Study sustainability

Sustainability is more than just protecting the environment – it involves acting responsibly in the long term, preserving resources, and shaping economic and social developments holistically. During your studies, you will address innovative solutions for a liveable future – for example in areas such as environmental management, sustainable production, mobility, energy supply, packaging or economics.

The time it will take you to graduate in sustainability at Kempten University of Applied Sciences depends on whether you are taking a bachelor’s or master’s degree. A bachelor’s degree programme usually comprises seven semesters. It consists of six semesters of studying theory plus one practical semester. If you take all exams as planned, you will graduate punctually with 210 ECTS credit points and the academic degree of either “Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)” or “Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)” (depending on your subject).

Master’s degree programmes usually last three or four semesters. Upon successful completion, you will be awarded the title of either “Master of Arts (M. A.)”, “Master of Engineering (M.Eng.)” or “Master of Science (M. Sc.)”. To obtain a master’s degree, you need to earn 90 or 120 ECTS Credit Points .

In order to comply with the standard duration of studies, it is important to take all examinations on time and pass the required assessed modules and the bachelor’s or master’s thesis with grades of at least “sufficient”. On bachelor’s programmes, the practical semester must also be successfully completed and the credit points required for this must be achieved.

A degree in sustainability opens up a wide range of career prospects in a future-oriented sector. Depending on your degree programme, you can specialise in topics such as sustainable management, resource management, environmentally friendly technologies, tourism development or energy efficiency.

A bachelor’s degree qualifies you for working on specialist and project tasks in companies, public authorities, NGOs or research institutions. For example, you could work in the field of environmental and climate protection, sustainable corporate development, tourism management or technical environmental protection. Consulting and communication roles related to sustainability and social transformation are also becoming increasingly important.

A master's degree programme also opens the door to management positions or specialised fields of work. These include innovation development, sustainability management, and strategic management consulting. Many graduates also work at the interface between technology, society and business, for example in interdisciplinary projects or applied research. A master's degree also equips you for management positions, specialised development and research fields, and potentially moving on to doctoral research, for example at the Centre for Doctoral Studies in Transformation and Sustainable Development at Kempten University of Applied Sciences.

Sustainability is a forward-looking, cross-cutting topic that is becoming increasingly relevant in almost all industries. With a degree in sustainability under your belt, you will be ideally positioned to actively contribute to ecological, social and economic transformation . This applies equally around the local region or in a national or even international context.

Depending on the degree programme and type of degree, studying sustainability at Kempten University of Applied Sciences can be easily combined with professional requirements. Our bachelor’s degree programmes are normally studied full-time, but in some cases a dual / cooperative format is also possible if you want to gain practical experience early on while studying.

Our master’s degree programmes can be completed either full-time or part-time . This format offers you more flexibility and allows you to better combine studying with your career, to suit your personal circumstances.

The degree programmes in the field of sustainability at Kempten University of Applied Sciences are generally designed to be studied on site . The focus is on personal interaction, practical project work and close supervision on campus.

The master’s degree programme in “Transformation and Sustainable Living Spaces – Reshape Tourism” is an exception, which is offered as a distance-learning programme. Classes run mainly online, supplemented with face-to-face modules. This enables you to study flexibly, wherever you are located.

Even those degree programmes conducted on site offer international options, so you can study for individual semesters or complete practical placements at one of over 100 partner universities worldwide – and gain valuable intercultural and professional experience in the process.

Would you like to work towards creating a liveable future? Then a degree in sustainability at Kempten University of Applied Sciences is just right for you!

As a rule, to enrol on a bachelor’s degree programme, you will need to be eligible for admission to higher education, in the form of a high school or college leaving certificate (in Germany: “Abitur” or “Fachhochschulreife”). Depending on the degree programme, cooperative studies might also be possible.

More important than perfect grades is your personal motivation, so you should be interested in ecological, social and economic issues – and want to actively contribute to sustainable development. Whether you are interested in energy, tourism, technology, packaging or economic issues, we offer suitable degree programmes related to sustainability.

