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Studies & Degrees in Industrial Technology Engineering

Industrial technology engineering is the generalist branch of industrial engineering in Spain. The bachelor's degree, the Grado en Ingeniería en Tecnologías Industriales (some universities write "de Tecnologías Industriales" or "en Tecnología Industrial"), does not specialise in one technology. It gives a broad base in all the technologies used in industry. The Universidad de Sevilla describes it as a degree that trains professionals able to design, build, maintain and manage industrial equipment and installations.

Students start with mathematics, physics, chemistry, computing, technical drawing and business. They then take subjects across the whole industrial field. The Universidad de Málaga lists mechanics, manufacturing processes, materials, chemistry, electricity, electronics, automatic control, computer design and programming, and industrial organisation. In the later years most universities let students choose a track. In Seville the options include machine mechanics, construction, materials, industrial chemistry, environment, energy, electricity, electronics, automatic control, organisation and production.

Qualifications and levels

The subject is taught as an official university degree. Spanish bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits, at 60 credits per academic year, under Royal Decree 822/2021, so the degree takes four years. At the Universidad de Oviedo, for example, the 240 credits are divided into 60 of basic training, 156 compulsory, 12 optional and a 12-credit final project.

The degree is designed as the first step of a two-stage route:

  • Bachelor's degree (grado): 240 ECTS, four years. It is not itself a regulated-profession degree; the Universidad de Málaga states this on its degree page.
  • Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Industrial: the official master's degree required for the regulated profession of Ingeniero Industrial. Order CIN/311/2009 sets its conditions: bachelor's and master's together must total at least 300 ECTS, and the master's itself has no more than 120.
  • Doctorate: open to those who have completed the master's.

The universities say that graduates of this bachelor's degree have direct access to the master's. Holders of other bachelor's degrees can also be admitted, but the order allows the university to require bridging courses. Several universities link the two stages. The Universidad de Oviedo offers the degree as a PARS programme, which ties a bachelor's degree to a master's degree, and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya lists a combined route to Enginyer/a Industrial in Barcelona and Terrassa.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 15 active schools for this subject, all of them in Spain. Most are public universities with an engineering school. Examples:

  • The Universidad de Sevilla teaches the degree at its ETS de Ingeniería.
  • The Universidad de Oviedo teaches it at the Escuela Politécnica de Ingeniería de Gijón, in Spanish and English.
  • The Universidad del País Vasco (EHU) teaches it at the Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao, in Spanish, Basque and English.
  • The Universidad de Málaga teaches it at the Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, and the Universidad de Alcalá at its Escuela Politécnica Superior, in Spanish and English.
  • Universidad Nebrija, a private university in Madrid, offers the degree in Spanish with 240 ECTS over four years.
  • The Centro de Formación Interdisciplinaria Superior (CFIS) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona offers 31 double degrees built from 10 official degrees, one of which is Ingeniería en Tecnologías Industriales. Applicants must pass the centre's own tests in mathematics and physics.

The list also includes the universities of Cádiz, A Coruña, Vigo, Zaragoza, Jaén, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Deusto. Spanish is the main language of instruction everywhere. Some universities add subjects or a bilingual track in English, and in the Basque Country students can also study in Basque. The Universidad de Sevilla requires students to prove English at CEFR level B1 before the degree is awarded.

Admission for international students

Students with foreign school qualifications apply to each university under its own admission criteria, which depend on the country of origin and the studies completed. Many Spanish universities use the UNEDasiss accreditation service of the UNED for this. UNEDasiss advises applicants to check the criteria with the chosen university first; the admission application itself goes to the university, within that university's deadlines. Engineering degrees assume a solid school background in mathematics and physics.

Careers

Graduates work in industry in technical management, product design, project management, production and maintenance, according to the Universidad de Sevilla. The Universidad de Alcalá notes that the broad training suits the coordination of multidisciplinary teams and project management. Many graduates continue directly to the Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Industrial, because that master's is the qualification that gives access to the regulated profession of Ingeniero Industrial in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work as an Ingeniero Industrial in Spain with this bachelor's degree alone?

No. Ingeniero Industrial is a regulated profession that requires the official Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Industrial. The bachelor's degree is the usual route into that master's.

How long does the full route take?

The bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS and takes four years. Bachelor's and master's together must total at least 300 ECTS, so the master's adds one to two years depending on the university.

Is the degree taught in English?

Mostly in Spanish. Some universities, such as Oviedo, Alcalá and the Universidad del País Vasco, list English as a second language of instruction for part of the programme. Ask the school which subjects are available in English.

What is the difference from mechanical or electrical engineering degrees?

Those degrees specialise in one technology. Industrial technology engineering covers mechanics, electricity, electronics, automatic control, chemistry, materials and organisation, and leaves specialisation to the final-year track and the master's.