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www.sustainablecities.aau.dk
Master of Science Programme
Nordic countries are on the forefront regarding “Sustainable Cities” planning, e.g.:
• Renewable Energy Production and Energy Efficient Buildings • Green Mobility and a Green Urban Environment
• Resource and water systems as well as Transition Processes for Sustainable Development As a student at the Sustainable Cities MSc programme you will:
• Work with real-life problems and solutions in a cross-disciplinary setting combining engineering and social science • Work in groups on projects and you are afforded the opportunity to carry out an internship in e.g. a company or planning authority
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Worldwide more and more people live in urban settings. The Master in Sustainable Cities at Aalborg University Copenhagen has a focus on handling this challenge from a climate, energy and environmental perspective. Graduates in Sustainable Cities will acquire knowledge and skills to conduct technical, economic and societal transition processes needed to find sustainable ways to lower the impact from urban planning and living.
The programme in Sustainable Cities aims to equip graduates with core competences in urban resource cycles. Renewable energy systems must be developed. Low carbon infrastructure and waste systems need to be designed. Management of climate change impacts and skills to facilitate overall climate mitigation initiatives calls for a Masters in Sustainable Cities.
Graduates in Sustainable Cities work across disciplines, and are able to build bridges between different issues and sectors. We aim to provide both theoretical insight and practical experience preparing you for your future career.
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Internationally cities and business pose a significant challenge to sustainable de-velopment, both environmentally, socially and economically. In the future up to 70-80% of the world population will live in cit-ies, and thus it is important to handle the consequential. It is significant that plan-ning is done across sectors and profes-sions such as energy, water, waste and urban planning. Thus it is necessary to be able to think across sectors, analyse con-sequences in multiple areas, and include stakeholders such as citizens, companies and environmental organisations. The Master Programme covers issues of en-gineering such as waste, energy, water re-sources and transport, as well as political science, green growth and different forms of impact assessment. The graduates from this Master of Science will be educated to be capable of creating the framework for the Sustainable Cities of the future, where economic, social and environmental pur-poses are integrated in new ways.
The degree offered is Master of Science in Engineering (Sustainable Cities). The courses and the project work are carried out in English. Therefore, the programme is open to Danish as well as international students with a relevant Bachelor of Sci-ence degree in engineering or equivalent. It is a priority for us that you have the op-portunity to work with external partners for instance in your semester projects, which can be carried out in cooperation with au-thorities, companies, NGOs etc. This way you get to work on real life problems, pre-paring you for your professional carreer.
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Theme:
The role of organisations and
business in sustainable cities
Each project group chooses a topic for their semester report within the theme of the semester. The topic can be primarily theoretical or empirical, and usually takes its point of departure in a specific policy, organisation, or an environmental problem.
Theme:
Sustainable cities in an institutional
and societal perspective
Each project group chooses a topic for their semester report within the theme of the semester. The topic can be primarily theoretical or empirical, and usually takes its point of departure in a specific policy, institution, or an environmental problem.
Master’s thesis preparation
In the final semester the main focus is on the writing of the Master’s thesis. Students work individually or in small groups, under the guidance of supervisory staff. The Master’s thesis, being the highest level of work undertaken, should aim at synthesising theories and methods in order to perform a potential solution for real life problems.
Internship, study abroad or
“prolonged project period”
This semester will provide the student with the option of applying the theoretical and methodological knowledge gained during the 1st and 2nd semesters into practice in real life situations in Denmark or abroad. This could be as an internship within for example a private consultancy firm, a public authority or a private NGO. The choice of internship is made on the basis of your interests. During the internship, you participate in the activities of an organisation and collect information for the project report. The project report is expected to have both a theoretical and empirical part relating to the actual experience of the internship.
An alternative option is to enrol at another (Danish or foreign) university in order to undertake a semester’s study there. Finally there is an option for adding the 3rd and the 4th semester into a ‘prolonged project’, if for instance the research question demands more time and energy for collecting data or conducting field studies.
15 ECTS
20-30 ECTS
15 ECTS
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1st semester
Tools and approaches to sustainable cities (5 ECTS)
The course is focussed on providing you with specific tools to further sustainable development in the cities, and the ability to critically reflect over these. Topics may include: Lifecycle assessment, carbon and environmental footprinting, corporate social responsibility and energy system analysis.
Challenges and planning for sustain-able cities (5 ECTS)
The course aims to provide a basic shared understanding of the challenges that face cities today in terms of sustainability. The topics may include: resources, climate change, growth, demography, biodiversity, environmental problems and health.
Theories of Science and Research Designs (5 ECTS)
The course gives you an understanding of the different theories of science, and how they are connected to choice of research design. It will make you capable of as-sessing and communicating choice of and background for research design.
2nd semester
Politics, planning and governance (5 ECTS)
The course is focussed on power, poli-tics and policy as well as stakeholders, institutions and discourses in relation to decision-making processes. The lectures will be based on current research and aim for critical reflections on planning and de-cision-making processes.
Structures and systems of the city (5 ECTS)
The course aims at looking closer at some of the systems that make up a city and how we can work with these in a sustain-able way. The topics may include: Trans-port, waste, water and energy.
Economic, social and environmental assessment (5 ECTS)
The course is focussed on assessing the sustainability of different solutions for han-dling the challenges in cities. The topics may include: Feasibility studies, risk as-sessment, future studies, EIA and SIA.
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A Different Experience
Both research and teaching at Aalborg University are based on inter-disciplinary and problem-oriented studies organised around group work. Furthermore project work generally accounts for 50% of the study time, while the other 50% is devoted to lectures and seminars. The projects are based on real life problems and are often prepared in conjunction with local compa-nies, authorities or organisations. Projects are normally prepared in groups of 3 to 5 students who work together throughout the entire semester under the supervision of one or more teachers.
Work Placements
The entire third semester is devoted to a work placement. Each student will be as-signed to a company or an organisation, where he/she will analyse specific prob-lems that may be identified in the com-pany/organisation, applying the theoretical knowledge from the courses. This project work provides the students with the abilities of improving their understanding of theo-ries as well as applying theoretical insights in practical contexts. For more information about the work placement, click here.
Project Work
In standard university programs, students are primarily evaluated through written final exams, for which they must memorise and recall what they are taught throughout the semester. Most of the skills that this pro-cess develops are really only useful in an educational setting. Through its emphasis on group project-work, Aalborg University takes a more practical approach to learn-ing, giving priority to students experience from addressing real-world problems, thus providing them with skills that they will use in real life. While many universities incor-porate group-work and project-work into their curriculum, Aalborg University takes this a step further. With half of the time de-voted to the project, and the remainder be-ing divided between project-related cours-es and courscours-es related to the theme of the semester, the project experience is an integral part of the curriculum, rather than just another course. By spending most of your time solving real-life problems, you do not just learn about the subject matter, you learn how to use the knowledge. This process makes applying skills after gradu-ation easier, whether in doctoral studies or in an occupational setting.
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Student Centered
Students are given a great deal of flex-ibility in completing their projects. This is particularly important in the context of an international program, where students come from different cultural backgrounds and may have different ways of working. Some prefer to write alone; others thrive on being surrounded by others. As the university does not specify how the pro-jects must be completed, other than that they must be done well, students organise themselves and their work however they want, in order to achieve their goal. Thus, over the course of a semester, students not only create a project, but a way of creating a project. In completing their pro-jects, students are provided with a number of services that facilitate their work. One or two experienced supervisors are as-signed to each group, advising the group as it progresses through the project. Each group is also provided with a particular ‘group room’ or work space, equipped with a computer connected to the department network and the internet. These rooms provide an ideal setting for group dis-cussions and meetings with supervisors. Other computer rooms and printing facili-ties are accessible in the same building,
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that students are able to complete all of their project-work at the university, if they so choose. Another useful facility on campus is the Aalborg University library, which has an extensive collection of books, journals, and electronic journals. In particular it has extensive collection of business and en-vironmental electronic journals useful for finding information for projects. This col-lection is also accessible to students from off-campus. Overall, the time at Aalborg University provides a unique opportunity to develop analytical and research skills, gain experience working with people from different cultures, and explore subject are-as that are of interest. The focus on group problem solving is a key to this experi-ence, as it provides flexibility and practi-cality, both of which contribute to a highly enjoyable and worthwhile experience.
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An interdisciplinary approach to study and research creates a stimulating and chal-lenging academic work environment. Problem-centered group project work al-lows students to research on problems of interest to them.
Work placements at relevant companies throughout the world give students practi-cal work experience and insight into real problems.
Denmark’s welfare system, its mild winters and temperate summers, and its multilin-gual population make it a comfortable and interesting place to live and work.
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A special feature of Aalborg University is that 40-50% of the teaching is centered around problem-oriented project work. Using this student- centered and interdis-ciplinary approach, the aim is to teach the students to think and write clearly, to apply theory to problems, and to master the dif-ficult art of cooperation within a group. Project work starts at the beginning of the semester and runs continuously until the date of submission of the project. The pro-ject is assessed in a comprehensive indi-vidual oral examination at the end of the semester on the basis of a 75-100 page type-written report.
Projects begin with a practical problem or theoretical topic which relates to the stu-dent’s course work and the theme for the semester. The topic for the project is cho-sen by the students themselves in coop-eration with their supervisor. It must com-prise a theoretical perspective and may have an empirical base as well.
The group begins meeting early in the se-mester to identify and formulate the prob-lem, discuss the methodology that will be used to solve the problem, and identify and analyze relevant theories and their application to the problem. Students also meet to plan the project work assignments
and review and critique drafts. They are assigned time in a group project room for their use throughout the semester. The group work in generally very intensive and the students spent a considerable amount of time on the group work and writing the semester report. The group would normal-ly have dainormal-ly meetings and group work, but this can vary dependent on the group. The project group also meets once a week or once every other week with their project supervisor to discuss theories, methodo-logical problems, etc. These meetings are another form of teaching. The project su-pervisor usually helps to identify research literature, critiques drafts, and occasion-ally mediates differing points of view. Group project work, although sometimes difficult for foreign students to understand initially, becomes one of the most valuable experiences of the student’s stay at Aal-borg University.
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Anne Bach Project Officer
Midttrafik, Light Rail Secretariat
I work at Midttrafik in Aarhus, which is the public transport authority in the Central Denmark Region. Midttrafik is the administrative headquarter for the Light Rail Secretariat, where I’m employed as a project officer. The purpose of the secretariat is to manage the collective efforts towards realisation of a light rail in Eastern Jutland. My work tasks are primarily project management oriented, i.e. to keep track of everything in relation to the organisation of the first light rail in Denmark and completion of different subtasks for the first stage and future expansions.
Patrick Driscoll Research Assistant
Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University
I am currently part of a team working on a large research project in conjunction with DTU (Danish Technical University) investigating sources of uncertainty and inaccuracy in transport model forecasts. My doctoral work will mainly focus on examining decision making in the field of climate change adaptation and how planners and politicians make decisions in situations where there are so many uncertainties.
Maren Friederike Ritter
Urban Planner, Grontmij GfL GmbH, Germany
One of my main fields of work is to design, guide, moderate and evaluate public participation processes for urban planning projects such as European “Shared Space” projects or city development plans. At Aalborg University I learned to understand the different views and interests of stakeholders in planning processes. This is a beneficial skill in managing planning processes with differing private and public interests in daily business. Working as an urban planner for Grontmij GfL I am also concerned with designing land-use plans for cities and communities, like new residential areas or shopping centres.
