Dual Bachelor of Science Programs

Virginia Tech (VT, USA) and the Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD, Germany) have established a Dual Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) program. In this program the students complete their senior year at the other university and earn two degrees simultaneously:

• VT: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• TUD: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical & Process Engineering

PROGRAM INFORMATION:

• Virginia Tech Undergraduate Course Catalog
  • VT-TUD dual BSME degree program: [2012-2013] [2011-2012] [2010-2011] [2009-2010]
  • TUD-VT dual BSME degree program: [2012-2013] [2011-2012] [2010-2011] [2009-2010]
• Virginia Tech students going to Technische Universität Darmstadt
  • Program handout - Class of 2015 [PDF file, 1.3 Mbytes] Revised: June 6, 2012 ***NEW***
  • Program handout - Class of 2014 [PDF file, 1.6 Mbytes] Revised: August 18, 2011
  • Program handout - Class of 2013 [PDF file, 1.6 Mbytes] Revised: August 22, 2010
  • Program handout - Class of 2012 [PDF file, 1.5 Mbytes] Revised: October 7, 2009
  • Program handout - Class of 2011 [PDF file, 684 Kbytes] Revised: November 14, 2008
  • List of mechanical engineering courses that transfer from TUD to VT [PDF file, 90 Kbytes] Revised: October 27, 2011
• AREA 2 (humanities) transfer information:
  • TUD course "Philosophie für Maschinenbauer" (Philisophy for Mechanical Engineers) transfers as "PHIL 2605 Reason and Revolution in Science", counting as 3 semester credit hours and satisfying both AREA 2 and AREA 7 (approved October 7, 2009).
  • TUD course "Utopian Fiction" (taught in English) transfers as "ENGL 2XXX" and satisfies AREA 2 (approved March 22, 2010).
• AREA 3 (social science) transfer information:
  • TUD course "Theorie: The Liberalism-Communitarianism Debate" (taught in English) satisfies both AREA 3 and AREA 7 (approved March 15, 2010). The extended version of this course (6 CP ECTS) requires an extensive term paper and transfers as 3 semester credit hours of "PSCI 1024 Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics".
  • TUD course "Public Policies im Mehrebenensystem" (Public Policies in Multi-Level Systems) transfers as "PSCI 3515 European Political Systems" (not an AREA course) or as "PSCI 1024 Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics" (AREA 3 and AREA 7) (approved March 19, 2010).
  • TUD course "Einführung in den Vergleich politischer Systeme" (Introduction to Comparative Political Systems) transfers as "PSCI 1024 Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics" (AREA 3 and AREA 7) (approved March 23, 2010).
  • TUD course "Europäische Urbanisierung und Umwelt 1000 - 2000" (European Urbanization the Surrounding World 1000-2000) transfers as "UAP 3XXX" (AREA 3 and AREA 7) (approved March 24, 2010).
  • TUD course "Einführung in die Psychologie" (Introduction to Psychology) transfers as "PSYC 2004 Introduction to Psychology" (AREA 3) (approved April 8, 2010).
• Other course transfer information:
  • TUD course "Einführung in die psychologische Methodenlehre" (Introduction to Methods of Psychology) transfers as "PSYC 2094 Principles of Psychological Research" (not an AREA course) (approved April 8, 2010).
• VT Green Engineering minor:
  Senior capstone design projects (e.g., ME 4015-4016) completed at the Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD) (e.g., Bachelor-Thesis) may be eligible for substitution as Engineering Elective courses toward the VT Green Engineering Minor (http://www.eng.vt.edu/green). Either 3 or 6 credits may be awarded depending on the scope of the work. Students should contact Dr. Sean McGinnis, director of VT Green Engineering (smcginn@vt.edu, TEL: +1-540-231-1446), before projects are completed (and preferably prior to departing for TUD) if they are interested in this option. To count toward the minor, senior capstone design projects must have content that focuses on the environmental impact of engineering practice. It is not sufficient to simply work on a project that is related to green engineering, but environmental impacts must be considered formally as part of the project. Typically, students and their advisor can work with Dr. McGinnis to ensure the project deliverables meet the requirements for consideration for this minor. Such capstone design projects are highly encouraged by the program. Requests for minor substitutions must be approved by Dr. McGinnis and the COE Dean of Academic Affairs. (October 20, 2009)
• Kungliga Tekniska högskolan (KTH) course transfers:
  The ATLANTIS program provides an exciting extension to this dual BSME degree program: The students may also spend a summer prior to their senior year at Kungliga Tekniska högskolan (KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden), and participate in undergraduate research and receive an introduction to the Swedish language and culture!
  • The KTH course AK1213 Swedish Society, Culture and Industry in Historical Perspective (7.5 CP ECTS; taught in English) transfers to VT as 3 semester credit hours of AREA 2 (approved September 15, 2009).
  • The KTH course AE111V Gender Issues in Developing Countries (7.5 CP ECTS; taught in English) transfers to VT as 3 semester credit hours of AREA 3 and AREA 7 (approved November 2, 2009).

