M.Sc. Physical Geography: Climate and Environmental Sciences

The MSc programme offers the opportunity to specializse in one major subject area of Physical Geography by giving students the opportunity to take advantage of an individually tailored Master’s programme; this will enable a specific qualification in a chosen field of interest. In-depth modules and the possible topics for the Master’s thesis mirror the three research pillars at our institute in Erlangen:

 

Climate & Environmental Sciences is a two-year (4 semesters) degree programme that in taught in English and comprises 120 ECTS credit points. All students start with a thorough education in scientific writing, an introduction to climate and environmental sciences and two graduate seminars on one of the three research topics. The first three semesters are dedicated to the individual specialisation, in particular due to state-of-the-art as well as novel methodological training.

The fourth semester is dedicated to the Master’s thesis, which focuses on one of the chosen major topics. Semesters abroad are not compulsory, but can be arranged (e.g. through the ERAMUS programme and partnerships with universities).

The Master’s programme has a clear research focus and qualifies participants for a PhD at a University or for scientific work in research institutions or governmental agencies. Graduates also qualify for a large variety of exciting and challenging positions in consulting, management, data analysis, or public services.

Research at our institute covers an unusually wide spectrum of climate science. It comprises the “reading” of climate proxy data (e.g., tree rings, soil properties), the access of climate phenomena from space, and the simulation of climate processes with the help of supercomputers. These areas are mirrored in the teaching program, yet the pivotal part of the climate research specialization is the practice of a modern, physical climatology: numerical modeling of mechanisms and processes, with a focus on the atmosphere and cryosphere of Earth; the analysis of large climate data sets through state-of-the-art statistics; and direct meteorological measurements span up an exciting framework that unifies empirical evidence and the value of computer models.

The courses put these methods in the light of topical issues, for instance, understanding the interplay of climatic subsystems in the challenging environment of high mountains (atmosphere, glaciers, hydrology); practicing seasonal predictions; or sharpening the sense for future climate projections.

The master program offers a profound modular methodological education with an emphasis on different remote sensing and GIS techniques. Our classes are closely linked to applications in the research foci in glaciology and climatology as well as in biogeography and spatial ecology. You will learn to process and analyze various Earth observation data types, ranging from optical multi- and hyperspectral to radar data. The classes will introduce you in hands-on exercises and practical applications to analysis techniques such as radar interferometry and machine learning algorithms. We provide cross-links to numerical modelling and field measurements.

With our course program we aim at current and future demands and challenges in regard to processing of large data amounts (“big data”). All classes provide the opportunity to acquire versatile programming and scripting skills that enable efficient data processing as well as the customization and the development of new algorithms. This combination of geoinformatics modules with thematic knowledge links modern data analysis and acquisition techniques with an in-depth process understanding that is required and demanded for data interpretation in the respective research fields.

Our institute comprises excellent facilities to acquire multiple kinds of data on the environment. The generation of environmental data is a key qualification in basic and applied research to study effects of climate change on different components of the physical environment, including soils and sediments, water, and plants or other organisms. In the teaching program, we offer various lab courses in the soil lab, the tree-ring lab, and the stable isotope lab.

Here, you are trained in sampling strategies, preparation techniques and state-of-the-art analyses methods, and data assessment and interpretation. The lab courses are embedded in practical research applications like the impact of climate change on trees and forest ecosystems, climate reconstruction from natural archives, and environmental changes caused by human impact.

Applications for the M.Sc. Physical Geography: Climate & Environmental Sciences shall be submitted online via the campo web portal.

 

The application deadlines are 31 January for the following summer term (starting in April) and 15 July for the following winter term (starting in October). It is therefore possible to start studies either in the summer or winter semester. Due to the structure of the programme we strongly recommend to start in winter.

For more information about enrolling for the Masters program, please visit the FAU website.

For questions regarding application and admission, please contact our student advisor: