Transportation Systems

Overview

Transportation systems are central to modern economies and everyday life. Growing mobility needs and the push for sustainability require fresh approaches to planning and management. This programme addresses those challenges by treating transport not in isolation but as part of a larger socio-technical system—one that must balance individual mobility, economic activity and the liveability of urban areas.

Students learn to design and manage roads, traffic-control systems and public-transport networks while taking into account transportation demand management, integrated land use and intermodal traffic management. The curriculum emphasises the interactions between networks, vehicles, infrastructure, control systems and the broader links to the economy, land use and the natural environment, so that planning solutions are both efficient and sustainable.

This English-language Master of Science in the civil-engineering field equips graduates with the knowledge and practical skills to tackle complex transport problems. You can deepen your expertise by specialising in one of three areas: Transportation Infrastructure; Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS); or Transportation Demand Management — preparing you for roles in engineering, planning, policy or research related to sustainable mobility.

Key preparation / competencies expected

• Familiarity with transportation demand management concepts
• Understanding of integrated land-use and intermodal traffic management
• Ability to view transport as part of a complex system (networks, infrastructure, vehicles, control systems)
• Interest in the interactions between transport, economy, land use and the environment

The programme is structured so that the first three semesters blend classroom learning with hands-on, practice-oriented experiences. Core teaching formats include seminars and lectures complemented by field trips and courses built around real-life case studies. Early in the programme students take a project seminar that lets them investigate scientific questions and test practical solutions in an experimental or applied setting. The fourth semester is reserved exclusively for the Master’s thesis, allowing you to synthesize and demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve developed.

Key learning outcomes focus on applying theoretical knowledge to real transport problems and developing both research and practical competencies. Through case-based courses and fieldwork you build skills in problem analysis, data-driven decision making, and the design of transport solutions. The project seminar trains you in experimental methods and collaborative research, while the mandatory internship embeds you in a transportation-related company or authority to gain workplace experience and professional perspective. The Master’s thesis culminates the programme by requiring independent investigation, critical thinking, and written reporting suitable for academic or professional use.

Requirements (programme components)

• Participation in seminars and lectures across the first three semesters, including field trips and courses based on real-life studies
• Completion of a project seminar involving experimental or applied research work
• Mandatory internship with a transportation-related industry partner or public authority
• Fourth-semester Master’s thesis as the final, independent research project

Graduates are prepared for technical and planning roles in public transport operators, infrastructure engineering firms, traffic and mobility consultancies, municipal and regional transport authorities, and technology providers specialising in ITS and mobility services. Typical tasks include designing roads and traffic control systems, planning public transport networks, and developing strategies for transportation demand management and sustainable urban mobility.

With a mix of analytical, technical and practical training, alumni can also pursue careers in research institutes, policy advisory roles, or continue to doctoral studies focused on advanced transport modelling, smart mobility solutions and integrated land-use and transport planning.