programme provides a high level of flexibility. You can include your ideas, wishes and interests in your studies.

The degree programme has a modular structure and runs over four semesters (eight semesters in part-time study). Modules worth at least 90 credit points (ECTS) have to be taken. The module examinations are taken during the course of study. A Master's thesis (fourth semester or seventh or eighth semester) including a disputation must be completed (30 ECTS).

First Semester (30 ECTS):

• 25 ECTS Compulsory modules (a total of five modules of 5 ECTS each: all five courses are compulsory):

1. Operations Research and Logistics
2. Methods in Transport Policy
3. Spatial Economics and the Environment
4. Theoretical Multivariate Statistics
5. Methods in Data Analytics

• 5 ECTS Supplementary courses (usually one module)

Objective: Creating common methodological knowledge in addition to the admission requirements as preparation for the specialisations

Second Semester (30 ECTS):

• 20 ECTS in modules of specialisations in transport economics 

• 10 ECTS Supplementary courses (compulsory elective modules; in-depth modules of non-selected specialisations in transportation economics: modules in economics, transport engineering, foreign language and selected modules of other degree programmes)

Third Semester (30 ECTS; mobility window):

• 15 ECTS Research work: in one of the two chosen specialisations (compulsory elective)
  • The aim of the research work is to deal in depth and in a research-oriented manner with a transport economics topic. This will usually be done as a preliminary work for the Master's thesis.
• In addition, you can choose one of the following:
  • 15 ECTS Supplementary courses (modules from economics, transport engineering, foreign language communication and individual modules from other degree programmes) or
  • 15 ECTS Work experience (vocational internship) (compulsory elective module)

You can use the third semester (mobility window) for studying abroad or including a vocational internship in your studies.

• Students and supervisors can organise the research work to fit the plans for studying abroad or doing an vocational internship by individual agreements.
• You can transfer a further 15 ECTS from modules completed at a university abroad.
• The vocational internship (15 ECTS) can be national or international.

Fourth Semester (30 ECTS):

• 30 ECTS Master's thesis: You will write the Master's thesis in one of the chosen specialisations. 

Optionally, you can complete a vocational internship in the third semester.

• For international applicants:
  • non-EU applicants: 1 April to 31 May
  • EU applicants: 1 April to 15 July
• for German applicants and educational residents:
  • for aptitude assessment procedures: 1 June to 15 July
  • for the degree programme: 1 June to 15 September

The prerequisites for admission to the programme are:

• a first university degree recognised in Germany that qualifies you for a specific profession, or a degree from a state or state-recognised university of cooperative education in the field of economics, transportation economics, or from a STEM field (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology) or a degree in another course of study with a strong quantitative orientation in terms of content
• In addition, special knowledge in the fields of economics, business management, and quantitative methods (mathematics, statistics, econometrics, operations research, programming, data analytics) is required.*

* For more details, see: https://tu-dresden.de/studium/vor-dem-studium/studienangebot/sins/sins_eignungsfeststellung_detail?autoid=31374.

Currently, students pay approx. 340 EUR per semester (i.e. for six months). This includes a ticket for public transport and regional trains in all of Germany ("Deutschlandticket"). Additionally, students can use a bike rental service all over the city for free for 30 min. The contribution also assures concessions in the university cafeterias and offers benefits (e.g. price reductions) for many cultural and leisure activities in Dresden.

Dresden offers high quality of living at very moderate costs. Currently, students should expect to pay around 850 EUR per month including rent, food, insurance and basic expenses. This figure is relatively low compared to other big German cities.

In order to top up their budget, some students may want to look for temporary work in Dresden. If so, different regulations apply for students from EU member states, countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, and students from outside the European Union and the EEA area. In addition, restrictions on the duration of employment may apply. Professors, lecturers and group leaders involved in the Master's programme may offer students the possibility of working as academic assistants. However, living expenses can be financed only partially through a job as an academic assistant.

Information on scholarships and funding for students is summarised on a dedicated web page of the TU Dresden.

TU Dresden offers plenty of counselling and training within its Career Service to help students with finding professional orientation. They offer workshops to equip students with professional skills and help optimise their CVs.

Additionally, there are special workshops for international students to get to know the German and Saxon job market and network.

It is still relatively easy to find affordable accommodation in Dresden. Accommodation is available either via the "Studentenwerk Dresden" or on the private market. Rent for a single room in a student residence is approx. 250 EUR per month.
Private housing can be found online. We recommend that you move into a hall of residence at the beginning of your stay in Dresden. Subsequently, you can look for a place on the private market or in a shared apartment, which is known as a "Wohngemeinschaft" in German.