What does the everyday working life of traffic engineers FH look like?

UAS traffic engineers design our current and future transportation systems. They develop concepts to ensure that all public and private transportation on rail and road, and in some cases even on water and in the air, can continue to function safely and efficiently. The aim is to ensure that existing transport capacities are used optimally, that people and goods can be transported safely and cost-effectively, and that all road users reach their destinations on time.

TheFocus on traffic managementis a preparation for activities in logistics or in trading companies or in the management of transport companies. With the design of logistics processes or in supply chain management, the interaction between producers, retailers, transporters etc. is optimized and adapted to the existing infrastructure in the best possible way. Management tasks in transport companies can include, for example, the development of new timetables or the design of online information and booking systems.

TheFocus on engineeringprepares you for activities in project management, technical development or technical maintenance. The planning of a new marshalling yard, the introduction of an online information system in public transport or the optimization of the maintenance concept in a large transport company could be typical areas of responsibility.

Target group and skills: Who is suitable for studying transportation engineering at a university of applied sciences? What qualities and skills are required?

The degree program in Transport Systems at a university of applied sciences is aimed at people who are enthusiastic about transport issues, logistics, engineering and management and want to create a good foundation with promising career opportunities with a Bachelor's degree.

Prospective traffic engineers FH should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Technical understanding and analytical skills
• Precise and independent way of working
• Interest in transportation and logistics issues
• Resilient and decisive personality
• Organizational, communication and teamwork skills
• Very good knowledge of German and English

Requirements for admission to study traffic engineering at a university of applied sciences:

The following requirements are normally specified for admission* to the Transportation Systems course:

• Federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) and vocational baccalaureate in a field related to the field of study.

Or

• Other vocational baccalaureate, gymnasiale Matura, specialized baccalaureate and relevant one-year internship/work experience

Or

• Degree from a higher technical college (HF) in the same or a related subject area

Or

• High school diploma and internship contract with a company in the transport sector (for practice-integrated studies)

Note:

• Some universities of applied sciences offer preliminary courses (e.g. mathematics or English)

*Good to know: The respective universities of applied sciences decide independently on the admission procedure for the Bachelor in Transport Engineering. They can largely design their courses themselves. Institutional accreditation in accordance with the Higher Education Funding and Coordination Act (HFKG) (Chapter 5.) of the federal government is a prerequisite for the designation right "university of applied sciences" or "university" and "university of teacher education", the granting of federal contributions and program accreditation.

Subject matter and content of the course

In principle, each university of applied sciences can decide for itself how to structure its degree courses in transport systems. Consequently, the subject matter may vary from university of applied sciences to university of applied sciences. This also applies to the specializations/specializations offered.

The learning material often consists of the following topics:

• Spatial planning
• Transportation systems
• Programming
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Communication
• Transport economics
• Traffic law
• Maintenance

After the assessment phase in the first year of study, students then have the opportunity to specialize thematically according to their interests in the main course. In transport engineering studies, this is often not done via a specialization, but by means of compulsory elective modules, which promises an even more individual profile.
Here is a selection:

• Mobility Data
• Logistics
• Traffic engineering
• Modeling & simulation of traffic systems

Costs and financing of further training

The amount of the costs depends on various factors: the school, the place of training, the training model and also the sponsorship of the university of applied sciences (public, semi-private, private). In general, the following costs can be expected for the 6-8 semester traffic engineering course:

• Course feesFees: between CHF 700 and CHF 1000 per semester (public school) for residents of Switzerland. Students from abroad must expect higher course fees.
• Application/registration feebetween CHF 200.- and CHF 300.-
• Examination fees (per semester)these fees are normally already included in the course fees
• Additional costsSome providers charge extra costs for teaching materials, course materials, copies/printouts, student ID/campus card, etc. Please contact the school of your choice directly and ask what extra costs you can expect.

Duration of study, training model, number of teaching hours, teaching format and learning effort

• Duration of studies and training modelThe Traffic Systems course has a modular structure and lasts 6 semesters in the full-time model or at least 8 semesters in the part-time model (in addition, a professional activity of at least 50% is possible, 60% to max. 80% is recommended) or the practice-integrated model.
• Number of lessonsStudy achievements are expressed in so-called ECTS points (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System Points), a kind of tool for the standardized study structure of Bachelor's and Master's degree courses at universities. As a rule, 180 ECTS points are required for a Bachelor's degree, which corresponds to 4,500-5,400 hours of work. (One ECTS point corresponds to a student workload of 25 to 30 working hours). This includes all study units such as lectures, tutorials, exercises, coursework, semester examinations, etc.
• Teaching formatIn addition to traditional classroom teaching, many universities of applied sciences now also offer online courses and forms of learning. Teaching is mainly carried out in lectures, group lessons, exercises and laboratory practicals.
• Learning effort: You should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons as well as for self-study - how much depends on your previous knowledge, working style, learning speed and chosen training model.

Tip:Many schools now offer taster lessons or even half or full taster days. This gives you the opportunity to get a taste of student life and get to know the campus better. You can also ask the students on site direct questions about the course.

Degree, diploma and title

Transportation Systems is one of the engineering degree courses that place high demands on mathematics.

In the traffic engineering degree program, the respective modules, as a completed learning unit, are continuously completed with a performance assessment. What exactly this assessment looks like varies from university to university of applied sciences. These can be semester or module examinations, project or seminar work, papers, presentations, discussions and case studies. After the first year of study, students receive clear feedback on their level of education in the form of an assessment. Passing this assessment is a prerequisite for admission to the main study program.

The transportation engineering course is completed with a Bachelor's thesis (12 ECTS). This is an independent written thesis, which is written by the students individually and usually in the last two semesters of study. The thesis deals with a current topic or problem from the subject area and should demonstrate that the students are able to work independently on a task in a scientifically justified manner, within a given time frame and in compliance with the formal requirements. The Bachelor's thesis is often written in collaboration with a company,

As a rule, the Bachelor's thesis is defended in a presentation.

The respective university of applied sciences also determines the details of the final qualification procedure.

Diploma and title

Students who have earned at least 180 ECTS credits and have passed the Bachelor's thesis and presentation in Transportation Systems Studies are awarded a Bachelor's degree from a federally accredited university of applied sciences and are entitled to use the title "Bachelor of Science [FH] in Transportation Systems".