Goals and Learning Outcomes

Goals of program:

The program offers a modern, scientifically and technically well-founded education in computer science with a strong focus on applications in environmental sciences. The program builds on a previous bachelor's degree and imparts advanced knowledge and expertise in core areas of computer science, environmental informatics and environmental sciences. Students learn to design and apply innovative computational methods for the analysis and solution of computational problems related to the environment. Moreover they are taught to critically analyze and interpret environmental problems, which enables them to actively participate in solving socially challenging issues such as climate change and sustainable development.

Especially in the master's thesis, and prepared by seminars and projects, students specialize and do scientific work in a selected subarea of environmental informatics. Graduates stand out by an interdisciplinary perspective. They will be able to independently familiarize with new scientific and application-related topics from environmental informatics and design corresponding computational systems.

The program prepares both for ensuing a PhD program, as for taking over challenging and complex tasks in development and consulting, as well as in international, governmental and non-governmental environmental organizations, including those in developing countries.

Learning outcomes:

Students are expected to obtain the following knowledge, experiences and competencies:

• Graduates have deep and state-of-the-art knowledge in multiple subareas of computer science that are of particular relevance to environmental applications (e.g. data mining, distributed systems).

• They have acquainted well-founded knowledge in selected fields of environmental sciences, including the topics water, climate, ecosystems, resources and land use.

• They have deep knowledge of methods in environmental modeling and simulation, as well as in the analysis and interpretation of environmental data.

• They are able to quickly grasp new methods from computer science and environmental systems analysis, and to apply or adopt them to existing and novel problems of environmental sciences.

• They are able to understand, categorize and to link existing computer models in order to apply these models for the analysis of environmental problems.

• They are able to identify, apply and adopt appropriate methods for the analysis of complex environmental data.

• Graduates have learnt to successfully work both independently and in teams. They have acquired competences in communication, organization and conflict management. After further preparation, they are able to assume leadership responsibilities.

• Graduates can structure, document and interpret the results of their work. They are able to present complex issues and own results, both orally and in writing, discuss them comprehensively, and relate them to ongoing international research.

• They are conscious of their own responsibility to science, society and the environment, and willing to critically reflect and stand for the consequences of their work.