Mechatronics
Mechatronics technology is setting trends for the twenty-first century and generating close interconnections among established engineering subdisciplines, including information technology and mechanical and electrical engineering. This enables improvements in the performance of conventional systems and the development of new functions.
Electrical engineering and information technology are therefore growing in methodological influence within the field of mechanical engineering. In turn, organisations working in traditional electrical engineering and system suppliers are increasingly seeking to generate interfaces with mechanical engineering in their quest to tackle the rising complexity of today’s engineering systems and challenges via an interdisciplinary approach – which is key to success in studying mechatronics.
Your future career
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Mechatronics experts have a wide choice of potential career paths. A large number of organisations in the mechanical and electrical engineering and automotive sectors now use mechatronics engineering in product development and are keen to recruit specialists, giving rise to a wealth of opportunities for mechatronics graduates in design and development, process and production planning, production engineering, manufacturing and assembly, quality control and sales.
Industrial and professional associations regard mechatronics specialists as desirable employees with very good career prospects. The current shortage of qualified engineers for specialist roles is set to continue, in Germany, in Europe and across the globe.
Course content and structure
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This Bachelor’s degree course encompasses seven semesters, during which students learn key principles in mechanical and electrical engineering, focusing specifically on basic components of mechatronics systems, sensors and actuators, control engineering and information technology.
The opening segment of the course provides students with key knowledge and skills in mathematics, mechanics, electrical engineering, digital technologies, systems design and IT, and places special emphasis on familiarising students with the use of computer-assisted methodologies.
The course’s second phase gives you the opportunity to focus on areas of your own choosing via the appropriate modules. We are currently developing focal emphases in the following areas:
- Robotics
- Drive dynamics
- Adaptronics
The course’s final semester is spent completing an industrial experience phase in a company or organisation. This enables students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during their course and gain insights into the world of work in its technical, organisational and economic facets and contexts. This phase concludes with your Bachelor thesis.
Your interests and skills
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You’ll need to be interested in working with computers and with electronic devices and into discovering interdisciplinary interconnections among aspects and functions of engineering subdisciplines. You’ll be at an advantage if you have focused on scientific or technical subjects at school, perhaps by doing projects, advanced or supplementary courses in maths, physics or computer science. You should be keen to learn and to find out more about your subject.
Interested – but not quite sure yet whether this is the right course for you? Our self-assessment test can help you make up your mind. Take it here: HAW Navigator.
Admission requirements
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Higher education entrance qualification
You can apply directly for this course if you hold one of the following qualifications:
- Fachhochschulreife
- Allgemeine Hochschulreife
- Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (subject-specific HE entrance qualification)
- Meister*in (vocational qualification – master tradesperson)
- Fachwirt*in (certified specialist)
Applicants who do not hold a higher education entrance qualification but have completed vocational training (Berufsausbildung) and at least three years of subsequent work experience can apply under Section 38 of the Hamburg Higher Education Act, which sets out special provisions for these applicants (Besonderer Hochschulzugang für Berufstätige).
Find out more at Applying for a Bachelor's degree course / Selection criteria.
Proof of English skills
Applicants must provide proof of English at the B1 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Pre-course experience
Students on this course are required to complete 13 weeks of pre-course experience. You don’t need to have completed it before you enrol, but you must have done so by the time you complete your second year of study. We strongly recommend that you fulfil this requirement before you begin the degree course.
International applicants
If you completed your schooling outside Germany and want to study here for a Bachelor’s degree, you need to hold an academic school-leaving qualification which entitles you to admission to higher education; that is, it needs to be comparable to a German Abitur or Fachhochschulreife. The organisation uni assist will check your certificates from school and any degree-level studies to establish comparability. Please note that you are also required to have proof of German at level C1 – for example, in the form of a TestDaF certificate – in order to apply for all Bachelor's degree courses (except Information Engineering).
You can find more information about HAW Hamburg’s application criteria at International applicants.
Application process
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We only accept online applications. Before applying, applicants must register with www.hochschulstart.de. During the application period (for the winter semester: 1 June–15 July) you can find the online application and detailed information about the application process on the Applying for a Bachelor's degree course page.
You can find information about the selection process and the numerus clausus (NC) from the previous semester here: Applying for a Bachelor's degree course/Selection criteria.
International applicants are also required to apply during the application period.
To make the process easier for you, we have compiled a step-by-step checklist: International applicants
Questions about selecting a course, applications, admissions and degree courses
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Applications and admissions
Student Admissions and Registration Office (Studierendensekretariat)
Stiftstraße 69, 20099 Hamburg (ground floor)
T +49.40.428 75-9898
studierendensekretariat (at) haw-hamburg (dot) de
Contact us with your questions about applications and admissions
The Information Point is open at the following times:
Monday–Thursday: 10:00 am–1:00 pm
Friday: closed
In-person office hours:
Thursday: 2:00 pm–4:00 pm
Telephone office hours:
Monday and Tuesday: 9:00 am–10:00 am
For general queries about HAW Hamburg degree courses and course choice
Student Counselling Team (Zentrale Studienberatung)
Stiftstraße 69, 1st floor, room 122
20099 Hamburg
T +49 40 42875 9110
Contact form
Office hours
Contact person for applicants with disabilities or chronic health conditions
Meike Butenob/Dieter Röh
Stiftstraße 69, Haus 3, room 37
Tel. +49.40.428 75-7220
inklusion (at) haw-hamburg (dot) de
Contact the department
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Specifically subject-related queries:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Frenkel
Berliner Tor 5, Raum A 11.29, 20099 Hamburg
Tel.: + 49.40.428 75-7898
alexander.frenkel (at) haw-hamburg (dot) de
Enquiries about the cooperative degree programme:
Coordinator for cooperative degree programmes in engineering:
Berliner Tor 21, room 127, 20099 Hamburg
Tel.: + 49.40.428 75-8610
dualstudium_technik(@)haw-hamburg.de
Queries around pre-course experience:
Practical experience advisor:
Prof. Peter Seyfried
Berliner Tor 9, 20099 Hamburg
T +49.40.428 75-7894
peter.seyfried( (at) )haw-hamburg (dot) de
