Bachelor’s Degree in GeoSustainability
Bachelor’s Degree in GeoSustainability – Earth System, Resources, Biodiversity
Do you have an interest in the Earth system and sustainability? Is it important to you to better understand climate change and its causes? Would you like to support the sustainable exploration of resources? Are you also naturally gifted in the sciences and enjoy hands-on work?
Then study GeoSustainability at the GeoZentrum Nordbayern at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen–Nürnberg!
The GeoSustainability program offers an in-depth look into the Earth system, its processes, and the major geoscientific challenges such as climate change, sustainable resources, and biodiversity. The global climate and ecosystems are in constant flux. The energy transition requires new resources, and technologies need to be further developed.
To meet these challenges, we teach and develop sustainable solutions. To understand the processes within the Earth system, students are introduced to basic principles in the natural and geosciences—both theoretically in lectures, seminars, and exercises, and practically in the laboratory and in the field. Instruction reflects the current state of research and provides valuable insights into contemporary scientific topics.
By successfully completing the Bachelor’s program in GeoSustainability, you qualify for admission to the Master’s program (M.Sc.) in Geosciences.
In the first two semesters, students focus on the challenges of geo-sustainability within the Earth system, with an emphasis on resources, climate, and biodiversity. During this time, they are introduced to fundamental concepts in the natural and geosciences.
The third and fourth semesters form the foundation and specialization phase. During this period, geoscientific fundamentals are deepened and applied through laboratory and field exercises. Additionally, we offer internships, seminars, lectures, and practical courses to further consolidate students’ knowledge.
A special feature of the program is the mobility phase in the fourth semester. This means that students may choose to spend the semester at another university in Germany or abroad—and we support them in doing so.
In the fifth and sixth semesters, students develop solutions to geoscientific challenges, and during the research phase they carry out projects such as biodiversity modeling.
Information on Enrollment for the Bachelor’s Program in GeoSustainability
There is currently no admission restriction (numerus clausus) for the Bachelor’s program in Geo-Sustainability at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg. The program can be started each winter semester.
Enrollment consists of two steps:
- Online via the portal www.campo.fau.de; the online portal opens in early June.
- In person at the Student Administration Office (Studierendenkanzlei), Halbmondstraße 6, Room 0.034. You can find the dates for in-person enrollment for degree programs without admission restrictions here.
Information about introductory events at FAU for the start of your studies can be found here.
Enrollment for the summer semester is only possible if you are transferring from another university within the same Geo-Sustainability program.
StudOn and Campo are two important online platforms at FAU. However, they differ significantly in their functions. Depending on what you need, either StudOn or Campo must be used.
What does StudOn offer?
- Official course registration
- Access to teaching materials
- A way for instructors to quickly communicate with students, for example in case of schedule changes
What does Campo offer?
Campo is the interface to the Examinations Office. Nearly all administrative and legal matters are handled through this platform.
- Matriculation (Enrollment)
- De-registration (Exmatriculation)
- Provision of official certificates
- Submission of missing documents
- Official exam registration and withdrawal
- Grade entry by instructors
- Overview of grades
- Registration for elective courses
Campo also provides several important additional functions. It offers up-to-date information on all courses held at FAU. This is important for:
- Provision of the module handbook
- Course search
- Course catalog
- Degree program plans
- Timetable creation
- Room schedules
A tutorial on how to use StudOn and Campo can be found at the following link (German).
FAU information page on the online platforms.
Online tools for FAU students: https://www.fau.eu/education/study-organisation/manage-your-studies-online/#ID-1257717
In the module plan (German) for the Bachelor’s program in GeoSustainability, all individual modules of the program at the GeoCenter are listed. Each module is generally completed with an examination. The standard period of study is six semesters. Each semester comprises 30 ECTS credits. In total, 180 ECTS credits are earned during the Bachelor’s program.
The fourth semester of the Geo-Sustainability program is a mobility semester. During this phase, there is the opportunity to …
- …complete a semester abroad at a university of your choice, or
- …take elective courses offered by the GeoCenter, or
- …take interdisciplinary elective modules from the GeoCenter’s course offerings, from other natural science programs at FAU, as well as key qualification courses offered by FAU and EELISA.
In the 6th semester, the program concludes with the Bachelor’s thesis.
Campo contains all module catalogs and information on when and where a course takes place, as well as the names and contact details of the responsible instructors. It also includes room schedules and contact information for FAU staff. Additional content will follow shortly…
Students in the fourth semester have the opportunity to complete an exchange semester at a university of their choice. It is important to secure a placement abroad or within Germany in a timely manner. During this period, students must earn 25 ECTS credits from the courses offered locally. Of these, 10 ECTS must come from courses equivalent to one of the elective course packages, meaning that the module content must match. The module contents are defined in the Examination Regulations (FPO) (Link), § 52, paragraph 3.
Different module packages can be selected. The choice of module package determines the area in which the Bachelor’s thesis can be completed:
- Paleobiology and Sedimentology Module Package: eligible for a Bachelor’s thesis in Paleoenvironment / Paleobiology.
- Mapping and Sedimentology Module Package: eligible for a Bachelor’s thesis in Sedimentology and Structural Geology.
- Laboratory Methods and Petrology Module Package: eligible for a Bachelor’s thesis in Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Petrology.
- “Free Choice” Module Package from the course offerings: eligible for a Bachelor’s thesis in Applied Geology.
After graduation, our alumni have a wide range of career opportunities, which can vary greatly depending on their specialization and personal interests. Whether it is entering a company directly, working in research and development, pursuing self-employment, or exploring a completely different field—the professional world of geosciences offers many exciting options.
- Careers with a Geoscientific Sustainability Focus (“Green Jobs”)
- Sustainable raw materials industry
- Geothermal / geoenergy sector
- Engineering firms
- Chemical industry
- Geo-material development
- Universities or research institutions
- State offices or government agencies
- Museums
- etc.
Curious about what our former graduates are doing today? Then take a look at our Career Paths After Graduation page!
Feel free to also visit the Career prospectives page.