1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. School of Engineering and Computer Science
  3. Studies
  4. Our degree programmes
  5. Industrial Engineering and Management Science
See table of contents See table of contents

Industrial Engineering and Management Science

Designing products, digitising supply chains and launching start-ups: these are the challenges you’ll face as an industrial engineer. Focusing heavily on Business Engineering, Industrial Engineering et Supply Chain and Process Engineering, this degree programme opens up outstanding career opportunities.

In this programme, you will

  • tackle technical and economic issues and acquire skills for the digital world,

  • learn to improve communications processes, produce profitability analyses and develop new digital business models,

  • optimise logistical processes and production facilities – the basis for the transformation to the networked company,

  • gain in-depth knowledge about Industrial Engineering, Business Engineering and Supply Chain and Process Engineering,

  • achieve business fluency in English thanks to lectures in German or English,

  • apply your knowledge directly in various project and bachelor theses.

  • open up highly attractive career opportunities in many sectors.

     

Factsheet

  • Title/Degree Bachelor of Science (BSc)
  • Specialisations Business Engineering (digitisation)
    Industrial Engineering (Industry 4.0)
    Supply Chain and Process Engineering
  • Mode of study Full-time (6 semesters)
    Part-time (8 semesters)
    Work-study bachelor degree programme (8 semesters)
  • Start date Calendar week 38
  • Application deadline 31 July
  • ECTS credits 180 ECTS credits
  • Teaching language Bilingual German/English (approx. 50/50 split)
  • Location Biel
  • School School of Engineering and Computer Science

Contact

  • Programme Handbook

BSc Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Structure + Content

With the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management Science, you will be ideally placed to perform highly responsible roles in areas where business, IT and engineering converge. The Industry 4.0, Digitisation or Supply Chain and Process Engineering specialisations (majors) allow you to concentrate on a field of your choice. The choice of an additional minor (focus) provides another specialisation option. The programme being taught in two languages (German/English) also opens up opportunities abroad or with international companies.

Training goals

A Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management Science will enable you to

  • perform challenging roles in areas where business, IT and engineering overlap
  • develop and implement innovative business ideas for companies or your own start-up
  • analyse and evaluate supply chains and optimise them in a sustainable way
  • conduct research and apply findings in real scenariosdevelop solutions for technical and business problems
  • communicate and give presentations successfully

Majors (specialisations) + Minors (focuses)


On the German/English bachelor degree programme in Industrial Engineering and Management Science, you opt for the major (specialisation) that suits you best. You specialise in your area of interest. We offer a wide range of learning environments: lectures, laboratories, online learning, industry presentations, coaching and mentoring.
In addition to the choice of one of three majors, you can specialise further through the choice of a minor (focus): Take advantage of the opportunity to gain valuable insights by talking to like-minded people with professional experience and by attending continuing education courses with them.

Majors

This major focuses on creating structures for sustainable management and innovation processes and business models.

Programme content

  • Digital transformation
  • Business modelling
  • Innovation management
  • Business development
  • Business intelligence

Major Business Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Management Science (in German)

This major focuses on intelligent production systems and production management.

Programme content

  • Analysis, evaluation and optimisation of production plants
  • Internet of Things, production systems, cyber-physical systems
  • Planning of the development process and product procurement with quality management
  • Data management and big data
  • Planning systems, real-time monitoring in production

Major Industrial Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Management Science (in German)

This major focuses on the design of supply chains and business processes.


Programme content

  • Data-based supply chain management
  • Process analysis and automation
  • Transparent, sustainable and circular supply chains
  • Technologies and information systems in logistics

Minors

Benefit from the exchange with professionally experienced course colleagues and establish valuable contacts.

You can opt for one of these minors:

  • Energy and Sustainability
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Management
  • Requirements Engineering
  • Product Owner
  • Software Development
  • Agile Software Engineering
  • Application Development with Javascript/HTML
  • Cloud Computing
  • Quality Development in ICT
  • Data Science Applications
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Data Engineering
  • Business Intelligence
  • Networking and Security
  • DFCI fundamentals
  • eHealth
  • Digital Transformation in Life Science
  • Lean and Digital Healthcare
  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Power Grids

Living Labs

We provide our students with modern lecture theatres and innovative learning laboratories (Living Labs) directly in Biel.

Mode of study + Duration

You decide which option suits you best: Choose between full-time and part-time study. What if your circumstances change during the degree programme? That’s no problem! You can simply change the mode of study during the programme.

