Bioeconomy (MSc)

Program structure and focus

The Master’s in Bioeconomy is an interdisciplinary, English‑taught MSc built around five compulsory core subjects and a choice between two specialised tracks. These specialisations let you tailor the programme toward either social-scientific and economic dimensions of bioeconomy or toward technical and natural‑science aspects. Your selection of elective modules determines which major you complete.

Choosing your major

If your bachelor’s combined economics with engineering and natural sciences (for example, graduates of the BSc Bioeconomy or the BSc Sustainable Management and Technology), and you want a more technical‑scientific profile, you can take a larger share of modules from the technical and natural‑science area and graduate with a Major in Natural Sciences and Engineering. Alternatively, if you prefer a curriculum with a stronger emphasis on economics, policy and social-science perspectives, you can choose the Major in Social Sciences and Sustainability and structure your elective modules accordingly.

What this means for your studies

The two majors provide distinct pathways within the same MSc degree: one geared toward scientific and engineering solutions in the bioeconomy, the other toward socio‑economic and sustainability issues. Module choices during the programme define which major appears on your Master’s certificate, enabling you to align your academic profile with your career interests.

Requirements (concise)

• Complete five compulsory core subjects as part of the MSc curriculum.
• Choose one of two majors: Major in Social Sciences and Sustainability or Major in Natural Sciences and Engineering.
• Students with a prior bachelor’s combining economics and engineering/natural sciences (e.g., BSc Bioeconomy, BSc Sustainable Management and Technology) who opt for a technical focus may select a larger number of technical‑scientific modules and thus complete the Major in Natural Sciences and Engineering.
• Graduates preferring a stronger economics and social‑science orientation select modules leading to the Major in Social Sciences and Sustainability.

This MSc is structured around four complementary areas that together train students to tackle sustainability challenges across biological, technical and economic systems. Students build a strong foundation in environmental and resource economics and sustainability analysis while choosing technical electives in fields such as renewable materials, biotechnology and energy systems. A simulation and modelling strand teaches numerical and optimisation methods, including applied AI for biotechnology and energy-system modelling. The programme concludes with an independent master’s thesis where students apply interdisciplinary methods to a research or application-focused problem.

Key modules include advanced empirical and environmental economics, life cycle assessment, enzymatic biotransformations and sustainable chemistry, biogenic polymers and wood‑based resources, renewable fuels and biogas technologies, and courses on energy-efficient buildings and wind power. On the social-science side, offerings span development and behavioural economics, corporate sustainability management, innovation in the bioeconomy, and seminars on environmental behaviour, policy support and risk management. Across these modules you gain quantitative skills (empirical research, optimisation, numerical simulation), technical domain knowledge (materials, biotech, energy), and policy/management perspectives needed for careers in research, industry or policy related to the bioeconomy.

Detailed programme structure is provided in the official module overview (document available in German).

Curriculum requirements and representative modules

• Core areas (students complete coursework across all four):
  • Fundamentals in Economics and Sustainability
    • Advanced Empirical Research
    • Operations Research
    • Behavioural Public Economics
    • Principles of Life Cycle Assessment
    • Advanced Environmental and Resource Economics
  • Elective Courses in Natural Sciences and Engineering (examples)
    • Renewable Materials: Biogenic Polymers, Biological Materials, Wood-based Resources, Material Application for Renewable Resources
    • Biotechnology: Enzymatic Biotransformations, Sustainable Chemistry, Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Catalysis, Enzyme Engineering
    • Energy: Energy Efficient Buildings, Production of Renewable Fuels, Geothermal Energy Systems, Energy and Economics, Wind Power, Biogas Technology
  • Simulation and Modelling electives
    • Artificial Intelligence for Biotechnology
    • Seminar in Optimisation Methods and their Applications
    • Modelling and Optimisation of Energy Systems
    • Basics of Numerical Methods and Simulation
  • Elective Courses in Social Sciences and Sustainability (examples)
    • Economics: Advanced Development Economics, Personnel and Organisational Economics, Advanced Seminar in Behavioural Economics, Environmental Behaviour and Support for Climate Policies, Economic History and Comparative Development, Advanced Seminar in Environmental and Development Economics
    • Management: Corporate Sustainability Management, Innovation in Bioeconomy, Advanced Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment, Sustainability and Risk Management
• Master’s Thesis
  • Independent research project demonstrating the ability to integrate methods from economics, natural sciences/engineering and modelling to address a bioeconomy challenge.

Graduates are prepared for roles that require interdisciplinary expertise in the bioeconomy, including positions in corporate sustainability management, innovation and product development for renewable materials, biotechnology and energy companies, and environmental or economic policy and consulting. The programme also provides a solid foundation for research careers or doctoral studies in fields such as environmental economics, sustainable technology and bio-based engineering.

Typical employers include sustainability-focused divisions of industry, R&D institutes, governmental and non-governmental organisations working on climate and resource policy, and consultancies advising on life cycle assessment, circular economy strategies and transition to renewable systems.