Environment and Resources Management with Focus on Latin America and the Caribbean (Double-Degree Master's Programme between Mexico and Germany) Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences

The Multidisciplinary Postgraduate Programme for Environmental Sciences (PMPCA, acronym in Spanish) at the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí (UASLP) in Mexico

Courses at the Multidisciplinary Postgraduate Programme for Environmental Sciences (PMPCA) in Mexico are mainly held in Spanish, while the official teaching language at the Faculty of Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems (F12 – TH Köln) in Germany is English.

The basic concept of the two-year, double-degree Master's programme builds upon the two accredited Master's programmes of the cooperating universities in Mexico and Germany. In so far, the double degree is not offered as an independent Master's programme but rather as a combination of selected content from both national programmes, which merge into one structured and pre-defined programme.

Successful graduates of the programme receive two degrees, one from each university.

The ENREM (Environment and Resources Management) double-degree Master's programme aims to equip professionals with the competencies and skill sets to assess the multidimensional challenges, sustainable utilisation of natural resources, and environmental opportunities concerning the transformation of the Latin American region towards resilience and resource security.

The programme's structure, concept, and mobility allow the students to learn the environmental problems and potential solutions in Latin America from a local perspective at UASLP with a global component from TH Köln. With the Master's thesis, students are prepared for implementation in a regional context of their chosen country in Latin America.

Content

Mandatory modules:

• Core modules: Environmental Problems and Management, Sustainable Development, Ecology, Statistics, Environmental Economics and Governance, Project Management
• Project modules: multidisciplinary seminar, project: implementation
• Thesis preparation modules: thesis seminar, Master's thesis preparation

Elective modules: The students need to select eight elective modules:

• Modules from the “ENREM” catalogue – a mix of courses from PMPCA at UASLP and Natural Resources Management (NRM) at TH Köln (a minimum of four modules), e.g. Ecological and Social Risks Management, Environmental Governance and Sustainability Transition, Waste Management and Circular Economic; Biodiversity and Food Security; Assessment of Integrated Environmental Health; Ecology and Climate Change; Ecology of Crops Production, Environment, and Society; etc.
• “Methods and Tools” elective modules (a minimum of one module), e.g. Scientific Work, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, Economic Evaluation Methods, Environmental Assessment, Evaluation and Management of Renewable Natural Resources, etc.
• A maximum of three elective modules can be chosen from any module catalogue, including the catalogues of the “Renewable Energy Management REM” and “Integrated Water Resources Management IWRM” adjoining Master's programmes.

The ENREM programme is open to applicants of all nationalities, who are highly motivated to work in an international partnership with both Latin America and Germany and are fluent in Spanish and English.

The ENREM double-degree Master's programme prepares graduates for a wide array of attractive positions, offering career prospects in planning; project implementation; and evaluation at the local, national, regional, and international levels. These positions require a strong international mindset.

Application deadline for non-scholarship and scholarship applicants: 31 January of each year

For detailed information on application deadlines, please visit our website, https://www.enrem-master.info, or contact us via e-mail at info-enrem@th-koeln.de.

The Master's programme starts in the winter semester of each academic year.

The mobility concept of the programme begins with the first academic year in Mexico, the third semester takes place in Germany, and the last semester is exclusively for the research and development of the Master's thesis project either in Germany, Mexico, or another Latin American country, depending on the thesis topic.

The curriculum is a systematic combination of both university programmes, based on mutual recognition of the modules, and is regularly revised. The overall study programme is equivalent to 120 ECTS at TH Köln–University of Applied Sciences and 139 credit points at the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí (UASLP).

Course of study structure: The first, second, and third semesters consist of mandatory and elective modules. The fourth semester is dedicated to the Master's thesis research (usually three months abroad) as well as the writing and defence (colloquium) of the Master's thesis.

The structure of the Master’s programme follows a clear phased approach of enhanced knowledge and competencies:

• Leveraging knowledge of all students, independent of their professional background, during the first semester with mandatory core courses.
• Sharpening the individual profiles in the second and third semesters with mandatory and elective modules related to the Master's thesis or future professional expertise.
• Applying competencies and skills with the development of the Master's thesis, field research, and defence in the fourth semester.