Regardless of which mode of study you opt for: specialisations are undertaken in the last two semesters.

Full-time study

Duration: 6 semesters
Number of credits: 30 ECTS credits per semester
employment in parallel to the programme max. 20%

Part-time study

Duration: 8 semesters
Number of credits: 22-24 ECTS credits per semester
Employment in parallel to the programme depending on the amount of ECTS per semester, e.g. 60%
Your employment (practical experience) can be taken into account for the degree programme.

Work-study Bachelor's degree programme

You hold the baccalaureate but lack professional experience? Combine the degree programme with an internship. You spend 40% of the time working on practical application – whether it’s an internship at a company or as part of projects or the bachelor thesis.
Duration: 4 years

Information on the work-study Bachelor's degree programme WSB
24.12.2023 – 07.01.2024 Unterrichtsfreie Zeit
21.01.2024 Ende Herbstsemester
22.01.2024 – 18.02.2024 Unterrichtsfreie Zeit
29.01.2024 – 09.02.2024 Prüfungswochen
19.02.2024     Start Frühlingssemester
29.03.2024   Karfreitag
01.04.2024     Ostermontag
08.04.2024 – 14.04.2024   Unterrichtsfreie Zeit
10.05.2024     Auffahrt
15.05.2024     Sporttag «The Games»
20.05.2024     Pfingstmontag
14.06.2024     Techday | BSc Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen
16.06.2024     Ende Frühlingssemester
17.06.2024 – 15.09.2024    Unterrichtsfreie Zeit
01.07.2024 – 12.07.2024     Prüfungswochen
09.09.2024 – 13.09.2024   Wiederholungsprüfungen
09.09.2024 – 13.09.2024   Blockwoche Wahlmodul «Business Simulation»
13.09.2024     Einführungstag für neue Studierende
16.09.2024 – 20.09.2024   Blockwoche für Studierende im 1., 3. und 5. Semester
20.09.2024     Diplomfeier
22.01.2025 – 05.01.2025    Unterrichtsfreie Zeit
19.01.2025    Ende Herbstsemester
20.01.2025 – 16.02.2025    Unterrichtsfreie Zeit
27.01.2025 – 07.02.2025     Prüfungswochen
17.02.2025    Start Frühlingssemester

 

The programme has a modular structure and is made up of mandatory and optional modules. It comprises 180 ECTS.
You can put your degree programme together individually, enabling you to achieve the perfect balance between your private life, career and study.

Projects and bachelor’s thesis

You apply the knowledge you’ve acquired for companies as part of exciting projects. This provides you with a solid foundation for a successful career or a Master’s degree programme.

Curricula and module descriptions

Course of studies

The course of studies provides an overview of the specialist fields covered by the modules and how they are distributed over the entire degree programme.

Course of studies Industrial Engineering and Management Science Enlarge image

The classes usually take place as follows:

  • Block week in the 1st, 3rd and 5th semester in calendar week 38 (see also general calendar).

  • For full-time study plan:
    Tuesday - Thursday (weekly) between 08.20 - 18.00, as well as 5x Fridays.

  • For part-time study plan:

    • Tuesday and Thursday (for 1st - 4th semester), plus 5x Fridays
    • Tuesday and Wednesday (for 5th - 8th semester), as well as 5x Fridays

You can organise your self-study according to your individual and time possibilities.
Personal timetables are displayed for students on the IS-A portal.

Please contact wirtschaftsingenieur@bfh.ch for further questions.

Entrepreneurship

You have a business idea and want to start your own business? You want to contribute your know-how to a start-up or use your entrepreneurial mindset to bring companies forward?
Entrepreneurship has many facets. Above all, it requires entrepreneurial thinking and action. With us, you learn to outline and evaluate business models, and what a business plan should take into account, from idea to launch. In addition, you acquire skills in financing, risk management and marketing.

Your contact persons

Yacine Bouazdia

  • Experte Entrepreneurship
  • +41 32 321 61 76
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Stefan Grösser

  • Leiter Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen
  • +41 32 321 62 75
  • Show e-mail

Ever toyed with the idea of setting up your own business after graduating? Would you like to develop your business concept as part of your project thesis? Bern University of Applied Sciences encourages entrepreneurial spirit. With the Entrepreneurship Certificate, a start-up internship and events, BFH will ensure you get off to a flying start as an entrepreneur.

Services, funding opportunities and points of contact for start-ups

Would you like to study abroad or undertake an internship?
You’re enrolled at a university abroad but would like to study at Bern University of Applied Sciences? We will be happy to advise you.

