Work-integrated Master of Science in Engineering (3 years)
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September and January / February Programme type: 1+2 Work-integrated Master’s degree programme (3 years) |
The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Aarhus University is offered both as a traditional full-time programme and as a 1+2 work-integrated master’s degree, where you study while gaining professional experience in a relevant job.
In this model, you build on your undergraduate degree with one year of full-time studies at the university. After this, you continue with two years of part-time studies while working an average of 25 hours per week in a company or as an entrepreneur.
During this period, you receive a salary based on recommended entry-level salaries for engineers in Denmark instead of a student grant. This allows you to gain both financial independence and valuable professional experience while completing your master’s studies at a top 100 university.
Despite the extended duration, you graduate with the exact same degree and academic level (cand.polyt.) as students enrolled in the ordinary full-time master’s programme.
Aarhus University offers a dedicated matchmaking service that helps connect students with companies. This ensures that you can find a workplace that aligns with your academic interests and career goals, and that your employment tasks are relevant to your studies. You will be assigned an academic supervisor who will support you in planning your study programme and serve as a sparring partner throughout your studies.
The MSc in Mechanical Engineering at Aarhus University – ranked among the world’s top 100 universities – gives you the opportunity to study a future-oriented programme that bridges advanced research with real-world application. The curriculum is shaped by the latest technological developments and societal needs and designed to equip you with the skills and mindset to be among the best in your field.
The programme builds on the knowledge you bring from your bachelor’s or professional engineering degree. While the undergraduate level covers core engineering disciplines, the master’s programme allows you to specialise in the areas you’re most passionate about – such as robotics, sustainable product development, energy systems, or thermo- and fluid dynamics.
The master’s degree lets you explore how mechanical systems are developed and optimised – from materials and energy to robotics and healthcare. You’ll combine classical mechanics with digital tools like programming, AI and modelling to solve real-world challenges.
You’ll also learn to think critically and creatively, and tackle problems that don’t yet have clear answers.
Examples include:
– How do we design robots that work safely with humans?
– How do we make wind turbine blades both lighter, stronger and more sustainable?
– How do we store renewable energy efficiently, cheaply and without loss?
– How can mechanics improve healthcare technologies and help doctors and medical staff?
The programme is hands-on, and project based. You’ll collaborate with fellow students, researchers and industry partners – and learn to combine theoretical insight with hands-on lab experience to solve real engineering problems. Along the way, you’ll build the skills to take initiative and lead development projects from idea to implementation.
The programme is highly flexible and offers you the opportunity to tailor your study path to your own interests and ambitions. While you will take some mandatory courses, you will also have the freedom to shape your academic path through electives.
You can choose from eight carefully designed specialisations – all of them fine-tuned to reflect the latest technological developments and created in close collaboration with industry.
You can read more about your specialization options and see suggestions for study programmes here
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the 1+2 work-integrated Master's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering. Depending on your educational background and your qualifications, there are different ways to meet the admission requirements:
This section is relevant for you, if you have:
The two sections listed below are relevant only for students with a bachelor's degree from a Danish institution:
Below these sections, you can learn more about the employment requirement and the English language requirement. You can also find out which ranking criteria we use to assess your application when prioritizing among the submitted applications.
If you have an international educational background, you must meet both the general admission requirement and the specific admission requirements:
You must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
For more information about how your bachelor's degree is assessed, please see the national database.
If you meet the general admission requirement, the university will continue on to assess whether or not you meet the specific admission requirements.
You can be admitted to the master's programme if the university assesses that your education has a level, scope, and content that corresponds to the academic requirements specified below.
| You can meet the admission requirement with a Bachelor’s degree programme (BSc) or professional Bachelor's degree programme (BEng) if you have the following subject areas: | Number of ECTS |
| Mechanical engineering | 60 |
Mathematics In the following subject areas:
| 20 |
| Total | 80 |
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the programme if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmes that provide direct admission.
No Bachelor's degree programme(s) from Aarhus University entitles applicants to an offer of admission to the 1+2 work-integrated Master's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this work-integrated Master's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering:
Bachelor's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering from Aarhus University
You must fill in this appendix and upload it to the application portal. The appendix helps the Admission Board to assess your application.