For the double-degree Master's programme, a limited number of scholarships are provided by:

• The EPOS programme from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• The Mexican National Council of Humanities, Sciences, and Technologies (CONAHCYT).

The programme's design allows students to obtain two individual degrees and leverage the strengths of both universities to enhance their relevant methods, knowledge, and competences. Intercultural training, group work, and leadership skills in two distinct cultures and university systems offer additional interdisciplinary, intercultural, and personal qualifications. Throughout the programme, students initiate professional and academic networking beyond their studies. Furthermore, they become integrated into the alumni networks of both institutions, opening up numerous opportunities for cross-border careers and establishing a global contact network of their own.

The mobility concept of the programme begins with the first academic year in Mexico. The third semester takes place in Germany; the final semester is dedicated exclusively to the research and development of the Master's thesis project, either in Germany, Mexico, or another Latin American country, depending on the thesis topic.

No tuition fees

Students must enrol at both universities from the first semester and pay the semester fees at each institution every semester.

• Mexico – UASLP: approx. 205 EUR per semester
• Germany – TH Köln: approx. 335 EUR per semester (this includes the semester ticket for public transport throughout Germany).

For more information: https://www.enrem-master.info

The cost of living for your stay largely depends on your personal needs. When planning your stay, you should calculate monthly costs of approx. 1,000 – 1,200 EUR.

In order to be admitted to the double-degree Master's programme, candidates must fulfil the following criteria:

• Bachelor's degree related to environmental management: natural sciences, engineering sciences, geography, agricultural, or social sciences
• A background in natural resources management, environmental management, or sustainable development, either through previous studies (minimum 15 ECTS) or relevant practical work experience related to environmental and sustainability topics
• Minimum grade of 8.0 based on the Mexican grading system or equivalent
• Proof of English and Spanish language proficiency (see language requirements)
• Motivation letter
• Research idea for Master's thesis related to the research areas at the Institute for Technology and Resources Management from TH Köln–University of Applied Science and PMPCA

Additionally, candidates wishing to be considered for a DAAD EPOS scholarship should fulfil the DAAD requirements in addition to the general eligibility criteria for the double-degree Master’s programme.

Information about the application process, required documents, and application forms is available at https://www.enrem-master.info.

Proficiency in both Spanish and English is a key requirement for admission.

• English language proficiency (TOEFL iBT 79 points, Academic IELTS band 6 [academic], Cambridge First [FCE] certificate) for all participants
• Spanish language proficiency (equivalent to level B1 for applicants who are not native speakers of Spanish)
• Foreign applicants applying for a DAAD scholarship: basic German language skills are recommended.

For more detailed information please consult our website https://www.enrem-master.info.

Application deadline for non-scholarship and scholarship applicants: 31 January of each year

For detailed information on application deadlines, please visit our website, https://www.enrem-master.info, or contact us via e-mail at info-enrem@th-koeln.de.

International students are eligible to apply for the "Deutschlandstipendium". The scholarship holders receive approx. 300 EUR per month for the duration of one year.

Taking on a part-time job while studying has lots of benefits. Students can earn some extra money and gain valuable professional experience, and they might even take a first step up on the career ladder. Gaining a first insight into the German corporate world is especially beneficial for international students.

Many students partially fund their studies at TH Köln by taking on a part-time job in or outside the university.

Being Germany's fourth largest city, Cologne is a highly attractive place to live. The increasing influx of people can make the search for adequate accommodation quite difficult. Dozens of apartment hunters often compete for one single apartment. This is why we strongly recommend that you start looking for a place to live as soon as possible.

Cologne's most convenient and economical housing option is often a student dormitory. A public student services association called "Kölner Studierendenwerk" (KSTW) operates 88 student dorms offering roughly 4,800 rooms. The seemingly large number of dorm rooms is misleading; as the dormitories are open to the roughly 90,000 students enrolled at all Cologne universities, they are in extremely high demand. Please be aware that TH Köln does not allocate the rooms in these dorms. Please apply directly to the KSTW: https://www.kstw.de/wohnen. You do not yet need a letter of admission in order to apply.

