Sustainable Resource Management

 A sustainable approach to natural resources, such as soil, water, air, or biological diversity

Natural resources, such as soil, water, air, or biological diversity, constitute the essential foundation of human life and industry. Global consumption of natural resources is rapidly increasing and made more severe by global population and economic growth. This leads to an increased pressure on all natural resources, resulting in greater environmental concerns. Conflicts of interest arise from the increasing scarcity of resources and lead to ever more frequent international tensions. A comprehensive and sustainable resolution represents one of humankind's greatest challenges to date.

The international master's program in Sustainable Resource Management addresses these challenges in the context of social, ecological and economic needs. It focuses on the teaching of appropriate analysis and management methods. In addition, the students' professional and personal development in an intercultural environment forms a central feature of the program.

Students have the opportunity to develop an individual career profile through the selection of fields of concentration. The possible eight concentrations are:

• Management and Protection of Forest Ecosystems
• Wildlife and Protected Area Management
• Landscape Management
• Renewable Resources
• Climate, Air and Water
• Soils and Soil Management
• Material and Waste Management
• Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains

Quick Facts

Degree: Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Standard Duration of Studies and Extent: 4 semesters (=2 years, fulltime), 120 credits
Start: Winter semester (October)
Language of Instruction: English (presumed language proficiency: TOEFL with at least 88 points or IELTS with at least 6.5 points)
Requirements: Bachelor's or master's degree or diploma in one of the following disciplines: Engineering, Science, Economics or Social Science
Admission: Aptitude assessment
Location: Weihenstephan (Freising)
Internship: A minimum 8-weeks internship is a compulsory part of the program. Responsible for the recognition of the internship is the 'Praktikantenamt Weihenstephan'.
Costs per Semester: Basic student union fee and basic semester ticket fee

Which further expertise and skills will I acquire?

As a graduate, you will be able to work independently on complex tasks in the context of natural resources due to comprehensive knowledge of relevant scientific analysis and management methods gained during the program. Other abilities include the analysis and evaluation of human-induced actions on natural resources. Based on the results, you are capable of developing and implement strategies to deal more responsibly with natural resources. You are able to understand the principles of sustainable behavior, and are aware of the ecological, economic and sociopolitical meaning of natural resources. Depending on your choice of fields of concentrations, you also have a profound expert knowledge in the fields mentioned above.

Study Structure

The master's program is designed for four semesters, including a seven-week internship and completion of a written master’s thesis. The students have to achieve a total of 120 credit points by attending various modules. In each module, a course-related examination must be taken.

The program consists of an introductory part with 6 obligatory foundational modules, 8 fields of concentration (of which 2 are chosen) and 3 elective modules.

• The foundational modules in the 1st semester impart the fundamental competencies of resource management and constitute the basis for concentration within the discipline.
• In the 2nd and 3rd semesters, core competencies are complemented by modules from the fields of concentration .
• In the 4th semester, the master's thesis constitutes the conclusion of the degree. (A combination of internship and master's thesis is recommended, but voluntary.)

In order to ensure the lowest possible overlap of the lectures, schedules are planned and organized by the study coordination. Therefore, the Fields of concentration are split into Block A and Block B. Modules from Block A can be combined with modules from Block B without overlap. Two fields from one block imply clashes in the schedule.
Due to organizational reasons, we recommend choosing one field from each block, but it is not a must.

Block A include the fields:

• Management and Protection of Forest Ecosystems
• Material and Waste Management
• Landscape Management
• Soils and Soil Management

Block B include the fields:

• Renewable Resources
• Climate, Air and Water
• Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains
• Wildlife and Protected Areas

The following overview shows the program structure. Detailed descriptions of individual modules can be found in the module catalog >

Special Features

• Since the introduction of the program, students from over 90 different countries have studied the master's program Sustainable Resource Management. On average, three-quarters of students are from abroad. This promotes intercultural competencies of students and teachers, enriches the teaching considerably, and creates an international atmosphere.
• A large number of external lecturers from various countries are involved in the master's program. This provides the opportunity to acquire skills in all areas of resource management and to establish non-university contacts. Likewise, students benefit from a variety of international projects and contacts of the members of the Study Program Division.
• The master's program was awarded as an official project of the UN Decade 'Education for Sustainable Development'. The award is given to projects that arise concern on global education following the United Nations model by teaching and promoting exemplary sustainable thinking and actions

Job Profile

The master's program Sustainable Resource Management is an inter- and cross-disciplinary program in which students from all over the world and from different disciplines are equipped with the expertise to face the manifold challenges of sustainable resource management. Potential areas of work for graduates are, for example, managerial positions in companies as well as in national and international governmental and non-governmental organizations. Other possibilities are environmental consultancy and information services, the protection and management of ecosystems as well as research and education.