About the Master of Arts Environment & Society

Understanding the complex links between humans and their environment is more vital than ever before. To tackle social and environmental challenges in just, constructive, and creative ways, practitioners and scholars across the world increasingly require interdisciplinary knowledge and humanistic understanding. Our master’s program prepares students for a range of careers dedicated to fostering and creating an understanding of human–environment relations. It builds upon scholarship in the environmental humanities, an interdisciplinary field formed by histories of the (built) environment, studies in science, technology, and society, anthropology, philosophy, art history, literary studies, and other disciplines engaged with questions regarding the environment.

The program draws from the research and graduate-teaching expertise at the Chair of Environmental Humanities and at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society (RCC), LMU Munich. Embedded in the RCC’s international community, the program’s curriculum familiarizes students with key themes and methodologies for working on topics at the nexus of environment and society. Topics include climate change, urbanization, environmental transformation, biodiversity loss, conservation, environmental justice, and planetary health. The program educates and trains students, so that they will be able to analyze and communicate challenges or solutions related to the transformation of environment and society. It highlights thinking across and beyond disciplines through hands-on, field-based, and creative learning. As part of their coursework, students therefore also engage with our partners, such as the Deutsches Museum and Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald.

The program is financed through the Volkswagen Foundation’s “University of the Future” funding line. This funding provides the opportunity for a range of workshops, short-term visiting professorships, and the use of innovative teaching tools, such as blended learning, field seminars, digital multimedia presentations, and exhibitions.

 

Program Overview 

Degree	Master of Arts (M.A.)
Awarding Institution	LMU Munich (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
ECTS Credit Points	120
Language of Instruction	English, German
Program Start	Winter Semester
Duration	4 Semesters (full-time)
Application Deadline	31 May
Tuition Fees	There are no tuition fees for this course. There is, however, a semester fee of 85,00 €. The semester fee is the same for German, EU, and Non-EU students.
Required Qualifications	B.A. / B.Sc. / B.Arch. / B.LA. / B.Eng. degree (humanities, social sciences with environmental focus, environmental sciences, natural sciences, architecture, landscape architecture, engineering) equivalent to at least 180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) points or a comparative qualification from a higher education institution in Germany, the EU, or abroad.

 

Why should I study this?

The master’s program is designed to educate and train intellectually curious students from a diverse range of academic backgrounds. It is open to German, EU, and international students. The program helps students build new career paths, take informed positions in discussions about environment and society, and communicate scholarly findings to decision-makers, media, and the public at large.

The program aims to impart the ability to understand, describe, critically analyze, interpret, and communicate complex environmental and societal interconnections. Students will gain the competence to:

• initiate, advance, and assess relevant transformational processes;
• conceptualize, reflexively evaluate, and pursue individual projects and professional goals;
• communicate and collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary contexts.

On completion, students will have broad career prospects in a variety of fields, such as:

• inter- and transdisciplinary research positions in academia and beyond;
• leadership positions in entrepreneurial initiatives and public service;
• positions in international institutions and NGOs
• business consultancy and policy advice;
• journalism and (digital) media;
• art and curation.

Graduates of the program will be qualified to apply for doctoral research positions in leading universities across the world.

The RCC’s existing partnerships with environmental experts can provide students with various internship and career opportunities. Students can also join the wider community of the RCC alumni networks with more than 350 members.

 

Am I eligible to apply?

We are currently recruiting our cohort for the winter semester 2024/25 start.

The program is potentially suitable for students holding bachelor’s degrees in a range of related disciplines (including anthropology, geography, architecture, landscape architecture, planning, literature, history, law, political studies, biology, ecology, or other relevant disciplines) equivalent to at least 180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) points or a comparative qualification from a higher-education institution in Germany, the EU, or overseas.

As part of the application documents (CV, certificates), applicants will be asked to demonstrate their focus on the environment through a self-written essay (max. 2000 words) and a writing sample (max. 2000 words). A high level of English (C1 at application) language proficiency must be demonstrated through relevant qualifications.

German language skills are not required to obtain the degree. However, we highly recommend basic German language skills as they can enrich the student experience. Please also note that many program electives offered by other departments are taught in German.

For more information, please see the How to Apply page and read the FAQs.

 

How is the program structured and what is its focus?

Successful completion of the four-semester program awards 120 points in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS points) and the title “Master of Arts.” Students take eight mandatory core modules (including the final module), adding up to a total of 84 ECTS points:

• Introduction to Environment and Society (9 ECTS);
• New Directions in Environment and Society (6 ECTS);
• Research Methods in Environment and Society (6 ECTS);
• Representation and Outreach (6 ECTS);
• Environment and Justice (9 ECTS);
• Critical Perspectives in Environment and Society (9 ECTS);
• Landscapes and Urban Environments (9 ECTS);
• and the Final Module (30 ECTS) in the last semester.

For the remaining 36 ECTS points, students may choose from a wide range of electives in areas including the political, social, and environmental sciences, listed in LMU Munich’s course catalogue. This way, students can explore various disciplinary perspectives, depending on their interests.

The program’s detailed structure and more information on its electives can be found on the Core Modules and Electives pages. Examples of hands-on learning that students have previously engaged in at the RCC can be found here.