Overview of the Degree Programme
The Master's Degree Programme in Mechanical Engineering aims to train engineers capable of performing a wide range of professional functions and competing on both national and international labour markets. This is achieved through the acquisition of strong technical skills, with a marked international and interdisciplinary orientation, encompassing both fundamental sciences and the core disciplines of mechanical engineering.
All teaching is delivered exclusively in English. In the first year, students attend in-depth courses in foundational disciplines (analytical mechanics, mathematical methods for engineering, physics, and chemistry) and mechanical disciplines. In the second year, elective courses are available in related fields, along with a wide range of free electives.
The educational pathway is completed by internships, primarily at national and international companies and organisations. The programme also fosters synergies with the industrial and academic world through visiting professors and industry partnerships.
Mechanics Curriculum
Equips engineers with advanced tools for cutting-edge technologies: complex machines, fluid dynamics, advanced materials, and more.
Specialisation areas:
- Fluid dynamic and thermal systems for energy and propulsion
- Digital technologies for manufacturing and quality control
- Sustainability and the circular economy
Mechatronics & Robotics Curriculum
Interdisciplinary preparation in mechanics, control theory, advanced sensors, smart materials, and virtual reality.
Suited to subsequent activities in research, technological development, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
For the Educational Regulations for each enrolment year: RD-LM31 | Politecnico di Bari
Further information: Mechanical Engineering – Master's Degree – PoliBa
Programme Organisation & Contacts
Email in advance with subject "Office Hours"
Admission to the Programme
International Students
Students with a qualification obtained outside Italy must follow the procedures described in the document Admission and Enrolment Procedures for International Students. In addition, applicants must:
- Hold a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent academic qualification satisfying the Curricular Requirements below;
- Have an academic performance considered suitable for admission (an Academic Committee will verify adequacy, and may arrange tests or interviews);
- Have certified knowledge of English at least at B2 level.
Curricular Requirements
Graduates holding a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering may enrol directly — their curricular requirements are considered automatically satisfied.
For all other graduates, a prior academic career verification is mandatory. The following credit thresholds must be met:
At least 36 ECTS credits (or 20% of total credits) in:
- Mathematical Analysis, Geometry, Experimental Physics
- Chemical Foundations of Technology, Mathematical Physics
- Numerical Analysis, Operations Research, Information Systems, Physics of Matter
At least 48 ECTS credits (or 27% of total credits) in the following areas:
- Flight Mechanics · Aerospace Structures · Aerospace Systems · Fluid Dynamics · Aerospace Propulsion
- Fluid Machinery · Energy Systems · Industrial Technical Physics · Environmental Technical Physics
- Mechanical and Thermal Measurements · Applied Machine Mechanics
- Mechanical Design and Machine Construction · Drawing and Industrial Engineering Methods
- Manufacturing Technologies and Systems · Mechanical Industrial Plants
- Materials Science and Technology · Automatic Control · Electrical Engineering
- Converters, Electrical Machines and Drives · Industrial Bioengineering
- Electrical and Electronic Measurements · Structural Engineering
The Department may assign additional educational obligations (individual courses). Upon passing these, the student may proceed with enrolment.
Verification of Individual Preparation
No admission tests are required. Individual preparation is automatically verified if the Bachelor's degree grade is equivalent to at least 85/110 (or the international equivalent).
If this threshold is not met, an ad hoc Departmental Committee will conduct an interview on the core subjects of Mechanical Engineering, including: Fluid Machinery, Energy Systems, Industrial Technical Physics, Mechanical and Thermal Measurements, Applied Machine Mechanics, Mechanical Design and Machine Construction, Drawing and Industrial Engineering Methods, Manufacturing Technologies and Systems, and Mechanical Industrial Plants.
Enrolment is only permitted upon a positive outcome. In the event of a negative outcome, the interview may be repeated only once.
Deadlines, Available Places & Secretariat
Admission deadlines and available places: www.poliba.it/it/didattica/immatricolazioni
Student Secretariat: www.poliba.it/didattica/segreteririsponde
Transfer from Other Degree Programmes
General transfer rules are available in the University's Educational Regulations: www.poliba.it/it/ateneo/regolamenti
Interested students must submit an application to the Teaching Secretariat. Transfers are subject to verification of curricular requirements and, where necessary, individual preparation. Recognition of ECTS credits will follow these criteria:
- (a) Transfers from the same degree class: ECTS credits in the same disciplinary sector are automatically recognised up to the maximum envisaged.
- (b) Other cases: the greatest possible number of credits is recognised through examination of equivalences between courses in the same disciplinary field. Grades already obtained are maintained.
Students transferring from another institution are required to acquire at least 60 credits at the Politecnico di Bari, including the final examination, in order to obtain the degree.
Individual Study Plan (PSI)
Students may submit an Individual Study Plan (PSI) differing from the official one, provided it complies with the constraints set out in the Educational Regulations. PSIs are accepted only where there are strong justifications. Exceptions are granted to:
- Students whose plan has become "autonomous" due to amendments to the Educational Regulations;
- Students participating in international exchange programmes.
Applications must be submitted via the DEPASAS electronic procedure, within the time windows defined by the Department (see Elective Courses section for windows).
All requests are reviewed by the Programme Coordinator and referred to the Departmental Board for final approval.
Elective Courses (Prescribed Course Pools)
Students must specify 2 elective courses totalling 12 ECTS credits within their study plan, chosen from the prescribed pool of their curriculum.
Courses selected from the automatic approval pathways at the time of enrolment do not require additional approval. All other requests must be submitted via DEPASAS.
Allowed Substitutions
- 1 elective (6 ECTS) — from the pool of the chosen curriculum or any other curriculum of the MSc in Mechanical Engineering;
- 1 elective (6 ECTS) — from MSc programmes in: Mechanical Engineering (Italian), Energy Engineering, Management Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Automation and Robotics Engineering.
NOTE 1: All substitutions must be submitted via DEPASAS.
NOTE 2: Only in exceptional, duly justified cases may electives be chosen from Bachelor's programmes or from MSc programmes outside the industrial/information areas listed above.
Submission Time Windows
- 20 September – 20 October
- 1 November – 10 November (recovery)
- 20 February – 20 March
- 1 April – 10 April (recovery)
Recovery windows are reserved for students whose application was not accepted, or who faced technical-administrative constraints.
Other Student Procedures
Requests for Recognition of External Academic Credits (RCCE) and Recognition of Prior Academic Credits (RCCP) must be submitted through the DEPASAS procedure, and must include original or self-certified documentation attesting to the acquisition of the ECTS credits requested.
All requests are reviewed by the Programme Coordinator and referred to the Departmental Board for final decision.
Internships (Tirocini)
The curricular internship is a period of professional training aimed at complementing classroom knowledge with practical skills. See the General Regulations for Curricular Internships.
6 ECTS credits assigned to the internship (2nd year) · 150 hours minimum activity · 2 months minimum duration · 1 ECTS = 25 hours
Types of Internship
External and abroad internships require both a Company Tutor and a University Tutor. Details: Internships for Students | Politecnico di Bari.
Administrative Forms & Procedures
Before Starting — Health & Safety Course
Attendance and completion of the Health and Safety in the Workplace course (4 hours) is mandatory before any internship can begin. Register at: Credential Activation Form. Credentials are sent within 48 hours. The participation certificate must be attached to the Training Project.
Internal Internship
Contact a lecturer affiliated with the programme, agree on activities and timelines, complete the Training Project form (page 1 only), and send it together with the safety certificate to tirocinistudenti.dmmm@poliba.it.
External Internship
The hosting organisation must have an active agreement with PoliBa. Consult the List of Active Agreements.
If the organisation is not listed, the following steps are required:
Complete the accreditation procedure at ESSE3 (operational instructions).
Submit to tirocinistudenti@poliba.it a signed agreement and cover letter. Note: stamp duty of €16.00 applies from 1 January 2023.
The Rector signs the agreement within 7 days; the agreement then becomes active.
Complete the Training Project form in full and send it to the Orientation and Internships Office at least 7 days before the start of the internship.
Insurance is provided by INAIL (workplace accidents) and UNIPOL SAI Assicurazioni S.p.A. (civil liability).
Internship Abroad
Submit two documents to tirocinistudenti@poliba.it: the Learning Agreement and the Training Project. More info: Internships page.
Internship Grade Recording (Verbalizzazione)
Once the internship is completed, the student must:
Book one of the "Internship" examination sessions on the ESSE3 portal.
- Internship Experience Evaluation (student — all internship types)
- Host Institution Trainee Evaluation (hosting organisation — external only)
No later than 4 days before the recording date. Documents available in the Internships folder.
- Training Project (signed by tutors)
- Activity Report (signed by tutors)
- End-of-Internship Form
- External/abroad only: Attendance Register
- External/abroad only: Activation email PDF from Internships Office
The system does not allow multiple submissions. Check all documentation carefully before submitting.
Recording Calendar 2025/2026
| Session | Date |
|---|---|
| Internship Grade Recording | 15 January 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 3 February 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 3 March 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 2 April 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 4 June 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 2 July 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 1 October 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 3 November 2026 |
| Internship Grade Recording | 1 December 2026 |
Guidelines for the Final Internship Report
The report is the student's responsibility and must be supervised and approved by the tutors. It must be at least 1,000 words, structured in sections/paragraphs, and must include:
- A precise indication of the objectives;
- A description of the company/institution (external internships only);
- A detailed description of the activities carried out;
- A detailed description of the results achieved.
The internship and the thesis are two separate activities yielding distinct credits. It is permissible — and encouraged — to carry out both at the same company, provided the internship addresses problems distinguishable from those of the thesis.
International Mobility
The Erasmus Programme is available for periods of study or thesis work abroad. For procedures and regulations: Studying Abroad | Politecnico di Bari.
claudio.sassanelli@poliba.it
marco.torresi@poliba.it
Teaching Quality
The governing bodies of the Degree Programme monitor teaching quality through annual student teaching questionnaires and University dashboard indicators. A periodic review report is compiled, containing proposals for improvement measures.
Students are invited to consult the analyses and documents published by the Joint Teaching-Student Committee (Commissione Paritetica Docenti-Studenti): Annual Reports.
Final Thesis
The final examination is an important individual educational milestone. It consists in the drafting and discussion of an original work — theoretical, experimental, or design in nature — demonstrating solid knowledge, communication skills, and an autonomous contribution.
- 18 ECTS credits assigned to the preparation of the final examination
- The thesis is prepared under the guidance of one or more supervisors, following an internship
- The thesis must be written and defended in English
- The final grade takes into account the student's entire academic career plus the examination result
General rules are in the University's Educational Regulations: www.poliba.it ("Statutes and Regulations") and in the Vademecum documents at dmmm.poliba.it/didattica.
The examination calendar is available on the ESSE3 Public Area.
Career Opportunities & Placement
The programme's coordinating bodies process data on graduate profiles and employment opportunities, and coordinate with the Placement Office of the Politecnico di Bari (contact: Dr. Lucrezia Petolicchio).
- Consult graduate employment statistics via the Almalaurea consortium.
- Find out about services provided by the Placement Office.
- Follow institutional channels for recruitment initiatives by companies interested in hiring recent graduates.