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Deutsch Who is the part-time Bachelor's degree programme in Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) suitable for?
The part-time Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) degree at the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM) is specifically aimed at experienced practitioners from the construction trade and related technical professions. It is a structured advanced degree programme designed especially for individuals who already hold a qualification as a master craftsperson or state-certified technician in civil engineering. The programme is suitable for everyone who wishes to academically enhance their existing technical and practical qualifications, prepare specifically for leadership positions in the construction sector, or work in the future with construction submission authorisation. The possibility to recognise prior achievements allows the duration of study to be shortened and the programme to be optimally balanced with work and family life.
Admission requirements at a glance
Specific conditions apply for admission to the part-time Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) at FHM, which are based on the German Qualifications Framework (DQR), Level 6. The main requirements at a glance:
- Completed further training as a master craftsperson in relevant trades, for example:
- Bricklayer and concrete worker
- Metalworker, carpenter
- Joiner, plumber
- Painter and varnisher, plasterer
- Roofer, tiler (tiles, slabs and mosaic)
- Screed layer, master chimney sweep
- Parquet layer, master heating engineer
- Road or civil engineering master craftsperson
- Industrial master craftsman (field of mechatronics)
- Completed training as a state-certified technician specialising in structural engineering, civil engineering or surveying
- Alternatively: Recognition of certain closely related professional qualifications subject to individual assessment by the student advisory service
- Possible even without A-levels: the prerequisite is always the relevant master craftsperson or technician qualification
- Important: Admission is not possible with qualifications as a technician in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or metal construction
- Proof of completed qualification by certificates
No NC restrictions (numerus clausus) apply. Therefore, the programme is particularly attractive for working professionals who want to take the next career step in civil engineering based on their previous experience.
Furthermore, participants are offered the possibility to have previously achieved training and qualification achievements recognised as a lump sum. This shortens the duration of study to 32 months and reduces the financial costs accordingly.
Personal requirements and recommendations
In addition to the formal requirements, you should possess the following personal attributes and skills to successfully complete the part-time Civil Engineering programme:
- Strong interest in technical, scientific as well as economic contexts related to planning, building and renovating buildings and infrastructures
- Mathematical and technical understanding, especially for subjects such as mathematics, statics, materials science and building services engineering
- Independent, structured working style and organisational talent to coordinate study, work and, if applicable, family
- Willingness to engage with complex technical issues and standards
- Practical experience from a managerial or responsible position in craft or construction professions is very helpful
- Teamwork skills and communication strength for collaboration with clients, authorities and professional colleagues
- Perseverance and motivation to successfully complete the demanding programme alongside everyday professional commitments
The programme is suitable for you if you want to pursue academic further qualification alongside your career and value a practice-oriented, highly relevant vocational training for the labour market in the field of civil engineering.
What awaits you in the part-time Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (B.Eng.)?
The Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) programme at the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM) provides you with practical and scientifically sound knowledge in construction. Your focus is on a technical education that integrates current market demands and future topics such as sustainable and energy-efficient building. The content is specially designed for working professionals with completed craft or technical further training and enables a shortened duration of study.
- Structural Engineering and Construction Management: You will learn all essential aspects of structural analysis, concrete construction, timber and steel construction as well as building physics and construction materials.
- Construction Technologies and Digitalisation: Digital tools such as CAD and BIM, lifecycle-oriented planning and modular construction are just as much a focus as maintenance and renovation.
- Sustainability, Energy & Eco-Balances: You will engage intensively with energy-efficient building, sustainability-oriented construction methods, energetic refurbishment and life cycle assessment. This meets important prerequisites for the energy consultant examination.
- Practical Orientation and Scientific Working: The lecturers come directly from construction practice. Scientific work as well as an engineering practice study are embedded in the curriculum.
- Entrepreneurial Know-How: Modules such as business plan development, digital business models and management skills prepare you for responsible tasks in companies.
- Smart Skills: Technical communication, teamwork, personal development and project management are fixed components of the FHM competency model.
An exemplary schedule of a study week:
- Wednesday evening: Online lecture, e.g. building services engineering, focusing on technical systems, sustainability and building automation
- Friday evening: On-site class, e.g. surveying, capturing geodata, modern measurement techniques and practical excursions
- Saturday (all day): Topics such as energy-saving construction, implementation of the Building Energy Act, building refurbishment and sustainable building concepts
The study contents are closely linked to the requirements for authorised structural engineers, energy consultants and experts. This way you are optimally prepared after your studies for the role of a draftsman/draftswoman and fulfil all prerequisites to become a member of an engineering chamber.
Course structure: How to combine work and study
The part-time Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) degree at FHM is perfectly tailored to the needs of working professionals. The study model is based on the blended learning principle:
- Regular on-site days at the Frechen campus (near Cologne) on weekends: Friday from 17:00 to 21:00, Saturday from 9:00 to 16:00, one free weekend per month
- Online lectures: Wednesday evenings from 18:00 to 21:15, held in the virtual classroom
- Self-study phases: Complementing on-site and online teaching, you work independently on assignments and projects
- Lecture-free periods: Two weeks at Christmas and Easter; additionally, the last two weeks of September are tuition-free
- Special recognition of prior qualifications (e.g. master craftspeople, state-certified technicians), enabling a shortened study duration of 32 months as well as a reduction in tuition fees
The FHM competency model runs throughout the entire degree and places value on professional skills, management skills and personal development (smart skills). This provides you with a comprehensive qualification for the modern construction world.
Career prospects and fields of activity after graduation
With the Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) from FHM, you open up diverse career opportunities in the construction and environmental sectors. Your degree qualifies you, among other things, for:
- Authorised draftsman/draftswoman: With an additional two years of professional experience and membership in an engineering chamber, you can legally submit building applications for buildings
- Sustainability management: Preparation of lifecycle analyses and comprehensive eco-balances for buildings (new construction or existing)
- Building energy consultancy: Checking and advising on energy certificates, energetic refurbishment and funding measures, participation in the continuing education examination at the Handwerkskammer zu Köln (Chamber of Crafts Cologne) possible
- Expert and surveyor: Assessment of building damages, preparation of expert reports, energy analyses, advising courts, insurance companies or clients
Typical fields of employment:
- Engineering and planning offices
- Construction companies
- Public administration or supervisory authorities
- Self-employment as consultant or expert
Due to current demands regarding sustainable building, energy efficiency and modernisation of existing buildings, the long-term job prospects are very good. Graduates are sought-after specialists in the construction sector.
Study location: On-campus Frechen and virtual learning
The programme takes place at the Frechen location (near Cologne). The campus is modernly equipped and conveniently located, with close practical reference through cooperation with the Handwerkskammer zu Köln. You benefit from a familiar study atmosphere, small study groups and individual support. Additionally, many contents are provided online via the FHM Online University – thus the studies remain flexibly compatible with work and family.
Costs and financing – What does the programme cost?
The tuition fees for the part-time Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) at FHM are:
- Monthly: €575
- Final examination fee: €500
- Total costs: €18,900
By recognising existing qualifications (master craftspeople, technicians), the duration of studies is shortened and the fees are correspondingly reduced. There are various financing options available, such as funding programmes, scholarships, education loans or support from employers.
Advisory Service
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