Course Contents

The specialisation "Sustainable Energy and Development (SEDev)" is made up of three subject areas:

• Business Economics and Energy Economics
• Project Management
• Renewable Energy and Energy Planning

Business Economics and Energy Economics

The compulsory modules "Foundations of Sustainable Energy Systems" und "Environmental Economics" are offered for students of both study branches. They deliver basic knowledge and understanding of the macro economic interrelation of environmental and energy related problems. All other modules are tailormade for the students of the two branches.

Project Management

Basic competencies in planning and steering of development projects are taught in two compulsory modules on "Project Management in International Development Cooperation". Optional modules on "International Organisations and Development Strategies" and "Quality Management in Projects" allow students to specialise.

Engineering

In the subject area of engineering students have to pass two compulsory modules on energy planning: "Sustainable Energy Planning in Rural Areas" and "Applied Informatics in Energy Planning".
All students have to select two further engineering modules among the four modules "Renewable Energy I", "Renewable Energy II" , "Rational Use of Energy" and "Minigrids". This allows students to specialise according to individual interests and the needs of their home countries.

International Class

After successful completion of all modules the students take part in an "International Class", a five-week project oriented field research abroad. During the "International Class" students work in a multidisciplinary team on a development oriented problem of sustainable energy use. This allows students to apply their knowledge in engineering, economics and social sciences and thereby deepen their methodological competencies in planning sustainable energy systems.

The "International Class" also prepares students for the challenges of their 3 months individual field research which provides the basis for their Master Thesis.

Preparation Modules

Students with a technical engineering degree have to participate in a preparation module on economics before they can be admitted. During the course of studies these students have to pass a further compulsory module on "Economics and Business Studies" while students with a degree in Industrial and Business Engineering can choose between modules on "Shaping Sustainable Energy Systems", "Trading Energy", "External Costs of Energy" and "Energy and Environmental Policy".