Geographic Science Approaches to Environmental challenges

The GEOSPHERES (Geographic Science Approaches to Environmental Challenges) program provides a broad spectrum of research and teaching content on the topic of global change, its implications for nature and society, and sustainable approaches to prevention and adaptation. It consolidates knowledge about the triggers, manifestations, and consequences of global change in the form of environmental destruction, climate change, resource consumption, and natural hazards on nature and society within a broad professional and methodological framework. The broad expertise at the Institute of Geography and Geology allows the representation of global change with its various facets in a geographical-scientific context. This includes the study of human-environment relationships in the past, present, and future, climate change and climate impact research, the study of natural hazards and landscape-forming processes, investigations into soil and water resources, and the future availability of mineral resources. Furthermore, the institute is characterized by its broad experience in methodology and studies in almost all eco-zones of the earth. Modern laboratory procedures, GIS and field analyses, digital data processing and modeling, geostatistics, and remote sensing are used and taught in teaching and research. As a result, students acquire important qualifications with regard to big data applications, various laboratory methods including soil and sediment analyses, programming knowledge, and GIS methods.

The program structure includes mandatory courses across four semesters (120 ECTS total): First semester (30 ECTS): Environmental Challenges I (5 ECTS), Applied Statistics in Geosciences (5 ECTS), Scientific Writing and Presenting (5 ECTS), and three elective modules from physical geography, climatology, soil geography, and georesources (15 ECTS). Second semester (30 ECTS): Environmental Challenges II (5 ECTS), Advanced GIS & Geoinformatics (5 ECTS), elective modules (15 ECTS), and one free module or subsidiary subject (5 ECTS). Third semester (30 ECTS): Discussing Current Topics in Environmental Research (5 ECTS), elective modules (5 ECTS), Work Placement/Professional Practical Training (10 ECTS), and Applied Project with block course (10 ECTS). Fourth semester (30 ECTS): Master Thesis (25 ECTS), Progress Report on Master Thesis (2 ECTS), and Final Colloquium of Master Thesis (3 ECTS).