Personally, I am a Master student of Joint International Program in Petroleum Engineering and I'm doing my 4th semester which is devoted to the Master Thesis, I completed all courses, 2 years are almost over. Therefore, I would like to tell you a little bit about this Double Degree Program, about the application and share with you my experience and insights.
Double Degree Master’s Program
Hi, there! I’m Kseniia and I come from Saint-Petersburg. Currently I’m doing my second year of Joint International Master’s Degree in Petroleum Engineering with a focus on completion and production technology. I am delighted to do my master’s program in Austria, live and travel around the country. Here I discovered the opportunities not only for my study, but for self-improvement and getting unforgettable memories. I am looking forward to sharing my adventures with you in the upcoming year!"
What is this Double Degree Master’s Program all about?
I would briefly describe it like this: 2 Diplomas in 2 years from 2 different universities in 2 countries. ;)
Msc Double Degree in Petroleum Engineering includes studying, in my case at a Russian University (at Russian State Gubkin University or Ufa State Petroleum Technological University depending on the program whether it will be in Drilling & Completion or in Transportation & Storage) and at Montanuniversität Leoben. At the end, the graduate receives their degrees and diplomas from each university. According to the program, 4 semesters are fully taught in English, the 1st or 2nd semesters are spent in Leoben and the rest at the respective Russian university, so in two years, you have an opportunity to study and live in two countries and besides acquiring your degree, you gain intercultural competencies as well.⠀
What are the eligibility criteria?
It’s recommended to have a Bachelor's Degree in Petroleum Engineering, which is also the degree I obtained before starting this Master. It is necessary to pass an international English exam, which confirms your level of English to be B2 or higher. I passed the IELTS exam before my application but it is also possible to provide a TOEFL certificate. During this program, an industry internship has to be completed, which can be done at a company in Russia or Europe.
How to apply?
As for application, you can apply either at MUL or from the Russian side. In both cases there is a possibility to receive a scholarship (e.g. ERASMUS+, OMV or find out more here: dpe.ac.at/scholarships/). The basis for obtaining a scholarship is competitive so you need to show all your hard and soft skills. If you want to apply from the Russian side you need to go to the website of the respective Russian university and you will find all necessary information about application. If you would like to apply from MUL side check out the DPE website where all necessary information is introduced.
Whatever path you choose you should write in advance a cover letter, CV and prepare a transcript of records, which needs to be sent to the program coordinator.
In terms of enrollment, the exact procedure can of course vary and change over time but I can share my experience: The procedure involved several steps. First, there were different tests to check your professional English, especially oil and gas related phrases and terms because IELTS/TOEFL does not cover special engineering English. The next step was an interview with representatives from both universities and company's representatives. The interview included introducing yourself, general questions and of course professional questions. If you complete these steps successfully, you are enrolled to the Summer School program. This Summer School is a 2-month study program, which involves all main aspects of Petroleum Engineering such as Geology, Reservoir Engineering, Production, Drilling and Completion. During this Summer School, you have to pass an exam for each of those courses. After successfully attending and completing the Summer School, you will be enrolled into the Master Program.
I hope that this information about Double Degree Master’s Program was interesting and helpful for you!
For further details, you can visit the website of DPE https://dpe.ac.at/ and search for all application requirements and deadlines this year. ;)