Master’s Program Infrastructure Planning (MIP) in Germany

What is the Master’s Program Infrastructure Planning (MIP) about?

A well-planned system of infrastructure facilities is the primary prerequisite for development in any country. There is a pressing international need for professionals capable of directing the conception, planning and construction of infrastructure facilities for transportation, water and waste management on the urban as well as the regional level while integrating economic, social, and ecological and management aspects.

Master’s Program Infrastructure Planning, at the University of Stuttgart, offers an internationally acclaimed M.Sc. program since 1983. The program focuses on an integrated approach to planning and brings together students with an architecture/urban planning background from their bachelor studies with civil engineers. The program also equips students with the necessary skills to plan, appraise, evaluate and deliver large-scale complex infrastructure projects fit for the challenges of the 21st century.

The MIP program is a two year research-oriented Master of Science program (M.Sc.) taught in English.  A large part of the module included in the program is based on the research activities of the participating institutes so that the latest research findings are incorporated into teaching. Students learn to work independently and in groups on various development related topics associated with different research institutes at the University of Stuttgart. Faculty members from a range of institutes and experienced practitioners share their knowledge with an average of 35 students per session. Special emphasis is placed on an interdisciplinary approach to planning in an intercultural context, which is an essential qualification for modern infrastructure planners in large scale and complex projects, especially in international project cooperation.

The MIP curriculum provides sound training and understanding of:

• basic knowledge in several important areas of infrastructure planning (urban development, regional planning, hydraulic engineering, energy supply, road and rail transport, economics, ecology, social aspects of spatial planning) and understand their relevant scientific and engineering contexts.
• the methods for the development of spatial planning concepts on different levels of spatial planning have the skills to evaluate them and to implement them by appropriate technical measures and installations.
• estimation, recognition and evaluation of the problems caused by and in dealing with infrastructure measures and to plan and carry out the necessary analytical, model-based and experimental studies.
• have the engineering skills to develop, plan and operate infrastructure projects and are familiar with the economic, environmental and social impacts of these projects.
• skills to implement infrastructure measures in organizational and administrative terms.
• acquired specialist and interdisciplinary key qualifications to independently develop new approaches to problem-solving, identify, obtain, analyze and critically question the necessary information basis and to transfer the results to their country-specific background.

Who should apply?

The MIP program targets professionals or students who is specialized as Civil engineers, architects and urban planners as well as graduates from related fields of study who wish to gain insight into infrastructure planning in a broad, integrated context and who want to prepare for international and complex planning tasks.

Professional prospects after the program:

Graduates of this program will be well placed to help create more holistic, robust and sustainable infrastructure project outcomes. The career goals might be: infrastructure planner in the private sector/consultant, civil servant dealing with various aspects of infrastructure planning on the regional/national level or decision maker in policy and planning. Graduates will be capable of directing and coordinating the work of international and interdisciplinary teams of specialists from a wide variety of infrastructure-related fields.

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