Download appendix
When applying for a work-integrated Master’s degree programme, you must meet the requirement of being in relevant employment.
“Relevant employment” means that you work at least 25 hours per week in a public or private company, or as an entrepreneur, and that your work tasks are professionally related to both your qualifying education and the education you are applying for.
In order to be admitted to this programme you must meet the university's English language requirements.
Students with bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'Legal right of admission' are exempt from the English language requirement.
All Master’s degree programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake. This means that you are not guaranteed admission even if you meet the entry requirements. When we prioritize among applicants, we assess your application based on a set of fixed ranking criteria, which you can see below.
If you have a legal right of admission, you are guaranteed a place in the programme and do not need to consider the ranking criteria.
Ranking criteria:
Grades from the qualifying degree
Relevant subject fields (measured in ECTS):
Mathematics
Mechanics
Fluid mechanics
Theory of elasticity
Product development
Employment form (see "Employment requirement")
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the assessment.
Unfortunately, Aarhus University is not able to assess your qualifications beforehand. In order for your qualifications to be assessed you must apply for admission. To learn more, please go to Assessment of your qualifications.
The teaching at Mechanical Engineering is arranged with two semesters per academic year.
The education consists of two compulsory courses and a number of elective courses and/or projects. You follow the basic courses together with all students on the programme.
The Academic regulations will be available soon.
If you have the necessary skills and interest, you have the option of applying for admission to the PhD programme. In the PhD programme, you start working on a research project and are gradually trained through courses and personal guidance to become a researcher.
If you choose the 1+2 work-integrated Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, your student life will combine the best of both worlds. During the first year, you study full-time at the university. From your third semester onwards, you begin your part-time employment in a company or as an entrepreneur, working on average 25 hours per week alongside your courses.
This gives you a unique rhythm where you alternate between workplace and university, connecting your study projects directly to real-life innovation challenges. In this way, you gain colleagues, a professional network, and valuable work experience – while remaining fully part of the student community at Aarhus University.
Your daily life on campus will combine lectures, lab work, and project-based learning. You will take a scientific and experimental approach, working hands-on with prototypes, testing ideas, and developing solutions in practice. The education is research-based, and you will be taught by researchers who bring the newest knowledge into the classroom. You will also have the opportunity to participate in research projects yourself. The programme offers a high degree of flexibility, allowing you to shape your own academic journey, and to plan the education so that both study and career are taken into account.
Our international students often highlight the inclusive and collaborative study culture in Denmark as a unique strength. Teamwork is a cornerstone in our teaching, and you will work closely with fellow students from different cultural and academic backgrounds, learning to approach problems from multiple perspectives and to develop solutions together.
You will be based at Katrinebjerg – the “IT city” of Aarhus – located close to the unique main campus of Aarhus University and the city center. Here, you will find a wide range of student accommodation and a rich cultural life, offering everything from running clubs and the annual regatta on the lake to guest lectures and film screenings. To ensure student well-being, counselling services and support networks are always available.
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The MSc in Mechanical Engineering at Aarhus University is developed in close collaboration with leading researchers and both Danish and international companies. This means that what you learn reflects the latest scientific advancements as well as real-world industry challenges.
As a graduate, you’ll have a highly competitive profile that’s in demand across a wide range of sectors. Many graduates go on to work in industries such as energy, robotics, advanced materials, or healthcare technology mor beyond. Others find roles in manufacturing, hospitals, or research – including opportunities to pursue a PhD and an academic career.
As a MSc in Mechanical Engineering your strong technical foundation and insight into modern technologies ensures, that you’re well-qualified for roles in R&D, innovation, and product development – both in Denmark and abroad. You could also move into project management or take on leadership positions such as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
If you choose the 1+2 work-integrated master’s degree, your employment during the programme might lead to a full-time position in the same company once you graduate. This gives you a unique opportunity to build a career while you study, establish strong professional networks, and step seamlessly into the job market.
We want to help our students find successful careers. Students can always contact our Career Services for advice and assistance with getting onto the Danish labour market. Check out our careers page to see the range of services we offer.
You can also use your degree as a springboard to a research career through a PhD programme, allowing you to dive even deeper into your field and contribute to groundbreaking developments.
You can read more about the PhD programme at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences.
