Bachelor's in Civil Engineering - Cooperative Degree
The 7-semester cooperative Bachelor’s program in Civil Engineering leads to a first professional qualification. In a cooperative degree course, students are trained both at university and in their host company.
Upon successfully completing their studies, graduates will have acquired extensive and comprehensive knowledge of their profession. This includes fundamental scientific principles, their practical application and a critical understanding of the most important theories and methods in civil engineering, while taking into account developments in the field. They are equipped with a very broad range of methods for dealing with complex problems in their field of professional activity and have acquired the skills to develop new solutions and evaluate these, with due regard to a diverse range of norms and constantly changing demands.
In addition to their professional training, students acquire the skills of teamwork, complex thinking, creativity and imagination in problem solving, decisiveness, assertiveness and flexibility, as well as socially responsible and environmentally conscious behaviour.
The program concludes with the academic degree of Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) which is necessary for obtaining the authorization of the Thuringian Chamber of Engineers to submit building documents and enables students to proceed to the consecutive 3-semester Master's program.
Special features of the cooperative degree program
The students are employed by their host company and receive an employment contract with pay. This contract guarantees, for example, that the student will be able to attend lectures and take examinations at the university in order to successfully complete their studies. You can find our step-by-step guide to cooperative study here.
Partner companies for the cooperative degree program
These are the partner companies that work together with us on our cooperative degree programs.
Course Contents
The cooperative Bachelor's degree program offers all of the same subjects as the regular Bachelor's in Civil Engineering This means that you will still be able to work in all fields of Civil Engineering later on in your career. The 7-semester Bachelor's program, which has accreditation until 2029, begins with fundamental studies in the natural sciences and technology, on which further practical modules are based. Each module lasts for one semester and is examined independently. A certain number of credit points (CP) is assigned to each module as a measure of the average workload. As a rule, this workload accounts for 30 credit points per semester.
In general, all of the modules are classified according to the following module packages :
- Mathematical and Scientific Foundations
- Fundamental Specialist Knowledge
- Structural Engineering
- Water and Waste Management
- Transport and Spatial Planning
- Construction Management
- Digital Design and Construction
A significant part of the course takes place in our department’s state-of-the-art laboratories. The high-performance computer pools, BIM lab and geodetic lab also make it possible to offer a high proportion of modern IT-related course content.
Cooperative Study
Numerous work placements during the lecture-free period are both important components and also the essential feature of the cooperative degree course. Seminars are integrated into the work placements to help develop social skills (communication, teamwork, conflict management, etc.). In addition, lectures and seminars on safety at work, business management and legal issues round off the unique profile of the cooperative degree program.
Specializations and "Specialization Plus"
In the 6th semester, students choose one of three areas of specialization:
- Construction Management and Digital Design/Construction
- Structural Engineering
- Environmental, Geotechnical and Infrastructure Engineering
From the 5th semester onwards, students are offered the opportunity for earlier and additional specialist training in the three areas of specialization through the study model Specialization Plus. Depending on the chosen area of specialization, this comprises several compulsory electives with 5 CP in each of the 5th and 6th semesters, from which one to four modules can be freely selected depending on the semester of study and specialization, up to a total of 30 CP per semester. Due to the flexible elective options in the Specialization Plus study model, it is possible for students to tailor their degree program to their individual needs.
The main focus in the 7th semester is the 12-week engineering placement. The student completes their degree program by writing their Bachelor’s thesis.
Overview
Program Structure
The degree program begins in the winter semester of each year. You will find the annual semester dates on the right-hand side under “Information on your Studies” / “Semester Dates at FH Erfurt”. The 7-semester Bachelor’s program is structured as follows:
1st Semester: Mathematics I, Building Materials I, Structural Mechanics I, Computing in Civil Engineering, Building Construction I and Building Code Law I, Work Placement I
2nd Semester: Mathematics II, Building Materials II, Structural Mechanics II, Structural Mechanics III, Building Construction II and Building Code Law, Work Placement II
3rd Semester: Structural Mechanics IV, Geotechnical Engineering I, Construction Management/Construction Technology, Solid Construction I, Building Physics, Work Placement III
4th Semester: Steel Construction I, Timber Construction I, Construction Management, Solid Construction II, Geodesy, Hydromechanics, Work Placement IV
5th Semester: Steel Construction II and Timber Construction II, Hydraulic Engineering I and Water Resource Management I, Digital Working Methods in Civil Engineering, Solid Construction III, Road Engineering I, Commercial Management, Site Coordinator
6th Semester: Environmental Engineering I, Sanitary Engineering I, Construction Site Management and Construction Law/Construction Contract Law, Road Engineering II, Specialization: Construction Management and Digital Design/Construction (BDP), Structural Engineering (KIB) or Environmental, Geotechnical and Road Engineering (UGV), Work Placement V
7th Semester: Engineering placement (Work Placement VI), practical week, Bachelor’s thesis
Prep Courses
In order to help students make the transition to university, preparatory courses in Mathematics and CAD are offered before the semester starts, and the degree program begins with three induction days.
Information on your studies
Applications
Please apply online through the applications portal of the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt (see "Links to Applications" / Applications portal at FHE" on the right-hand side). You can also find the current application deadlines here. Further documents must then be submitted to the Student Admissions Office by post from May onwards. These include:
- a copy of your university entrance qualifications (e.g. Abitur, Fachhochschulreife)
- if applicable, confirmation of military or civilian service, participation in state volunteering schemes (FSJ, FÖJ, BFD)
Entry requirements
Applicants must complete a 6-week pre-study placement in their future host company in order to be admitted to the cooperative degree program. The pre-study placement must be completed before the start of the degree course and proof of this must be provided for admission to the degree program. A completed apprenticeship as a bricklayer, concrete worker, carpenter, road builder, draughtsperson or, if applicable, other appropriate work placements, will be recognized as a pre-study placement as long as it was carried out in the company for which the student will be working during their cooperative degree. Furthermore, you also need to have a contract of employment with the host company that is legal and valid for the duration of the degree course.
Application links
- Applying to FHE
- Student Advisory Service
- Step-by-step guide to cooperative study
