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The program is open to all students possessing an undergraduate degree (or an equivalent for 180 ECTS). Additionally, you have to be currently enrolled in a study program.

Please note: You cannot be enrolled in more than two study programs at the same time. If you are already enrolled in two programs, you are not eligible to take part in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program.top

1. What happens once I graduate from my master’s? Can I still finish the Certificate Program?

Yes, you can still finish your Certificate Program after you have completed your master’s degree. In order to do that, you need to re-register for the next semester and pay the semester fee in order to remain enrolled at a German University.
However, when first applying for and enrolling in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program you have to be enrolled in your regular main course of study (e.g. Master).

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2. What do I gain from participating in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program?

This program opens up academic and intellectual horizons, new career possibilities, and new ideas about the environment. By bringing students with backgrounds from different disciplines (humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences) into dialogue, the program offers new perspectives on our academic environments. For more information, see the program and its structure.

The additional qualification allows students to look beyond the confines of their discipline during their degree course and gives them a broader disciplinary base being appreciated by employers both inside and outside of academia.top

3. What is the deadline for admission into the Environmental Studies Certificate Program?

The application deadline is September 8th. For more information on how to apply, please refer to the application process. Only after a successful application, you can enroll in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program via the Studentenkanzlei. Applications are only accepted for winter terms.top

4. Is it still possible to consider my application after I missed the deadline (September 8th)?

Unfortunately, we are unable to consider any applications received after the deadline. Please apply again in the following year. For more information on how to apply, please consult the application process.top

5. Can I take courses and exams prior to my program registration (Einschreibung)?

No. You can only visit courses and receive credits if you are officially registered in the program. You can register for winter terms with the Studentenkanzlei only. However, it is possible to visit the Rachel Carson Center’s events and Lunchtime Colloquium voluntarily and prior to your enrollment.top

6. When will I be informed whether I have been accepted into the program?

Applicants will be informed about their acceptance within 14 days of the final deadline. The academic board collaboratively decides on the acceptance of new participants for the program. The decision is based on the information provided in the application. Applicants are informed via e-mail as soon as a decision has been made. For more information on how to apply, please see the application process.top

7. Are there additional tuition fees for students participating in the program?

This depends on your main university. The fee for LMU Munich consists of a student service fee and a student ticket fee.

If you are enrolled at LMU Munich or at another university in Munich, you do not have to pay any additional fees. However, please make sure to hand in your enrollment confirmation and payment confirmation at the Studentenkanzlei of LMU Munich.
Students registered at another Bavarian university have to pay the student ticket fee but not the student service fee. Please bring a confirmation of your university to show that you have paid the student service fees at your main university already. You will receive instructions on how to pay during matriculation.
Students enrolled at a university located in another German federal state have to pay the whole fee (student services and student ticket). You will receive instructions on how to pay during matriculation.top

8. Does the Environmental Studies Certificate Program offer grants or stipends for its students?

The certificate program does not offer any stipends for living expenses.top

9. How do I register if I am a LMU Munich student?

After receiving your acceptance letter via email, you can immediately enroll in the program. Take your acceptance letter, a passport or form of government ID, and your student ID to the LMU Munich student record office (Studentenkanzlei). To enroll, you will need to draw a number to speak to someone in "Sachgebiet 2: Umschreibung oder Fachwechsel". After your number has been called, go to the room assigned to your number.top

10. How do I register if I am not a LMU Munich student?

To enrol in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program it is essential to be enrolled at an officially recognized university.

If you are not a student at LMU Munich, for example TUM, you need all the documents you submitted for your master.
You first need to fill out the online form called "Online-Immatrikulationsantrag" in order to register as a LMU Munich student. Second, please read the PDF that lists the paperwork needed for your matriculation. The form points out that you have to pay fees for the student services and student ticket for Munich's public transport system (see Question 6).

All documents including your matriculation request have to be submitted via post.

As an international student, you have to go to the Studentenkanzlei in person. To get further information about possible dates for matriculation, please have a look at the Studentenwerk's website. The Studentenkanzlei is in LMU Munich's main building at Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1. Draw a number for the "Sachgebiet 1: Immatrikulation" and, when your number is called, go to the room assigned to you.

Please note: During the busy enrollment period the Studentenkanzlei sometimes has to use extra rooms to cope with the large numbers of students registering. In this case, please follow the signs "Immatrikulation" and wait in line for your turn. There are two lines, one for students who have never enrolled at a German university before, and one for students who either have been or are enrolled at another university. The second line is relevant for Certificate students. If you are not sure which line applies to you, please ask one of the on-site staff members.top

11. What are the language requirements for participating in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program?

In order to participate in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program, applicants should have good knowledge of German and must be confident in speaking English, equivalent to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This is defined as the following: You are able to understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions. You interact with fluency and spontaneity needed in regular interaction with native speakers. You can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Evidence of good English skills is highly encouraged (for example, TOEFL exam, IELTS, CAE, Duolingo, or similar).
Please note that the validity of most test results expires after two years. If English is your native language or you completed your first degree in English in an English-speaking country, you may submit a statement explaining why you should be exempt.

