The Programme
The CSE Bachelor Programme consists of three years of studies (6 semesters; first, second and third year). The first year studies may also be taken in another Bachelor program at ETH Zürich or elsewhere. These basic exams after the first year are counted for 57 credit points (ECTS). In the following two years the students have to acquire the rest of the 180 ECTS, half of them in mandatory Basic Courses, the other half mainly in mandatory Core Courses and in eligible Fields of Specialization and Elective Courses and with a Bachelor Thesis, respectively.
The CSE Master Programme at ETH Zürich consists of one year of studies (2 semesters) followed by a Master Thesis. The Master Program is based on the CSE Bachelor Program and its objective is to prepare students for a successful professional career in research in industry and business and/or on a university level.
Solving interdisciplinary problems from science and engineering using computer simulation
Today, many problems in science and engineering can only be tackled successfully by means of computer based simulation. Therefore, there is a big demand in both academia and industry for scientists and professionals who, beside domain expertise, have profound knowledge in numerical methods and computer science. In recent years, curricula in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) have been introduced in the US and in Europe. They are interdisciplinary and application oriented and concentrate on problem solving taking by means of computer simulation.
CSE involves mathematical modelling, the use of numerical methods for analyzing scientific problems and advanced software implementation. CSE is distinct from computer science, but also from traditional sciences that rely on theory and experiment. CSE responds to the emergence of computer simulation as a third way of gaining insight complementing theory and experiment.
CSE graduates command comprehensive skills required for the development and use of tools for computer simulation. They are aware of the specific needs of application areas and, thus, can make a key contribution in interdisciplinary teams towards the computer based solution of complex problems.