- Degree
- Master of Science (M. Sc.)
- Admission restriction
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No
- Application deadline
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29 April – 15 July 2024
Study Climate Change Management in the Master's Programme & Save the World
Climate change is a major challenge for all aspects of life on earth: both nature and humans are under pressure. The evidence is alarming and undeniable and aspects of climate change are felt everywhere. Although the scientific knowledge base on the dimensions and dynamics of climate change is continuously growing and the causes and driving forces are generally well understood, managing climate change is a complex challenge. Interdisciplinary knowledge is needed to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies for land use and nature conservation management. The Master Climate Change Management (MCC) focuses on solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation from the farm to the landscape level. As the struggle to achieve the 1.5 degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement is a global one, the programme is internationally oriented with students from four continents by now. Therefore, the courses are held in English.
Course contents of the Master's programme Climate Change Management
The keywords mitigation and adaptation describe the content of the Masters Climate Change at the University of applied sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf.
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Mitigation means the reduction of emissions and the absorption ofCO2 in ecosystems. Mitigation is the central factor in achieving the 1.5 degree target. With a climate and environmental protection degree, such as the Master Climate Change Management, you actively work on mitigation strategies - for example, to achieve the phase-out of fossil fuels or to improve the sink potential of land use.
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In relation to climate change,adaptation refers to all measures taken to respond to the consequences of climate change. This includes special forms of landscape planning in flood areas, opting for more heat-resistant plant species in afforestation or building up humus in agriculture systems.
Global climate change management encompasses ecological, economic and political aspects - the same ones that are affected by global climate change. The Master's programme Climate Change Management teaches you to understand these processes and to find efficient solutions. From your Bachelor's degree, you will bring with you the basics of e.g. ecology and environmental planning, agriculture and forestry, geography and remote sensing, and on this basis you will be trained as an expert in climate change topics at the HSWT.
This is how the Master Climate Change at Weihenstephan is structured
The programme comprises three semesters with many practical elements. The winter semester for students of the Master's programme Climate Change Management starts on 1 October. Depending on how many ECTS points you have achieved in your Bachelor's programme, the duration of the programme will be extended from three to four semesters: If you have a Bachelor's degree with less than 210 ETCS points, you will have to complete an additional internship.
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Semester 1: Basics & Methods
Diagnosis & Impacts
Modules
ECTS
Climate Change: climate change trends & extremes with seminar "Climate Talks 5 Soil & Water Resources and Climate Change: soil systems, soil erosion, soil organic matter, hydrology, water management 5 Tools & Techniques
Module
ECTS
Digital Tools: land use & land cover change - remote sensing, GIS & GIS-based visualisation 5 Statistics & Dendroecology: growth response of forests to climate change - descriptive & inferential analysis of time series in climate & tree rings 4 Project 1
Module
ECTS
Data Competence for Climate Change Management: case study area approach with evaluation of typical syndromes of climate change at landscape level 5 Elective modules
Modules
ECTS
Electives: Literature Seminar, Economic Botany, Languages, Intercultural Competence, Scientific Writing, Communication, etc. 6 -
Semester 2: Solutions - Mitigation (m) & Adaptation (a)
Landuse & Technical Solutions
Modules
ECTS
Mitigation and Adaptation in Forests & Agriculture: forests & carbon sequestration & bioeconomy (m); adaptive forest management (a); agricultural mitigation & adaptation (m/a) 5 Biological Sinks & Technical Solutions: peatlands, GHG-exchange & carbon sequestration CCS, renewable energy etc. (m) 5 Planning & Governance
Modules
ECTS
Landscape & Landuse Planning, Governance, Law & Economics: planning systems, scales, approaches, risk management, governance & political/institutional framework, organisations: UNFCCC, IPCC, GIZ etc. economics: funding, taxes, GEF, CDM, JI, VCS, REDD (m/a) 5 Project 2
Modules
ECTS
Planning Solutions: planning of spatially explicit mitigation & adaptation options - case study area of project 1 10 Biotic Resources
Module
ECTS
Biodiversity & Global Ecosystems: Nature conservation, biodiversity, ecosystems 5 Internship (if necessary, depending on the number of ECTS from previous studies)
Modules
ECTS
Internship in institutions related to the study programme such as: MunichRe, GIZ, UNFCCC-Bonn, KIT, EURAC, WSL, LfL, LWF, etc. Final presentation -
Semester 3: Master's Thesis
Modules
ECTS
Master's thesis - preferably dealing with a topic in the student's home country 30 Master's thesis - seminar (presentation, discussion of results)
These are the Career Prospects you have after a Master's Degree in Climate Change Management
The developments in the global climate demand professionals who can contribute their knowledge at both the political and economic level. After studying Climate Change Management, you will be able to comprehensively cover the aspects of climate protection and adaptation to climate change - a skill that is urgently needed regionally and globally. The Master's programme Climate Change Management offers a relevant, up-to-date and interdisciplinary deepening and broadening of the individual Bachelor's degrees, which will give you a decisive advantage for future career opportunities. Possible career fields are in the following thematic areas.
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Planning Offices with Topics such as Climate Impact Assessment, Climate Reports, Adaptation Strategies, etc.
In this occupational field, you draw on your knowledge of the background of climate technology and international criteria, for example, to plan CO2 balancing or the impact regulation in building projects or to anchor voluntary compensation with carbon credits (see e.g. peatland restoration for climate protection) in corporate action. In addition, more and more cities are proclaiming climate neutrality as a goal, but this can only be achieved if planning solutions in the landscape are included.
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Adaptation of Forests to Future Climate Scenarios
Forest owners and state organisations such as the Bavarian State Forestry (BaySF) are faced with the challenge of developing their forests into productive and at the same time climate-sensitive systems, while maintaining the diverse services for society. Especially if you complete the Master Global Change Management after your Bachelor in Forestry, you will be able to deal with these issues in your professional life, both in the private and the state sector.
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Reduction of Emissions from Degradation & Deforestation
Protecting forests worldwide and securing carbon storage needs climate policy expertise to link sustainable forest management and international sponsorship mechanisms.
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Adaptation & Development of the Agricultural Sector for more Climate Protection
After the Master Climate Change Management, tasks in education in agricultural schools, agricultural extension and in farm management and development towards a "climate smart agriculture" await you. There are also employment opportunities in agricultural administration.
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Research
MCC graduates with an interest in science have the opportunity to work in applied research at universities of applied sciences and state research institutions.
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International Labour Market
The international job market related to climate change issues is growing steadily. International consulting firms, institutions and programmes offer jobs for global change management professionals. The following institutions can be mentioned as examples: GIZ, CIRAD, CIFOR, FAO, UNEP, WMO, UNFCCC administrative office, Mazingira Institute, CATIE, ICIMOD. Within these institutions, climate change is addressed at multiple spatial and substantive scales. Climate change managers can take on important advisory functions all over the world and thus contribute to the development and implementation of climate-relevant policies and programmes.
What are the Requirements for Admission to the Climate Change Degree Programme?
You need these documents to apply for the Master's programme:
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Proof of a completed Bachelor's or Diploma degree in the field of Land Use, Environmental and Geosciences, for example Landscape Architecture, Forest Engineering, Agriculture or Environmental Engineering in Forestry at the HSWT or a comparable course of study and degree. Basic knowledge in at least two of the subject groups ecology, GIS, soil science, forestry, agriculture or environmental planning from the previous degree programme is expected.
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Proof of English language skills at level B2 (CEFR). Information on recognised certificates can be found here.
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Letter of motivation in English (1-2 pages)
Your application for the Climate Change Master should be submitted to the HSWT application portal by the application deadline (beginning of May until 15 July). You can find more information on the application page.
Application with a foreign degree
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Applicants who have obtained their first degree abroad need a "Vorprüfungsdokumentation" (VPD) from uni-assist to apply for the Climate Change Management degree programme. The submission of a uni-assist test report is not sufficient!
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In addition, non-German-speaking students are taught German in preparation for the practical semester. A German language certificate at level A1 (CEFR) must be submitted by the end of the programme.
Detailed information can be found on our website for international applicants.
Start your Global Change Management Studies in Weihenstephan
At the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf you can expect...
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... an international network
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... ideal study conditions in equipment & teaching
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... students who want to master the challenges of climate change with you.
