This international full‑time Master’s programme delivers an advanced, practice-oriented education in water-related aspects of environmental engineering. Taught in English over four semesters, the course awards 120 ECTS and is designed for students who already hold a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, renewable energy, or environmental engineering. The curriculum builds specialist skills across water science and engineering with a strong international perspective.
Students gain technical and design competencies in areas such as hydropower planning for renewable energy, environmentally sensitive river and hydraulic design, modern stormwater retention and sustainable urban drainage, wastewater treatment technologies, and green infrastructure and ecohydrological measures to improve water quality in terrestrial and coastal systems. The programme places particular emphasis on hydraulic, hydrological and groundwater modelling, as well as remediation and restoration techniques for surface and groundwater bodies. Advanced scientific tools are taught too, including programming, modern monitoring methods, data science and machine learning applied to water problems, and the societal dimensions of water management with a focus on sustainable urban planning.
The master’s structure comprises ten courses (including three project modules), five elective courses offered in collaboration with European partner universities, and a master’s thesis. Applied projects focus on integrated water engineering solutions and the programme leverages close cooperation with the University of Lübeck, regional research centres and industry partners. Students benefit from excellent laboratory infrastructure — an experimental water treatment plant, a modern hydraulic laboratory and facilities for hydrology and water chemistry — and can take an ERASMUS exchange semester (typically in the third semester) with partners in Portugal, Belgium and Poland to broaden international experience.
Requirements (concise)
This MSc programme is organised around taught modules in two main semesters, followed by a third-semester option for specialisation or practical experience. The winter semester (starting in October) focuses on core analytical and computational skills alongside foundational water-engineering topics. The summer semester (starting in March/April) builds on this with ecological, hydrological and treatment-focused courses and advanced simulation of river systems. Together the taught modules combine theory, modelling and contemporary approaches such as nature-based solutions and machine learning applications.
In the third semester students choose between study at a partner university in Portugal, Belgium or Poland, specialising in areas such as ecohydrology, water management or water engineering, or they can complete an internship. The host university provides a wide range of electives and specialisation opportunities. The programme has strong links with industry — more than 80 SMEs and industrial partners — and offers applied master’s projects run jointly with companies and research institutes. The university is noted for successful external project funding and, subject to availability, students can join applied projects or take on student jobs after the first semester.
Practical training and language support are integral parts of the programme. Internships and company-linked projects give hands-on experience in applied water engineering, while German language courses (A1–C1) taught by professional instructors are available through the university language centre to help international students integrate academically and socially.
Key modules
Learning outcomes
Applicants must hold an academic degree (Bachelor’s, Master’s or a German “Diplom”) with sufficient workload and academic performance to qualify for the program. Minimum entry conditions include at least 180 credits and an overall average of 2.7 or better on the German grading scale (1 = best, 5 = worst). Degrees in civil engineering, environmental engineering, renewable energies and closely related subjects are explicitly accepted.
Please check the WEM website for full pre-qualification details and any additional documentation required. If your degree was awarded outside Germany, be prepared to provide documentation that demonstrates credit and grade equivalence so the admissions team can assess eligibility.
Winter Semester (International)
1 March 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
31 August 2026
Graduates are prepared for technical and managerial roles in water-related fields: design and planning of hydropower and stormwater systems, river and coastal engineering, urban water management, wastewater treatment and groundwater remediation. Career paths include engineering consultancies, municipal and regional water authorities, environmental agencies, utilities, research institutes and international organisations.
The programme’s applied orientation, industry partnerships and ERASMUS exchange options also support job-readiness for consulting, project management and R&D positions. Students often pursue roles that combine modelling and data-driven analysis with practical implementation of nature-based and sustainable water infrastructure.
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