Planetary Health (PH) University of Bonn

Courses are exclusively held in English.

The MSc Planetary Health is a genuinely interdisciplinary degree, by design. The programme structurally prevents siloed learning: regardless of your chosen specialisation (Environmental Health, Human Health, or Societal Health), you are required to take modules in the other two specialisations and in a shared cross-disciplinary area. From day one, you work in interdisciplinary project groups alongside peers from very different academic backgrounds.

Students learn about cutting-edge methods to solve pressing global problems. The curriculum includes machine learning and causal inference, spatial data analysis and GIS with R, analytical epidemiology, satellite remote sensing, probabilistic programming, and integrated assessment modelling — all taught in the context of climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, and public health. You graduate fluent in the tools that research and policy organisations actually use.

The students are embedded in ongoing research from the start. The programme is directly connected to the University of Bonn's Excellence Cluster PhenoRob and two Collaborative Research Centres focusing on climate and land use change as well as on development and future making in rural areas. Several methodology courses were developed specifically by these research groups to give students early access to frontier methods. The thesis semester (30 ECTS) can be conducted within these networks, providing you with experience in applied problem-focused research.

The MSc Planetary Health opens doors across academia, policy, and the private sector. The degree signals both disciplinary depth (your major specialisation appears on the certificate) and cross-disciplinary competence — making you competitive for PhD programmes in multiple fields as well as roles in international organisations, public health agencies, environmental NGOs, and sustainable business. The MSc Planetary Health is entirely taught in English and is explicitly designed for an international career.

This is an in-person study programme: students are required to be present in Bonn and attend the courses physically. Naturally, exceptions apply, as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic; courses can then revert to online formats and/or hybrid formats.

Students who are not physically in Bonn and not attending classes by 31 October LATEST will not be allowed to start the programme in that year. They are advised to postpone their start in the programme to the following year. To that effect, they must "re-apply", using their admission letter. International students facing this situation are advised to make sure that they are not enrolled with the University of Bonn if they are not able to start the programme in time – enrolment is linked with financial obligations (semester fees, health insurance) and only makes sense for students who can actually start the programme by the 31 October deadline. For visa applications, the admission letter from the study programme is required, but no proof of enrolment is required.

The application period opens on 1 December (of the previous year) and closes on 15 July (of the same year). We recommend international students who require a visa to enter Germany to apply as soon as possible, and no later than 15 April. 

This is a two-year (120 ECTS) MSc programme with a thesis, organised for students with a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agribusiness, Agricultural Management, Agricultural Economics, Nutritional Economics, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Economics, Geography, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Human Medicine, or a related discipline.

The study programme is instructed in English and organised in modules, which usually consist of units within a semester that have a thematic, methodical or systematic link. 

The first semester is dedicated to "learning interdisciplinarity", in the field of Planetary Health (30 ECTS), through compulsory courses. In the second and third semesters, the students choose a field of specialisation and deepen their disciplinary knowledge in their chosen field (30 ECTS), whilst further nurturing their knowledge of methods or concepts across specialisations (30 ECTS). All courses in the second and third semesters are selected by the students from a large pool of elective courses. The final semester is devoted to the Master's thesis (30 ECTS), which is written within the field of specialisation.

The fields of specialisations are:

1. Environmental Health: Students learn how to systematically analyse and assess the impacts of human activities on environmental factors such as air and water quality, climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution levels. 
2. Human Health: Students acquire the ability to recognise interactions between environmental changes and both individual and population health, and to evaluate their influence on diseases.
3. Societal Health: Students develop a systemic understanding of the interactions between societal, political, and economic frameworks and their influence on human use of the environment and resources.

Several courses of the MSc Planetary Health offer the possibility of field work and excursions outside of Germany.

No tuition fees

The University of Bonn is a public university, meaning that it does not charge tuition fees. However, all students must pay the so-called social contribution (= semester fee) of about 350 EUR per semester. It includes among other things a student transit pass for public transport and a statutory accident insurance.

Compared to the rest of Europe, living in Germany is not very expensive; in fact, it is only slightly above the EU average. The cost of living for students in Bonn is around 800 EUR to 1,000 EUR, with apartment rent accounting for the largest share.

The consecutive Master’s degree programme in "Planetary Health" is aimed at applicants who, as an admission requirement, can demonstrate a first professionally qualifying university degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agribusiness, Agricultural Management, Agricultural Economics, Nutritional Economics, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Economics, Geography, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Human Medicine, or a related field. The Examination Board determines which degrees are considered to be in a related field.

The qualifying (Bachelor's or equivalent) university degree for the MSc Planetary Health must demonstrate a minimum average grade of 2.5 or a comparable classification under another grading system.

Enrolment in the programme may be granted prior to fulfilment of the admission requirements if applicants:

1. At the time of application for the Master’s programme, can demonstrate that they have already earned 150 ECTS credits in the course of study leading to the first professionally qualifying university degree; and

2. Have completed all examinations required for the successful completion of the degree programme leading to the first professionally qualifying university degree in the semester prior to commencing the Master’s programme.

Proficiency in English is required at a level between B2 and C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), demonstrated by a recognised language test (e.g., TOEFL iBT 90 out of 120, IELTS 6.5 out of 9, Cambridge B2) or an equivalent certificate.

Applicants are not required to provide proof of German language proficiency at the time of enrolment.

The application period opens on 1 December (of the previous year) and closes on 15 July (of the same year). We recommend international students who require a visa to enter Germany to apply as soon as possible, and no later than 15 April. 

No

It is possible for students to get a job as a teaching or research assistant ("Studentische Hilfskraft"), e.g. helping run experiments in practical courses of the BSc programmes). The contracts provided by the institutes are focused on the study activities and include accompanying labour activities, e.g. of 10 hours per week. Bonn itself offers numerous other jobs (in bars, filling stations, restaurants, shops, etc.).

Students of the University of Bonn can apply for a room in a dormitory of the Studierendenwerk Bonn (further information: https://www.studierendenwerk-bonn.de/en/accommodation/).

For further information on housing in Bonn, please visit our website: https://www.uni-bonn.de/living-in-bonn.

International applicants who are admitted to the Master’s programme can apply for a dorm room through the programme coordinator and the international affairs unit of the department. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that all students will be allotted a room, as demand exceeds supply.

The University of Bonn has a central career service, which provides advice and support about choosing a career and applying for jobs. Moreover, international students can join the iStart career programme, which teaches participants tangible knowledge and valuable skills that will enable them to write successful applications for jobs in Germany. The programme is geared toward giving students a successful career path both during and after their studies, thus making it easier for them to enter the job market.

The University of Bonn offers different support programmes for international students. The Welcome Days before the start of every semester are an opportunity for new students from abroad to gather information on the most important issues, such as enrolment, registration with the local authorities, and opening a bank account. Getting to know fellow international and German students during recreational activities is another benefit of the Welcome Days. The Study Buddy programme matches newly arrived international students (mentees) with a University of Bonn student (buddy) who helps them as they start their studies and adjust to life in Bonn. The buddies give tips, advice and assistance that make it easier for their mentees to become familiar with the university and get settled in Bonn.