Digital Transformation, M.Sc.
Master's in Digital Transformation at Fachhochschule Dortmund, Germany — a program that pairs software engineering with product innovation. Students learn Design Thinking, agile methods and DevOps, software architecture, and cloud and edge computing, then apply them in usability engineering, software-intensive solutions and R&D project management. Specialisations include Software Engineering, IoT Technologies, Usability Engineering, and Innovation and Business. Taught in English, unusual for an applied-sciences technical master's in Germany.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Required English | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | uni-assist (VPD) + the university, winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €346.80 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Every applicant who meets the formal requirements is admitted — but places can run out before the deadline, so apply at the start of the window.
- ✓Those who enjoy software engineering and want to go beyond coding, into architecture, infrastructure and how systems are operated.
- ✓Those who are curious about how ideas become products, and who like methods such as design thinking, lean start-up and pitching alongside technical work.
- ✓Those who care about the user side of technology and want to learn usability engineering as a discipline.
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- ✓Those interested in IoT, cloud and edge computing, who want to understand the systems behind connected devices and services.
- ✓Those who see themselves in software companies, start-ups, mobility-sector innovation or research, or who are considering a doctorate later.
- ✓Those who are comfortable with project-based, research-oriented study and a thesis-focused second year.
- —The programme requires a technical bachelor's background that includes both digital systems and software engineering. Applicants from loosely related fields should check carefully whether their transcript covers these areas.
- —The curriculum mixes technical subjects (architecture, cloud and edge systems) with innovation, project management and business-oriented methods. It suits students who want both sides, not a purely theoretical or purely technical focus.
- —The third and fourth semesters are research-oriented (a research project followed by the master thesis), so a large share of the study time is self-directed.
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- —Teaching is in English, but everyday life, administration and part-time jobs in Germany are easier with some German. Applicants should plan for this.
- —Dortmund is a large city in the Ruhr region with an active IT and technology scene, which is useful for networking and finding jobs during or after studies.
- —The curriculum describes four directions (software engineering, IoT, usability engineering, innovation and business). Applicants should think about which direction fits their goals before choosing electives and a thesis topic.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →About the programme
This master's programme at Fachhochschule Dortmund treats digital transformation as a technical and a methodological challenge. Students learn to design, build and operate software-intensive systems, and also to develop ideas into products and services that work for real users and in real markets.
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The first semester lays the technical and methodological base. Innovation Driven Software Engineering introduces Design Thinking, agile methods (Scrum and Kanban), DevOps, UML modelling, lean start-up thinking and pitching. Digital Systems covers the infrastructure that modern software runs on: virtualization, containers, cloud computing, resource management and edge computing. Software Architecture and a block on scientific and transversal skills complete the semester.
The second semester shifts to application and people. Usability Engineering looks at how digital products are designed around users. Software-intensive Solutions deals with building larger systems. Digital Systems continues, and R&D Project Management prepares students to lead research and development work. Scientific and transversal skills also continue, which supports working and writing in a research-oriented way.
The third semester combines an elective with a Research Project, which serves as the thesis preparation phase. The fourth semester is devoted to the Master Thesis. Students can steer their electives and project work towards one of four thematic directions: software engineering, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, usability engineering, or innovation and business.
The programme is taught in English and is not a teaching-degree programme. It is a full-time, research- and application-oriented master's. Its mix of technical depth (architecture, cloud and edge systems) and innovation methods (design thinking, lean start-up, pitching) sets it apart from purely technical software engineering or purely business-oriented digitalisation programmes. The master's degree also forms the basis for a cooperative doctorate.
What you study
Semester 1
- Innovation Driven Software Engineering: Design Thinking, agile methods (Scrum, Kanban), DevOps, UML, lean start-up and pitching.
- Software Architecture: principles and practice of designing software systems.
- Digital Systems: virtualization, containers, cloud computing, resource management and edge computing.
- Scientific & Transversal Skills: academic working methods and cross-cutting competences.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Graduates find job opportunities in several areas:
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- Software and IT companies
- The start-up and innovation industry
- The mobility industry
- Research institutes
The master's degree is also the basis for a doctorate through a cooperative doctorate.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €346.80 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Bachelor's degree or diploma in (technical) computer science, electrical engineering, information technology or a closely related field. |
|---|---|
| Language | English C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | uni-assist (VPD) + the university, winter semester until 15.07 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 3Application uni-assist (VPD) + the university until 15.07uni-assist checks documents for 4–6 weeks — send them well before the deadline.
- 4Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.07.2027 (265 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.