Nature Conservation and Landscape Planning (M.Sc.)

Increased demand for efficient nature conservation strategies have created a significant need for increasingly specialized professionals in nature conservation and landscape planning. Graduates must be able to apply existing tools in a scientifically founded way and then modify or adapt them to new challenges or even develop new tools.

The master's degree program in Nature Conservation and Landscape Planning at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences is designed to train specialists who are able to manage these complex tasks for the protection of nature and landscape, and to do so on the basis of well-founded ecological knowledge within the context of societal requirements and on a scientific basis. Students receive an in-depth education in the areas of

•     ecology,
•     flora and vegetation,
•     fauna and
•     landscape planning.

This consecutive degree program, which builds on a corresponding bachelor's degree, is unique in the entire German-speaking world due to its application-oriented as well as scientific focus, especially with regard to nature conservation methods including landscape planning.

These are the core contents of the master's degree program in Nature Conservation and Landscape Planning:

• well-founded scientific ecological knowledge as well as field survey methods,
• in-depth knowledge of natural/nature-oriented and anthropogenically deformed habitats,
• extensive knowledge of species with the possibility of specialization in selected taxa, thus allowing for independent scientific work in this field,
• methods for evaluation and conservation assessment, including the ability to modify/develop appropriate methods according to current needs,
• extended skills in (landscape) planning, especially for the independent management of new tools,
• in-depth (nature conservation) legal knowledge, especially with regard to European law provisions,
• skills for regulatory enforcement with regard to current aspects,
• independent management skills for conservation projects (from application to fundraising to organization to presentation and scientific publication),
• skills to arbitrate conservation issues and communicate with other land users and public relations,
• ability to work independently with geographic information systems, including new approaches to problem solving as well as
• European and worldwide ecological and conservation knowledge as a prerequisite for solving complex global and topical tasks and/or potential work abroad.

Students will be able to work independently in scientific planning (also as project or team leaders), including:

• conservation mapping and scientific analysis and assessment,
• landscape planning tasks (landscape program, landscape framework plan, landscape plan, green structures plan, impact regulation, EIA, SEA, habitat management planning and compatibility assessment etc.),
• habitat network planning,
• protected area planning and designation processes,
• strategies for sustainable landscape management,
• design and implementation of species and habitat conservation programs,
• nature conservation monitoring as well as
• conservation and environmental education.

Students can specialize based on their interests by selecting respective elective modules. For this purpose, both compulsory and elective modules are included in the curriculum. The option to choose from a total of 13 elective modules enables students to acquire or expand additional skills in specific areas.

In terms of content, the modules are designed according to the degree program objective (focus on job-specific skills and expertise, the teaching of social skills and methodological competence), according to the practical orientation (excursions, involvement of practice partners, internship) and also according to interdependences within the program (interdisciplinarity, modular character of the program). The essential contents can be found in the module descriptions in the module description handbook.

In the development of the Program and Examination Regulations, focus was placed on a balanced concept that introduces students to different types of classes and examinations. Oral examinations, written examinations, term papers as well as projects are included. Projects end with a project defense (colloquium).

The final thesis (master's thesis) must be completed according to the standard procedure at Department 1 of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences as the culmination of the degree program. It must be defended in a public colloquium, which consists of a presentation and discussion.

The program contents are scientifically founded and are taught with application-orientated methods. The types of instruction are coordinated with the respective module contents and are included in the module description handbook.

Students will also be given assignments for independent study. Students will have the opportunity for individual consultations with the lecturers while working on these assignments.

Today, nature conservation can be seen as a promising future growth factor.

The scientific, as well as application-oriented, practical education (including research and planning projects, committee work) ensures constant connection to the expectations and requirements of the labor market.

Current or future professional fields for graduates of Nature Conservation and Landscape Planning include:

• science and research facilities (for example, at the UFZ Leipzig/Halle),
• federal and state nature conservation agencies, e.g. the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), state offices and numerous regional nature conservation agencies (untere Naturschutzbehörden, UNB),
• administrations for large protected areas (e.g. various national parks and biosphere reserves),
• national and international environmental and nature conservation organizationsnature conservation associations (e.g. BUND – German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation) expert, planning and engineering firms as well as
• consulting firms/environmental departments of various companies (e.g. in the area of geographic information processing).

The international orientation of the program is not only expressed through corresponding classes but is also reflected in the professional fields of the graduates. For example, graduates are working on the implementation of Natura 2000 in the new accession countries of the EU (e.g. Romania) or are successful in Austria or – as a result of many years of cooperation – in South Africa and Botswana, to name just a few examples.