The University Certificate Course "NATM-Engineer" was created to satisfy the continuously increasing worldwide demand for qualified tunnel engineers. An increase of the skills of the participants in the fields of geotechnical engineering and tunnelling, with an emphasis on the “New Austrian Tunnelling Method” (NATM) is the aim of the course.

After successfully participating in the Certificate Course, students have the option to continue the course for another two semesters and receive the title "Master of Engineering".

The course is jointly organized by the Graz University of Technology and the University of Leoben.

Courses are held in Graz and Leoben in Austria.
The degree holders shall be enabled to accomplish tunnelling projects on their own in the face of geotechnical, structural, organizational, contractual and economic needs according to the latest state of the art.

The Course addresses civil engineers, geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists who do have a distinctive technical education and aim at a specialization in conventional tunnelling.

Future fields of work may be planning, design and consulting of underground projects for engineering offices, or construction management for contractors and owners.

Presently two course options are available:

• A University Cerificate Course, lasting 4 semesters, with 61 ECTS-Credits, with the academic certificate "Academic NATM Engineer"
• A Master course, which includes the Certificate Course with additional two semesters of lectures and thesis. A "Master of Engineering" is awarded for successful students. The course has 90 ECTS-credits

The cerificate course is held in 4 modules lasting three weeks each, allowing participation parallel to the job. One additional module for the master course is required for the master course.

Schedule of the next course:
1st module:  12^th of September to 30^th of September 2011
2nd module:  10^th of April to 27^th of April 2012
3rd module:  10^th of September to 28^th of September 2012
4th module:  2^nd of April 2013 to 19^th of April 2013
5th module:  9^th of September 2013 to 27^th of September 2013

Courses start every second year.

Admission requirements:

Certificate Course

• a master degree from a technical university or
• a technical bachelor degree and a minimum 3 years of professional experience or
• a degree from a technical college and a minimum 5 years of professional experience
• good command of English language

Master Course:

• Successful participation in the Certificate course and
• a master degree from a technical university or
• a technical bachelor degree and a minimum 3 years of professional experience

Maximum 30 students per course


Attendance fee 3.000 Euro per module, (total 12.000 Euro for Certificate Course, 16.000 Euro for Master Course)