International Master's Programme in Infrastructure Planning – MIP University of Stuttgart

A well-planned system of infrastructure facilities is the primary prerequisite for development. On the international level, there is a pressing need for professionals capable of directing the conception, planning and construction of necessary infrastructure facilities for transport, water, and waste management at the urban as well as the regional level of integrating economic, social, ecological and management requirements. With the Master's programme in Infrastructure Planning, the University of Stuttgart has been offering a practice-oriented and internationally acclaimed Master's programme since 1983.

Faculty members of 13 different institutes and experienced practitioners offer their knowledge to the limited number of 35 students per course. Emphasis is placed on an interdisciplinary approach to planning, which is essential for modern infrastructure planning and international cooperation.
Modules offered include the following: Introduction to Integrated Planning, Transportation Planning and Modelling, Regional and Urban Planning, Economics, Statistics and Information Processing, GIS and Data Acquisition, Methodological Aspects of Planning, Tendering, Contracting and Project Management, Development Policy and Planning, Ecological Aspects of Infrastructure Planning, Energy Supply, Water and Waste Management, Project Appraisal, Planning and Financing, Integrated Case Study, and more.

Details on the modules offered can be found on the homepage of the Master's programme in Infrastructure Planning.

The tightly structured full-time study programme is divided into four semesters. The first semester provides basic modules to broaden the professional horizon and the second semester offers a variety of electives.
In the third semester, besides additional electives, a large case study deals with the complex problems of integrated infrastructure planning and the challenges of interdisciplinary teamwork. Intensive group work provides training in methods applied successfully in Germany.

During the fourth semester, students write their individual Master's thesis on a topic in infrastructure planning, which may address a problem or project relevant to their respective home country.

It is not mandatory for admission, but it is recommended that students have some professional experience before they enter the programme. Thus, no mandatory internship period is included in the schedule, but students who do not have extensive professional experience are welcome to integrate an internship that is closely related to the topic of the Master's thesis into the fourth semester of their studies.

• Admission requirements include a qualified Bachelor's degree (minimum three years / six semesters) in civil engineering, architecture, urban planning, regional planning or closely related fields.
• Bachelor's studies have to be completed by the time of application. Temporary, provisional or preliminary Bachelor's degree certificates are not accepted. 
• Professional experience related to the field of infrastructure planning is recommended, but not mandatory for the application.
• All mandatory documents must be uploaded with the online application. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.
• A letter stating English as the medium of instruction is not accepted as proof or English proficiency. Please find details on our website.

Approx. 200 EUR per semester

Living expenses amount to about 1,050 EUR per month. Non-EU students will have to demonstrate that they have sufficient finances to cover living expenses for 12 months. EU citizens may apply for state-guaranteed loans during the time of enrolment. 

For more information, see the links on our website.

Please be aware that it may be very challenging to finance your whole studies by working. Non-EU citizens are allowed by law to work for a maximum of 120 days per year. Only students who are employed by the university in one of the institutes or departments (Studentische/Wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte) are exempt from this regulation, but other restrictions apply.

For more detailed information, please consult the following websites:
International Students: Financing Your Studies and Working During Your Studies.

Please check our website on financial aid and scholarships: https://www.uni-stuttgart.de/en/study/new-in-stuttgart/finances/international/.

Students can consult the lecturers, the university staff, and the MIP programme directors for counselling regarding career options.

Both the campus in Stuttgart-Vaihingen and the campus in the centre of Stuttgart have on-site halls of residence. Dorm rooms (ranging from 320 EUR to 650 EUR per month) are furnished. Some are equipped with a sink, and all have access to a kitchen and sanitary facilities, telephone and Internet. From the campus in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, the city of Stuttgart can be reached by suburban railway within ten minutes.

Intelligent systems to benefit society

The University of Stuttgart is one of the leading technically oriented universities in Germany with global significance. It sees itself as a centre of university-based, non-university, and industrial research. Furthermore, it takes on a role as a guarantor of research-based teaching, focused on quality and holism. The university promotes the transfer of knowledge and technologies to society in all its areas of expertise and competence. The "Stuttgarter Weg" (Stuttgart Way) means an interdisciplinary integration of engineering, natural sciences, humanities, management, economics and social sciences based on the fundamentals of cutting-edge research at a disciplinary level. Our vision is “intelligent systems to benefit society”.

Excellent research and teaching

The University of Stuttgart implements innovative concepts in research and teaching in order to provide knowledge and strategies for a meaningful and sustainable development. It focuses on basic research that is both knowledge-oriented and application-related. To facilitate this research, the university is actively part of regional, national and international research networks.

The university is committed to the principle of unity between research and teaching. Students acquire knowledge, expertise and the power of judgement, in accordance with the guidelines of scientific research and awareness. The university fosters fascination for the sciences, supporting its students and junior researchers at all stages of their careers. It promotes independent thinking and provides an environment for responsible action. In doing so, it educates individuals into becoming exceptional experts who think in an integrative and global manner and act responsibly in the sciences, economics and society.

A powerful region

Founded in 1829, at the beginning of the Industrial Age, the University of Stuttgart continues to prepare the way for innovation within an economically and scientifically powerful region and contributes to the economic success and prosperity of our society. This process combines the requirements of a social and cultural change, which allows for an early and extensive input of social interests in research and design as well as teaching and further education.

Open-mindedness

The University of Stuttgart stands for open-mindedness, individuality and community spirit. It brings together students who are eager to learn, highly motivated employees, outstanding teachers, and excellent researchers, as well as visionary thinkers and inventors. By means of its culture of integration, the university creates and conveys knowledge for shaping the future of our society.

The University of Stuttgart is nestled in one of Europe’s most vibrant industrial regions. This fosters many forms of interdisciplinary collaboration — for instance, in numerous Collaborative Research Centres (also known as CRC or sometimes CRC/TRR) and in application-oriented research assignments. The University of Stuttgart sets up a close relationship and a successful transfer of knowledge and technology between its research institutions and business enterprises in the region and beyond. This very practical orientation benefits research and teaching. At the same time, economic players profit from rapid access to new scientific knowledge and contact to experts in their specialised fields. There are numerous possibilities of collaboration for businesses. Furthermore, the university also maintains a close relationship with non-university research institutions such as the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer Society, the German Aerospace Centre, and the German Literature Archive Marbach. Thus, the optimal prerequisites for cutting-edge research at the highest level are all to be found in Stuttgart.