Find out more about international study options
All BFH partner universities

Certificate of Global Competence

The supplementary «Certificate of Global Competence» offers you the opportunity to acquire specific intercultural skills during the course of your studies. The certificate provides additional skills and is a complement to the bachelor diploma. It is an asset which should not be overlooked in the course of a job application procedure.

Certificate of Global Competence

Need more information?

Our International Advisor will be pleased to answer your questions.

General information on student mobility (PDF, 129 KB)

International Advisor

Dr. Maria Franco Mosquera

  • Tenure Track Dozentin
  • +41 32 321 64 28
  • Show e-mail

Partner universities

  • Story

Seda Otuzbir – Mein Auslandssemester in Sydney

Mein Name ist Seda Otuzbir und ich studiere derzeit BSc Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen an der BFH. Von Februar bis April 2020 verbrachte ich mein 4. Studiensemester im Ausland an der University of Technology...

Studierende im Bachelor Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen berichten von ihrem Austausch

Wirtschaftsingenieure unterwegs - Erfahrungsberichte aus Vilnius

Project idea: partner companies

During their studies, students complete practical projects, firstly in project assignments and then as part of a bachelor’s thesis. Interested business partners who would like to suggest a topic for such a work or for another project can contact us at any time!

 
 


My company has an idea!
 

I would like to submit a project idea.
 

Final-Year Theses 2023 – Book

This 50-page book presents the results of this application-led and future-oriented degree programme. The abstracts of the bachelor theses highlight that Industrial Engineering and Management Science graduates have acquired the key skills required in IT, business management and engineering. Take a look for yourself – it’s well worth a read!

Requirements and admission

There are many ways of meeting the admission criteria for the Bachelor of Science inIndustrial Engineering and Management Science.
You will be admitted to the degree programme with:

  • Vocational training with the Federal VET Diploma and a vocational baccalaureate in a profession related to the discipline.
  • Vocational training with the Federal VET Diploma and a vocational baccalaureate in a profession not or only partly related to the discipline and a vocational internship of up to one year
  • A general baccalaureate and a one-year vocational internship
  • A general baccalaureate and our Passerelle scheme
  • A general baccalaureate or a vocational baccalaureate in a different discipline and work-study bachelor degree programme (WSB) for individual degree programmes
  • A Swiss or foreign school-leaving qualification (upper secondary level) equivalent to the vocational baccalaureate and a one-year vocational internship in a related profession.
    • Admission procedure: by dossier
    • Language skills: Degree programme in German and English: German min. B2 (recommended C1), English B1 (recommended B2). Note: language diploma required
  • A specialised baccalaureate and a one-year vocational internship
    • We recommend that you complete a preparatory course in mathematics.
  • A federal diploma from a professional education institution in a technology or science discipline and vocational training with the Federal VET Diploma in a profession related to the discipline. Previous academic achievements may be recognised in certain cases, allowing you to start off in a higher semester.
     

Download

Profession related - profession not or only partly related (PDF, 455 KB)

Links

Then you can continue your degree with us, provided you have not been deregistered due to unsatisfactory performance. Credit may be given for some academic achievements, depending on which degree programme you opt for; you can apply for this for once you have successfully enrolled. Depending on your professional experience in the field of the degree, you may be required to obtain additional practical experience through a vocational internship.

Passerelle

This scheme bridges the gap between upper secondary level school and university degree programmes. The ‘Passerelle’ includes a three-month preparatory course and a nine-month internship.

Passerelle

Way-up

You can obtain the practical experience required for your degree programme in two years. On completion of the course, you are awarded a Federal VET Diploma.

Way-up

Our preparatory courses will ensure you are optimally prepared for your degree programme and enable you to refresh what you have already learned.

Degree + future prospects

Technical and business management issues are increasingly converging in our digitised society. As an industrial engineer, you perform roles where technology and business come together because you have a complete understanding of both worlds.

Title + Degree

The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management Science enables you to undertake further courses of study at traditional universities or universities of applied sciences. You also have the option of studying abroad. The admission criteria are set by the university applied to.

Your degree title depends on the specialisation you have chosen:

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management Science

  • Major Business Engineering
  • Major Industrial Engineering
  • Major Supply Chain and Process Engineering

Job profile + future prospects

Ready for challenging technical and management roles?
The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering qualifies you for exciting and challenging roles in a wide range of sectors and companies: They include product development, production, corporate development, marketing and sales.

