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Program Structure

In the master's program, evidence of study and examination performance totaling 120 credit points (CP) has to be provided, comprising

  • 60 CP in modules  at Freie Universität Berlin and 30 CP in course units of the study period abroad at Nanjing University (China)
  • 30 CP for the master's thesis with defense and accompanying colloquium.

The Sample Degree Program can be found here (PDF)!

Studying at Nanijing University (China) for one semester is an integral part of the master's curriculum and is scheduled for the second semester of the master's program. The coursework and exams during this study period abroad are part of the master's program.

The supervisors responsible for the master's program support students in their plans and preparations for studying abroad. They provide information about possible funding of travel and subsistence costs.

The Chinese Nanjing University will issue a separate certificate confirming the coursework performed in the course units studied at the Chinese Nanjing University. Portrait of Nanjing University.


1. Modules totaling 60 CP are taken at Freie Universität Berlin:

1.1. Of the required courses, modules totaling 44 CP are taken at Freie Universität Berlin as follows

        • Module: Geographical Information Processing for Advanced Students (10 CP)
        • Module: Ecosystem Dynamics (20 CP)
        • Module: Evinronmental Hydrogeology (6 CP)
        • Module: Weather and Climate Diagnosis (8 CP)

1.2. Of the elective courses, modules totaling 16 CP are taken at Freie Universität Berlin as follows:

1.2.1 Of the following two modules, one module totaling 6 CP must be chosen and completed:

        • Module: Landscape-Forming Processes and Material Flows (6 CP)
        • Module: Morphodynamics (6 CP)

1.2.2 Of the following modules, a student must choose and complete one module totaling 10 CP or

two modules each totaling 5 CP:

        • Module: Modelling in Environmental Hydrology (10 CP)
        • Module: Landscape Archaeology (10 CP)
        • Module: Climate Models (5 CP)
        • Module: Environmental Hydrology in Practice (5 CP).

2. The mandatory study period at Nanjing University, China comprises 900 hours (30 CP).

2.1. The course unit Chinese language course totaling 300 hours (10 CP) must be completed.

2.2. A total of 5 course units from at least three different subject areas must be chosen and completed.

Each course unit totals 120 hours:

      1. Subject area „Ocean Dynamics“
      2. Subject area „Terrestrial Environmental Systems“
      3. Subject area „Global Change and geochemical processes“
      4. Subject area „Atmospheric processes“
      5. Subject area „Laboratory and computer analysis“

The individual modules of the mandatory and elective areas of the master's program can be found in the current study and examination regulations of 2012 (PDF).

At the end of the master's program a master's thesis must be submitted. The master's thesis is about 18,000 words long and must be written in English.


Study and examination regulations, sample degree program

Contents and qualification objectives of the modules are regulated by the study and examination regulations.

The structure of the master's program is further illustrated by the sample degree program.

Both can be found here.