Environmental Engineering, Master of Science

Environmental engineering has never been more relevant than it is today. In the past 20 years, the field has moved from purely focusing on the technical and logistical side of waste disposal to encompass material recovery and circular economy. Innovative materials, integrated material and process flow analysis, as well as the involvement of energy sector issues, have brought environmental technology - once a niche sector perceived to be partly driven by ideology - into mainstream areas of the international economy. Germany is a global market leader in many areas of environmental engineering expertise. This status requires ongoing success at different levels: innovative and integrated technology, favourable legal and economic standards and, not least, high-quality German university education in environmental sciences.

The Environmental Engineering program with a Master of Science degree at the TU Hamburg is aimed at ambitious engineers in the fields of environmental engineering, water management, civil engineering and related disciplines.

Requirements

Technical qualifications

Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in Environmental Engineering or related fields of study who wish to pursue a research-oriented in-depth study.

The following professional requirements are eligibility requirements:

Mathematics, Mechanics, Statistics:

18 ECTS

Water, Waste or Energy related Engineering topics:

24 ECTS

Biology, Ecology and / or other basics of natural sciences:

6 ECTS

Chemistry, Biochemistry.:

6 ECTS

What characterizes this study program?

The International Master Program in Environmental Engineering at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) focuses on current developments in environmental technology, while also providing a solid grounding in the subject’s scientific and economic foundations. Students can specialise in one of three areas: "Energy and Resources", "Environment and Climate" as well as "Water Qualiy and Water Engineering".

Interdisciplinary considerations are essential to all subject areas. How can environmental pollution be reduced and valuable resources recovered at the same time? How does one measure the sustainability of a product or service? Which innovative technologies assure minimum energy use in production processes? Which environmental law constraints favour sustainable development? All these questions are relevant in the Environmental Engineering program.

Graduates of the Environmental Engineering program have a detailed understanding of key areas of environmental sciences. We train engineers who are able to transfer the engineering, mathematical and scientific knowledge they have acquired during their studies into practice, to analyze problems scientifically and to solve them, even if they are incompletely defined and have complex specifications. We emphasize the combination of specialized knowledge, technical and communication skills, and interdisciplinary, critical and solution-oriented thinking. In this way, the Environmental Engineering program creates the prerequisites for working on challenging projects, including the necessary economic and management skills.

Our program also opens up the possibility of a doctorate with a correspondingly good degree and creates the prerequisites for successful research work.

How is the program structured?

At the start of the Master’s program, all students take compulsory courses in environmental management, waste and wastewater treatment, fluid dynamics and hydrology, and environmental analytics. In the second semester, students can choose from a number of potential core areas. From the third semester, students develop a specialisation in one of the areas mentioned above ("Energy and Resources", "Environment and Climate", "Water Qualiy and Water Engineering"). In addition to course-specific modules, students also take non-technical classes in subjects such as business economics or foreign languages.

 

Core Qualification 2. Semester
Semester Module Mandatory/Elective
2 Advanced Vadose Zone Hydrology Elective
2 Hydrological Systems Elective
2 Management of Surface Water Elective
2 Nexus Engineering - Water, Soil, Food, Energy Elective
2 Urban Environmental Management Elective
2-3 Selective Topics in Environmental Engineering Elective
Specialisation Energy and Resources
Semester Module Mandatory/Elective
2 Waste and Energy Elective
2 Applied optimization in energy and process engineering Elective
2 Smart Monitoring Elective
3 Study work Energy and Ressources Mandatory
3 Advanced Fuels Elective
3 Bioresources and Biorefineries Elective
3 Special Aspects of Waste Resource Management Elective
3 Environmental protection management Elective

 

Specialisation Environment and Climate
Semester Module Mandatory/Elective
2 Coastal Hydraulic Engineering I Elective
2 Smart Monitoring Elective
2 Water and Environment: Theory and Application Elective
3 Study work Environment and Climate Mandatory
3 Emerging Trends in Environmental Engineering Elective
3 Coastal Hydraulic Engineering II Elective
3 Rural Development and Resources Oriented Sanitation for different Climate Zones Elective
3 Sustainable Nature-based Coastal Protection in a Changing Climate (SeaPiaC) Elective

 

Specialisation Water Quality and Water Engineering
Semester Module Mandatory/Elective
2 Wastewater Systems Elective
2 Coastal Hydraulic Engineering I Elective
2 Smart Monitoring Elective
3 Study Work Water Quality and Water Engineering Mandatory
3 Water Protection Elective
3 Coastal Hydraulic Engineering II Elective
3 Rural Development and Resources Oriented Sanitation for different Climate Zones Elective
3 Membrane Technology Elective
3 Process Modeling in Water Technology Elective

 

What job can I take?

