IT engineers are to be taught social skills as well as programming in a new course at Potsdam University in Germany.

The masters degree course aims to teach not only programming skills but more effective people skills, so that engineers can get their message across to non-technical personnel and have a better social life.

"We want to prepare our students with the social skills needed to succeed in their private life and their work life," Hans-Joachim Allgaier, a spokesman for the institute at Potsdam University where the course is being offered, told Reuters.

Course modules include impressing people at parties, sending flirtatious text messages and emails, and learning to cope with rejection.

Students of the course will also learn body language, public speaking, stress management and presentation skills.

Philip von Senftleben, an author and radio presenter who will teach the course, summed up his job as teaching students how to "get someone else's heart beating fast while yours stays calm".

So far 440 students have enrolled in the course.