Two new degree programs at RWU

Weingarten - Keeping pace with the constantly changing world of work is also a challenge for universities. The interests of first-year students change over time, as do the demands that employers place on their new employees. As a result, universities have to put the content of their degree programs to the test.

At RWU, these considerations have now resulted in two new degree programs: Business Psychology started in the winter semester 2024/2025 and immediately received the second-highest number of applications among RWU's Bachelor's degree programs. The English-language Bachelor's in Mechatronics will start next summer semester. The application phase has already begun.

Business Psychology - the interface between people and business

With the introduction of the Bachelor's degree course in Business Psychology, RWU is responding to the growing demand for specialists who understand and can apply the psychological aspects of business. "We are focusing on both sub-disciplines, on business and psychology, as a kind of double degree," says course director Professor Dr. Götz Walter. This is done with a high scientific standard. At the same time, the aim is to show that subjects such as statistics can also be fun.

"At RWU, as a university of applied sciences, we establish a link to practice and future tasks as quickly as possible," says Götz Walter. Possible career paths for graduates are in the fields of marketing or consulting. Business psychologists are also urgently needed in human resources. "Reflective and realistic images of people adapted to today's working world are necessary in business in order to create trust between companies and their employees. Business psychology trains specialists who help to keep employees motivated and healthy in the long term," says Götz Walter.

Internationalization - a step into the future

RWU has also been offering courses in English for around 20 years. It all started with the Master's in Mechatronics. Today, it has by far the highest number of applications among the Master's degree programs at RWU. It was therefore obvious to add a suitable Bachelor's degree to this program. "The course combines elements from electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and, of course, computer science. It therefore also meets the interdisciplinary nature of today's working world," says course director Professor Dr. Samuel Vogel. The combination of these subjects makes graduates particularly attractive on the German and international job market.

The organization of the degree course reflects the close interaction between the various subject areas. "The professors, lectures and laboratories all come from three different faculties at RWU," explains the Vice-Rector for Studies and Teaching, Professor Dr. Sebastian Mauser. "This makes the course a new, but certainly future-oriented model for us too."

Two new degree courses for a strong academic-practical future

RWU is underlining its international focus by expanding its English-language offering, which now consists of four Bachelor's and three Master's degree courses. "A large proportion of our students come from the region, but around 20 percent now come from abroad. This is particularly important for our technical disciplines, which are currently not so popular with German first-year students. But our local companies also benefit from this new generation," explains Professor Dr. Michael Pfeffer.

With the two new degree programs, RWU is showing that it is responding flexibly to changes in the education and employment market. "We have succeeded in reconciling three requirements: The interests of the students, the needs of the economy and our competencies as RWU," summarizes Sebastian Mauser.

Text: Kathrin Wöhrle