Kira Wehner, B.Sc.

At the beginning, I didn't know what to expect from the Engineering Management degree programme at FH Aachen. After applying to universities all over Germany, I finally decided in favour of Aachen at short notice, mainly because of the city's good reputation and some initial personal impressions. I wanted to spend the first few semesters seeing what the degree programme is like, what is taught and whether I would enjoy it. Surprisingly, I did very well in the first semester and the modules aroused my interest, not least because of the way they were taught. Especially in the first semesters, students at FH Aachen are given a lot of help to familiarise themselves with the course. With regular exercises, practical trainings and tutorials, the material is deepened and taught in different ways and you are optimally prepared for the written examinations. You see theoretical knowledge applied in practice and have a close relationship with all the teachers, who you can always turn to if you have any questions. Most of them have also worked in the private sector, so you often get an impression of how things work in the "real" world.

In my opinion, Aachen is one of the best student cities. It's comparatively cheap, everything is very central and within walking distance - be it the university, the city centre, bars, clubs and cafés - and the student density is extremely high. Accordingly, many things in the city are adapted to the needs of students. You can travel throughout NRW with the semester ticket and are right on the border with the Netherlands and Belgium. But it often rains here ;-)

The degree programme was challenging but manageable with the necessary ambition. Some modules are more difficult than others (e.g. electrical engineering), but you always get support if you have any questions. The Faculty Student Council always makes an effort to support the students and organise great events (courtyard barbecues, Freshers' Week, Christmas market).

A highlight of my studies was my stay in Mexico during the 5th and 6th semesters. As part of a DHIK programme, I was able to complete a double degree at the Tec de Monterrey. I was the first in my degree programme to do this, which is why I started planning my stay and courses early on in close collaboration with my professor in order to create a consistent plan for subsequent students.

In my opinion, Engineering Management is one of the best degree programmes because you get an insight into two very important but fundamentally different areas of industry: mechanical engineering and business administration. The most important modules from both degree programmes are taught during the course and a corresponding basis is created. This allows you to decide which area you would like to specialise in after graduation, even during your Bachelor's thesis. With the necessary interest and initiative, you can work or do a doctorate in both areas.

I'm currently doing a Master's in Industrial Engineering and Management and have learnt one thing: the modules taught in the Bachelor's are well chosen and important for your future career in this field. The basics you learn there will be needed more often later in your career and create a healthy basis for getting to grips with almost any subject area and degree programme.

However, it should be clear that extremely in-depth knowledge is not taught in certain specific areas. If a certain interest develops, it is up to the student to continue their education in that area or to change the degree programme to a more specific one. However, as you are taught the most important core modules, you can also do a more specific Master's programme with a little effort.