• A general interest in natural sciences and physical geography, in particular
• A motivation and willingness to learn how to carry out independent scientific work
• The ability to think abstractly as well as an interest in interdisciplinary ways of thinking and working

(1) You will be admitted to the master’s degree program in climate and environmental change if you fulfill the following requirements:
Proof of a bachelor’s degree from a higher education institution in Germany or abroad, provided it does not differ significantly in content. The degree must be in one of the following:

• a) Geography/Physical Geography with at least 130 credit points obtained in geography modules or
• b) Geography with a specialization in Human Geography, or − should you have earned fewer than 130 credits − in geography modules or in a natural science subject relevant to geography

In reference to paragraph b), the examination committee makes decisions regarding admission to the degree program and the relevance of geography. Enrollment may be granted if you have completed a degree that corresponds to the definition of b), provided you have earned an additional 30 credits from courses and examinations from the bachelor’s program in geography. The examination committee decides in which modules you must complete your credits. These credits do not go towards your master’s examination. If this requirement has not been met within the first academic year, it is generally not possible to continue with the program of study.

(2) It is a prerequisite that you have sufficient active and passive proficiency in English, as you will need to be able to read specialist literature in English and participate in courses with English as the language of instruction.

(3) Should you be unable to provide proof of a completed bachelor’s degree in the form of a degree certificate in accordance with subsection 2 by the end of the application deadline, you may still apply provided that you can submit a certificate confirming that you have completed at least 135 credits in the form of examinations and coursework. This certificate must be issued by the responsible authority from the former university or you may present a provisional certificate of recognition for foreign degree certificates that was issued by JGU. If the program has selective entry, admission will be granted with regard to the conditions of the university’s selection statutes. The final grade of the bachelor’s degree will therefore not be taken into consideration during the selection procedure. If you should be admitted on the basis of the certificate specified in sentence 1, admission will be granted under the condition that the bachelor’s certificate be submitted by the end of the first academic semester of the master’s degree program. Failure to do so will result in the withdrawal of your admission status.

(4) A further prerequisite for admission to the master’s degree program in Climate and Environmental Change is that you maintain your eligibility to take exams for this degree program. A corresponding declaration must be submitted for verification.

(5) If you have not competed your university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, HZB) at a German-speaking institution or if the language of instruction in your previous course of studies was not German, you must provide proof of German language proficiency via the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants.”

(6) The program of study can only be started in the winter semester.

The examination regulations for this master’s degree program can be found online.

Course sequence

1st academic year

• Climate and climate change (required module): You will acquire knowledge in paleoclimatology and skills in climate modeling.
• Geomorphology and hazards: You will learn how to think in a geographically networked manner with respect to causes, effects, damage analyses, and prevention strategies regarding environmental changes and natural hazards.
• Urban climatology: You will understand the complex interrelations between urban areas and the atmosphere and become familiar with the fundamentals of numerical climate simulation, which is something that you will apply in your own projects.
• Landscape development and climate (required module): This module provides insights into data collection and analysis of complex human-environment interaction systems as well as their changes in space and time.
• Anthropocene – the changing world: You will gain knowledge of the current interactions between humans and the environment with a focus on soil. You will recognize ecological problems within the context of anthropogenic use and will be able to analyze and interpret these.
• Climate reconstructions: You will become aware of climatological process understanding through the examination and classification of paleoclimatological time series and statistical evaluations of time series.
• Paleoclimate: You will gain an understanding of the physical fundamentals for recent climate control as well as detailed knowledge of global climate history.
• Analytical paleontology: Your will be taught about biogenic climate and environmental archives and be taught techniques for the processing and analysis of these archives, which are of increasing importance for climate research and retrospective climate monitoring.
• Cultural consequences: You will gain insight into the fundamental period of upheaval in human history, the Neolithic period, as well as the associated development of complex societies.
• Lecture series featuring engaging presentations and dynamic discussions on evolving topics.

2nd academic year

• Climate change and adaptation: You will work on topic-specific scientific projects, including your own data analysis.
• The changing geosphere and environment: You will work on topics and projects as a part of your preparation for graduation.
• The changing pedosphere: You will get an overview of the possibilities that soil analytics offers. You will become familiar with the fundamentals of analytical work that are applied when finding the answer to specific issues.
• Atmospheric processes: You will delve into various projects relating to areas such as climate simulation, sustainable urban development or vegetation modeling and work on these in small groups.
• Internship / Study abroad
• Master’s thesis and final examination: The master’s thesis is a written examination designed to demonstrate that, by the end of your studies, you are able to independently address a subject-related problem using appropriate methods within a defined timeframe. You will be guided by a supervisor while working on your thesis.

By selecting from the available required elective modules, you can create a personalized focus.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for half a year or a whole year? Do you want to get to know another language and culture? Would you like to get a different perspective on your particular degree program? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various partnerships with foreign universities.

For information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. An overview of cooperating universities that would suit your degree program can be found on our Student Exchange Platform.

In your second academic year, you can choose to broaden your horizons through a study abroad program or gain professional experience by completing an internship.

Internships

During your second academic year, you may either complete an internship, which would serve as an important bridge between your studies and future career, or alternatively, you could study abroad and, thereby, broaden your academic horizon.

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

You will receive a science-based education focused on the geographical dimensions of climate and environmental change. This includes a wide range of methods aimed at understanding and deciphering climate and environmental changes at various temporal and spatial scales. As a graduate, you will possess an in-depth knowledge necessary for the detection, prevention, and adaptation to climate and environmental changes.

You will thus fulfill all requirements and be best prepared and sought-after for the diverse sectors of the 21st century job market:

• Research at universities
• Public service
• Data processing
• Business consulting
• Research and development in economics
• Environmental and engineering offices that, for example, deal with subsurface investigations and re-naturalization measures
• Planning offices (e.g., urban climate and infrastructure)

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.