Bioeconomy

In view of the climate crisis, scarcity of raw materials, and changing consumer behavior, the shift towards climate-neutral and sustainable resource and technology management is inevitable. Students of the English-taught Master’s degree program in Bioeconomy (M.Sc.) learn how to shape social and macroeconomic transformation processes and implement them economically, ecologically, and socially sustainably.

The degree program is highly interdisciplinary. It teaches a profound understanding of economic processes in addition to biological, chemical-material, and technical principles and methods; its focus is on environmental, behavioral, and innovation economics. Students acquire sound skills in economics, sustainability sciences, engineering, and natural sciences and deal with advanced quantitative methods of empirical research, modeling, simulation, and optimization. They learn to analyze regional and global interactions between technology, ecology, society, and the economy to develop and implement processes for using renewable biological resources to manufacture and process products and provide services by applying innovative biological and technological knowledge and procedures.

Graduates are experts in sustainability transformation along all economic and social value-creation processes. They are able to analyze and resolve conflicts of interest and objectives in order to develop viable solutions for a wide variety of fields of application in scientific and economic practice. They are thus excellently qualified to continue their scientific work within the framework of a doctoral thesis as well as to take up responsible positions in companies that pursue business models based on biogenic resources, in public administration, or in national and international organizations.

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

• Degree program documentation for the Master’s program in Bioeconomy (PDF, German)

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

In addition to six compulsory subjects, two specialisations are offered: The Major in Social Sciences and Sustainability or the Major in Natural Sciences and Engineering. Students who have already completed a combination of economics with engineering and natural sciences in their Bachelor’s program (for example, successful graduates of the B.Sc. Bioeconomy or the B.Sc. Sustainable Management and Technology ), 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’s in Bioeconomy with a Major in Natural Sciences and Engineering. Graduates who prefer a stronger focus on economics and social sciences can complete the Master’s in Bioeconomy with a Major in Social Sciences and Sustainability.

The program is divided into the following four areas:

• Fundamentals in Economics and Sustainability:

• Advanced Empirical Research, Operations Research, Behavioral Public Economics, Principles of Life Cycle Assessment, Advanced Environmental and Resource Economics

• Electives in Natural Sciences and Engineering:
  • Renewable Materials: Biogenic Polymers, Biological Materials, Renewables Utilization,  Wood-based Resources, Material Application for Renewable Resources 
  • Biotechnology: Enzymatic Biotransformations, Sustainable Chemistry, Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Catalysis, Enzyme Engineering
  • Energy: Energy Efficient Buildings, Production of Renewable Fuels, Geothermal Energy Systems, Energy and Economics, Wind Power, Biogas Technology
  • Simulation: Artificial Intelligence for Biotechnology, Seminar in Optimization Methods and their Applications, Modelling and Optimization of Energy Systems, Basics of Numerical Methods and Simulation
• Electives in Social Sciences and Sustainability:
  • Economics: Advanced Development Economics, Personnel and Organizational Economics, Advanced Seminar in Behavioral Economics, Environmental Behavior and Support for Climate Policies, Economic History and Comparative Development, Advanced Seminar in Environmental and Development Economics
  • Management: Corporate Sustainability Management, Innovation in Bioeconomy, Advanced Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment, Sustainability and Risk Management
• Master’s Thesis

In Detail:

• Program structure: Overview of modules (PDF, German) (PDF 87 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.

• Information on exams
• Information on studying abroad

The tuition fees for international students from third countries for this degree program are 4,000 euros per semester.

Many international students can have their fees waived or receive scholarships to finance them. You can find all information on waivers and scholarships here.

Please note: The semester fee as a contribution to the student union must be paid additionally. It varies depending on where you are studying. You can find all information on the semester fee here.

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. The aptitude assessment allows the TUM school or department to which you are applying 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) was obtained outside the EU/EEA (from winter semester 2025/26: outside Germany)

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. The 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 95 KB)