Bioeconomy (BSc) Technical University of Munich

Bioeconomy aims at the conversion of the raw material base from fossil to biogenic raw materials and builds a bridge between technology, ecology, society and economy as well as their interactions. This structural change involves the production and use of biological resources to provide products, processes and services in all economic sectors within the framework of a sustainable economic system. The courses of study in Bioeconomics train experts who can understand, accompany and shape this change. Overall, there are several areas of work for the bioeconomy.

In order to be able to accompany economic and social transformation processes, it is first necessary to understand the processes involved and the actors involved. This understanding of the bio-based economic system does not end at national borders, but includes regional considerations as well as the global effects of local action.

Secondly, the use of biogenic resources is not per se sustainable. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of sustainability and sustainable development as well as other concepts and strategies existing alongside the bioeconomy are required to achieve this. This includes in particular the approaches of closed-loop management and industrial ecology.

Thirdly, bioeconomics requires the participation of various scientific disciplines and their successful cooperation. These disciplines come from the social and economic sciences, the engineering sciences and the natural sciences.

Bio-based and bio-inspired innovations form the basis for advancing structural change. The potential of innovative products and markets as well as technologies for their implementation on the basis of biological resources are to be harnessed for industry and society.

The aim of the programme is to train innovative graduates who have an understanding of the complexity of a necessary structural change. By combining topics from micro- and macroeconomics, chemistry, engineering and life sciences with comprehensive knowledge in the field of the efficient and sustainable use of biogenic resources, graduates will have an interdisciplinary understanding and will be able to develop solutions. They are able to adopt regional, national and global perspectives.

In the first two semesters, important mathematical, natural science, environmental economics, and macroeconomic fundamentals are taught. From the third semester onwards, knowledge from the main areas of chemistry, physics, biology, and business administration / economics is deepened. In the fifth semester, a focus is set based on elective modules. The tandem module combines two subject areas, enabling a structured and interdisciplinary approach to solving a specific problem. The programme concludes with a Bachelor’s thesis.

First semester: Mathematics, Statistics, Microeconomics, Management Science, Physics, Environmental Resources in a Changing World

Second semester: Organic Chemistry, Fundamentals of Thermodynamics, Empirical Research Methods, Macroeconomics, Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment, Elective Foundations of Management (total 6 ECTS)

Third semester: Foundations of Biology, Wood-based Resources, Production of Biogenic Resources, Foundation of Programming, Intermediate Microeconomics, Environmental Management

Fourth semester: Introduction to Process Engineering, Policy and Innovation, Circular Economy, Introduction to Environmental and Resource Economics, Green Chemistry, Elective Foundations of Management (total 6 ECTS)

Fifth semester: Governance of Bioeconomy, Technical Electives (total 23 ECTS)

Sixth semester: Evidence-Based Management and Policy, Project on Public Discourses and Scientific Solutions, General Elective Module (total 3 ECTS), Bachelor's thesis

Elective Foundations of Management

Six credits must be obtained from the following list: Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain, Organisational Behaviour, Strategic and International Management, Innovation Management

Technical Elective Modules

From the following list, 23 credits must be obtained: Seminar in Behavioural Economics, Biochemistry, Biomass Utilisation, Biopolymers, Introduction to Development Economics, Behavioural Economics, Modelling and Optimisation, Seminar in Innovation and Technology Management, and Project Study.

General Elective Modules

Three credits must be obtained from the following list: can be chosen from the total range of courses offered by TUM.

Please find information on how to apply in our info sheet.

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