Seth Schromen-Wawrin
Active Communities Program Director, Feet First Seattle, Washington, USA
I am working at a pedestrian advocacy non-profit organization leading various projects to improve the walkability of Seattle. The organization’s approach is to empower community groups to affect change in the area and to provide education and support on the technical elements of transportation and planning. I have worked on projects varying from developing audits and surveys of streetscape and neighborhood conditions, to advising transportation policy, to developing maps and wayfinding aids.
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Worldwide more and more people live in urban settings. The Master in Sustainable Cities at Aalborg University Copenhagen has a focus on handling this challenge from a climate, energy and environmen-tal perspective. Graduates in Sustainable Cities will acquire knowledge and skills to conduct analyses research on technical, economical and societal transition pro-cesses needed to find sustainable ways to lower the impact from urban living.
The programme in Sustainable Cities is connected to a broad numbers of research project connected to the Sustainable Cit-ies Research group. All of these are aimed to develop new knowledge regarding ur-ban sustainable planning, urur-ban resource cycles, green mobility, and renewable en-ergy systems. The research is conducted in a cross-disciplinary setting with and in corporation with industry, businesses, consultants, utility companies, municipali-ties, public authorities as well as other uni-versities.
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David Connolly, Assistant Professor in Energy Planning
My research is primarily focused on the technical and economic assessment of energy systems. The principal objective of my research is to evaluate how modern energy systems can be trans-formed into 100% renewable energy. An analysis typically analy-ses how energy is produced and consumed, calculates the costs of constructing and operating an energy system, and considers some specific socio-economic externalities such as job creation.
Karsten Bruun Hansen, Postdoc in behavioural aspect, transi-tion processes and educatransi-tion for sustainable development
My primarily research area deals with different kinds of behavioural aspects related to the global resource and climate crisis. It goes from institutional learning to everyday transition processes. I also look into the relations between human well-being or happiness and sustainable living. I am conducting research that focuses on why it is so hard to facilitate human behavioural change or transition pro-cesses in direction of sustainable living.
Sanne Vammen Larsen, Assistant Professor in Environmental Assessment
My research primarily focuses on environmental assessment of plans and projects; strategic environmental assessment and envi-ronmental impact assessment and related planning and participa-tion processes. I seek to evaluate and develop the use of these tools especially focussing on climate change and water issues. Theoretically I focus on sociological approaches to risk and uncer-tainty as a lense used to analyse some of the challenges related to impact assessment, climate change and water.
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Kirsten Schmidt, Assistant Professor in Sustainability and Organizational Learning
My research primarily focuses on how organizations develop their approaches and activities related to sustainability. Especially how formalized structures like environmental management or CSR sys-tems interact with social practices. My theoretical basis are theories on social practices and on organizational learning. I look at organi-zations from a life cycle approach including how they cooperate within the value chain and with different stakeholders.
Stig Hirsbak Associate Professor in Sustainable corporate management and social responsibility
My research is focused on how to create sustainability within cities by a continuous evolution of Public Private Partnership approaches. Sustainable cities requires new and experimental ways of involving all interested parties in the planning process in order to combat climate and resource challenges in order to create sustainable life-styles within the cities. It requires tools to manage and measures the consequences of sustainable planning initiatives.
Brian Vad Mathiesen, Associate Professor in Energy Planning
My main research interest is concentrated on energy system analy-ses of 100% renewable energy systems, analyanaly-ses of the transition towards such systems and large-scale integration of intermittent renewable energy sources e.g. wind power. My research covers technical energy system analyses, feasibility studies as well as public regulation and technological change.
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To enter this master programme you must have a relevant bachelor degree. The bachelor in Urban, Energy and Environ-mental Planning at Aalborg University gives you direct access to the programme. Other relevant bachelor degrees could be within engineering and geography. Single semester guest student with other bach-elor degrees e.g. politics or social science, are also welcome. However all applica-tions for the master programme is evalu-ated individually and the relevancy of the bachelor degree is evaluated through this process.
