Environmental Engineering
Technical University of Munich
Information last verified July 2026
Rank #22
Program Overview
Humans are closely intertwined with the environment through a variety of interaction mechanisms - whether the use of natural resources, energy production, or the construction of settlements and infrastructure. Environmental engineers develop sustainable solutions to challenges for the interplay of people, technology, and environment - from clean water to eco-friendly mobility.
They combine scientific competence with technical expertise to solve environmental problems in practical ways. During their studies, they learn to analyse complex systems and design innovative concepts for a liveable future. This profession offers diverse career opportunities in industry, research, public administration, and NGOs. Those who are passionate about nature, technology, and sustainability will find a meaningful career with long-term prospects.
A central focus of the program is water: students learn to understand, model, and design both natural water systems—such as groundwater and surface water—and technical systems for water treatment using modern technologies. These systems are studied in connection with weather, climate, and energy production.
Another key area is the sustainable development of cities. This includes the responsible use of resources, the planning of ecological construction methods, and the design of future-oriented infrastructure. Mobility is examined from multiple perspectives—ranging from spatial and transport planning to strategies for reducing emissions and improving quality of life in urban environments.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the bachelor’s program in Environmental Engineering work across a wide range of institutions and sectors.
The largest group is employed by engineering and planning firms involved in water management, hydraulic engineering, water supply and wastewater treatment, urban and transport planning, traffic engineering, building physics, and sustainable construction.
Public authorities at the municipal, regional, and federal levels also offer career opportunities, particularly in the areas of water, environment, and transportation.
In addition, service providers in utilities and mobility—such as municipal utility companies—are potential employers.
Industrial and consulting companies that focus on environmental engineering topics are also relevant career paths.
Finally, public and private research institutions, including technical universities, offer opportunities for careers in research, development, and academia.
Program Curriculum
The first three semesters of the bachelor’s programme consist of fundamentals in the fields of engineering and nature sciences. They are the foundation for an interdisciplinary engineering education related to the environment.
The final three semesters include cross cutting engineering competences and the basic modules of all possible specialisation fields of an environmental engineer:
• Water Engineering
• Transportation
• Energy and Buildings
Semesters 1 - 3 consist of general basic modules from the engineering sciences (approx. 2/3 of the modules) and the natural sciences (approx. 1/3 of the modules).
Semesters 4 - 6, which are in the area of specialisation, comprise overarching competences of environmental engineering as well as a targeted selection of subjects from the specialisation fields of environmental engineering relevant to the job description. The mixture between engineering and natural science modules within the overarching fundamentals is retained in these semesters, whereby the content of these modules is more clearly linked to the job profile of environmental engineering.
Emphasis is placed in semesters 4 - 6 in the areas of:
• Hydraulic engineering and water management
• Hydrology
• Urban water management
• Environmental geotechnics
• Hydrogeology
• Regional planning and land development
• Traffic Engineering
• Transport Planning
• Sustainable transport infrastructure planning
• Circular economy
• Sustainable construction materials and sustainable building
• Energy networks and energy supply
The group of specialisations relevant to the professional education is organised in so-called "profiles". Within the profiles, students must take elective modules worth at least 10 credits (two modules) in each of the following three profiles in the 4. - 5. semester:
• Water Resources
• Transport and Infrastructure
• Sustainability of the built environment
Admission Requirements
The main target group for the Bachelor's degree program are interested high school graduates from Germany and abroad.
Formally, the following are required:
• University entrance qualification (Abitur or an equivalent title from a foreign school system)
• Proof of language proficiency in German
• A relevant pre-study internship of at least 6 weeks
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
Semester contribution ~€150 + possible non-EU surcharge
Non-EU students pay additional tuition (~€2,000–3,000/semester). Semester fee covers Deutschlandticket for public transport in Bavaria.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
TUM offers semester contributions (~€150) plus public transport in Bavaria (Deutschlandticket). Non-EU students may pay additional tuition fees (~€2,000–3,000/semester). Funding: DAAD, Deutschlandstipendium, BayBAföG (Bavarian student grants), TUM scholarships.
About Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
Munich, Germany
TheTechnical University of Munich(TUMorTU Munich;German:Technische Universität München) is apublicresearch universityinMunich,Bavaria,Germany. It specializes inengineering,technology,medicine,...
University Profile- Application Deadline Winter semester: November 15 – January 15 | Summer semester: November 15 – January 15
- Start Date Winter Semester (October)
- Language German
- Duration 6 semesters
- Credits 180 ECTS
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