Job profile + future projects Enlarge image
  • Master of Science

Business Administration

The world of business is changing. If you want to help shape that change, you will need entrepreneurial, digital and sustainable management skills.
You can acquire those by taking our Master’s in Business...
  • Master of Science

MSc in Engineering: Profile Data Science

As a Master in Engineering with a specialisation in Data Science, you will develop and manage data-driven intelligent applications.

You recognise the social and economic opportunities presented by machine...
  • Master of Science

MSc in Engineering: Profile Business Engineering

As a Master of Science in Engineering graduate specialised in business engineering you’ll design develop and implement effective products and services.

Production, process and project management, along with...
  • Master of Science

Circular Innovation and Sustainability

As an expert in the circular economy and sustainability, you will develop and manage innovative transformations – thanks to BFH’s unique and interdisciplinary master’s programme. Your studies will be...

Organisation + registration

Secure your place on the programme early. Missing vocational baccalaureate certificates can be submitted at a later stage.

Registration deadline: 31 July
Start of programme: CW 38
Kick-off day for the programme on the Friday in CW 37.
Induction week CW 38

Costs

At BFH, different fees apply for programmes and examinations.

Application (per application)*

CHF 100

Matriculation**

CHF 100

Tuition fees (per semester)

CHF 750

Tuition fees for international students*** (per semester)

CHF 950

Examination fee (per semester)

CHF 80

Fee for social, cultural and sport offerings (per semester)

CHF 24

Membership fee for the Bern University of Applied Sciences Student Association (VSBFH) (per semester)

CHF 15

* plus CHF 10 processing fee if paying by paying-in slip/paper invoice.
** If the application leads to matriculation, the matriculation fee is covered by the application fee.
*** International students are defined as persons of foreign citizenship who at the time of obtaining their university entrance qualification were domiciled under civil law neither in Switzerland nor the Principality of Liechtenstein. This rule applies as of the 2018/19 autumn semester.

Grants, loans and other funding options

Financial aid is available through grants and loans. Grants are one-off or ongoing payments that don’t usually have to be paid back provided you complete your course. Loans are one-off or ongoing payments that must be paid back after you finish your course.

Cantonal grants

Grants and loans for Swiss students and overseas students are generally paid out by the canton where the students’ parents are tax residents.

Students who have been tax residents in the Canton of Bern for at least two years are able to apply for cantonal grants and loans. Applications should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office at the Department of Education.

Further information (incl. financial aid calculator):

The websites educaswiss.ch, stipendium.ch and European Funding Guide cover all the key information about grants in Switzerland and overseas.

Foundations and funds

There are also numerous private foundations and funds that offer financial support to students. The electronic foundation directory administered by the Federal Department of Home Affairs offers a comprehensive summary of these organisations and can be searched by keywords (e.g. student, research, financial aid, etc.). Other sources of funding include the foundation directories for individual cantons and private foundations.

The following foundations offer funding specifically to BFH students and students from other universities:

Further information

At Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, we promote balance between study, work and family.

A limited number of nursery places are available to BFH staff and students. If you’d like to take advantage of this offer, the relevant documents can be found on the BFH Intranet. The fees are income-based and in line with the cantonal rates described in the Verordnung über die Angebote der sozialen Integration (Decree on Social Integration Offer ASIV) issued by the Canton of Bern. You can apply for a nursery place using the online form on the BFH Intranet. If you’re a new student or member of staff and don’t have access to the Intranet, please contact Corinne Badertscher (Tel. +41 (0)31 848 33 01, corinne.badertscher@bfh.ch). There is no legal entitlement to a nursery place.

Compulsory service

Students must also perform their compulsory service during the degree programme. Plan and coordinate your degree programme and compulsory service at an early stage. We strongly recommend full completion of basic military training prior to the degree programme.

More information (page only available in German)

You’ve decided to take a degree programme at Bern University of Applied Sciences? Then register right away! Online registration provides you with a complete overview of the procedure.

Documents required

Ensure the following documents in electronic format are available according to your educational background (documents: PDF/image material: JPG):

  • ID document or passport*P
  • assport photo in accordance with international passport standards*
  • Diplomas and certificates (e.g. vocational/specialised baccalaureate with grades, general baccalaureate certificate, secondary school leaving qualifications)
  • Federal certificate of competence with grades
  • Reference of employment and/or internship
  • CV in table format

 * mandatory

Students who have already completed academic achievements at a different university or higher technical school (or equivalent institutions in Switzerland or abroad) can apply for them to be recognised in the student portal as soon as they are matriculated at BFH. The application is then assessed. Evidence must be provided.

