Master in Life Sciences - Environmental Technologies, FHNW School of Life Sciences

The specialisation in Environmental Technologies provides the depth needed for challenging roles in industry, research and consulting. The growing issues of climate change, resource scarcity and new pollutants are driving the demand for qualified environmental technology experts in a range of sectors around the world. You will be ideally positioned for a future-oriented career in a highly relevant field.

Typical areas of employment for graduates include:

• Environmental technology: Development and implementation of technical solutions for environmental protection and sustainability.
• Industry: Integration of environmentally friendly processes in production and logistics.
• Environmental consulting: Analysis, strategy development and implementation of sustainable concepts.
• Research: Development of innovative methods to reduce emissions and use resources.
• Public institutions and authorities: Environmental monitoring, regulation and planning.
• The circular economy: Optimisation of material cycles and recycling processes.

The programme combines rigorous scientific training with practical application to address environmental and resource challenges in industrial contexts.

You gain in‑depth knowledge in the following areas:

• Environmental risk assessment: Fate and effects of pollutants across air, water, soil and biota.

• Protection of water resources: Advanced water and wastewater treatment; sustainable water management for industry, agriculture and households.

• Economy and ecology: Evaluation of sustainable production methods with a focus on the circular economy.

• Resource efficiency: Analysis of material flows and recovery of valuable resources.

• Environmental process technology: Development of technical processes to reduce industrial environmental pollution.

• Waste management and technologies: Solid waste management, recovery and recycling.

• Environmental remediation: Application of physicochemical and biological processes to remediate contaminated sites.

In addition to these focus areas, you will benefit from practical training in state-of-the-art research laboratories and pilot plants in our university’s Process Technology Center (PTC).

Elective modules from other specialisations such as Chemical Engineering, Analytical Chemistry or Biotechnology can be chosen and allow you to design your curriculum based on your interests and career goals.

A total of 50 ECTS credits (i.e. 17 modules each worth 3 ECTS credits) must be earned. Other modules can be selected: Module overview (English)

You can also plan your studies in advance with our MSc Life Sciences planning tool.

Direct admission requires:

• a Bachelor’s degree in a related field from a university of applied sciences or university with a good grade (Switzerland: A, B or ≥ 5; Germany/Austria: at least “good”),

• sufficient English proficiency.

If you do not fully meet the requirements, you may be invited to a personal interview.

Proof of sufficient English skills must be provided with one of the following certificates:

If you are unable to provide evidence of the required command of English, you are obliged to improve it during the course of your master’s degree programme. You can either attend the advanced English course offered by the FHNW School of Life Sciences or other suitable language courses. At the end of the programme, proof must be provided that the required level of English has been achieved (see table above).