The fierce competition on the private housing market has resulted in above-market rents – particularly in proximity of the city centre. We therefore encourage you to be flexible. Try to look for apartments outside the centre or share an apartment – and the cost of rent – with other students: www.th-koeln.de/accommodation.

Technische Hochschule Köln – abbreviated as TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences – sees itself as a university of technology, arts, and sciences. With its disciplinary and cultural diversity and openness, TH Köln's activities are aimed at cultural and technological breakthroughs of high societal relevance. Thus, TH Köln contributes substantially to resolving social challenges. As a community of faculty and students, we see ourselves as a learning organisation forging new paths. For instance, TH Köln is one of the pioneers in the field of development and formation of concepts for higher education didactics.

Our subject range includes the fields of applied natural sciences, architecture and construction, information and communication, computer science, engineering, culture and society, and social sciences as well as business studies. More than 90 degree programmes are offered as full-time programmes or, in some cases, as career-integrated or part-time programmes. As a place where research-based learning and academic education take place, the university nurtures prospective scholars through cooperative dissertations. Annually, more than 4,700 students take up their studies at TH Köln. Overall, 21,000 students from about 120 different countries along with 440 professors and 2,000 staff members apply their potential.

Research mainly focuses on future-related issues, including climate change, energy supply, health, and food safety as well as demographic changes. While developing solution strategies for the most important questions of our time, researchers offer their professional expertise in interdisciplinary interaction. At the same time, they collaborate closely with local, national, and international cooperation partners, including 343 international institutions of higher education. The university offers its researchers an attractive sphere of activity. The quality seal "HR Excellence in Research" awarded by the European Commission certifies that TH Köln meets international standards in the field of human resources development.
TH Köln’s campuses are located in Cologne, Gummersbach, and Leverkusen.

Its metropolitan vibe, diverse student scene and a cityscape abounding with cultural and historical treasures make Cologne one of Europe's prime university cities. Cologne's origins date back to the Roman Empire more than 2,000 years ago. Today, Cologne is Germany's fourth largest city with a population of just over one million and has evolved as an economic and cultural metropolis at the heart of Europe. The city's characteristic landmark and source of pride for every inhabitant is without a doubt the magnificent Cologne Cathedral, locally known as the "Kölner Dom". Towering over the quaint Old Town of Cologne at 156 metres, this masterpiece of Gothic architecture is the world's third-highest cathedral and attracts around six million visitors a year, making it Germany's most popular tourist attraction. Visitors from all over the world are bound to feel at home immediately, as Cologne is a true melting pot of cultures. Close to one-fifth of its inhabitants have an international background. Cologne's economy is characterised by its amalgamation of different industries and trades. Home to the country's most influential television and radio stations, Cologne is unquestionably Germany's media capital and host to some of the continent's biggest trade fairs. Quite a few of the world's most renowned enterprises call the metropolitan region their home, in particular, corporations operating in the automobile industry, biotechnology and life sciences, chemicals and pharmaceuticals as well as commerce and banking.

Please note that TH Köln also has two remote campuses outside Cologne, which are located in the towns of Gummersbach and Leverkusen.

Gummersbach is a town with 50,000 inhabitants located 55 km east of Cologne, surrounded by a hilly landscape which is a recreational area for residents from Cologne and other cities nearby. The campus can be reached in a few minutes from Gummersbach train station. A train ride to Cologne, which is the largest city in the region, takes one hour and ten minutes and will be covered by the semester ticket, which is included in the semester fee. Students will be able to find affordable accommodation in Gummersbach and focus on their studies in the great environment of a modern campus.

The Leverkusen campus is located 15 km north of Cologne in the Neue Bahnstadt Opladen and was opened in 2022. It is close to the CHEMPARK in Leverkusen, which is one of the largest chemical parks in Europe. Global players from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, such as Bayer and LANXESS, are located there. With 160,000 inhabitants, Leverkusen is a smaller industrial city that has plenty of opportunities for relaxation, thanks to its location in the foothills of the Bergisches Land region. In Leverkusen, you can find urban buzz and village-like tranquillity in close proximity. The campus can also be reached with TH Köln's semester ticket.