Humanities perspectives on the environment and ecology

06/16/2026

A new Master’s programme at the University of Würzburg combines content from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences: Environmental Humanities offers students interdisciplinary and diverse approaches.

A fresh approach to the humanities and social sciences: this is what the Master’s programme in Environmental Humanities at the University of Würzburg will offer from the 2026/27 winter semester onwards. (Image: Lena Pfeifer)

Traditionally, the humanities have placed people at the centre of their research, exploring culture, literature, language, history and politics.

The Environmental Humanities challenge this approach. “We are dismantling the centrality of humans in two ways,” explains Professor Catrin Gersdorf. The interdisciplinary strands of the new degree programme converge at her Chair of American Studies at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (JMU).

“We continue to pursue the humanities; naturally, it is about the various forms of human culture. But it is also about examining the effects of all these areas not only on our own lives, but also on the living conditions of other living beings and entire ecosystems,” says Gersdorf.

A degree programme that transcends faculty boundaries

The content of the individual modules comes from the Faculty of Human Sciences, the Faculty of Arts and the Biozentrum. The subjects range from modern language studies, literature and cultural studies through to sociology, biology, European ethnology, Protestant theology and political science – and that is not all. “We are creating a framework that is flexible and open to a wide range of disciplines. The programme can therefore be continuously expanded,” says Dr. Lena Pfeifer, who played a key role in developing the programme.

The Master’s programme thus comprises a varied range of subject-specific modules, complemented by skills-based modules. In addition to ecological perspectives on literature, politics or education, the programme also includes science communication, attendance at conferences and events, as well as work placements.

Prospects in many professional fields

The backgrounds of future students can be just as diverse as the content of the Master’s programme, which includes both English- and German-language modules. “The programme is open to all Bachelor’s degree holders, although 45 ECTS credits from the fields of literature, culture or social sciences are a prerequisite. It would be wonderful if a wide variety of perspectives could also be incorporated into our programme through our students,” says Lena Pfeifer.

After completing their studies, graduates have many career paths open to them. One might lead into academia, but environmental issues are now also being approached from multiple perspectives in many sectors outside the university setting. For example, in culture, media, politics, administration or education.

Further information on course content, entry requirements and applications can be found on the website.