Light Weight Engineering MSc
Master's Degree Program
The Master’s degree program in Light Weight Engineering is the right choice if you want to develop innovative and sustainable technologies used in industries such as automotive engineering, aerospace, energy technology, architecture, or medical technology.
Light Weight Engineering is one of the most important key technologies of our time. Through the intelligent use of materials and modern design methods, it helps to use resources more efficiently, reduce CO₂ emissions, and develop sustainable technical solutions.
In the Master’s degree program in Light Weight Engineering, you’ll deepen your knowledge of modern manufacturing technologies, generative design, additive manufacturing, FEM simulation, materials technologies, and bionic design. Project-based learning, as well as the development and testing of prototypes, enable you to apply theoretical knowledge directly in practice.
Thanks to close collaboration with companies and practice-oriented courses, you’ll be optimally prepared for challenging tasks in development, design, and research. With your master’s degree, you’ll have a wide range of career opportunities in one of the most innovative engineering disciplines.
From Idea to Prototype
In the Master's program in Light Weight Engineering at CU University, you'll develop innovative products from the initial idea to a functional prototype and directly apply modern technologies such as generative design and additive manufacturing.
Optimizing Components Intelligently
Using FEM simulations, modern materials, and intelligent design methods, you'll optimize components for weight, stability, and efficiency.
Sustainable Design
In the Master's program in Light Weight Engineering at CU University, you will develop resource-efficient solutions for mobility, energy, architecture, and many other industries, thereby making an active contribution to sustainable technological development.
Are you ready to make innovation easier?
Then enroll in the Master’s degree program in Light Weight Engineering to learn how to develop innovative solutions for sustainable and resource-efficient technology.
Special features of the program
Lightweight Construction for Tomorrow's Technologies
Lightweight construction is one of the most important technologies of the future. Whether in automotive engineering, aerospace, energy technology, architecture, or medical technology—intelligent designs are needed everywhere to conserve materials and resources while delivering maximum performance.
From Digital Model to Prototype
In the Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering—Lightweight Construction, you’ll develop components and systems from the initial concept to the finished prototype. You’ll work with generative design, additive manufacturing, 3D printing, and modern composite materials, applying your theoretical knowledge directly to real-world projects.
Simulation as a Development Partner
Today, lightweight design begins long before manufacturing. Using FEM simulations, materials testing, validation, and modern computational methods, you analyze and optimize components as early as the digital development phase and develop efficient and reliable solutions.
Research That Drives Innovation
CU Carinthia University of Applied Sciences works closely with companies and research institutions. This gives you insight into current research projects and allows you to develop solutions to real-world problems in industry and science.
Details about the program
Info Box
Level of qualification
Master
ECTS credits
120
Tuition fees*
€ 363.36 / Semester
ÖH (Austrian Student Union) fee
€ 26.20 / Semester
Qualification awarded
Master of Science in Engineering
Duration of study
4 Semester
Language of instruction
German
CU Campus
Villach
Dates Info Box
Winterterm 2026
Period I: 01.11.-15.03.26
Period II: 16.03.-15.05.26
Period III: 16.05.-15.07.26
Period IV: 16.07.-30.09.26*
Due to lengthy visa processes, applications from Africa, the Middle East and South, East, and Southeast Asia only in Period I.
*We reserve the right not to open the period or to close it early.
The semester starts in October - we only offer intake in winterterm!
The start of lectures can be found in the individual timetable which is available after enrollment.
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
Classroom teaching or online
An overview on our upcoming events can be found here.
You are interested in a personal (online) study consultation or would like to receive more information on the degree program? Click on the buttons below this checkbox to learn more.
Language of Instruction: German (min B2)
Application essentials:
More information on the application process, admission requirements and necessary documents can be found here.
* Tuition for non-EU/EEA citizens: €500 + €26.20 ÖH fee (per semester)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Master’s Degree Program in
“Light Weight Engineering”
Do I need prior knowledge of FEM or simulation?
No. Building on your technical bachelor’s degree, the Master’s program in Light Weight Engineering will allow you to deepen your understanding of FEM simulation and numerical calculation methods step by step.
Do I work with 3D printing?
Yes. In the Master’s degree program in Light Weight Engineering, you’ll learn about modern manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing and 3D printing and apply them directly in labs and project work.
In which industries will this master's degree qualify me to work?
Lightweight construction is used in numerous future-oriented industries–including automotive engineering, aerospace, energy technology, medical technology, and many other industrial sectors.
Insights into the Program
Students, graduates, and faculty members share firsthand accounts of the programs in Mechanical Engineering and Light Weight Engineering, daily life as a student, and their experiences at CU Carinthia University of Applied Sciences.
Book an online information session
During the online information sessions, the program directors or academic directors provide detailed information about the program. Topics include course content, internships, admission requirements, and potential career prospects.
Research and Teaching Facilities
The laboratories at CU Carinthia University provide a modern infrastructure that supports hands-on learning and innovative research. Equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and specialized equipment, they enable students and researchers to work on projects across a wide range of fields, including engineering, computer science, business, and health.
The laboratories are designed to meet current industry standards and requirements, providing an ideal environment for developing new ideas, technologies, and solutions.
INFORMATION & APPLICATION
Virtual Campus Tour
Contact
Dagmar Kofler
Administration
d.kofler(at)cuas.at
On foot
From the Villach Seebach train station, you can reach the campus in about 20 minutes on foot (1.6 km). The route follows the Drau River to the campus.
By public transportation
The campus is directly accessible from Villach Central Station via bus lines 3 and 8 to the “Technologiepark” stop. From the Villach Seebach train station, you can also reach the campus by taking bus line 8 to the “Technologiepark” stop. The Villach city bus schedules are coordinated with the ÖBB schedules.
By car
Coming from Klagenfurt/Vienna, take the A2 Südautobahn to the Wernberg exit. From there, follow the B83 Kärntner Straße toward Villach for about 2 km, then follow the signs toward Magdalenen See or Technologiepark.
Coming from Salzburg/Munich via the A10 Tauern Autobahn, take the Villach/Ossiacher See exit and follow the B33 Kärntner Straße for about 2 km toward Wernberg/Klagenfurt. Then turn toward Magdalenen See and follow the road to the Technology Park.
There are several free parking spaces right in front of the building, and additional paid parking spaces are available in the surrounding area.
By Plane
There are several airports in the area:
- Klagenfurt: approx. 30-minute drive
- Ljubljana (Slovenia): approx. 1-hour drive
- Graz: approx. 2-hour drive
- Salzburg: approx. 2-hour drive
- Trieste and Venice (Italy): about 2 to 3 hours by car
- Vienna: about a 4-hour drive
- Munich: approx. 4-hour drive
From there, you can continue your journey to the Villach campus by train, bus, taxi, or car.