The Master's programme in Bio-Materials Engineering is designed for four semesters. In the first three semesters, courses and projects are completed, and the fourth semester is dedicated solely to the Master's thesis.

In four different elective subject areas, you can tailor your studies to your interests by choosing modules.

Compulsory Courses

There are two compulsory courses you will have to attend:

Fiber-Based Biomaterials Processing

Discover how fiber plants are transformed into innovative biomaterials, exploring production processes for cellulose, viscose, and nanocellulose. Learn about the ecological, economic, and technical aspects of fiber-based materials, with a focus on paper production and advanced nonwoven technologies.

Fundamentals of Tissue Engineering and Biofabrication

Uncover the principles of tissue engineering and biofabrication, from material selection to cell characterization and 3D bioprinting. Gain hands-on insight into cutting-edge technologies and their applications in both laboratory and clinical settings

Compulsory elective area I

In the “Elective Compulsory Area – Digitalisation” you can decide whether you want to take just one or more of the three modules:

• Digitalisation in Production
• Machine Learning Applications
• Smart Products, Engineering & Services

Compulsory elective area II

In the nearly 30 core courses from Bio-Materials Engineering, our subject areas offer you a wide variety of basic subjects, method-mediating and application-oriented courses. The courses are offered by the departments of Mechanical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Electrical Engineering. Partly, you will find modules dedicated to your chosen specialisations in addition, so that you acquire the competences relevant to you.

Compulsory Electives III

In more than 100 electives from the natural sciences and engineering elective area, you can deepen and broaden your specialist knowledge even further. The involvement of lecturers from industry also ensures practical relevance. There are recommendations for the specialisations with regard to the options, but no specifications.

General Studies

In the Studium Generale you have the opportunity to look beyond your own nose and choose courses from non-technical subject areas. The courses range from law and economics to humanities, social sciences and history, as well as language courses. You can find more detailed information about the courses here.

Project courses

In addition to the traditional courses, there are various student-centred forms of teaching. These include the two practical engineering tutorials and a total of two projects: either two Advanced Design Projects can be taken, in which a small group works on a topic that is as close to industry or research as possible. Alternatively, one ADP and an additional external project in industry can be taken.

The learning objectives of the master's programme go significantly beyond those of the bachelor's programme in terms of both quantity and quality. Accordingly, after completing the master's programme you will have achieved the following profile:

• You have the ability to expand the boundaries of the subject and to draw connections between new and previous knowledge.
• You will be able to engage creatively in the field of biobased, biocompatible, and biofunctional materials, using a comprehensive fundamental understanding to develop entirely new materials, processes, products, or methods.
• You will be equipped to combine classical mechanical engineering competencies with digitalisation methods—such as AI, digital literacy, and machine learning—across the entire value chain, from fundamentals and product development to production.
• You will be capable of translating practical problems into research questions and solving them using scientific methods, depending on your chosen specialisation:
• • The manufacture, application, and recycling of biobased and biofunctional fiber materials;
  • The development and manufacture of products made from fiber materials;
  • The use of biocompatible and biofunctional materials in biofabrication, implants, regenerative medicine, and organ-on-a-chip systems;
  • The design and manufacture of products such as implants, regenerative medicine, or organ-on-a-chip systems.
• You will be able to critically challenge statements within your field and confidently defend your own position before peer audiences from various natural science and engineering backgrounds, as well as the general public.
• You will have the skills to present scientific results precisely and comprehensibly, both orally and in writing, for diverse audiences across different disciplines.
• You will be able to structure complex problems while giving appropriate consideration to relevant technological, economic, and ecological criteria.
• You will be prepared to collaborate with representatives of other disciplines, address challenges from other academic fields, and incorporate scientific problem-solving strategies from other disciplines when handling complex tasks.
• You will have the ability to lead disciplinary and interdisciplinary teams.
• You will be able to clarify the societal challenges and consequences of your work and assume responsibility for technical developments.
• You will have the capacity to think entrepreneurially and evaluate the economic impact of your newly created materials, processes, products, or methods.
• You will be equipped to engage with the relevant intercultural aspects of the global market.
• You will have the ability to set and implement realistic yet ambitious goals within a reasonable timeframe, reflecting on both the results and the process of achieving them.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the TU Darmstadt has set itself the goal of offering the broadest possible, general and in depth education that allows for independent research and is thus fully qualifying for a later dissertation. The common goal is for Darmstadt graduates to be able to evaluate and sustainably design technical systems.

Currently, the number of master's students is well below that of the bachelor's programme, which allows for more intensive supervision of the students by the teaching staff and fosters personal contacts. Furthermore, the range of electives result in manageable course sizes.

The admission requirement for the master's programme is a qualified degree from the bachelor's programme “Bio-Materials Engineering” at TU Darmstadt.

A special admission procedure applies to all first-time applicants who are placed in the first semester of this programme and who are not graduates of this bachelor's programme.

Information on the examination regulations (PDF file) (opens in new tab), the module handbook (PDF file) (opens in new tab)and the admission procedure can also be found via the Download-section – link below.

Der Studiengang Bio-Materials Engineering baut auf den gleichnamigen Bachelorstudiengang auf, und den Absolventinnen und Absolventen wird der akademischen Grad “Master of Sciene (M.Sc.)” verliehen.

Hier hast Du die Möglichkeit einen von zwei Schwerpunkten (Paper Science, Biofabrication and Regenerative Medicine) zu wählen, die im Zeugnis ausgewiesen werden. Alternativ kannst Du Dich auch dafür entscheiden, Dir durch Wahl des Schwerpunkts “Allgemeines Bio-Materials Engineering” alle Wahlmöglichkeiten offen zu halten.

Wie auch immer du dich entscheidest, es stehen Dir zahlreiche Module zur Verfügung, die sich nicht nur auf den Maschinenbau konzentrieren, sondern interdisziplinär die Fachbereiche Biologie, Chemie, Materialwissenschaften, Physik und Elektro- und Informationstechnik einbeziehen.

Abgerundet wird das Studium durch praktische Veranstaltungen. Darunter fallen Tutorien oder Advanced Design Projects, bei denen Du Einblick in brandaktuelle Forschungsthemen erhältst, selbst anspruchsvolle Projekte bearbeitest und diese schlussendlich präsentierst. Einen Überblick über aktuelle Projektthemen findest Du hier.

Eckdaten:

• 120 CP in 4 Fachsemester, das entspricht 2 Jahren Regelstudienzeit
• Studiengangssprache: Englisch

• Möglichkeit einen der folgenden Schwerpunkte zu wählen:
  
  • Bio-Materials Engineering
  • Paper Science
  • Biofabrication and Regenerative Medicine

• Breitgefächerte Wahlbereiche
• Starke interdisziplinäre Ausrichtung die Einbindung der Fachbereiche Biologie, Chemie, Materialwissenschaften, Physik und Elektro- und Informationstechnik

• Forschungs- und anwendungsbezogene Projektarbeiten
• Praktische Anwendung der Theorie in mehreren forschungsnahen Fachtutorien und Teamarbeiten

• Ein Blick über den Tellerrand im Studium Generale (6 CP)

• Möglichkeit einer externen Projektarbeit in der Industrie (6 CP)

• 6-monatige Master-Thesis