Areas of specialisation

At the start of their Master’s degree, students can freely define their two specialisations and put together relevant content from the wide range of courses available largely independently. A few courses among the specialisations in Construction and Maintenance Management, Structural Engineering, Transport Systems, and Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management are obligatory.

Construction and Maintenance Management

Enlarged view: Construction and Maintenance Management
(©Basler & Hofmann)

The specialisation in Construction and Maintenance Management provides students with methods and tools to sustainably manage the built environment. It considers economic, environmental and social aspects of 1) infrastructure and building design evaluation, 2) construction, maintenance and deconstruction planning, 3) material sourcing. Emphasis is placed on the principles of digitalization and the circular economy.

Geotechnical Engineering

Enlarged view: Zürich

The specialisation covers the topics of soil-structure interaction, natural hazards (e.g. earthquakes, landslides), environmental geotechnics, foundation engineering, underground construction, transportation geotechnics as well as the necessary techniques for modeling, design, construction and application of modern sensor technologies. Well-known examples of geotechnical failures are investigated.

Structural Engineering

Enlarged view: HIT Building, ETH Zurich
HIT Building, ETH Zurich (©Andreas Schlumpf, ETH Zurich)

The specialisation in Structural Engineering deals with the conceptual design, analysis, execution, and maintenance of load-bearing structures found in infrastructure projects such as bridges, tunnels, and supporting structures, as well as in buildings such as residential and commercial buildings, schools, and industrial facilities. Profound knowledge of the design of concrete, steel and timber structures, structural mechanics, and safety verification against earthquakes or fire enables students to tackle complex construction tasks in practice.

Transport Systems

Enlarged view: Tessin

The specialisation in Transport Systems covers traffic engineering and traffic management, traffic concepts and the simulation of traffic systems, public transport systems and transport planning within the overall context of spatial planning.

Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management

Enlarged view: Naret dam
Naret dam (© Giosanna Crivelli)

This specialisation deals with the utilisation of water, for example for energy production and storage, drinking water supply and irrigation, with measures and structures to protect against the negative effects of floods and other gravitational natural hazards, and with river engineering measures and the revitalisation of watercourses.

Materials and Mechanics

Enlarged view: IfB stress test, ETH Zurich
IfB stress test, ETH Zurich (© IfB, ETH Zürich)

This specialisation explores the development, application, and performance of construction materials, including concrete, metals, timber, glass, stone, asphalt, and plastics. The study of the material structures enables a detailed understanding of the material properties and behavior. Various aspects, from research and development, modeling and simulation, to sustainability are covered.

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