• Application form

  Deadline: Second Friday of VT Spring semester prior to going abroad (e.g., February 1, 2013)
  - ATLANTIS program (VT->TUD)
  - Dual BSME degree program (VT->TUD)
  - VT BSME Senior Year at TUD
  [PDF file, 90 Kbytes] Revised: December 5, 2012 ***NEW***

• VT: Prof. Jan Helge Bøhn, Ph.D., TEL: +1-540-231-3276
• TUD: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred J. Hampe, TEL: +49-6151-16-2164

• VT->TUD: 4 graduates
  2007-2008: Alexandre N. Schwartz
  2008-2009:
  2009-2010: Erin T. Sheehan; Joshua J. Hubbard; VT-graduate; VT-graduate
  2010-2011: VT-graduate; candidate
  2011-2012: Thomas Kane; Dual-Graduate; VT-graduate; VT-graduate; VT-graduate; VT-graduate; VT-graduate; VT-graduate; candidate; candidate
  2012-2013: candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate
  2013-2014: candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate
  2014-2015: Application deadline = January 31, 2014
  candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate
  2015-2016: candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate
• TUD->VT: 14 graduates
  2007-2008: Christian von Pyschow; Holger Werschnik; Lukas Wörner
  2008-2009: Jochen Dietl; Axel Dietrich; Michael Köhler; André Niederdorf
  2009-2010: Niels Göran Blume; Tobias Gezork; Manuel Wilhelm; Christian Jente
  2010-2011: Sebastian Beutel; Tobias Hofmeister
  2011-2012: Anton Amadeus Bauhofer
  2012-2013: candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate
  2013-2014: candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate; candidate
  2014-2015: (candidates not yet selected for program)

Junior or Senior Year Abroad Programs

These programs allow students at one university to complete the senior/final year of their Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program by attending courses at the other university and still graduate on time.

Technische Universität Darmstadt senior year at Virginia Tech
Replace the Technische Universität Darmstadt senior year (3rd year) Winter/Summer semester sequence (October-July) with a Fall/Spring semester sequence (August-May) at Virginia Tech:

• Mechanical Engineering
  Program description [PDF file, 131 KBytes] Revised: May 31, 2006.
  CONTACT: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred J. Hampe, TEL: +49-6151-16-2164

Virginia Tech semester or year at Technische Universität Darmstadt
Replace the Virginia Tech semester or year with a Winter (October-March) and/or Summer (April-July) semester at the Technische Universität Darmstadt:

• Mechanical Engineering
  Program description [PDF file, 545 KBytes] Revised: August 15, 2003.
  CONTACT: Prof. Jan Helge Bøhn, Ph.D., TEL: +1-540-231-3276
• Materials Science and Engineering
  CONTACT: Prof. Robert Hendricks, Ph.D., TEL: +1-540-231-6917

Scholarship opportunities:

• DAAD: Jahresstipendien für Studierende aller Fächer
  For Technische Universität Darmstadt students going to Virginia Tech
  AMOUNT: €800 [approximately US$1,100] per month
  DEADLINE: July 15, 2012 for the 2013-2014 academic year (apply directly to DAAD)
• DAAD: Undergraduate Scholarship
  For Virginia Tech students going to the Technische Universität Darmstadt
  AMOUNT: €650 [approximately US$840] per month + additional funds towards travel and health insurance
  DEADLINE: January 31, 2013 for the 2013-2014 academic year (apply directly to DAAD)

Information about TU Darmstadt and surrounding area:

• Frankfurt International Airport [airport map] [airport map]
  When you arrive at Frankfurt airport, you will go through immigration, pick up your checked luggage, and then go through customs. In the case of Terminal 1 (most flights from the US arrive here), you will then exit at the ground level (Level 1) at exit "A", "B", or "C". If you are being picked up or are meeting up with someone, then you should go to the meeting point ("Treffpunkt") between exits "B" and "A" in the case of Terminal 1. The meeting point is a waiting area that is designated by a blue sign with four white arrows pointing towards a red dot in the center (see airport map).
• Darmstadt Airliner [2013 Schedule]
  The easiest way to travel between Frankfurt airport and Darmstadt is to use the bus knows as the Darmstadt AirLiner. The AirLiner goes from the airport directly to the main bus station in Darmstadt. From there you can catch a taxi or transfer to another bus to your destination within Darmstadt. The Summer 2013 cost is EURO 7.75 each way, which includes transfer using a bus or tramway within Darmstadt.
• Haus Martin [WWW site with address, contact information, and pictures]
  We often use Haus Martin for short-term and summer housing. As can be seen on the Google walking map, the apartment building (C) is within short walking distance of the TUD Sprachenzentrum (B) and the bus stop by the Schloss (A).
• Patenprogramm [PDF, 332 KBytes] [WWW site in German]
  Student group at Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD) dedicated to welcoming students to TUD, helping them settle in, and discover the best of what TUD, Darmstadt, and Germany have to offer.