Sustainability Science: Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Society (M. Sc.)

• Degree awarded: Master of Science (M.Sc.)
• Application deadline: EU degrees: 1 June / Non-EU degrees: 1 May
• Highlights: Exploring the interactions of ecosystems and society, tackeling real-world problems of social-ecological systems in transdisciplinary approaches, interdisciplinary peer-learning in an international context
• Ist aimed at: Ecology enthusiasts with a passion for sustainability and system dynamics
• Type of programme: Thematic relevance
• Study places: 25
• Start date: October 1
• Extent: 120 CP according to ECTS
• Duration: 4 semesters
• Language: English
• Semester contribution: approx. 450 EUR

Sustain­ability is a central goal for humanity in the 21^st century. Understanding eco­logical processes and navigating social-ecological inter­actions, in turn, is central to sustain­ability. The careless exploitation of natural resources has had deleterious consequences for eco­systems and bio­diversity around the world.

But not all human activities are necessarily harm­ful for eco­systems: grounded in a deep understanding of social-ecological inter­actions, human societies can re-build and restore resilient ecosystems.

This programme covers eco­logical themes such as changes in bio­diversity and eco­system functioning in the Anthro­pocene, as well as how these changes are shaped by and influence through feed­backs the social fabric of human communities. Social and eco­logical phenomena are therefore understood to be intimately connected.

The appropriate governance of social-eco­logical complexity, in turn, can be informed by social-ecological systems thinking – including key ecological and social-ecological concepts such as ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services (or “Nature’s Contributions to People”), resilience, thresholds or tipping points, regime shifts, and participatory scenario planning. Throughout the programme, both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to better understand the complex dynamics of social-ecological systems.

In addition to building an understanding of eco­systems, societies, and the interlinkages between the two, the programme offers engagement with the idea and practice of trans­disciplinarity. In so-called trans­disciplinary projects, students will engage with real-world problems and the actors empowered to make real-world decisions.

The programme is structured into three phases: an intro­ductory phase, a main phase, and a research phase.

1. The introductory phase takes place in the first semester. Here, students are intro­duced to sustain­ability science in general; they gain an overview of qualitative and quantitative methods as well as first exposure to the idea of trans­discipli­narity; and they learn about the basic func­tions of eco­systems and how these are linked to bio­diversity.
2. The main phase takes places in the second and third semester. Here, students explore in more detail the complexity and resilience of social-eco­logical systems – including in the context of eco­system conser­vation and restora­tion, climate change, and inter­actions with real-world stake­holders. Students also deepen their methodo­logical competences in this phase.
3. The final phase of the pro­gramme consists of the pre­para­tion of a Master's thesis. This phase is fully research-oriented.

Here you can find further information on the course content of the Master's pro­gramme Sustain­ability Science: Eco­systems, Bio­diversity and Society.

The following link provides access to documents which set out the general conditions for examinations, an overview of the curriculum, as well as detailed and legally binding regulations.

General Assessment Regulations and the Subject-Specific Schedules

Students of this Master's programme have the opportunity to spend a semester of their studies abroad. For that, we recommend the third semester.

For any questions or to apply, please contact the Inter­national Center. The Inter­national Center will provide all further information on Erasmus+ funding, and on preparing for and organising your semester abroad.

Increasingly, as we face the polycrises of biodiversity loss, climate change and upheaval of social systems, the world needs world changers with a solid foundation in critical thinking: people who have both a well-founded training and understanding of the key drivers and interactions in a changing world as well as possible evidence-based paths to more biodiversity and resilience allowing sustainable future.

This Masters spans both state of the art biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research, conservation and restoration ecology and practice as well as allowing a clear understanding of the key role that humans play in affecting biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. Since many of our current problems in the polycrisis can not be adequately solved without a whole system approach, this Masters will allow students to obtain the necessary in-depth grounding in both more classical ecology, as well as social-ecological and governance themes as well as the ability to link them into a whole systems approach that enable solutions and on the ground practice that is effective.

This Master's programme combining ecology, social ecological systems approaches and governance in relation to the management of systems is unique in the academic landscape at the current time and Leuphana is very well poised to provide it. The uniqueness of this profile should provide students with excellent opportunities in terms of job prospects.

Graduates who would like to continue their academic career are welcome to apply for our doctoral research group on Sustainability Science.

As a student of our Master's programme, you also have the opportunity to start your doctorate at an early stage via the Doctoral Track.

On the Leuphana Career Service website, you will find numerous job offers for student jobs, internships, career entry, or topics for your thesis from companies, research institutions, and non-profit organizations that are specifically aimed at Leuphana students and graduates. In addition, you will find job offers and student jobs within Leuphana University.

As a student in our programme, you have the opportunity to start your doctorate early via the Doctoral Track.

Thus, you to become part of the scientific community of our doctoral research groups at an early stage, giving you the unique opportunity to combine your Master's and doctoral studies and, with your doctorate in sight, to obtain your Master's degree en-route.

You can find all information about the admission and requirements, the application and the selection procedure on our "Admission and Requirements" page.
 

This study programme matches your interests? Then you will find further infor­mation for prospec­tive inter­national students on resi­dence and social matters, such as visa, resi­dence permit, health in­surance or finding accommo­dation, on the following pages.

Please note that the infor­mation for in­coming ex­change students and inter­national degree-seeking students differs slightly.

Information for in­coming ex­change students

Information for inter­national degree-seeking students