For a master's degree programme, you need a relevant first degree with at least 210 ECTS credits and a certain minimum grade. In many cases, applicants can be admitted conditionally with 180 ECTS credit points, i.e. subject to further accomplishments. You can find the precise requirements in the relevant Programme and Examination Regulations (“SPO”).

Admissions to the bachelor’s degree programmes in the field of sustainability at Kempten University of Applied Sciences are not capped (no “numerus clausus” or “NC”) at the moment. If you meet the formal admission requirements, you can apply directly.

For master’s degree programmes a certain final grade in your previous degree programme is required. Depending on the degree programme, this could be a minimum grade of 2.5 (“good”) or 3.0 (“satisfactory”), for example. Additional criteria, such as a relevant subject for the first degree, might also need to be met. You can find the exact requirements in the subject-specific information about the degree programme in question.

In the field of technology, Kempten University of Applied Sciences offers various opportunities to combine study and practical experience. These bachelor’s degree programmes can be studied both full-time and in dual / cooperative format:

• Renewable Energies and Environmental Engineering
• Food and Packaging Technology
• Industrial Engineering for Technology and Sustainability

Two additional options with extra practical experience are also available: Studying on a degree programme with extended practice enables you to combine a regular bachelor’s degree with longer practical placements at a company. The content of these placements is closely matched to your progression with studies. You can opt for this format until the fourth semester.

Combined degree programmes link studying for a bachelor’s degree with formal vocational training. This means you would earn a double qualificationthat is highly valued by many companies.

The master’s degree programmes in fields of sustainability are offered purely on a full-time or part-time basis, with the option of choosing the format with extended practical experience.

The specific subject matter depends your choice of degree programme – but they all have one goal in common – actively shaping the future.

On technically oriented degree programmes – such as Renewable Energies and Environmental Technology, Energy Technology, Industrial Engineering for Technology and Sustainability, or Food and Packaging Technology – you will deal with sustainable energy production, resource efficiency or environmental technology.

On economics and social science degree programmes – such as Corporate Sustainability & Sustainable Finance, Future Tourism: Innovation, Transformation and Sustainable Development, or Transformation and Sustainable Living Spaces – you will learn how social change can be achieved – assuming economic, political and cultural responsibility.

All degree programmes offer you opportunities to choose your personal specialisation, conduct project work and practise hands-on applications – whether in the laboratory, in companies or on excursions.

Do you want to do more than just watch the world change? Do you want to make a difference yourself? Then Kempten University of Applied Sciences is the right place for you.

If you are interested in topics such as climate protection, energy, social justice, resource conservation, fair trade or sustainable tourism, you will find a degree programme that suits you at Kempten University of Applied Sciences. An open mind, curiosity and the desire to make a difference are what you need most.

The degree programmes addressing sustainability at Kempten University of Applied Sciences offer you a wide range of opportunities to gain international experience. Even though you will generally study right here on campus, many programmes offer the option of spending some time abroad. For example, you can spend a semester at one of our 100+ partner universities worldwide .

This not only allows you to deepen your knowledge in a new environment, but also to develop important intercultural skills –the ideal basis for an international career in sustainability.

The structure of a semester depends on whether you are studying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

On a bachelor’s programme, you study the foundation course for the first two semesters – focusing primarily on basic principles,e.g. in technology, economics, the environment or society.

In the third semester, you embark upon the advanced courseexamining core and specialisation modules in greater detail. Internships augment theoretical learning with practical applications. The practical semester in the fifth semester, which you complete in a company, is particularly important. This enables you to gain valuable insights into everyday working life and apply your existing knowledge in a targeted manner.

On a master’s degree programme,, which usually lasts three semesters, you will focus on deepening your scientific knowledge in your specialist field. The first two semesters consist of subject-specific modules and a project aimed at honing your analytical and practical skills. You will also choose your own specialist subjects according to your main interests. In the third semester, you will write your master’s thesis, accompanied by a series of scientific seminars, in which you will demonstrate your ability to work on complex technical issues in a soundly methodical manner, and present your results clearly and convincingly.