Sustainable Materials and Engineering Saarland University

The courses are mainly held in English (>90%). Some courses may also be held in German (<10%). Participants can choose the language in which they wish to write their Master's theses.

The Master's programme in Sustainable Materials and Engineering provides students with fundamental concepts, methodologies, and analytical tools for the development, production, characterisation, and implementation of sustainable materials and systems. This interdisciplinary approach integrates perspectives from chemistry, materials science / materials engineering, and systems engineering.

In the first semester, students receive a comprehensive introduction to the principles of sustainability and circular economy, environmental chemistry, and sustainable material selection, synthesis, and analysis — including economic considerations.

During the second and third semesters, students can specialise in two out of three thematic areas:

• Sustainability in Chemistry
• Sustainability in Materials Science/Materials Engineering
• Sustainability in Systems Engineering

These semesters are structured to allow in-depth exploration of the chosen specialisations.

The final semester is dedicated to an interdisciplinary Master’s thesis addressing a relevant topic within the programme. The thesis is jointly supervised by experts from two different academic disciplines.

Upon graduation, students will have acquired the following subject-specific knowledge and competencies:

• Ability to assess chemical interactions between materials and their environment
• Application of various analytical methods for evaluating the sustainability of materials
• Selection of materials for specific applications based on sustainability criteria
• Understanding of processes for the synthesis of new materials
• Insight into the development and production of sustainable and circular products and systems
• Independent development of innovative material and system concepts based on sustainability principles
• Competence in interdisciplinary research and collaboration
• Proficiency in using digital tools for sustainability assessment and sustainable material selection

15 July for the following winter semester (for the winter semester 2025/26 until 30 September 2025)

15 January for the following summer semester

Mandatory Basic Modules (first and second semester)

• Chemistry and Analytics
• Compulsory Elective Lab Course
• Technical Principles of Sustainability and Circular Economy
• Resources and Materials
• Economic aspects of circular innovations

Compulsory Elective Modules (first to third semester, only a selection is shown)

Sustainable Chemistry

• Methods of Green Chemistry
• Catalysis
• Sustainable Polymers
• Smart Materials
• Advanced Internship Sustainable Chemistry

Sustainable Materials

• Energy Materials
• Sustainable Metallurgy
• Sustainable Ceramics and Glasses
• Sustainable Polymers3
• Advanced Internship Sustainable Materials

Sustainable Systems Engineering

• Sustainable and Circular Products
• Sustainable and Circular Production
• Modelling and Optimisation of Energy Systems

Internship Project

The study programme allows students to spend time at international partner universities or institutes, or to gain practical training in international companies.

No tuition fees

The current semester contribution (2025) is 394.30 EUR.

B2 level in English

Academic admission requirements include a Bachelor's degree from a German university or an equivalent degree from a foreign higher education institution in natural sciences, materials science or engineering with a grade of at least 2.5 on the German academic scale or the equivalent.

You should have earned at least the following number of ECTS credits in lecture courses and problem-solving classes in each of the following areas during your Bachelor studies: 

• Physics or physical chemistry: 10 CP
• Fundamentals of Mathematics: 10 CP
• Thermodynamics: 5 CP
• Laboratory courses in chemistry, physics and/or engineering: 10 CP

B2 level in English

B2 level in English

15 July for the following winter semester (for the winter semester 2025/26 until 30 September 2025)

15 January for the following summer semester

No

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