Production Management & Supply Chain Management  -  45 contact hours

After completing the course, students will have an idea about the mindset, the problems, and the tasks of production and logistics management in the automotive industry, and discover trade-offs like those between product design, custom orientation, logistics, and production. Thus that experience will enable them not only to focus their attention on broadening their knowledge of pure engineering, design, or development, but will also enable them to perceive and understand the dependencies and effects of their engineering work on other functions.

Students discuss specific tasks and problems concerning production and supply chain management and learn how to use well-chosen methods to solve related tasks and to prevent related problems.

Students will gain a deeper understanding in management tasks and skills in a technical environment, consider how the dilemma and polylemma have to be balanced, and speculate on the optimization of production systems. Included in the overall program are visits to production plants such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, and BMW as well as to institutions as the European Patent Office, or technology-oriented museums as the German Museum in Munich.

Thus students are able to deal with problems and tasks and have the ability and knowledge to act with self-assurance in production and supply chain environments

Emerging Technologies and Innovative Laser-Based Production Facilities -  45 contact hours

tbd.

German as a Foreign Language  -  30 contact hours 

Beginner or Advanced

During classes the Advance course provides students with a broad range of practical instruction of the German language. A major goal is the application of the correct use of grammar, the understanding of authentic texts (reading and listening comprehension) and the production of typical texts related to everyday life and studies. Emphasis is placed on developing and training sound communicative skills to be able to function independently in all situations inside and outside university.

In addition the Advanced course also covers aspects of the German culture and economy by preparing the students for the program’s fieldtrips. They learn about historic backgrounds and how to apply specific vocabulary related to the framework of the EMIG Summer School courses. Cultural aspects of German and European history are covered as well as specific engineering language aspects and information about the structure of the German economy. Thus the students are fully equipped and briefed for the company visits.

During the field trips students learn about the historic background of the German capital Berlin, its role during World War II, its division from 1949-1990 and its role as today’s political center of Germany both in preparatory information sessions and through guided city tours.

Furthermore students get acquainted with the history of Munich, the capital of the federal state of Bavaria, as well as with Strasburg, the center of the European decision making process, Heidelberg, the capital of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart and their current hometown Pforzheim. Company visits to Mercedes Benz, Audi and Porsche supplement this cultural dimension with an impression of the German automotive industry which is an important cornerstone of the German economy.

Students from our partner universities Penn State, Lehigh University and UMass Lowell are guaranteed 9 credits for successful completion of the full program 

Course A: Production Management & Supply Chain Management
Requirement: written closed book exam, 3 credits

Course B: Engineering in Manufacturing
Requirement: three written closed book exams, 3 credits

Course C: German as a Foreign Language instruction
Requirement: written closed book exam, 3 credits

Students from other universities must arrange for credit transfer with the home university in conjunction with Pforzheim University. Please contact us for further information.