Risk and Safety

The management of risks is an essential task in engineering and society. Without demonstrating sufficient safety it is not possible to introduce new technologies, for example autonomous transportation systems or sustainable energy production and storage. Similarly, the assessment and management of risk is essential for the optimal design and operation of engineering systems and processes, ranging from management of the built environment under climate change to the optimization of maintenance processes for a fleet of aircraft. More broadly, policy making for anthropogenic systems requires experts who understand risk and uncertainty and their impact on the outcomes of decisions, such as when developing, implementing and communicating strategies for dealing with epidemics or natural hazards.

This unique MSc program educates future experts to address these challenges. Graduates of this MSc program will be able to understand, assess and communicate risks and develop strategies for efficiently providing safety. To this end, the MSc program combines a multidisciplinary set of courses on:

• domain specific engineering expertise
• stochastic modeling and computation
• understanding risk perception and communication
• methods and tools for managing safety and risks

For a comprehensive description of the program, please refer to the degree program documentation:

• Degree program documentation for the master's program in Risk and Safety (PDF, German)

The Master Risk and Safety enables graduates to provide solutions to interdisciplinary challenges by combining strong analytical skills with a dedicated toolset to assess complex systems and a holistic perspective on decision processes in management and society.

The graduates will have acquired competences in the fields of probabilistic modelling and data analysis, reliability and risk assessment, safety management and decision making under uncertainty. They can utilize these competences to address real-life decisions in diverse domains of engineering and science. In their solutions, the graduates also account for organizational challenges and societal context.

The MSc prepares you for an exciting career as a risk and safety expert, e.g., in

• Manufacturers, e.g., in automotive, aerospace, medical technology
• Transportation and infrastructure operators
• Certification and safety assurance
• Engineering consultancies
• Government agencies
• Technology start-ups
• Insurance and reinsurance
• Research and development

The MSc is organized in five blocks: Risk fundamentals, Risk methods & analysis, Risk & society, Risk management, Risk in practice. The MSc enables students to specialize in specific application domains by offering a large portfolio of courses from a wide range of domains represented at TUM. The MSc program values project-based learning and encourages interaction with industry, e.g., through a dedicated module “RiskLab”.

• Overview degree program structure (PDF 345 KB)

You need sufficient English language skills if you wish to apply for this program. Evidence of your language proficiency has to be submitted before the end of the application deadline. Learn more about recognized certificates and other ways to prove your English language skills.

This evidence of your language proficiency confirms that you comply with the minimum language requirements for admission to the program. Depending on the program and your individual background, it may be necessary for you to keep working on your language skills during your studies. Be sure to take a look at the services of our Language Center.  

Language of instruction:

The language of instruction for this program is English.

• Information on exams
• Contact Examination Board
• Information on studying abroad

The tuition fees for international students from third countries for this degree program are 6,000 euros per semester.

Many international students can have their fees waived or receive scholarships to finance them. You can find all information on waivers and scholarships here.

Please note: The semester fee as a contribution to the student union must be paid additionally. It varies depending on where you are studying. You can find all information on the semester fee here.

Minimum requirements to apply for a Master’s program at TUM are a recognized undergraduate degree (e.g. a Bachelor’s) and the successful completion of the aptitude assessment procedure. The aptitude assessment allows the TUM school to which you are applying to evaluate your individual talents and motivation for study.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents.

If you receive an offer of admission, you will additionally have to submit individual documents as notarized hardcopies by post to be enrolled.

Generally, applicants with a qualification for postgraduate studies (e.g. a Bachelor’s) obtained outside of the EU / EEA must have their documents reviewed in advance through uni-assist.

• Degree Certificate and Diploma or Subject and Grade Transcript of Studies to Date
• Transcript of Records
• Proof of English Language Proficiency
• Curriculum (e.g. module description)
• Essay
• Letter of Motivation
• Complete and Current Résumé
• Passport
• Preliminary Documentation (VPD) if the qualification for graduate studies (e.g. a bachelor's) is obtained outside the EU/EEA

We may require additional documents depending on your educational background and your country of origin. Complete the online application to receive a comprehensive list of the required documents.

• Application for Enrollment (signed)
• Degree Certificate and Diploma (certified copy)
• Transcript of Records (certified copy)
• Most Current Photo (as for ID)
• Digital notification of your health insurance status from a German public health insurance provider (requested by applicant)

We may require additional documents depending on the type of educational background you earned and your country of origin. After accepting an offer of admission in TUMonline, you will receive a list of documents you must submit to TUM in hardcopy for enrollment.

Application period for the winter semester: 01.01. – 31.05.

Our online application portal TUMonline will create an application form and a checklist with the documents you have to hand in. The checklist shows which documents you need for admission and which for enrollment.

You must submit the signed application form and all documents you need for admission before the application deadline.

Please also submit the documents we need for your enrollmentas soon as possible. If individual documents for enrollment are not available to you yet, you can hand them in up to five weeks after the start of the lecture period. However, we recommend that you submit all required documents well before the semester begins, as you will not be enrolled until all documents have been received.

Please check your TUMonline account regularly, to see if we have any queries to your documents or if you have to amend one or more documents.

Selection takes place through an aptitude assessment procedure. The aptitude assessment is a two-part procedure after the submission of an official application to a program. In this procedure, the TUM school determines whether you meet the specific requirements for its Master’s degree program.

In the initial stages, the grades you obtained during your Bachelor’s program, as well as your written documents, will be evaluated using a point system. Depending on the amount of points accumulated, applicants are either immediately admitted, rejected or invited to an admissions interview.

• Aptitude Assessment for Master
• Description of the Aptitude Assessment (appendix 2, PDF German) (PDF 405 KB)