Bioeconomy

The bioeconomy aims at a macroeconomic structural change towards a globally sustainable economic development. Part of this structural change is the transformation of the raw material base from fossil to biogenic resources. The use of renewable raw materials and microorganisms for food and energetic and material purposes thus forms the basis of the bioeconomy. The M.Sc. Bioeconomy trains experts who can understand, accompany and shape this change.

The thematic focus of the Master's program is on environmental, behavioral & innovation economics in combination with inter- and transdisciplinary elements. In addition to the core economic topics, extensive knowledge of sustainability and key technologies such as biotechnology, digitalization, energy technology and process engineering is taught. This combination allows to meet the future requirements of international, industrial and complex value chains and systems (value networks) and their governance structures.

Graduates of the Master's program in Bioeconomy should be able to shape and further develop the structural change necessary within the framework of the basic bioeconomic concept on the way to a sustainable bio-based economy. The bioeconomy is based on the latest scientific findings and builds a bridge between technology, environment, society and economy and their interactions and interactions. Therefore, in order to compete internationally and to contribute to the achievement of global sustainability goals an interdisciplinary knowledge and the ability to think globally is necessary.

For a comprehensive description of the program, please refer to the degree program documentation:

Degree program documentation (PDF, German)

The master's degree program in Bioeconomy, including the master's thesis, comprises four semesters of standard study time. Including the master thesis, the course of study has a total of 120 ECTS credits.

In addition to six compulsory subjects, two specialisations are offered: The Major in Social Sciences or the Major in (Bio-)Technology. Students who have already completed a combination of economics with engineering and natural sciences in their bachelor's programme (for example, successful graduates of the B.Sc. Bioeconomy or the B.Sc. TUM-BWL with a focus on renewable resources), and who are aiming for a further technical-scientific specialisation, can choose a larger number of modules from the technical-scientific area. They then complete the Master Bioeconomy with a Major in (Bio-) Technology. Graduates who prefer a stronger focus on economics and social sciences can complete the Master Bioeconomy with a Major in Social Sciences.

The course is divided into the following four areas:

• Fundamentals in Economics and Sustainability:

Advanced Empirical Research, Operations Research, Behavioral Public Economics, Advanced Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment, Advanced Environmental and Resource Economics, Sustainable Production

• Specialization in (Bio-)Technology:

Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence in Biotechnology, Biogenic Polymers, Biological Materials in Nature and Technology, Bioinspired Materials and Processes, Sustainable Chemistry, Modelling and Optimization of Energy Systems, Renewables Utilization, Chemistry of Enzymes, Enzyme Engineering, Enzymatic Biotransformation, Wood-based Resources, Advanced Concepts

• Electives in Social Sciences, Sustainability, and Technology:

Advanced Development Economics, Markets for Energy and Biobased Products, Personnel and Organizational Economics, Consumer Studies, Innovation in Bioeconomy, Corporate Sustainability Management, Plant and Technology Management, Advanced Seminar in Supply and Value Chain Management, Advanced Seminar in Circular Economy and Sustainability Management, Advanced Seminar in Behavioral Economics, Environmental Accounting and Economics and Sustainability Sciences, Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence in Biotechnology, Biogenic Polymers, Biological Materials in Nature and Technology, Bioinspired Materials and Processes, Sustainable Chemistry, Modelling and Optimization of Energy Systems, Renewables Utilization, Chemistry of Enzymes, Enzyme Engineering, Enzymatic Biotransformation, Wood-based Resources, Advanced Concepts

• Master’s Thesis

In Detail:

• Program structure: Overview of modules (PDF, German) (PDF 621 KB)

Required language skills for admission:

You need sufficient English language skills if you wish to apply for this program. Evidence of your language proficiency has to be submitted before the end of the application deadline. Learn more about recognized certificates and other ways to prove your English language skills.

This evidence of your language proficiency confirms that you comply with the minimum language requirements for admission to the program. Depending on the program and your individual background, it may be necessary for you to keep working on your language skills during your studies. Be sure to take a look at the services of our Language Center.  

Language of instruction:

The language of instruction for this program is usually English. This means that most of the modules are offered in English. Some courses may, however, be taught in German.To learn more about the language of instruction for each module, contact the departmental student academic advisor of this program.

