This English-language Master’s programme combines life-sciences research, data management and policy training to prepare you for tackling global environmental change. It is delivered jointly by Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany) and University College Dublin (Ireland), runs for 16 months and carries 120 ECTS. After completing the programme (three semesters), you receive a joint Master of Science degree from both universities.
You will study planetary-scale changes in complex socio-ecological systems—learning advanced methods for measurement, modelling and prediction—and apply that knowledge to urgent problems like climate change, biodiversity loss and resource use. The course emphasizes the science–policy interface, so graduates are positioned to translate research into advice and action for decision makers.
Practical experience is a core element: students work with active research groups at both institutions, participate in ecosystem experiments and field studies, and undertake one or more study stays abroad. You will also complete a work placement (minimum six weeks of contact time) to develop transferable skills and professional experience, and learn how to communicate scientific findings to expert audiences, stakeholders and the general public.
This two-country, research-focused MSc combines taught coursework, a short professional placement and an independent research project. The programme begins at University College Dublin (September–December), followed by a supervised work placement in an organisation or company (January–February). Teaching resumes at Justus Liebig University Giessen (March–July) for the second semester. The third semester is devoted entirely to an individual research project carried out in a research group at either UCD or JLU, and the degree is completed by writing a Master’s thesis in the form of a scientific paper (August–December). Modules are credit-bearing under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
The curriculum is intentionally interdisciplinary: core modules provide foundations in ecology, quantitative methods and policy, while optional modules let you specialise in areas such as wetlands, fisheries, GIS, governance or renewable energy. Key taught subjects you will encounter include Global Change Ecology (foundations of ecosystem responses), Data Analysis and Interpretation and Modelling and Advanced Techniques (quantitative skills), Environmental Law and Policy and Political Consulting (science–policy interface), and Designing Global Change Research Projects and Biodiversity Informatics (research methods and data management). Practical training—from environmental impact assessment to sustainable agroecosystems and adaptation strategies—prepares graduates to design and carry out interdisciplinary research, communicate with policy and stakeholder audiences, and apply analytical tools to real-world environmental problems.
To be eligible for this MSc you must hold a relevant undergraduate degree and meet specified credit and grade thresholds. The programme expects applicants to have completed a full Bachelor’s-level education (measured in ECTS credits) in a scientific field closely related to ecosystem science. Degrees outside the listed fields may be considered individually, but could trigger additional subject-specific conditions.
If your degree uses a different credit or grading system, be prepared to document equivalence (for example, with official transcripts and course descriptions) so the admissions team can assess your application on a comparable basis.
Winter Semester (International)
15 July 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Graduates are prepared for careers that bridge science and policy. Typical paths include environmental and sustainability consultancies, public administration and policy units, international organisations and NGOs, environmental impact assessment and natural resource management agencies, and research institutes. The programme’s policy training and placement experience are designed to make graduates effective advisors and communicators between scientific and decision-making communities.
The joint degree, international mobility and the professional placement (with institutional links such as IAEA, WMO, IUCN, PIK and others) also position graduates well for further academic study (PhD) or roles in international environmental governance, conservation organisations and interdisciplinary research teams.