Master's Programme in Environmental Science - Atmosphere, Biogeochemistry and Climate
Do you want a career in tackling real environmental challenges on a global scale?
Photo: Department of Environmental Science
The Atmosphere, Biogeochemistry and Climate Master’s Programme explores the Earth as an interconnected system, revealing how land, ocean and atmosphere interact with one another and how human pressures such as greenhouse gas emissions, pollutants and land-use change can tip those balances. You’ll dive into the dynamics of energy, water and carbon cycles, uncover how disturbances ripple through climate and air quality, and learn to view environmental change from a holistic, planetary perspective.
If you’re driven by curiosity about the processes that shape the Earth system and motivated to understand the forces influencing our future, this programme offers the scientific depth and big-picture insight needed to make sense of a rapidly changing planet.
Read more below and join in!
The basic structure of the Stockholm University Master Program in Environmental Science: Atmosphere, Biogeochemistry and Climate.
Year 1
Compulsory courses 60 credits.
Autumn semester
Large-scale Challenges for the Environment and Climate, (MI7031) (7.5 credits)
Data Analysis: Tools for Environmental Scientists (MI7032) (7.5 credits)
Atmosphere-Biogeosphere-Climate Change, (MI7016) (15 credits)
Spring semester
Environmental Biogeochemistry, (MI8017) (7.5 credits)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (MI7022) (7.5 credits)
Laboratory Methods in Environmental Science (MI7023) (7.5 credits)
Environmental Field Studies, (MI8021) (7.5 credits)
Year 2
Autumn semester
Degree project; choose between 60, 45 and 30 credits degree project:
- Degree project 60 credits or
- 15 credits optional courses + degree project 45 credits or
- 30 credits optional courses (+degree project 30 credits in spring semester)
Optional courses:
Climate Change Solutions (MI2006) (7.5 credits)
Decision-making and Environmental Risks (MI8025) (7.5 credits)
Air Quality - from emissions to impacts (MI7026) (7.5 credits)
Aerosols, Clouds and Climate (MI8026) (7.5 credits)
Data Analysis and Model Evaluation Tools in Environmental and Climate Science (MI7025) (7.5 credits)
Spring semester
Thesis 30 - 60 credits
Environmental Science, Degree Project (MI9006) 30 credits
Environmental Science, Degree Project (MI9007) 45 credits
Environmental Science, Degree Project (MI9008) 60 credits
Each semester is divided into 4 parts: A, B, C and D. Read more about term dates.
Apply online
Create an account and submit your online application via the central Swedish application site universityadmissions.se and pay the application fee/document fee exemption.
Programme-specific documents
This programme requires a completed Summary Sheet to support the selection process. Include the Summary Sheet with your other required documents and submit all materials through the application portal before the deadline.
First admission round
The first admissions round is specifically for international students
Second admission round
The Second admission round is an alternative for students from EU/EEA countries as they do not need a residence permit. Non-EU/EEA students will most likely not have enough time to obtain their permit before the start of the semester.
A successful admissions process depends a lot on meeting deadlines. Read more about imortant dates
Selection process
Selection criteria:
Grades of academic courses and the relevance of previous studies in relation to the programme..
Reply to your admission offer!
First admission round:
You have to actively accept the seat you have been offered. To confirm that you wish to keep your place, send an email to admission@aces.su.se. If you don't do that by the deadline, you will lose the place that you've been offered.
Second admission round:
If you applied to the Second round, you must reply to your admissions offer at Universityadmissions.se.
Required supporting documentation
You need to provide documention of all of your previous higher education studies. This means you need to provide documentation of your completed degree(s), and transcripts with courses and grades.
You also need to show you meet the English requirement. Some applicants meet the requirement based on previous studies, while others demonstrate their English ability by submitting English test results.
Much of what you need to submit – and how – is based on where you completed your studies. Read more on universityadmissions.se.
The Master’s Programme in Environmental Science focusing on Atmosphere, Biogeosphere and Climate examines how large-scale environmental systems – land, atmosphere and ocean – are composed and interact; on how human perturbations upset these balances; and on potential solutions to these problems.
Addressing these challenges calls for scientifically trained professionals with a holistic perspective, and developing a broad understanding of the environment is at the heart of this program. You will learn about the composition and functioning of atmospheric and land systems and the interactions between them (transport, energy balances, and the water-and carbon cycles, to name a few).
You will also study what happens when the balance of these systems is disturbed by, for example, emissions, pollutants, greenhouse gases and aerosols, and land-use change. These combine to produce effects like climate change and the degradation of air and water quality which reverberate outward, changing how the Earth system works. Understanding the environmental science perspective on these problems, and how it impacts societal issues, will equip you with the tools to look for solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems.
The programme is a balance of classroom and hands-on learning. This includes lectures by renowned researchers in environmental science, individual and group assignments, “reverse classrooms” (peer instructions under mentor guidance) laboratory experiments, field excursions, soil-, water-and air sampling, and application of analytical methods.
You have the opportunity to build professional networks as the programme introduces you to several relevant agencies and stakeholders who work with environmental issues. We prepare you to take on an important role in environmental science, whether in local or global governmental offices, NGOs, the media, the private sector, or in research communities around the globe.
Meet our students
Julia Asplund
”The department has a nice vibe and professors and researchers are very accessible when you want to talk to them about research.”
Julia has a background in Physics and she is doing a 45 credits thesis entitled “Evaluating Estimates of Urban Aerosol Emissions”
Bernd Wendler
“People come from all sorts of disciplines which makes our discussions very inspiring and interesting”.
Bernd has background in engineering and he is doing a 60 credit Master thesis entitled “Susceptibility of Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in Northern Circumpolar Permafrost Peatlands to Plant-induced Priming”
Meet our teachers
Professor Ian Cousins
Ian is one of the teachers on the Master's programme in Environmental Science. His research comprises a combination of experimental and modelling approaches to investigate the sources, transport, fate and exposure of contaminants. In recent years, much of his research has focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
More about Ian Cousins
Forever Chemicals - PFAS contamination in Europe far more widespread than previously reported – Q&A with Professor Ian Cousins on the findings of the Forever Pollution Project.
Read the article on our website.
PFAS contamination in Europe far more widespread than previously reported
Meet our alumni
Miranda Nilsson
For Miranda Nilsson, finding employment after her studies was a breeze. Her internship during the final year of her master's program in environmental science led to a permanent position as an environmental consultant once her thesis was completed.
Read more about Miranda here
The ABC program will introduce you to several relevant authorities and stakeholders working with environmental and climate issues, aiming to help you build a professional network.
The program prepares you for work in environmental management and consulting, in the private sector or within government agencies, or for a career in research.
Study counsellors
For questions about courses, applications or study planning, you are welcome to contact our study counsellors:
Learn more about our department, our research and our education on our website:
