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6720 - Mechanical Engineering for Sustainability
Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering for Sustainability
The Master’s Degree Program in Mechanical Engineering for Sustainability is established with the aim of providing students with a high-level cultural and professional education for the performance of highly qualified activities within the disciplinary fields of Mechanical Engineering.
Graduates of the Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering for Sustainability acquire advanced cultural and professional preparation in the specific subjects of the degree class, with particular emphasis on innovative design and the management of components, machines, plants, products, and processes. The solid foundation in the core subjects of Mechanical Engineering is complemented by knowledge of tools and methods for assessing functional and manufacturing aspects, with particular attention to the skills required to evaluate and optimize the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of design solutions and process management.
The specific objective of the Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering for Sustainability is to train professionals capable of holding positions of responsibility in design, management, coordination, and development activities in industrial and/or research settings within public or private companies and institutions, as well as in advanced professional practice. In this sense, the degree program aims to develop analytical and methodological competencies in the core disciplines of mechanical engineering, with in-depth study of sustainability assessment systems for industrial processes and products (life cycle assessment, environmental impact, ESG environmental and social management, etc.). These competencies are further specialized in the areas of automation, energy and industrial systems, and sustainable design and technology.
An additional educational objective concerns transversal skills, particularly the ability to communicate effectively (preparation of technical reports and public presentation of projects), collaborate productively with colleagues (group projects), and address multidisciplinary problems requiring the integration of competencies acquired in individual courses. Another objective is the ability to use practical tools (software and hardware) for the development of industrially relevant projects. Combined with knowledge of how industrial companies operate, this prepares students for a seamless transition into the professional world.
The IT and experimental equipment available in the university laboratories allows students to deepen practical aspects through multidisciplinary and/or group activities, where they can apply and verify acquired competencies in a dynamic and intercultural environment. Internship activities may be carried out in preparation for the thesis, in collaboration with public or private companies and institutions. Among others, the professional profiles described below may be identified.
The Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering, thanks to its strong foundation and flexibility deriving from the high-level technical and scientific background acquired during the course of study, allows for successful entry into the job market or further development of competencies through second-level Master’s programs or PhD programs in disciplines related to Industrial Engineering.
Upon obtaining the qualification required by law (e.g., passing the State Examination), the Master’s graduate in Mechanical Engineering may practice as an independent professional (feasibility studies, design, technical arbitration, expert reports, court-appointed consultancy, etc.), including in complex matters requiring significant expertise.
Study Plan
In the first year, the program includes a set of compulsory courses and some elective courses. In the second year, students must choose one of the available “guided tracks,” each of which interprets the concept of sustainability within specific thematic areas (automation; energy and industry; design and technology). The final year is completed with additional compulsory and elective courses, laboratory activities, and a final examination.
During the first year, students address both core mechanical engineering subjects—introducing sustainability within their respective domains—and subjects necessary to complete the methodological and technical knowledge of the mechanical engineer. The elective course may be used to fill potential educational gaps in scientific-disciplinary areas that are further developed within the guided tracks.
In the second year, students can focus their education within one of the guided tracks:
Automation area: advanced technologies and architectures for drives, communication, control, and functional design aimed at enhancing industrial electrification;
Energy and industry area: methodologies and technologies oriented toward resource optimization in mobility, energy exchange processes, and industrial plant design;
Mechanical design and technology area: design and production techniques using advanced materials, with particular attention to reuse and sustainability.
During the second semester of the second year, students may choose two laboratory courses, each consisting of the integration of two subjects addressing a practical problem of industrial relevance using tools and approaches from different disciplines, further strengthening the multidisciplinary nature of the program. Laboratories—possibly replaceable by learning-by-doing activities developed with student associations—lead students toward internship and thesis activities, where they must demonstrate that they have acquired all the tools and knowledge necessary to complete, independently and originally, a significant and professionally relevant project.
Upon submission of a learning agreement, students may carry out educational activities abroad. Courses delivered in English and opportunities to apply for calls to conduct thesis work abroad facilitate student mobility to and from the program.
Teaching methods include classroom lectures, laboratory exercises, company visits, and seminars delivered by industry professionals presenting industrially relevant case studies. Some courses may use distance-learning technologies and innovative teaching approaches (e.g., flipped classroom).