A high-performance laptop is required for the application of the course content in the modules. We recommend:

  • CPU at least Intel i5, ideally Intel i7
  • 16GB RAM
  • At least 500 GB of storage capacity
  • An integrated graphics card should be sufficient
  • Good keyboard
  • Anti-glare/matt display
  • Plug/ports: HDMI, USB type A and USB type C"

You can produce quick sketches or more complex notes with a tablet. Purchasing a tablet, iPad or Microsoft Surface with touchscreen and pen input is recommended.

Information events + advisory service

Do you have any questions about the degree programme? At our information events, we answer your questions and also give you the chance to visit our laboratories and obtain information face to face.

Student advisory service

We are also pleased to provide you with advice outside of information events.

Prof. Dr. Stefan Grösser

  • Leiter Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen
  • +41 32 321 62 75
  • Show e-mail

Location(s) + Facilities

We provide our students with modern lecture theatres and innovative learning laboratories (Living Labs) directly in Biel.

Business Lab

The Business Lab is an innovation hub. At the Business Lab we bring together research, lecturing and application-led projects on future-oriented topics. A wide range of cutting-edge software and hardware solutions are available to students for their application-oriented projects at the Business Lab. A culture of collaboration is fostered in a creative and state-of-the-art working environment, providing the ideal foundation for your future career.

Industry Lab

The Industry Lab is available to students as a training and research facility. The Industry Lab contains a real production plant which students can use to experience, design and develop cutting-edge systems of Industry 4.0. The emphasis is placed on automation, robotics and production data acquisition. This allows you to experience automation first hand.

Student life in Biel: BFH podcast

Prof. Dr. Stefan Grösser

  • Leiter Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen
  • +41 32 321 62 75
  • Show e-mail

Luca Affolter

  • Assistent
  • +41 32 321 61 91
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Cédric Bessire

  • Dozent
  • +41 32 321 62 73
  • Show e-mail

Thomas Blaser

  • Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
  • +41 32 321 63 47
  • Show e-mail

Yacine Bouazdia

  • Experte Entrepreneurship
  • +41 32 321 61 76
  • Show e-mail

Dr. Jan Brunner

  • Lehrbeauftragter
  • +41 32 321 62 55
  • Show e-mail

Rebecca Felis

  • Mitarbeiterin Studierendenadministration
  • +41 32 321 61 12
  • Show e-mail

Dr. Maria Franco Mosquera

  • Tenure Track Dozentin
  • +41 32 321 64 28
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Beat Geissbühler

  • Dozent
  • +41 31 848 44 10
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Jörg Grimm

  • Dozent
  • +41 32 321 62 71
  • Show e-mail

Silvia Hiltbrunner

  • Fachbereichssekretärin
  • +41 32 321 64 13
  • Show e-mail

Oliver Jones

  • Lehrbeauftragte/r
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Bramwell Kaltenrieder

  • Dozent
  • +41 32 321 63 57
  • Show e-mail

Martin Keller

  • Dozent
  • +41 32 321 61 47
  • Show e-mail

Tim Luginbühl

  • Wissensch. Mitarbeiter mit Lehrauftrag
  • +41 32 321 61 85
  • Show e-mail

Patrik Marti

  • Dozent
  • +41 32 321 63 73
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Angela Meyer

  • Dozentin
  • +41 32 321 64 69
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Marie-Anne Pinheiro

  • Dozentin
  • +41 34 426 42 26
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Kenneth Ritley

  • Dozent
  • +41 31 848 54 72
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Sebastian Siep

  • Dozent
  • +41 34 426 41 99
  • Show e-mail

Adrian Stettler

  • Lehrbeauftragter
  • +41 31 848 34 39
  • Show e-mail

Florian Thürkow

  • Tenure Track Dozent
  • +41 31 848 58 15
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Bastian Widenmayer

  • Dozent
  • +41 31 848 53 89
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Niki Roger Zumbrunnen

  • Dozent
  • +41 32 321 62 69
  • Show e-mail

Sven Koble

  • Lehrbeauftragte/r
  • Show e-mail

Advisory Board - industry partners

The Advisory Board for the Industrial Engineering and Management Science department consists of experts in management positions at relevant companies and associations. The members provide the department with key input about the future professional requirements of our graduates. All relevant sectors are represented on the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board also suggests key topics for application-led projects as part of the degree programme and provides support and network opportunities for students in the final semester.

Beirat Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen BFH