Dual study program civil engineering

Actually, Olivia's story is quite easy to tell: A-levels, dual study program in civil engineering, excellent bachelor's degree, followed directly by a dual master's course, and she will soon be writing her master's thesis. Sounds determined - and it is! But of course there's a bit more to tell. After all, the exact route of such a career path often only becomes clear once you're already on the journey. This is also the case for Olivia.

As her A-levels approach, she is determined to become an engineer in the construction sector. There should definitely be technical topics in her future job, it should also be mathematically demanding and versatile anyway. So only one question remains: Should she study full-time or would she prefer a dual course? This is also an easy decision, as Olivia is already familiar with the dual study program and its process from her family environment - a concept she is completely convinced by. And so, shortly afterwards, she starts her dual study program in civil engineering at C + P Engineering, CHRISTMANN + PFEIFER's in-house engineering office.

During the 7-semester course, Olivia alternates between theoretical phases at the THM campus in Wetzlar and practical phases at the company. She is employed in the field of statics and structural design. And here too - just like before her A-levels - she realizes early on what she wants to do after her Bachelor's degree: She definitely wants to attend a Master's course.

So the goal is set, but the path to achieve it is not yet clear, because Olivia now has two options: On the one hand, she could complete the Master's course full-time at the THM in Giessen and thus "constructively deepen her knowledge". This means: an M. Eng. degree and a specific and close technical connection to civil engineering. On the other hand, she could also do a dual Master's degree at StudiumPlus at the THM in Wetzlar. This would mean an M.Sc. degree in Future Skills and Innovation, also with a specialization in civil engineering, but with a broader thematic focus. She consults with her supervisor and the HR department and decides on the dual study program again.

Once again the right path for her. She works part-time as a junior structural engineer and the classes for her studies usually take place towards the end of the week - even on Saturdays. This means it's often "university instead of free time" at the moment, but that's absolutely fine with Olivia: "It's only for a limited period of time and I know what I'm doing it for. What's more, studying is really good fun. We look at a wide variety of topics, even beyond my day-to-day work as a civil engineer. It's very specific, thanks to practical projects that are sometimes worked on together in groups and sometimes individually. We not only learn a lot from a technical perspective, but also in the area of soft skills."

The dual Master's course at THM lasts a total of three semesters. Olivia will soon be starting work on her Master's thesis. She is happy about the support she receives at the company. "I felt at home here right from the start and was accompanied on my way." And her next goal? To go full throttle professionally after her Master's degree and successfully use and develop the skills and abilities she has acquired.