Photo: DTU

Engineering a popular choice of study—an increasing number of ever more skilled engineers graduating from DTU

Admissions to DTU are on the rise.

In late July, 2,182 young people were offered a place on one of DTU’s 33 study programmes. Of these, 1,041 will be starting on a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) programme, while 1,141 young people will be studying for a BSc in Engineering. This corresponds to 7 per cent—or 141 students—more than last year.


Once again DTU has seen a significant increase in the number of young people wanting to be an engineer. Therefore, since last year, the University has established more than 140 new study places by both establishing new study programmes and by increasing capacity on the most popular study programmes.

“We really want to avoid turning away strong applicants, which is why we’re increasing our capacity as much as we can,” says Martin Vigild, Senior Vice President, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs.

"Unfortunately we’re unable to admit everyone, but we’re delighted with the progress, because there is a strong need for engineers. "
Martin E. Vigild, Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs

“Unfortunately we’re unable to admit everyone, but we’re delighted with the progress, because there is a strong need for engineers. Not just more engineers, but also even better engineers, and this is something we are working hard to achieve,” he adds.

This year, DTU received 7,583 applications, of which 2,816 were first-priority applications.

Due to the large number of applicants, all study programmes are full except for just one.

Applicants must thus have a grade point average of over 9 to be admitted to the most popular study programmes.

In particular, the technical production and chemical engineering programmes are seeing growth.

This year, for two of the BSc in Engineering programmes, DTU has increased the number of places by 27 per cent for one programme and 17 per cent for the other to avoid unreasonably high grade point averages: Mechanical Engineering thus has a minimum grade point average of 8.9. And on the Chemistry and Technology programme, a minimum grade point average of 9.0 is required.

The study programmes with the most applicants, and thus the most popular, were the BSc in General Engineering,the BEng in Building and Civil Engineering, and the BEng in Mechanical Engineering. 

Considerable interest in new study programmes
The study programme requiring the highest grade point average was the new international BSc in General Engineering, with a requirement of 10.8.

The programme is taught entirely in English and is based on a model which—like the other study programmes at DTU—gives the students a strong technical-scientific foundation. The first semesters consist of compulsory courses with the emphasis on the technical and natural science subjects in a concrete interdisciplinary context with design-build projects in each semester. Then follows the characteristic DTU options within four areas: Life Sciences, Material Sciences, Sustainable and Renewable Energy, and Cyber Engineering, where Denmark has a strong international profile and DTU a very strong research position.

“The BSc in General Engineering is helping to solve the societal challenge resulting from smaller year groups in Denmark and the prospect of an imminent shortage of engineers. We have also created a multicultural, multinational, and challenging study environment which is attracting talented foreign and Danish students,” says Martin Vigild, adding:

“General Engineering is a unique opportunity which makes students attractive for jobs in high-tech companies in the global labour market. It’s incredibly exciting that 38 students with an outstanding international secondary school leaving examination have been accepted onto the programme. It’s nothing short of ‘brain gain’ for Denmark with a vengeance!”

At the same time, the other new BSc study programme, Quantitative Biology and Disease Modelling, has also attracted considerable interest with 125 applicants for only 30 study places.

“We are facing major social and scientific challenges, not just within the classic engineering disciplines, but also, for example, within biomedicine, biotechnology, and human health. In collaboration with the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, we will educate a new generation of engineers from the Quantitative Biology and Disease Modelling programme, which without doubt will play a significant role in developing the solutions we need,” says Martin Vigild, Senior Vice President, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs.

All the new students at DTU will be given a warm welcome on Friday 19 August and are invited on freshers’ trips (organized by Polyteknisk Forening (PF student association)) the following week, when, among other things, they will receive a visit from DTU’s President Anders Bjarklev and Martin Vigild, Senior Vice President, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs. The first day of teaching is Monday, 29 August. 

Intake of new students at DTU as at 30 July 2016

 

DTU

DTU

 

Two new study programmes

General Engineering
All courses are taught in English, and the study programme is therefore intended for both Danish and international students.

The programme provides a solid grounding in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and simultaneously teaches the students to work in various disciplines and apply them to solve actual problems. The programme has four focus areas: Living Systems, Cyber Systems, Cyber Materials, and Future Energy.

Additional information.


Quantitative Biology and Disease Modelling
Quantitative Biology and Disease Modelling is designed to produce a new type of engineer with the capacity to develop computer models of biological systems that help explain how complex diseases in people and animals arise and develop—and how they can be treated.

Quantitative Biology and Disease Modelling is taught jointly by DTU and the University of Copenhagen, and draws on the peerless competences that the two universities possess in the fields of technology and health sciences.

Additional information.