For more information on how to apply, please see the application process.top

12. What are the requirements for international students?

The Environmental Studies Certificate Program strongly encourages the participation of international students. Most of the courses are in English. To enroll in our program, international students need to contact the international office.top

13. What if I’m missing required documents for the application process?

It is possible that you are missing some of the required documents for the application process at the point of your application. In this case, please upload a temporary equivalent of the asked document (for example, if you have not received your degree yet, please upload your latest transcript of records or if you have not received your confirmation of university enrollment yet, please upload the acceptance letter into your master's program instead). Once you have received the asked document, please send a copy to the coordinator.

If you have further questions contact us.top

14. What is the program's basic structure?

The 33 ECTS-credits are studied alongside the student's main subject and is spread across four semesters. For additional information, please refer to the program's structure.top

15. How many courses do I need to take?

Participants in the certificate program should attend courses in the following modules:

Students must complete the required module (P1) “Environment and Society: International Perspectives.” It consists of attending the Lunchtime Colloquium at the Rachel Carson Center for two semesters and a lecture course on the fundamental texts in environmental studies.
Additionally, students need to choose one elective module (WP 1 to WP 37) in three of the four content areas:

Humans in the Environment
Environmental Practice
Environmental and Responsibility
Sustainability and Environmental Science

A total of six ECTS credits must be acquired in each elected content area. Each WP module can only be counted once. It is possible to use an applicable course from your primary course of study to meet one of these requirements. However, this is only possible if the very course was not credited in your main program. You cannot credit one course twice!

One elective content area may be replaced by an internship or a study abroad program of at least four weeks. This may be taken at any time during the program. Please contact us if you need help with finding internship opportunities.

In the fourth semester students are highly encouraged to complete a final project. This may take the form of an exhibit or a publication. The project course is worth nine ECTS credits.

The number of mandatory and elective modules needed to complete the certificate program is a minimum of 33 ECTS credits (at least 14 semester hours).

For more information about the details of the program, please see the program structure.

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16. Can I take more than just the required courses?

If you take more courses than required, they are not directly included in your transcript. Furthermore, they have no influence on your final grade. If you want your additional courses to be documented, please consult the LMU Munich's examination office. The document can be downloaded here; further information can be found here.top

17. How do I register for courses in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program?

We offer courses from various disciplines and departments. Therefore, different forms of registration occur. Please have a close look on the list of courses on our website and the equivalent courses on LSF to have more information on the very registration in the course description.

Usually, you register via LSF. Some courses (e. g. law or political sciences) require registration via the lecturer (via email). Other courses require registration via the ESP academic coordinator (e.g. geography or geoscience).

Please note: You can only register for ESP courses if you are enrolled in the program. You need to register within the LMU Munich's main registration period.

Please find a detailed description here.

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18. How do I register for exams?

Once you are eligible to register for an exam (depending on the modules requirement), you will have to do so via LSF. Please find a detailed description here.

Please note: Students registering for the exam for a module with 6 ECTS must only do so when they have completed and been graded for the whole module. This means that a seminar worth 3 ECTS is insufficient to register for the module's exam and the student will need to obtain an additional 3 ECTS before becoming eligible to apply for the exam assigned to that module.top

19. Can I repeat an exam?

You have at least two attempts in order to pass an exam. In WP38 and WP39 you can repeat an exam only once. For detailed information please consult the exam regulations (Download Studienordnung).
In order to improve your grade it is possible to repeat a module exam once (WP38 and WP39 excluded). This is only possible at the next offered exam date. The better result will be considered.top

20. Do I need to register for the module "Final Project"?

You do not have to register for the course itself via LSF as there is no registered module during official course registration period. However, you do have to register your final project with the academic coordinator. During exam period, you will have to register via LSF either for an exam in WP38 or WP39.top

21. Can I get credit for courses from my stay abroad?

You can get credit for courses from abroad. Please fill out the form "Anerkennung von Prüfungsleistungen" and let it sign by the academic coordinator.top

22. How do I get the certificate?

After the successful completion of the program, a certificate and a diploma supplement will be issued along with a transcript of records. The certificate will be issued in German and English and attests that the program has been successfully completed.

Please note: You are required to collect it from the Prüfungsamt in person.

The transcript of records includes:

the grade received (in words and numbers), as well as the number of credits in each of the tested areas for the mandatory course,
the grade received (in words and numbers), as well as the number of credits in each of the tested areas for the elective courses, as well as the cumulative grade in words and numbers.

The certificate will be marked with the seal of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich and signed by the head of the academic board.

The date on the certificate is the date on which all requirements of the certificate program have been fulfilled.top

23. How can I stay in contact with the Rachel Carson Center and / or fellow certificate students?

If you want to stay in contact, please get in touch with the Rachel Carson Center Alumni Association e.V. You have the opportunity of receiving a Newsletter and event invitations in order to stay in contact.

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24. Where can I get my graduation certificate after completing the certificate program?

As only the examination office aka Prüfungsamt (PAGS) can issue graduation certificates (Zeugnisse) on demand, you must get in touch with the PAGS in order to receive your certificate. We cannot issue your graduation certificate. top

Downloads

Studienordnung (149 KByte)
Final Project Guidelines (64 KByte)
How To_Register for exams (910 KByte)
How To_Sign up for courses (269 KByte)
Immatrikulationshinweise für postgraduale Studiengänge (107 KByte)

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