Entrance requirements
You can study as a guest student on the first and/or second term or as a master student following the entire two-year de-gree programme.
Students seeking to enrol in the pro-gramme are required to have the following qualifications:
• A bachelor of science degree in engi-neering, geography or natural sciences. • Documented working knowledge of writ-ten and spoken English (verified IELTS score report with a minimum score of 6.5, TOEFL (paper based) 550, TOEFL (com-puter based) 230, TOEFL (internet based): 80 or Cambridge ESOL: C1.
All applications are evaluated individually.
Deadlines for application
For the master’s programme, we only have a September intake. Students seeking ad-mission to the entire master’s programme and students seeking admission to the au-tumn semester as a guest semester have the following deadlines:
• March 15th for students requiring a visa to Denmark.
• May 1st if not requiring a visa (primar-ily from the EU/EEA) or students from an institution which has an exchange agree-ment with Aalborg University.
Students applying for the spring semester as a guest semester:
• August 15th if requiring a visa
• October 1st if not requiring a visa (pri-marily from the EU/EEA) or students from an institution which has an exchange agreement with Aalborg University.
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Application procedure
Find the appropriate application, fill it in, submit it electronically as well as print and mail it with the requested enclosures to the International Office. Please note, AAU has an application fee for full degree stu-dents from outside EU/EEA. The applica-tion fee will be refunded if you are admit-ted and start at the programme you have been admitted to.
See details at www.apply.aau.dk/
Tuition Fees
Full-time students at this programme who are not nationals of an EU/EEA country will be charged tuition fee of DKK 50000 per term (2010 level). Non-EU/ EEA stu-dents with a permanent residence permit for Denmark are exempted from tuition fees.
Aalborg University does, however, grant a few tuition waivers and scholarships to non-EU/EEA students. For the September 2009 intake, 22 tuition waivers and schol-arships were granted for the entire univer-sity.
Scholarships
As mentioned above, Aalborg University has only a very limited number of tuition waivers and scholarships available. Stu-dents cannot apply for these but will be nominated by Aalborg University when ap-plying. The likelihood of obtaining a schol-arship is far higher in other places - e.g. through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Education in the student’s home country.
Americans may try the Gudrun Gytel Fund.
Further Information
For information on admission procedure, scholarships, accommodation etc. visit the The Study Guide (www.studyguide. aau.dk)
For more specific info and requirements please refer to:
www.apply.aau.dk/how-to-apply-postgraduate/ entry-admission-requirements/
To contact the masters programme secre-tary [email protected]
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Denmark
Denmark is a small country that is well-situated within central and northern Europe. www.visit-denmark.com, the official website from the Dan-ish Tourist Board, Will give you an accurate broad outline, and you can go from there to links that will flesh out the general picture.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen, with its 550,000 inhabitants, is the capital of Denmark. If you are interested in more information, click on City of Copenhagen home-page:
www.kk.dk/sitecore/content/Subsites/ CityOfCopenhagen/SubsiteFrontpage
Overview
In selecting and applying for a graduate pro-gramme, there are numerous factors to consider and several practical steps one must take. The most relevant features of the academic program have already been discussed. However, a good university is characterized not by its qualified re-search and teaching alone, but also by its study environment. Information about the study environ-ment in Copenhagen, as well as information about costs and application deadlines and procedures, is provided on: www.sustainablecities.aau.dk/education/practical-info
www.sustainablecities.aau.dk
Denmark
Aalborg
Copenhagen
Photo: Karsten Bruun Hansen, Mette Nielsen, Pernille Falborg Pe
tersen
Editors:
Karsten Bruun Hansen
, Sanne V
ammen Larsen
• Layout: Jacob Hilmer
Print: Prinfoaalborg