The social transformation towards a bioeconomy requires a sufficient number of decision-makers and experts in society, business, politics and research who possess the necessary interdisciplinary skills, practical abilities and social competencies in addition to disciplinary knowledge. The Bioecocomy Master's program aims to provide students with these competences and skills so that they can act as innovators and mediators across disciplines in order to develop, implement and disseminate the bioeconomic idea in society, industry, politics and research. In particular, the course of study is intended to promote out-of-the-box thinking for solving complex inter- and transdisciplinary problems. Students are thus able to grasp the interaction of new technologies and their dissemination via the socio-technical systems in which these are embedded. Further, they are able to recognize and absorb future developments and thus to develop holistically sustainable solutions and make decisions. Successful graduates of the master's degree Bioecocomy can combine environmental compatibility and technological possibilities with the ideas of economic efficiency and social acceptance in their decision-making.

Accordingly, the qualification profile of the students of the Master's degree program Bioeconomy includes the areas of knowledge, knowledge generation and application, the fields of communication and cooperation, and also the scientific and professional self-image in order to train internationally oriented, inter- and transdisciplinary experts and managers. Students acquire essential specialist and methodological knowledge for the bioeconomy in the fields of economics, sustainability sciences, engineering and natural sciences. Students learn the methods of the disciplines under consideration in order to be able to acquire knowledge independently in the future and to understand the discipline-specific forms of problem solving and decision-making. Ultimately, the aim is to develop linguistic expression in the relevant disciplines.

Students will be enabled to work together in inter- and transdisciplinary teams to develop solutions to questions of the bioeconomy. Since the bioeconomy is not only regionally or nationally limited, but is embedded in a globally networked and digital society, the course of study is internationally oriented and is therefore offered completely in English.

Due to the strong interdisciplinary profile, graduates are able to work across disciplines. Professional fields include public offices and international organisations that deal with the production, use and national and international markets of biogenic resources and generally the establishment of more sustainable processes, but also companies that are active or want to become active in this field. Graduates* of the program can be employed in all areas in which complex and systemic inter- and transdisciplinary thinking is the basis for international entrepreneurial and economic success.

Minimum requirements to apply for a Master's program at TUM are a recognized undergraduate degree (e.g. a bachelor’s) and the successful completion of the aptitude assessment procedure. Aptitude assessment allows the TUM school or department to which you are applying the opportunity to evaluate your individual talents and motivation for study.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents.

If you receive an offer of admission, you will additionally have to submit individual documents as notarized hardcopies by post to be enrolled.

Generally, applicants with a qualification for postgraduate studies (e.g. a bachelor’s) obtained outside of the EU / EEA must have their documents reviewed in advance through uni-assist.

In detail:

• Applying for a master’s program: Application, admission requirements and more
• Application requirements (PDF)

• Degree Certificate and Diploma or Subject and Grade Transcript of Studies to Date
• Transcript of Records
• Proof of English Language Proficiency
• Essay
• Complete and Current Résumé
• Passport
• GMAT (optional)
• Preliminary Documentation (VPD) if the qualification for graduate studies (e.g. a bachelor's) is obtained outside the EU/EEA

We may require additional documents depending on your educational background and your country of origin. Complete the online application to receive a comprehensive list of the required documents.

• Application for Enrollment (signed)
• Degree Certificate and Diploma (certified copy)
• Transcript of Records (certified copy)
• Most Current Photo (as for ID)
• Digital notification of your health insurance status from a German public health insurance provider (requested by applicant)

We may require additional documents depending on the type of educational background you earned and your country of origin. After accepting an offer of admission in TUMonline, you will receive a list of documents you must submit to TUM in hardcopy for enrollment.

Application period for the winter semester: 01.04. – 31.05. 
Applucation period for the summer semester: 01.10. – 15.01.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents. Please be aware that we can only process your application if you upload all required documents within the application period.

We will review your application as soon as it is complete. Please check your TUMonline account regularly, to see if we have any queries to your documents or if you have to amend one or more documents.

After receiving admission, you will see in TUMonline which documents you have to submit for enrollment, and in which form. Please note that you always have to send the signed application for enrollment and all notarized hardcopies by post.

We recommend that you submit the documents for enrollment as soon as possible after receiving admission. If individual documents are not available by then, you can submit them up to 5 weeks after the start of the lecture period. You will, however, only be enrolled once we have received all documents.

You can check the status of your application at any time in your TUMonline account.

Selection takes place through an aptitude assessment procedure. Aptitude assessment is a two-part procedure after the submission of an official application to a program. In this procedure, the TUM school or department determines whether you meet the specific requirements for its master’s degree program.

In the initial stages, the grades you obtained during your bachelor's program, as well as your written documents, will be evaluated using a point system. Depending on the amount of points accumulated, applicants are either immediately admitted, rejected or invited to an admissions interview.

In detail:

• Aptitude Assessment for Master
• Description of the Aptitude Assessment (appendix 2, German) (PDF 339 KB)

The online application process takes place through our application portal TUMonline.

An internship is not necessary for the application and admission to the Master's program Bioeconomy.