Environmental Governance and Adaptation to Climate Change

Environmental Governance and Adaption to Climate Change (EGACC) is a joint master's programme between the Estonian University of Life Sciences and the University of Tartu. If you are interested in the world's future and want to have a say in the rapidly changing environment, then EGACC is the programme for you!

The general objective is to prepare middle managers with comprehensive and specific knowledge and practical skills, who, as specialists, can take responsibility and make strategic decisions to formulate and implement environmental management and environmental policy at an international level, considering climate change and the European Green Deal.

The programme is designed to teach how to resolve social, environmental, and economic challenges the world is facing today. It covers a broad field of subjects from policies and legislation to information technology and science in the light of various challenges caused by climatic change. Waste issues, water shortage problems, global warming induced challenges are all the harsh realities we face today, and sadly it is getting worse tomorrow.

Learning outcomes

After completing the programme, the graduates are be expected to:

• have systematic and comprehensive knowledge of environmental management, policy and climate change, be familiar with the concepts and development trends, also research methods of the field and be able to apply them, know the legal, social and economic framework of the speciality;
• be able to implement the principles of sustainable development, direct strategic decisions and choose the most appropriate policy and measures for environmental management to mitigate the impact of human activities;
• be able to analyse and solve professional problems, applying appropriate methods, with limited time and information, if required, using interdisciplinary science-based information; be able to use ecological, and geotechnologies, spatial analysis, statistical data analysis, environmental and remote sensing methods, and have the skills of information and communication techniques necessary for work;
• have the skills for expressing professional ideas, be able to discuss speciality-related topics in speech and writing, be able to argue and participate in discussions and mediate professional information;
• be able to perform independent research, to synthesise and express the results of their research in writing and defend them in public speaking; be familiar with the principles of research ethics;
• have professional multidisciplinary and multicultural communication and teamwork skills, be ready to work as a middle manager in national and local public administration institutions, in the non-profit sector and international institutions or the private sector, dealing with environmental management and policy, and be ready to continue the studies on the doctoral level
• be able to assess personal professional development and the need for in-service and further training.

Programme highlights in video

• Watch the presentation about International master's admissions by the Head of International Admissions during Virtual Open Day 2024. 

Programme structure

• I semester: European Union Green Deal, Environmental Management and Policy, Pollutants in Environment and Ecotoxicology, Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, Material Cycles and Energy Flows. In addition, one course from the following: Environmental Goods and Services, Blue-Green Infrastructures, or Mineral Resources of Future and Mining Technologies. 
• II semester: Waste Management and Circular Economy, Intro to Environmental Legislation, Participation and Environmental Governance, Research Methodology, Environmental Goods and Services, Introduction to Ecotechnology. In addition, 29 ECTS of specialisation courses will be elected from climate, atmospheric processes and remote sensing; ecotechnology, water management and treatment; or circular economy and waste beneficiation submodules. 
• III semester: Practical Training in Environmental Monitoring and Sampling, Applied Fluid Mechanics. In addition, 15 ECTS of specialisation courses will be elected from climate, atmospheric processes and remote sensing; ecotechnology, water management and -treatment; or circular economy and waste beneficiation submodules.
• IV semester: Master's Thesis

The programme consists of:

• speciality module (74 ECTS)
• speciality elective subjects module (11 ECTS)
• optional subjects (5 ECTS)
• master's thesis (30 ECTS)

Speciality module (74 ECTS) consists of Environmental Governance (50 ECTS) submodule (mandatory) and of another submodule worth 24 ECTS which you can choose. You can choose between the "Climate, atmospheric processes and remote sensing" or "Ecotechnology, water management and treatment" or "Circular economy and waste valorisation" speciality submodule or subjects from submodules named before.

