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Graduate Diploma in Transportation Engineering

The Graduate Diploma in Transportation Engineering addresses the increasing need for skilled professionals in Singapore’s rapidly expanding transport network. This programme equips participants with essential knowledge in key areas, including Traffic Engineering, Transportation Planning, and the Design and Development of Road and Rail Infrastructure.

Participants learn under the expert guidance of TUM faculty and global industry specialists. Through collaboration with UITP, the curriculum integrates diverse engineering disciplines to develop professionals well-prepared for the evolving field of Transportation Engineering.

Partner

About UITP

The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) works to improve quality of life and economic well-being by advocating for and promoting sustainable public transport in cities worldwide. It is internationally recognised for advancing this critical policy agenda. Established in 1885, with more than 135 years of history, UITP is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all modes of sustainable transport.

The UITP Academy offers a wide range of training programmes for public transport and urban mobility stakeholders worldwide. Our programmes are based exclusively on international expertise and best practice. To meet the training needs of our global members, UITP is establishing several key partnerships and regional training centres in collaboration with its members worldwide.

Highlights

Learn and Benefit from German Experts

Modules are taught by TUM professors and industry specialists, who travel from Germany to teach exclusively in Singapore.

Focused Learning with Block Teaching System

Benefit from high quality instructional time in small class settings, allowing intensive learning for deeper understanding of each subject.

German Engineering, Asian Relevance

Our lecturers work closely with the industry partners, integrating real-world examples into their lessons to enhance practical learning.

Meet Singapore’s Growing Railway Industry Needs

Apply your newly acquired knowledge directly within your company for immediate impact, with guidance and support from our lecturers.

Tailored Learning, Designed for Your Growth

Flexible modules designed to align with your career goals. Select modules that suit your career aspirations, enabling you to specialise in areas most relevant to your professional growth.

Programme Structure

The programme offers a range of modules designed to equip participants with industry-relevant expertise in areas such as public transport planning, traffic engineering, railway infrastructure design and maintenance, and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Participants will also have access to specialised modules focused on the design and operation of modern transportation systems, including integrated inter-modal management solutions.

Upon successfully completing six modules (a combination of core and elective) and passing the examinations, participants will be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Transportation Engineering.

Modules Available

Core Modules

Public Transport Planning

This module will give an introduction to public transport planning. The module will start with a discussion about the advantages / disadvantages and the functional characteristics of transit modes and their capacity. The geometry and types of transit lines and transit networks are the following topics. How to organise transfers and increase the transit speed to improve the passenger convenience and the efficiency of the public transport network are also topics discussed in this module. The introduction to public transport scheduling is the last topic in this module. The objective of this module is to provide in-depth knowledge about the planning and organizing of public transport networks.

Basics of Traffic Flow and Traffic Control

This module is organised to provide an insight into the description of traffic flow with its numerous facets, coherencies and interdependencies as well as into urban traffic management and signal control. Basics: Variables of traffic flow, fundamental diagram, kinematic waves, stationary and momentary observation. Use of distributions for the modelling of delay and queuing processes. Introduction to traffic modelling. Microscopic modelling: kinematics and dynamics of driving, car-following-models, cellular engines. Macroscopic modelling: endogenous estimation of traffic relations. Urban traffic management and control: Basic concepts and system structures, general approach to signal control, design of signal plans, design of progressive signal systems.

Traffic Impacts, Evaluation of Transport and Logistic Processes

This module will introduce the interrelation between transport and the environment. Moreover, this module will represent the concept of a sustainable transportation system. Some strategies for archiving such sustainable transportation system will be worked out and discussed with the students. The second part of this module introduces the basic principles and concepts of an assessment and evaluation of transport and logistics systems. The assets and drawbacks of different assessment methods (Cost-benefit analysis, Multi criteria analysis, Balancing and Discussion Method, Environmental Impact Assessment, Ranking, Cost – Efficiency – Analyse etc.) will be introduced, including application areas and initial constraints of specific assessment procedures will be discussed.

Transport Modelling and Simulation Tools

The students will learn how to use macro- and micro-simulation as a tool to assess traffic engineering and transport planning measures. This includes theoretical background of the methods implemented in the tools as well as extensive practical exercises in using the software and some advice how real world simulation projects can be structured. Additionally the students will have to gather their own data from the street to set up a realistic simulation of an own small example within the Singapore road network.

Transport and Urban Planning

The module provides the basic knowledge about transport, mobility and urban planning. The main topics are: reasons for traffic, spatial and temporal traffic distribution, relationship between planning and design of the infrastructure and the assignment of functions in cities and conurbations, dependencies between supply and demand. The theory of travel demand modelling (4-steps-algorithm for travel demand estimation, etc.) is another important topic in this module.

Elective Modules (Choose 1)

Airport and Harbour Design

This module gives an in-depth insight into the necessary components of airports and harbours and the planning processes for developing these sites. Students will enjoy the intellectual stimulation as the module reviews the various methods for operating airports and harbours through the lens of multiple aspects of the pre-planning process, such as environmental impacts leading to the ultimate choice of the location. Students will also learn about the essential components of airports, including the fundamental design concepts and operation and maintenance procedures necessary to manage key infrastructures successfully.

Highway Design

The module covers comprehensive insight into highway planning design of safe, highly efficient and sustainable. It covers knowledge of road transport networks, the driver-vehicle-infrastructure interactions which served as guiding principles for road geometric design and pavement design, structural and functional performance, Nature-based Solutions (NBS) transport infrastructure, transport infrastructure for electromobility, and Pavement Management Systems. The students will study and apply road planning strategies and tools by designing the road alignment for a new project (case study).

Traffic Operation and Control (ITS)

This module aims to improve the understanding of the general approach of traffic control and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the urban and the motorway context; it introduces the principles of different systems, their technical approaches and it analysis ITS applications in urban, extra-urban and integrated systems. It explains the objectives, measures, methods and algorithms of implementing ITS. The module builds on “Basics of Traffic Flow and Traffic Control” and is closely related to the module “Transportation Modelling and Simulation Tools”.

Rail Transport and Rail Planning

This module introduces the general requirements and procedures for rail infrastructure planning based on the running behaviour and the performance of rail vehicles. The module is discussing the specific wheel-rail interface, the effective forces guiding the wheel sets (equivalent conicity), the determination and evaluation of track quality, the requirements for designing track alignment and layout, the tools to determine cant and cant deficiency, the procedures to design transition elements, the tilting train technology, the operational demands and respective track arrangements for passenger, freight and operational stations. Requirements to ensure passenger comfort and safety are introduced.

Trackworks

This module provides an understanding of the forces acting between vehicle and track, the load distribution within the track superstructure into the substructure (Earthworks or civil structure) as well as the environmental impacts on the track performance, the respective general requirements for the design and the construction of rail infrastructure. In addition, this module will cover the rail track engineering required for the track design, the construction, the maintenance and the renewal of tracks for a variety of rail infrastructures (conventional and high speed). Conceptual design and structural performance of conventional and ballastless track systems will be discussed too.

Ballastless Track Systems

This module provides the requirements and procedures for ballastless track system design for high-speed and conventional mainline rail infrastructure, the special features of Metro and light rail systems, the train track interactions, the track lay-out and alignment for urban rail systems, the track cross section design including trackside equipment, the sources, propagation and effects of noise and vibrations, the measures to control and to counteract noise and vibration, the design of special floating slab tracks, the environmental impacts, the design of green tracks, the design and construction of tram-tracks, the embedded track systems.

Rolling Stock

This module covers the wheel-rail interaction, running behaviour in curves and straight track, propulsion systems diesel, electricity AC and DC, energy efficiency including regenerative braking, running gear and vehicle construction, including primary and secondary suspension devices, wheelsets, bogie frames and body shells relevant norms and design rules, tendering procedure and homologation process, safety issues as collision safety derailment safety, fire safety, environmental aspects as external and internal noise, particle emission, space consumption, reliability, availability, maintainability, diagnosis systems and their environment and benefit.

Train Controlling and Signalling Systems

This module introduces to the students to train control and signalling systems. The benefits and challenges of techniques used will be analysed. Turnout, signals, and all track based equipment, facilities, electronic interlocking and train control systems will be covered too. Risk analysis and assessment of electronic systems and management of train scheduling and transport risk will be discussed.

Modelling of Rail Infrastructure using CAD-FEM-MBS

This module introduces students to the tools and methods of planning railway infrastructure using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. Students will apply the requirements and rules set for railway planning to a student´s project by using a software package. The module will also introduce students to the Finite Element Method (FEM) for the modelling and analysis of track structures, subsystems and components used for the design and the evaluation of performance. Different approaches to creating Geometry models of these elements (specifically rail/sleeper) using AutoCAD and ANSYS will be explored. The basics of importing geometry files for FE analysis using ANSYS Workbench, performing simple analysis (modal, static structural), meshing methods (ICEM CFD, hexa, tetrahedron etc), compatibility of data transfer across different platforms will be explored. The module introduces the Multi-body simulation (MBS) as a tool to simulate and to analyse dynamic effects activated by a vehicle running along tracks equipped with different track geometry and track quality (rail roughness). It explains how to export FEM files to an MBS environment if advanced FEM-MBS co-simulation is applied, comparison of eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes between FEM and MBS platforms, construction of a simple railway track model, introduction to wheel-rail contact will be dealt with in this module.

Who Should Attend

Mid-level managers aiming to advance their careers through renowned international academic qualifications.

Professionals working in, but not limited to, the following fields:

Railway Engineering
Transportation
Civil Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
General Engineering
Or any related engineering disciplines

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in a relevant field, preferably in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or General Engineering, is required. However, applicants from other fields may also be considered.

Applicants who do not meet the formal entry requirements may still be considered based on:

At least 5 years of relevant work experience, or
Supporting evidence of competency readiness.

Shortlisted candidates may be required to attend an interview. TUM Asia reserves the right to select and admit applicants.

Certification

Participants will be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Transportation Engineering upon successful completion of all 6 modules, which includes 5 core and 1 elective modules.

Note:

Transcripts for individual module examinations can be issued to the participants upon request.

Stacking to a Master’s degree:

You have the flexibility to upgrade to the Master’s degree programme, with the option to stack your completed modules towards a Master of Science in Rail and Urban Transport.

Schedule

Module	Date
Public Transport Planning	2nd quarter of 2025
Basics of Traffic Flow and Traffic Control	TBA
Traffic Impacts, Evaluation of Transport and Logistic Processes	TBA
Transportation Modelling and Simulation Tools	TBA
Transport and Urban Planning	TBA

Module	Date
Airport and Harbour Design	21 – 25 Apr 2025 & 28 – 30 Apr 2025
Highway Design	TBA
Traffic Operation and Control (ITS)	TBA
Rail Transport and Rail Planning	4th quarter of 2025
Ballastless Track Systems	17 – 21 Mar 2025 & 24 – 28 Mar 2025
Train Control and Signalling Systems	1 – 4 Apr 2025 & 7 – 11 Apr 2025
Rolling Stock	3rd quarter of 2025
Modelling of Rail Infrastructure using CAD-FEM-MBS	Not offered in 2025