Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Duration
- 4 semesters
- Language of instruction
- English
- Tuition fees
- No tuition fees
- Next application deadline
- 15 January 2027 (summer semester)
- Language level required
- English: C1German: None
Programme overview
Quick facts
- Degree
- MSc
- Duration
- 4 semesters
- Full-time / part-time
- Full-time
- Intake
- Winter and summer semester
- Joint degree / double degree programme
- No
- A Diploma supplement will be issued
- Yes
- Combined Master's degree / PhD programme
- No
Language of instruction
All courses are held in English, although participants can choose to write papers and the Master's thesis in German, and can participate in elective courses from other programmes in German or other languages.
Programme description
The Master's programme in Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) teaches research and practice in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The interdisciplinary study of the interface between society and nature has components from institutional and neoclassical economics. The programme integrates knowledge from different academic fields both in the natural and social sciences, including ecological systems, political sciences, institutional analysis, and advanced research methods, which are all relevant to improved understanding and implementation of natural resource management.
International students will be in close contact with scientists from policy-oriented or sustainability-oriented research institutes in the Berlin-Brandenburg area. The area has a very high concentration of such research institutes and policy-oriented think tanks.
The INRM video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyp8By2NV84
Programme structure
Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) features five compulsory modules:
- Transdisciplinary Research on Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
- Public Policy Analysis and Institutional Economics
- Biophysical Systems
- Study Project
- Master’s Thesis
The study projects on offer vary by year, but they allow for intensive research-oriented or practice-oriented collaboration.
In addition, it is required to take at least one module on methods (e.g. “Quantitative and Qualitative Methods”).
Two elective modules can be chosen from the following menu, and further modules with 20 credits from any Master’s programme at a university in Berlin:
- Agricultural and Aquacultural Systems
- Development
- Environmental and Resource Economics
- Governance and Policy
- Horticulture of the Future
- Natural Resource Management
- Risk and Uncertainty in Science and Policy
These electives contain multiple seminars to choose from, which can differ by year and can contain special offers. They allow for more specialisation in the natural sciences or social sciences or integrative sustainability sciences. Examples are: Agri-Food Chains and Development, Animal Husbandry and Welfare, Applied Ethology, Aquaculture Production Systems, Biodiversity Management, Co-Operation and Co-Operative Organisations, Diseases and Nutrition in Aquaculture, Domestication and Conservation Horticultural Plant Breeding, Econometrics, Economics of Agriculture and Rural Development, Economics of Migration, Environmental Policy, Empirical Methodology for Social-Ecological Systems, European and International Agricultural Policy, Environmental Sociology, Experimental Fish Biology, Gender & Sustainability, Institutional Analysis of Social-Ecological-Technical Systems, Institutions and Instruments of Development Co-Operation, Integrated Assessment and Land Use Change Modelling, Integrative Fisheries Management, Intermediate Computable General Equilibrium Modelling, International Forest Use and Management, International Macroeconomics and Agricultural Trade, Interpretive Methods, Simulation Models in Market and Policy Analysis, Land and Water Management, Plant Health, Survey Research, Sustainability Management and Information Systems, Urban Agriculture and Horticulture.
Mode of study
- Less than 50% onlinePhase of attendance: yes, compulsoryPace of course: instructor-led (specific due dates for lectures/assignments/exams)
International elements in the curriculum
The curriculum of this study programme includes international elements that support global perspectives and cross-cultural learning:
- International guest lecturers
- International comparisons and thematic reference to the international context
- Content-related regional focus
Group work allows for cultural exchange and faculty connections to Berlin’s international research organisations create ample opportunity for cross-cultural work. Many modules offer course content with a global dimension.
Integrated internships
Internships are not compulsory, but they are encouraged by the faculty. Support in the search for internships can be provided.
Application and admission
Application period(s)
Summer semester
| Applicants from | Applications begin | Application deadline | |
|---|---|---|---|
All countries
|
1 December 2026
|
15 January 2027
|
Winter semester
| Applicants from | Applications begin | Application deadline | |
|---|---|---|---|
All countries
|
2 May 2027
|
31 May 2027
|
Academic admissions requirements
Applicants are required to have completed a Bachelor's degree in either a natural science or a social science discipline: example degrees include agricultural sciences, horticultural sciences, silvicultural sciences, environmental sciences, ecology, biology, geography, economics, agricultural economics, horticultural economics, ecological economics, environmental economics, and resource economics as well as social sciences, sociology, and political science.
For further information, visit the following website: https://hu.berlin/INRM.
Language requirements
German language requirements
English language requirements
Accepted certificates include
| Certificates | Minimum result |
|---|---|
TOEFL iBT (before 2026)
|
Total: 95 / 120
Reading: 24 / 30
Listening: 22 / 30
Writing: 24 / 30
Speaking: 25 / 30
|
PTE Academic
|
Total: 76 / 90
|
IELTS Academic
|
Total: 7 / 9
|
Cambridge English Qualifications Business (BEC)
|
Total: C1 Business Higher
|
How to apply?
uni-assist
You can apply via uni-assist, the application processing service for international students.
Click hereCosts and funding
Tuition fees per semester
No tuition fees
Semester contribution
Approx. 350 EUR
Cost of living
Approx. 1,100 EUR per month
Part-time employment
Some jobs may be available for students either at the university or at research institutes in the region, including the following:
- The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
- The Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
- The Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW)
- The Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human-Environment Systems (IRI THESys)
- The Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy, Potsdam (ATB)
Many students are able to work part-time in addition to their studies, either in academic positions or in other mini-jobs offered in the city.
Scholarships and financing information
Participants can apply for various scholarships offered at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, e.g. the PROMOS programme and Deutschlandstipendium.
Living & services
Support for international students
- Welcome event
- Accompanying programme
- Cultural and linguistic preparation
- Visa matters
More information for international students including visa, health insurance, and living costs are available here: https://www.hu-berlin.de/en/university/international/coming-to-hu/welcome-centre/overview.
Accommodation
Accommodation is available through the Student Services Organisation (https://www.stw.berlin/), the Studentendorf Organisation (http://www.studentendorf-berlin.com/), or on the private accommodation market.
Contact
Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences
- Address
- 10099 Berlin