The Environmental Engineering program trains engineers for whom there will be a high demand today and in the future. Our graduates are well prepared for management positions in construction companies, infrastructure operators, water supply and disposal companies, engineering and planning offices, industrial companies, ministries and authorities, but also research institutions.

How do I apply?

You can apply annually for the winter semester in the period from the 1st of December until the 1st of March.

For this you need a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in Environmental Engineering or related fields and sufficiently good English language skills.

We conduct an online application procedure.

Further questions?

How to start?

To make it easier for you to start your studies at the TUHH, you will find various offers here:

  •     New@TUHH provides you with information on starting your studies, registration at the library and at the computer center.
  •     The Student Counseling Center offers an orientation session for incoming students of the German-language master's program.
Can I include a semester abroad?

Yes, there is a chance for internships or a semester abroad. Typically this should be done in the 3rd semester.

Can I study in the dual program?

Yes, you can! All Master of Science degree programs at the TU Hamburg can be studied dual. Since 2003, the Technical University of Hamburg has also offered its Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in a dual study variant in cooperation with more than 50 cooperating companies.

The study concept combines complete university studies with professional practice in the engineering field. The students are employed by one of our cooperating companies and, as cohorts across study programs, represent the entire spectrum of engineering sciences.

The program is rounded off by seminars on the development of social skills, so that graduates can face the challenges of the working world in a responsible manner.

You can find more information about the dual study program at the TU Hamburg here: https://dual.tuhh.de/  

What are my options to do a PhD?

Yes, you can do a doctorate after completing the master's program. Research topics for the PhD are offered by the institutes of the Hamburg Process Engineering. Here you can find more information about research of the dean's office civil engineering.

How is campus life?

The TU Hamburg is one of the youngest universities in Germany. On the clearly arranged and cozy campus you will quickly get to know your new fellow students and in spring and summer numerous seating areas and green spaces invite you to linger together in the fresh air. In an almost familiar atmosphere, we celebrate our summer festival every year in June, where our TU's own beer brewing group "Campusperle" also offers its creations. Of course, you can also get involved in our numerous AGs, which also organize regular events, e.g. screenings of the cinema AG, concerts of SingING or SymphonING. Of particular interest to Data Science students are also the HULKs, who regularly participate in international robot soccer championships, for example.

If you decide to study at TUHH, you also decide to study in Hamburg, the metropolis on the Elbe, Germany's second largest city and certainly its most beautiful. Hamburg combines urbanity and maritime life and is also Germany's greenest city with over a million inhabitants. You will never get bored here: rowing on the canals during the day or jogging in the city park, sunset on the Elbe, a concert in the Elbphilharmonie or a pub night on the Schanze and the fish market at dawn. Here you will find everything for the adventurous, but also numerous quiet places to pause. Together with your fellow students, you will certainly explore Hamburg and its treasures quickly and get to know your new favorite place.

Where can I find the relevant regulations?

All modalities for admission to the Master's program are regulated in the Statutes on Studies.

The framework conditions for examinations at TUHH are defined by the General Study and Examination Regulations (ASPO) and the Subject-Specific Study and Examination Regulations (FSPO). The Module Handbook describes the concrete design of the modules provided for in the curriculum and their learning objectives. They also provide information on content, recommended prior knowledge and literature for preparation.

All regulations relevant to the study program can be found here.

How do I start my career?

Career Center and Alumni Network TU&You

The TUHH Career Center supports students and graduates in the transition from university to work. The services offered include company contact fairs, the TUHH-PraxisPlus internship program for prospective TUHH master's students, case study workshops and job application training. The alumni network TU&YOU offers the opportunity to make contact with former TU members while still a student through a variety of events such as research afternoons, homecoming events and anniversaries.

www.tuhh.de/tuhh/uni/service/career-center.html

www.tuandyou.de

 

Whom can I contact?

If you have any questions about your studies, you can always contact the Central Student Advisory Service!

Program coordinator

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mathias Ernst
B-11 Wasserressourcen und Wasserversorgung
  • Wasserressourcen und Wasserversorgung
Office Hours
nach Absprache
Am Schwarzenberg-Campus 3 (E),
21073 Hamburg
Building E, Room 1.004
Phone: +49 40 42878 3453
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The study program Environmental Engineering is thematically located in the research fields:

This study program is accreditated.