Master's Programme in Environmental Science - Atmosphere, Biogeochemistry and Climate
The Master’s Programme in Environmental Science focussing on Atmosphere, Biogeosphere and Climate examines how large-scale environmental systems – land, atmosphere and ocean – are composed and interact; on how human perturbations upset these balances; and on potential solutions to these problems.
Addressing these challenges calls for scientifically trained professionals with a holistic perspective, and developing a broad understanding of the environment is at the heart of this program. You will learn about the composition and functioning of atmospheric and land systems and the interactions between them (transport, energy balances, and the water-and carbon cycles, to name a few).
You will also study what happens when the balance of these systems is disturbed by, for example, emissions, pollutants, greenhouse gases and aerosols, and land-use change. These combine to produce effects like climate change and the degradation of air and water quality which reverberate outward, changing how the Earth system works. Understanding the environmental science perspective on these problems, and how it impacts societal issues, will equip you with the tools to look for solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems.
The programme is a balance of classroom and hands-on learning. This includes lectures by renowned researchers in environmental science, individual and group assignments, “reverse classrooms” (peer instructions under mentor guidance) laboratory experiments, field excursions, soil-, water-and air sampling, and application of analytical methods.
You have the opportunity to build professional networks as the programme introduces you to several relevant agencies and stakeholders who work with environmental issues. We prepare you to take on an important role in environmental science, whether in local or global governmental offices, NGOs, the media, the private sector, or in research communities around the globe.
The environmental science perspective
The environmental science perspective recognizes that the large-scale natural elemental cycles (e.g., the global carbon cycle, which includes exchange with atmospheric CO2, CH4 and black carbon/soot aerosols) is intertwined with human emissions of other pollutants such as greenhouse gases and aerosols as well as other perturbations such as land-use change. These combine to produce anthropogenic effects ranging from climate change to degradation of air and water quality. These in turn, may produce feedbacks and thus affect how the Earth system works (e.g., change the carbon cycle and nutrient dynamics, cause eutrophication and lake/ocean acidification). Students in the Stockholm University M.Sc. program in Environmental Science – Atmosphere-Biogeochemistry – Climate Change will become familiar with these complexities and equipped to contribute to solutions to “wicked” 21st century problems.
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Programme overview
The basic structure of the Stockholm University Master Program in Environmental Science: Atmosphere-Biogeochemistry- Climate Change.
Year 1
Compulsory courses 60 credits
Autumn semester
Large-scale Challenges for the Environment and Climate, (MI7014) 15 credits
Atmosphere-Biogeosphere-Climate Change, (MI7016) 15 creditsSpring semester
Environmental Biogeochemistry, (MI8017) 7.5 credits
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (MI7022), 7,5 credits
Laboratory Methods in Environmental Science (MI7023), 7.5 credits
Environmental Field Studies, (MI8021) 7.5 creditsYear 2
Autumn semester
Thesis; choose between 60, 45 and 30 credits Thesis:
* Thesis 60 credits or
* 15 optional courses + Thesis 45 credits or
* Optional courses 30 credits (+Thesis 30 credits in spring semester)
Optional courses:
Climate Change Solutions (MI2006) 7,5 credits
Decision-making and Environmental Risks (MI8025) 7,5 credits
Air Quality - from emissions to impacts (MI7026) 7,5 credits
Aerosols, Clouds and Climate (MI8026) 7,5 credits
Data Analysis and Model Evaluation Tools in Environmental and Climate Science (MI7025), 7,5 creditsSpring semester
Thesis 30 - 60 credits
Each semester is divided into 4 parts: A, B, C and D. Read more about term dates.
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How to apply
Apply online
Create an account and submit your online application via the central Swedish application site universityadmissions.se and pay the application fee/document fee exemption.
First admission round
The first admissions round is specifically for international studentsSecond admission round
The Second admission round is an alternative for students from EU/EEA countries as they do not need a residence permit. Non-EU/EEA students will most likely not have enough time to obtain their permit before the start of the semester.A successful admissions process depends a lot on meeting deadlines. Read more about imortant dates
Required supporting documentation
For the Master’s programmes in Environmental Science please attach a motivation letter.
You also need to provide documention of all of your previous higher education studies. This means you need to provide documentation of your completed degree(s), and transcripts with courses and grades.
You also need to show you meet the English requirement. Some applicants meet the requirement based on previous studies, while others demonstrate their English ability by submitting English test results.Much of what you need to submit – and how – is based on where you completed your studies. Read more on universityadmissions.se.
Selection process
Selection criteria:
Relevance of previous studies in relation to the programme and motivation letter
Reply to your admission offer!
First admission round:
You have to actively accept the seat you have been offered. To confirm that you wish to keep your place, send an email to admission@aces.su.se. If you don't do that by the deadline, you will lose the place that you've been offered.
Second admission round:
If you applied to the Second round, you must reply to your admissions offer at Universityadmissions.se.
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More information
Master's programmes in Environmental Science
Professor Cynthia A. de Wit presents Master's programmes in Environmental Science
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Meet us
Miranda Nilsson
For Miranda Nilsson, finding employment after her studies was a breeze. Her internship during the final year of her master's program in environmental science led to a permanent position as an environmental consultant once her thesis was completed. Read more about Miranda here
Meet our students
Julia Asplund
”The department has a nice vibe and professors and researchers are very accessible when you want to talk to them about research.”
Julia has a background in Physics and she is doing a 45 credits thesis entitled “Evaluating Estimates of Urban Aerosol Emissions”
Bernd Wendler
“People come from all sorts of disciplines which makes our discussions very inspiring and interesting”.
Bernd has background in engineering and he is doing a 60 credit Master thesis entitled “Susceptibility of Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in Northern Circumpolar Permafrost Peatlands to Plant-induced Priming”
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Contact
