HIT was authorized to confer master’s degrees in the discipline of Automotive Engineering in 1994. This program was later relocated in its entirety from the main campus to the Weihai campus, becoming the first authorized master’s degree program at that location. In 2005, the discipline was approved to confer doctoral degrees. In 2006, Automotive Engineering was designated as a key discipline under Shandong Province’s “11th Five-Year Plan.”
This discipline maintains stable research directions closely aligned with the national economy, a solid foundation for scientific research, and a well-structured academic team. By closely addressing the needs of China's automotive industry for new technologies, the discipline has developed a research focus in automotive engineering centered on the design and development of automobiles and components. Major research areas include vehicle system dynamics and control, modern vehicle design theory and methods, automotive electronic technology, new energy vehicle technology, digital automotive technology, and automotive NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness). The program has trained over 1,000 full-time master's students, some 500 people with a master’s degree in engineering, and more than 100 vocational school teachers. Graduates from this program are highly regarded by employers and play key roles in famous Chinese auto companies, such as FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor Corporation, BAIC Group, and GAC Group.
