Fontys University of Applied Sciences

Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering

Year 1

In year 1, your weeks consist of:

• 22 hours of class/theory
• 8 hours of projects
• 10 hours of self-study

In this propaedeutic year, you’ll focus on the broad field of mechanical engineering. You’ll be taught in one of our innovative labs and classrooms.

You take courses such as energy and process technology, construction and mechanics, production technology, materials science, measurement and control technology, mathematics and physics. You’ll work on designing products in project groups right from the start.

In our lab classes, you practice technical skills such as machining, welding, CAD designing, 3D printing, and modelling and simulation.

Year 2

From year 2, you’ll expand your fundamental theoretical knowledge and skills with in-depth courses and projects. Within Mechanical Engineering there are many opportunities to engage in applied research. Together with your lecturers, you work on innovative technologies with companies as part of your education programme. You can also participate in other research projects such as adaptive robotics in the Mechatronics programme or new electric vehicles in the Automotive programme.

Year 3

In the third year, you follow an internship and a minor. Your internship is at a company that matches your interests. Also part of the third year is a free minor, which allows you to deepen or broaden your knowledge.

Internship

During your internship, you’ll apply your knowledge and experience in a company of your choice, in the Netherlands or abroad. Think of large international tech companies, small innovative start-ups, production facilities or research departments; all options are open to you. You’ll receive supervision from both Fontys lecturers and your internship company supervisor.

Minor

The minor is an elective programme of 1 semester. You can choose a broadening minor in any study field, either within Fontys or elsewhere in The Netherlands or abroad. You can also choose an in-depth technical minor if you can’t get enough of Engineering! The minor will give your study programme its own identity and allow you to specialize.

Year 4

Before graduation, you’ll choose a specialisation from one of three fields:

Precision engineering: You’ll learn about advanced construction principles and the workings of precise mechanical moving and non-moving structures. You’ll gain knowledge about advanced construction mechanics and how design principles correlate to manufacturing.
Energy and process engineering: You’ll focus on topics such as the transfer of heat, in which heat exchangers play a central role. You’ll work on industrial climate systems and look at possibilities for energy savings within industrial applications.
Innovation engineering: A specialisation in the field of developing innovations for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition to technological developments involving patents and technological trends, you’ll learn how to create a business plan for implementing your innovation.
Graduation
In the last semester of your studies, you’ll start your graduation project. Again, you’ll work and study in a company in the field of Mechanical Engineering on a topic that sparks your interest. The assignments need to be related to your specialisation semester. During this final semester, you’ll write your bachelor thesis.

Related Courses

In addition to Mechanical Engineering, Fontys University of Applied Sciences offers technical programmes in Automotive Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechatronics.

What are you going to learn?

We will train you to be a widely employable engineer. You will learn the theory and the practical skills that you need to design, make, and maintain equipment, production processes, and machines to make products. Many of your teachers have worked in that sector. You will train your technical skills and will carry out challenging (company) projects assignments. An important part of a mechanical engineer’s work consists of technical design. We will support you in that learning process.

We offer you:

• a good mix between theory and practice.
• (company) assignments and projects.
• the opportunity to develop several skills: you will learn to design, cooperate, work in a planned way, and think creatively.
• diverse subjects: from energy and process technology, construction, and mechanics, to production technology and materials science, measurement, and control technology.

With a Mechanical Engineering degree, you will have many opportunities in the future. As a mechanical engineer, you can work as a process engineer, project leader, system engineer, production engineer and much more at either engineering firms or research institutions.

• As a process engineer, you design industrial systems for the gas sector or food sector.
• As a sustainability project leader you devise technological solutions for reusing or storing energy.
• A systems engineer will use the latest technologies for designing smart robots.
• You might work as a technical buyer, working with the engineering team to ensure that projects will delivered on time.
• An R&D medical engineer designes medical scanners and other devices, like prostheses, or even designing 3D implants.
• Of course, you can also continue your studies and pursue a master’s degree at a technical university after completing a pre-master.