M.Sc. Sustainable Management
Water and Energy
The sustainable use of water and energy resources and their equitable distribution are among the major global challenges of our time.
Increasing international conflicts triggered by water scarcity and securing energy sources reflect the growing need for cross-sector and cross-national solution strategies. The Water-Energy-Nexus creates the holistic network of integrated water and energy management building on the three pillars of sustainability - society, economy and environment. The permanent supply of water and energy makes an important contribution to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is therefore essential for the future development of our society.
The English-language master's program Sustainable Management - Water and Energy combines an understanding of global challenges and interrelationships with sustainability-oriented solution strategies at the technical, scientific and social levels. The cooperation of five RWTH faculties offers students a broad spectrum of topics ranging from diverse courses in the fields of water and energy engineering to sustainable development and social responsibility.
The preparation of semester-long projects and the integration of Massive Open Online Courses in the curriculum aim to promote independent scientific work.
Students spend the third semester at one of the IDEA League Cooperating Universitieswhere, in addition to acquiring intercultural skills, they are taught technical skills in the field of energy management. The current partner university of the study programme is the Politecnico di Milano in Italy. Following the semester abroad, it is planned to write a final thesis with a globally oriented context, which can be carried out at one of the IDEA League universities.
Course of study
Mandatory area
- Global Changes and Sustainable Development
- Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Resilience
- Engineering Hydrology
- Water-Energy-Food Nexus
Wahlpflichtbereich
- Industrial Wastewater Treatment
- Water Resources Modeling
- Flood Risk Management
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Programs Abroad
The fixed mobility window in the third semester enables students to spend an uncomplicated period of time abroad, specifically to complete the energy technology and economics study units. The exchange programs are preferred with strategic partner universities from the IDEA League designed. A permanent cooperation program is currently offered in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano, Italy.
Examination regulations
Regulations that apply in principle to all bachelor's and master's degree programs, as well as detailed information on proof of the required language skills, can be found in the Comprehensive examination regulations of the RWTH. Examination regulations are published only in German due to their legally binding nature.
The subject-specific examination regulations regulates legally binding study objectives, study requirements, study procedure and examinations. In its appendix, it contains the description of the modules that make up the study program.
Mobility window
Courses with a focus on Energy and Management are taken as part of the mobility window.
Requirements
The prerequisite for admission to the program is a first university degree. The required prior professional education is formulated in the examination regulations.
The determination that the admission requirements have been met is made by the examination board. The language of instruction for this degree program is English, therefore sufficient knowledge of the English language must be demonstrated. The required level is specified in the current examination regulations. The link to the examination regulations can be found further down on this page. Applicants should have a strong interest in topics related to sustainable development and water and energy management. Prior specialized knowledge in the fields of hydromechanics and water management, energy resources and energy management, and economics is an advantage.
Perspectives
Because of their interdisciplinary and international focus, SuMWE graduates are able to understand and analyze complex global relationships in the water and energy sectors.
This offers good career prospects in the water and energy industry, engineering offices, consulting or in public administration, in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in international organizations such as the UN, GIZ, World Bank or the African Development Bank.
In addition, in NGOs focused on managing resources and supporting communities in areas related to water, energy, and the environment, and in academia through PhD programs or joining research teams. Graduates of SuMWE can work well as researchers or science managers at the interface of different disciplines.
Partner Universities
Students should spend the third semester at one of the partner universities of the IDEA League. The IDEA League is an association of the leading technical universities in Europe.
Politecnico di Milano
Founded in 1863, Politecnico di Milano is one of the leading technical universities in Europe and the largest university for engineering, architecture and design in Italy.
In the latest QS World University Rankings, the University is listed as the best in Italy. Europe-wide the University is among the top 10 and worldwide the University is among the best 50 technical universities.
The university is organized into 12 institutes and 4 faculties of engineering, architecture and industrial design. The campuses are spread over 7 campuses and are centrally managed. The faculties are responsible for teaching, while the institutes are responsible for research.
