The Best Universities for Automobile Engineering in the World

Automobile engineering, more commonly known as automotive engineering, usually falls under the header of mechanical engineering at major institutions around the world. QS World University Rankings chooses the best worldwide universities in each subject area by comparing institution academics, graduate employer information and faculty citation volume; and the ranked institutions that boast an automotive engineering department are the best universities for hopeful auto engineers in the world.

Automotive Excellence

Ranked first in the mechanical engineering rankings, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan Automotive Laboratory was founded in 1929 in the lull between two world wars. While it originally focused on military applications, it now places an emphasis on quality of life, with focuses on energy and environment, and cutting-edge development. Sci-fi lovers who want to get in on developing vehicles for underwater or moon exploration will fit in perfectly here. Currently, MIT offers an undergraduate program as well as a master’s in mechanical engineering and is home every year to roughly 400 undergraduates and 500 graduate students.

Research University

Stanford University already has a great reputation, but its No. two ranking on QS’s survey increases its standing as a choice for hopeful automotive engineers. Its research laboratory, the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford is divided into several different groups, including focus on such niche areas as modern vehicle design and self-driving cars. The department offers undergraduate degrees, 45- and 60-credit master’s degrees, and a Doctor of Philosophy. Because its connection to Stanford's School of Business and School of Law, it offers a broad perspective on automotive design unique among universities.

Undergraduate Specialization

At National University of Singapore, students must earn their place in an automotive engineering program. Those in their third year of a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering can apply to become specialists in the automotive field. Specialization requires that they attend special course modules and related lectures. Because NUS is currently the only Singapore university offering automotive engineering at a university level, the program is highly sought after. The university is ranked No. seven on QS’s survey, and as an added bonus, students get to build race cars.

Graduate Destination

The University of Michigan, located in famous Ann Arbor, is an excellent place to study automotive engineering. Not only is it near the automotive capital of the United States, Detroit, the school offers a Master of Engineering in automotive engineering that balances learning the basics against incorporating cutting-edge research. Students will learn about sustainability, energy storage, energy solutions, and new and quickly growing technologies such as hybrid engines and fuel cells, all taught by internationally recognized professionals in the field.