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Facts and Data

  • Duration: 4 semesters
  • Degree Award: Master of Science
  • Language: German
  • admission free
  • Special admission requirements

News

Looking for a special Master's programme?

We present our Master's programme in Marine Environmental Sciences!

Our lecturer Dr. Cora Kohlmeier and our Master's student Laura Fiegel give you an insight into the many opportunities that studying at the ICBM offers you.

Online on 28 June 2023 at 2:00 p.m.

Simply log in at: https://uol.de/icbm/studieren-am-icbm

Marine Environmental Sciences - Master's Programme

Orientation and Goals

The objective of the research-oriented master's program "Marine Environmental Sciences" is the in-depth training of students in the fields of knowledge and methods of modern marine environmental sciences and their fields of application, especially in shallow-sea and coastal systems.
The program enables the students to gain scientific knowledge independently and in a team as well as to recognize its significance for society and professional practice. The qualification is based on a well balanced mix of theory and practice. Opportunities for individual specialization provide the necessary knowledge and skills for a successful career in the diverse fields of activity of the environmental sciences.

Study Design and Contents

The master's program splits into:

mandatory modules
  • Introduction to Marine Environmental Sciences (6 CP), which explains the interdisciplinary approach of Marine Environmental Sciences by means of content and methodological lectures.
  • Environmental research project (12 CP), which introduces into independent scientific work,
  • Master's degree module (30 CP), which includes the Master's thesis and the final colloqium;
and elective modules (12 x 6 CP), which splits into five thematic areas, one practical and one interdisciplinary area:
  • mathematical modeling
  • ocean-, climate-, and environmental physics
  • geochemistry, chemical analysis
  • biology, ecology
  • marine sensor systems and operational oceanography
  • practical modules (excursions, programming, diving)
  • interdisciplinary modules
At least one module must be studied from each of the first five areas. Practical courses may be attended by a maximum of three modules.

Teaching and Learning

Small modules with lectures, seminars, practice sessions, and a large practical component. Some modules are offered in English. Students are integrated into research activities from the beginning on.

Reasons for Studying

The Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) is the only academic research institute for marine environmental sciences in Lower Saxony. Within the institute, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, biologists, geologists, and ecologists work together on actual topics in marine research. The interdisciplinarity and the integration of students in actual research projects is an essential aspect of the study program. The study program is embedded in a cluster of seven Master's programs in the field of environment and sustainability at the University of Oldenburg.

Foreign Language Skills

In order to study this course at the University of Oldenburg as a student from outside of Germany, you need an adequate knowledge of German.

German Language Proficiency
You can proof your German language proficiency with the following language certificates:
  • DSH: Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (Level 2)
  • TestDaF: Test – Deutsch als Fremdsprache (with level 4 in all four areas)
Recommended English Language Proficiency see admission requirements
  • Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level B2 is strongly recommended for studying.
You will need sufficient knowledge of English to be able to understand lectures and courses, write texts and conduct in-depth discussions in English.

Careers and Areas of Employment

Graduates often move on to doctoral studies. Wherever there is a need for interdisciplinary approaches to solving environmental and scientific problems (e.g. in connection with climate change), graduates of this programme are sought. The qualifications acquired in this course of studies are well suited for careers in environmental and scientific fields. Many graduates are self employed in environmental planning and in environmental education. However, most graduates find their way into careers in planning offices, in management in middle sized companies, in policy advising, and in environmental education.

Find out more about the professional field of Biology and Environmental Science (in German).

Target Group/Admission Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification in environmental sciences, marine technology or from prior studies in a closely related field with focus on natural sciences worth at least 90 credit points.

Application/Admission Procedures

This is an open admissions degree course, and applications are accepted for winter semesters, but for the summer semester only in justified cases.
The application deadline for the winter semester is 30 September.
The application deadline for the summer semester is 31 March.

Please note
For open-admission Master's degree programmes it is strongly recommended to submit their applications as early as possible before 15 July for the winter semester and before 15 January for the summer semester. If the supporting documents are submitted after these dates but before the standard application deadlines, your application can only be processed at the start of the lecture period in the new semester. This may result serious problems (German document).

Further Information

(Changed: 31 May 2023)  |