Master in Sustainability and Urban Development (MA) - Karls

An integral understanding and holistic practice of sustainability go far beyond “green” lifestyles or short-lived hypes. Sustainability combines ecology, geographies, cities, architecture, technologies, and politics, and therefore also social and cultural values.

Based on sustainability as an integral approach that combines ecological, economic, social, and cultural aspects, you will reassess the meaning of prosperity in relation to the “limits to growth”. You apply concepts such as “green growth”, “degrowth” and “post-growth”.

You will also learn how the practice of sustainability can be applied to urban development, including the redesign of urban landscapes or ‘transition towns’. You will analyze interaction dynamics and agendas of relevant actors, identify conflict patterns, and examine strategies of acceptance.

Finally, you will critically analyze concepts such as “Smart City” and “Regional Clusters” and their conflict-laden global, political, and economic environment. You will learn to “manage” sustainability-related complexities, conflicts, and cross-sectoral innovation networks and their socio-spatial ties. By comparing urban business models and practices, you will be able to evaluate their contribution to a resilient, low-carbon, socially inclusive, and democratic society.

Overall, you will not only learn to analyze sustainability in its various facets but also to contribute to integral and transformative sustainable development with empathy and responsibility.

The specialization in Sustainability and Urban Development not only prepares you to shape the world you dream of but also complements the core modules from your chosen Master’s program in an inter- and transdisciplinary framework. Bringing together and integrating different perspectives is one of the strengths of the degree programs at Karlshochschule.

The university is state-recognized and FIBAA-accredited.