Study Safety, Disaster Prevention / Management and Relief in Germany

A degree programme in safety will equip you with the engineering competences to develop scenarios for defensive measures as well as management strategies based on natural science and technology. Depending on the higher education institution you choose for your studies, you can specialise in areas such as fire protection, environmental protection, radiation protection, pollution control, explosion protection, security management, IT-security and data protection, occupational safety, post-fire investigation, or risk analysis.

In the field of disaster prevention, management, and relief, you will learn key competences necessary for sustainable disaster prevention and sustainable disaster management. Scenarios in which such measures are necessary to protect the lives of the public go beyond natural hazards, such as floods or earthquakes. Epidemics, the consequences of climate change and demographic developments, and political and economic impacts of international crises can similarly endanger lives and will thus also be part of your studies.

Some degree programmes also offer modules on leadership, management, emergency planning, psychology and law in addition to the engineering basics and technical training. Thus, you can often acquire important additional qualifications and specialise in a particular area. Nevertheless, for all specialisations you need a basic interest in scientific and technical issues as well as a very good knowledge of mathematics, physics and chemistry. By the way, knowledge of economics, law, politics, social studies and geography can also be very helpful. The English language is also important, as specialist literature is sometimes only available in English.

Degree programmes in the field of safety, disaster prevention/management and relief are offered at some selected universities, but mostly at universities of applied sciences. At public higher education institutions, the Bachelor’s programmes usually last six or seven semesters, and the Master’s programmes three or four semesters. You can study safety studies also at private higher education institutions, as well as by distance learning. At private institutions, however, the standard period of study may differ from the above-mentioned number of semesters.

Some of the degree programmes have no specific admission requirements, which means that a general or subject-specific higher education entrance qualification or a comparable qualification is sufficient for admission. At some higher education institutions, however, admission is linked to an aptitude test or a minimum grade in the subjects mathematics, physics, and chemistry. In addition, depending on the specific content of the degree programme, proof of language proficiency, e.g., German for foreign students or English, may be required.

Most higher education institutions place a strong focus on gaining practical experience: project work and practical phases or internship semesters are an integral part of the degree programme. It is also possible that you will have to complete an additional internship prior to your studies.

In Germany, most Bachelor’s programmes at public higher education institutions do not charge tuition fees. Here, only the semester contribution is relevant, which can amount to between 100 and 400 euros per semester depending on the higher education institution. Sometimes your semester contribution covers a ticket for local public transport or you can purchase a discounted ticket. Depending on where you study, this may be valid for the city, the region or even for all of Germany. Ask your higher education institution whether such an offer is currently available.

However, there are Master’s programmes even at public higher education institutions that charge tuition fees. The fees can add up to several thousand euros and applicants will also need to prove that they have a minimum amount of professional experience. Therefore, find out in advance whether you meet the financial, personal and academic requirements for the degree programme you are interested in.

There is a small number of private higher education institutions that offer degrees in safety management and consulting. You can expect course fees of several thousand euros. However, private higher education institutions often have fewer admission restrictions. At some, you can even apply without an advanced technical college entrance qualification.

Living expenses will take up a considerable amount of your budget. Rents vary depending on the city you want to study in. In large cities, housing is often scarce and expensive, while in smaller cities it is comparatively affordable. In any case, student halls of residence are usually your cheapest option. As soon as you have decided on where you want to study, you should start looking, as halls of residence can fill up quickly. Here, you can find information on local halls of residence and the respective application process for most cities.

To finance your studies in Germany, you should also find out about scholarships. There are many different scholarship programmes and excellent grades are not the only deciding factor. You can learn more about scholarships here and find suitable programmes directly on My GUIDE.

At the end of your studies, you will usually have a Bachelor’s or Master of Science degree and ideally have expertise in the areas of risk analysis, context recognition and prevention.

Following your graduation, you can start your career in the following fields of activity or positions:

• companies for fire protection and safety equipment
• independent engineering, expert and surveyors’ offices
• fire brigades at industrial plants
• full-time management of voluntary fire brigades
• subject matter agencies on the federal, state or municipal level
• police agencies
• insurance companies

Of course, you can also work for management consulting companies, where you can use your knowledge to derive management strategies. You can also work for aid organisations, for example. Especially with regard to climate change and the associated extreme weather events, the demand for academically qualified risk analysts is high, so you can expect to quickly gain a foothold in working life.