Program Overview

Education

Circular Economy Master's programme - Shaping a sustainable future

The transformation to a sustainable economy requires specialists who think circularly about materials, products and business models from the ground up. The Circular Economy Master's programme at RWTH Aachen University is currently being established and will provide students with an interdisciplinary understanding of the entire value chain - from material development to circular business models.

Course structure

The degree programme is divided into five central subject areas that form the scientific and practical basis for a circular economy:

• Sustainability assessment - methods for analysing ecological, economic and social impacts.
• Material and waste systems - recycling of raw materials, recycling technologies and waste management.
• Circular economy strategies for engineering - designing circular production processes and sustainable value chains.
• Social and societal implications of the circular economy - effects of the circular economy on politics, society and consumer behaviour.
• Managerial accounting for sustainability - business management of circular processes and sustainable business models.

Focus areas and specialisations

A student will be able to specialise in one of three future-oriented areas:

1. Living Infrastructure - Circular economy in construction: Material cycles, sustainable construction and building technology. - Urban planning and neighbourhood development: Integration of circular economy in urban transformation processes. - Majors from architecture, civil engineering and environmental sciences.
2. Circular Mobility - Circular economy in the vehicle industry: raw material extraction, production and recycling. - Sustainable mobility concepts and innovative materials for the transport sector. - Majors in mechanical engineering, automotive engineering and materials science.
3. Circular (Consumer) Products - Circular economy in the consumer goods industry: plastic cycles, electronics and packaging. - Specialisation options in supply chain management, production engineering or design for circularity. - Majors in industrial engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science.