MSc in System Design (Part-time)

The part-time Master of Science (MSc) in System Design is a 3-year program offered by Fontys University of Applied Sciences. Become the engineer, who crosses disciplines, who can think in conceptual and technical terms and controls interfaces of the technical disciplines in system design to ensure working effectively and efficiently. Deepen your knowledge in architecture and engineering, mechanics and design principles, dynamics and thermal mechanics, new technologies, modeling & simulation, sensors technology and control engineering.

Why the Master System Design

• This master's offers a direct entry for students with an Engineering bachelor's degree (Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics) who wish to complete their MSc degree in 3 years (pre-masters, is not required) and accelerate their career
• The rise of intelligence in systems requires engineers to take an innovative approach to system design
  You are in the Brainport region, the largest high-tech region in the Netherlands. You will build up your experience and network in Brainport from day one
• The companies in the Brainport region call for engineers who can deal with high levels of uncertainty and complexity and understand the ecosystem. This new master is developed in close cooperation with international companies and research centers in Eindhoven Brainport

Professional Masters

There are two types of Master’s programs in The Netherlands: professional masters, offered by Universities of Applied Sciences, and scientific masters, offered by Academic Universities. Although both types of master’s programs train to the same level, there is a difference in orientation. Professional master’s programs have a focus on practice-based research, whereas scientific master’s programs are more focused on research in the academic world. A graduate is expected to be able to adapt to new knowledge and adopt an inquisitive attitude. Knowledge of a limited field of study is no longer sufficient. Innovations take place at intersections of different disciplines. Professional master’s programs deliver an increasing need for professionals who can operate at these system intersections.

What will your week be like

You will be immersed in an environment of system design. Together with the other students and our staff, we will dive into this constantly evolving landscape. We address the complex interactions between technology and business processes.

Coaching

As a system design engineer, you need to be on top of societal and global changes in your quest to shape the future. To achieve this, you’ll need a certain personal and professional attitude. As an individual, you already have many unique characteristics. From your cultural background, you can collaborate with others, utilize your unique talents, and optimize your skills getting a key role in developing high-tech systems for companies.

During the master's, you will be guided in a process that pays attention to the development of your personal and professional identity as a system design engineer. You will reflect on your personal and professional development, and integrate knowledge, skills, ls, and attitude in a safe learning environment.

In the first two years, the theoretical substantiation takes place using 8 modules

• 4 hours per week lecture;
• 8 hours per week self-study;
• 8 hours per week projects.

Years 1 & 2

Modules of the master:

Module 1

• System Design: Architecture & Engineering- You are mainly concerned with the technical aspects required to successfully run, manage, design, and implement (large) complex high-tech systems.
• Mechanics / Design principles- Physical effects make it difficult to achieve predictability and reproducibility at high process rates. You will learn to analyze systems and manage these effects.
• Dynamics / Thermo Mechanics- You can change the structure of a system to make it less dependent on dynamic forces and thermal disturbances. You can find solutions to dilemmas in accuracy versus speed in the construction of high-technology systems.
• Data & Image Processing- You will gain an understanding of the way Neural Networks work. Neural Networks are covered within the domain of Artificial Intelligence.

Module 2

• Modelling & Simulation- This course focuses on modeling techniques to optimize designs of high-precision dynamical systems based on simulation results.
• Measurement systems, Sensors, and actuators - It is about designing a measurement system for high-precision motion systems. The sensor data after being processed drives the active elements. The accuracy of this measurement data and the choice of the active elements and sensors define the capability and the performance of the whole system.
• Innovation Engineering, Research Methods- Innovation perception, creativity, patent development, and research methods enhances your conceptual skills.
• Control Engineering- You can tune the structure of a system to ensure robust stability and performance by including knowledge of disturbances such as dynamic forces.

Year 3

In the third year, you'll work on your final project, preferably at your company, and write your Master's thesis. You also work on your professional skills as a t-shaped professional. For a system designer, leadership skills are essential for a system design engineer.

• Project skills for a system design engineer:
• Leadership skills
• Product innovation
• Developing a business plan & strategy road mapping
• Decision-making, project communication

What you will learn

You will be prepared for a broader role as a T-shaped professional, with a special emphasis on professionalization skills such as leadership, business focus risk management and innovation development. In essence, the T-shaped professional is both a niche specialist and a generalist with people skills. You will specialize in the design of high-tech systems. You will design, configure, and monitor high-tech systems and oversee all technical interactions and interfaces. For example system architecture and systems engineering, control, dynamics, modeling, innovation engineering

The role of the system design engineer varies within companies. In large companies, you may become involved in the development of multidisciplinary modules. In smaller companies, the systems design engineer is often responsible for overall product development. Career opportunities also exist in the extended supply chain of large companies and high-tech engineering firms. System design engineers envision, configure and control the system engineering of high-tech systems such as:

• Processing machines (ASML, Thermo Fisher, Philips, several smaller equipment suppliers);
• Instruments (e.g., satellites, telescopes, measuring systems, electro beam microscopes and medical systems);
• Factory automation systems ( high pick and place machines, process machines, production lines).