Fields of study
Civil Engineering
Clear water, a clean beach and species-rich fauna and flora in water and on land - unthinkable without consistent environmental protection. Nevertheless, the idyll is deceptive. An ever-increasing world population with the associated demand for resources, often-inadequate water quality, air pollution, species extinction and the effects of climate change are visible worldwide. These challenges will not be solved without an even stronger commitment to environmental protection. What we need is consistent action that takes account of regional possibilities and limits.
June 15 (winter semester)
January 15 (summer semester)
4 Semester
Master of Engineering (M.Eng.)
Environmental protection concerns us all! The protection of our environment is a social task with high acceptance. In order to work successfully and goal-oriented in this area, knowledge and competences must be bundled. Four universities from Esslingen, Nürtingen, Reutlingen and Stuttgart joined forces as early as 1989 to train bachelor's graduates in the field of environmental protection. The Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Economics and Environment (HfWU) is coordinating the Master course.
We develop our curriculum in a joined effort so that you can successfully work as a Master of Engineering (M. Eng.) in municipal, technical or biological-ecological environmental protection in four semesters after your studies. The curriculum consists of;
Lectures convey and repeat the contents of the course, allow for an intensive discussion of the material and clarify the students' questions.
Tutorials take place within the lectures and consist of calculation or discussion examples, depending on the subject. These tutorials takes place both individually and in small groups.
Pratical trainings in the laboratories of the Universities of Esslingen and Reutlingen as well as in the field at the Nürtingen University deepen the lecture contents and provide practical experience in the analytical field.
The project work in the electives is scheduled for one semester each, is carried out in small groups and includes a project report and a final presentation.
Subject-related excursions from different teaching areas are usually half-day and take place in the region. The " Environmental Protection Excursion" in May lasts several days and offers the opportunity to get to know interesting environmental protection projects outside the Middle Neckar region. It covers wide areas of environmental protection from wastewater treatment and nature conservation to process engineering in industrial plants.
In the modules "Ecological Interrelationships", "Environmental Chemistry", “Immission Control” and "Scientific Methods" the basics of environmental protection are taught and deepened.
Modules provide key qualifications such as in-depth explanations of the basic study modules. These are supplemented each semester by a compulsory optional module (main focus).
For the Master's thesis, a subject is to be chosen and independently worked on using scientific methods over a period of five months.
The course of study is basically intended to be a full-time course of study. However, in consultation with the examination board, you can also adapt the course of study to your individual circumstances and study the Master's degree course in environmental protection part-time. The study regulations will be changed on 01.09.2023, the new SPO from 25.05.2023 with a partially restructured study plan and a new module overview as well as the associated new module handbook (as of 1 September 2023) are available below.
Environmental protection is an interdisciplinary and interrelated field of activity, with the aim of protecting soil, water and air as well as the biotic communities. In teaching, the close interaction of aspects of environmental management, technical and biological-ecological environmental protection, but also operational factors play a major role.
During your studies you can choose between several options for specialisation - according to your personal interests. Different elective modules are offered in the summer (SoSe) and winter semester (WiSe) and are composed of lectures, practical trainings and project work. The project work and practical tests in the laboratory and with pilot plants are carried out in small project teams.
During your studies you can choose between several options for specialisation - according to your personal interests. Different elective modules are offered in the summer (SoSe) and winter semester (WiSe) and are composed of lectures, practical trainings and project work. The project work and practical tests in the laboratory and with pilot plants are carried out in small project teams.
Local Community Environmental Protection: - Fundamentals and technical solutions of Wastewater treatment and remediation (SoSe)
Technical environmental protection: - strategies and instruments of environmental process engineering and production-integrated environmental protection (WiSe)
Environmental Management: - Strategies and Instruments of Environmental Management and their Organisational Implementation in Practice (WiSe)
Biological-Ecological Environmental Protection: - Identification and evaluation of environmental impacts of projects in terms of nature conservation and sustainable development (SoSe)
The indispensable practical relevance is ensured by the teaching staff of professors and lecturers with many years of experience in the private sector, internships in very well equipped university laboratories and subject-related excursions in the greater area of the participating universities. In addition, once a year a " Environmental Protection Excursion" lasting several days is organised.
In the electives, exciting projects related to current issues in research and application are offered . You can benefit from the extraordinarily good networking of the course with companies, municipalities and associations in Stuttgart and the region. An optimal basis for a successful Master's degree. Here you will also find your partners for working as a student trainee* or for writing your master's thesis. Research-related theses are also offered by other higher education institutions in Germany and abroad as well as in partner companies.
The prerequisite for this course of study is a Bachelor's degree in
ECTS reuirements at the time of application:
Proof of the remaining ECTS must be submitted by 4 weeks after the start of the lectures.
Since the language of instruction is German, foreign applicants with foreign educational qualifications require either the “Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache” (TestDaF) with a minimum of level 4 in all categories or a “Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang” (DSH) Level 2.
At the beginning of the Master's programme, some teachers offer our students voluntary courses in order to bring them all up to the same professional level.
All four universities have excellent contacts to first-class partner universities worldwide. Current study visits are carried out through a partnership with the German Jordanian University, School of Natural Resources Energy Engineering (ERE) in Amman and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Cape Town, South Africa.
In addition to the Master's degree, the environmental protection course offers the possibility of obtaining a French diploma from the ESAIP École d'Ingénieurs in the course "Ingénieur Prévention des Risques, Environnement" in Angers. Further information can be obtained from the office of the course of studies in Nürtingen.
We would be happy to support you in planning and implementing a stay abroad.
Public Service: The degree in the accredited Master's programme provides access to the higher public service in the environmental administration of the cities, the federal states and the federal government.
Commercial business in environmental and QSHE departments of industrial companies as well as in companies and associations of energy supply, water supply, waste management.
Private sector: Planning and engineering offices or environmental protection service providers
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Baumann is the head of the course of studies at the HFT. In addition to his teaching duties in the Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, he represents - in the Master's degree course in environmental protection - water protection, modelling/simulation, urban water management and quality and environmental management.
In addition, your contact person for all questions concerning the study programme is the "Assistenz und Koordinationsstelle Masterstudiengang Umweltschutz" (Dipl.-Geoökologin Claudia Mai-Peter) at the University of Applied Sciences in Nürtingen - contact by phone (+49 7022 201200) or by mail (claudia.mai-peter(at)hfwu.de). We look forward to your questions.
All lectures are on German language!
