Sustainability Assessment and Transformation

SAT1

This major is a new interdisciplinary track for students who want to build a solid scientific basis for addressing topical sustainability questions, including: Which transformation strategies are most effective? How does the energy transition effect inequality? Is economic growth possible in the future? How much will technology help? How can we design a sustainable future for all?
You will become an expert in cutting-edge sustainability assessment tools, including material and energy flow analysis, cost benefit analysis, life cycle assessment (LCA), and legal analysis! You will engage in world-class training in systems thinking, critical thinking, and analytical thinking on the above questions. You will learn how to apply models and develop indicators to evaluate innovative business, technical, infrastructural, regulatory, policy, and behavioural solutions for a sustainable future.

Important facts about this major

Language: English SAT2

Teaching form: on-campus

Pace of study: fulltime

Study location: Freiburg

Start: only in winter term

Duration: 4 Semester

Application periode: March 1st - May 15th

ECTS: 120 ECTS (80ECTS modules, 10 ECTS Internship, 30ECTS Thesis)

Costs: 190€ semester fees, 1.500€ study fees (only non-EU students!)

SAT3

Students will gain the knowledge and skills to assess sustainable development strategies for organizations, communities, and societies.
World-Class training in systems thinking, critical thinking, and analytical thinking
A number of courses involve modelling and programming in Python.
The classes that deal with supply chains, circular economy, and material and energy flow accounting are based on the methods of industrial ecology, see the Industrial Ecology Open Online Course for an overview: https://www.industrialecology.uni-freiburg.de/teaching.aspx/

Program overview pdf

Program overview SAT

Module details

1) Environmental and resource economics

Price formation with economic externalities

Economic effectiveness of transformation policies

Resource pricing mechanisms

2) Material and energy flow analysis

Energy supply and use
Sustainable Circular Economy
Mathematical modelling of material cycles

3) Ecosystem processes and functioning

Understand and model ecosystem processes across scales

Carbon and water cycle, nutrient cycling, and community dynamics

Understand how ecosystem functions relate to structural components

4) Supply chain modelling, indicators, and responsibility

Leontief input-output model
Carbon and other environmental footprints
Supply chain management

5) Systems thinking, planning & transition

Complex adaptive socio-ecological systems
Planning and governance under uncertainty
Transition management

6) Energy system transition

Energy technology and economics
Energy policy
Innovation and transition theory

7) Sustainability law and transformation

Basic principles of environmental law
Case studies of environmental litigation
The role of regulation in sustainable development

8) Research Project

Interdisciplinary research project

Student-driven content

Knowledge integration

In addition, you will choose three elective courses, for example:

Life cycle management

Technology assessment

Gender planning

Economics of biodiversity and ecosystem services

Human-environment interactions

Environmental and energy transition law

SAT4

Target Group

The track is designed for students with a background in environmental natural sciences, economics, industrial engineering, or quantitative environmental social sciences, who want to acquire a high-profile university education in sustainability assessment and transformation.
You will acquire the skills to become a sustainability transformation leader with a deep and broad understanding of the environmental, material, energy, economic, regulatory and lifestyle basis of sustainable development!