Courses taught by the University of Tartu

Submodule of the speciality module: Environmental Governance:

• European Union Green Deal (3 ECTS)
• Practical Training in Environmental Monitoring and Sampling (3 ECTS)
• Material Cycles and Energy Flows (3 ECTS)
• Atmospheric and Climate Sciences (6 ECTS)
• Introduction to Ecotechnology (3 ECTS)
• Applied Fluid Mechanics (3 ECTS)

Submodule of the speciality module: Climate, atmospheric processes and remote sensing:

• Big data in landscape studies (3 ECTS)
• Management of Air Quality Monitoring (3 ECTS)
• Climate and Policy (3 ECTS)
• Physics of Aerosols (3 ECTS)
• Dosimetry in the Environment and Radiation Protection (3 ECTS)
• Advanced Course of Atmospheric Sciences (5 ECTS)

Submodule of the speciality module: Ecotechnology, water management and treatment:

• Green-Blue Infrastructures (4 ECTS)
• Wastewater and Sludge Treatment Technologies (4 ECTS)
• Practical Training in Ecological Engineering (3 ECTS)

Submodule of the speciality module: Circular economy and waste valorisation:

• Beneficiation of Solid and Mineral Wastes (5 ECTS)
• Mineral Resources of Future and MiningTechnologies (4 ECTS)
• Geotechnical Engineering Project (6 ECTS)
• Bioresources and Biowaste Treatment Technologies (3 ECTS)

Speciality elective subjects module:

• Future of Geology and Green Economy (1 ECTS)
• Sustainable Energetics (3 ECTS)
• Geospatial Analysis with Phyton and R (6 ECTS)
• Environmental Biotechnology and Sustainable Bioeconomy (6 ECTS)
• Biotechnology in Environmental Management (4 ECTS)
• Energy Storage (6 ECTS)
• Fuel Cells and Batteries: Materials and Technology (6 ECTS)
• Earth and Biosphere Evolution (4 ECTS)
• Applied Synthetic Biology (6 ECTS)
• Resources and Circular Economy (4 ECTS)
• Computer-aided Measurements (3 ECTS)
• Introduction to Programming (3 ECTS)
• Principles of Entrepreneurship I (3 ECTS)
• How to Build a Startup Company (3 ECTS)
• Project Management (3 ECTS)
• Estonian for Beginners I, on the Basis of English, Level 0 > A1.1 (6 ECTS)
• Applications of Ecological Engineering (4 ECTS)
• Practical Course in Environmental Biotechnology and Ecotechnology (4 ECTS)
• Practical Work in Environmental Chemistry (3 ECTS)

Optional subjects

• You can choose these from the University of Tartu, the Estonian University of Life Sciences or another institution of higher education (incl. foreign institutions).

The following structure of the programme applies to the current academic year. To view the most updated version, please visit the University of Tartu Study Information System and choose the next academic year (if available). You can also view the programme structure on the Estonian University of Life Sciences Study Information System.

The programme is delivered jointly by the University of Tartu and the Estonian University of Life Sciences (the coordinating university). Students graduating from this programme obtain degrees from both universities. 

The Estonian University of Life Sciences (Estonian: Eesti Maaülikool, EMÜ), located in Tartu, Estonia, is the former Estonian Agricultural University, which was established in 1951 and renamed and restructured in November 2005.

According to QS World University Rankings by Subject (2019), the Estonian University of Life Sciences is one of the top 50 universities in the world in agriculture and forestry, ranked 48. The university also belongs to the top 1% of most-cited research facilities globally, with our plant physiology professor Ülo Niinemets being the most cited Estonian researcher. According to the Times Higher Education (2022), the Estonian University of Life Sciences belongs to the top 1000 universities globally (ranked 801 - 1000).

As an EGACC MSc graduate, you will be able to find career opportunities in a broad range of sustainable economy and environment-related options worldwide. You can find a job in government, industry, EU bodies, NGOs. You can also pursue a career in international organisations like the World Bank and the OECD. You can also continue as an entrepreneur or enrol in PhD programmes to pursue an academic career instead.

Please apply directly to the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

If you have any questions about applying, please e-mail the Estonian University of Life Sciences Department of Academic Affairs: study@emu.ee.