Environmental engineering
Deal with questions surrounding environmental and energy technology. Develop, plan, and operate technical environmental protection systems – as an environmental engineer, you will have a wide-ranging skill set. Depending on your focal area, you will take advanced courses on waterway conservation, drinking water processing, waste water processing / use, or decentralized energy systems and efficient building energy management.
The courses of the degree program will take place in Höxter in the winter semester. In the medium term, teaching will take place in Detmold.
Your heart beats for...
A Degree Program with a Future
Our degree program is also recommended as a complement building on professional training in environmental technology.
You will bring one of the following educational backgrounds:
- General university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- Specialized university entrance qualification
- Advanced technical college certificate (Fachhochschulreife)
- Vocational qualification
German language level: C1
1. Semester
- Renewable energies I + climate protection
- Natural sciences
- Soil science
- Mechanical system
- Mathematics I
2. Semester
- Hydromechanics
- Structural design and building physics
- Representation technology/CAD
- Beginning business administration
- Physics
3. Semester
- Environmental process engineering
- Applied geostatics
- Geoinformation systems
- Thermodynamics
- Phys. internship
4. Semester
- Renewable energies II
- Hydrology/Hydraulic engineering
- Waterway conservation and management
- Waste water purification
- Compulsory elective subject
5. Semester
- Water technology or energy technology
- Urban hydrology
- English
- Compulsory elective subject
- Compulsory elective subject
6. Semester
- Engineering project
- Contract, environmental and planning law
- Internship semester
7. Semester
- Internship semester
- Bachelor thesis
Focus area
- Water
- Energy
As an environmental engineer, you will handle duties related to the environmental media of water, soil, air and in the energy area
with an understanding of interdisciplinary ecological contexts
- in collaboration with other departments
- using technical methods in environmental supply, production-integrated environmental protection
- in planning, construction and operation of environmental and energy technology systems
Focus on water:
- Addressing water management issues
- Identifying and planning measures in the circular economy area
Focus on energy:
- Understanding of the special features of decentralized energy systems
- Understanding of energy-saving construction measures and efficient building energy management
- Work as a planning engineer in engineering firms
- Work as an expert assessor
- Manufacturing environmental technology products
- Public and private supply and disposal companies (focus on water)
- Property sector companies (focus on energy)
- Construction companies
- Operators of environmental technology systems
- Waste water disposal and purification (Paderborn municipal waterworks)
- Institute for Automation and Communication (ifak)
- Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband
- TIA Technologies for industrial waste water treatment
- Emscher Lippe water engineering
Cooperative projects in the framework of various Erasmus programs in the areas of:
- Digitalization of water industry by innovative graduate water education
- Climate change adapted water management
- Curricula innovation in climate-smart urban development based on green and energy efficiency with the nonacademic
- sector
- Vocational Training Diploma on Electrical and Hybrid Vehicles
- Phosphorous elimination and recovery
- Pollution load simulation of AFS63 in rainwater
- wasserplus OWL cooperative platform
... the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations
- directly to no poverty
- directly to zero hunger
- directly to good health and well-being
- directly to clean water and sanitation
- directly to affordable and clean energy
- directly to decent work and economic growth
- directly to industry, innovation and infrastructure
- directly to sustainable cities and communities
- directly to responsible consumption and production
- directly to climate action
- directly to life below water
- directly to life on land
- directly to partnerships for the goals
Studying at Sustainable Campus Höxter

Sustainable studying in Höxter
At the Höxter campus, much of the focus is on the environment, sustainability, and digitalization—for example, in the environmental engineering and landscape architecture degree programs and in the field of precision farming. Projects such as the 2023 State Garden Show demonstrate that sustainability can be exciting, practical, and innovative. This is ensured by modern laboratories, our own botanical garden, and close cooperation with local authorities and companies.
Important note: Future relocation of degree programs from the Höxter campus
The Sustainable Campus Höxter will remain one of the three locations of the TH OWL. Enrollment in the degree programs offered there will still be possible for the 2025/2026 winter semester. In the future, these will be relocated to the Creative Campus Detmold or the Innovation Campus Lemgo. Planning for this is underway; a concrete timetable will be announced in the course of 2025. TH OWL will ensure that all students are informed several months in advance and can continue to study and complete their programs without disruption. You can find all the information here.
Information
- Application and enrollment
- Dates and deadlines
- Semester dues
- FAQ about application and enrollment
- Study plan
- Manual of course modules
Only the details of the currently valid examination regulations of the degree program as published in the promulgation gazette are authoritative and legally binding. You can find the announcement sheets here.
Contact and Counseling
- Our Central Student Advisory Service answers questions about studying at the university
- Offers for study orientation
- Get to know your department!
- Click here to go to the subject-specific student advisory service of the department
- Apply via our KIS portal!
- Information on the enrollment procedure is available from the Enrollment Office
- Studying abroad? Our International Office is there for you!
Still unanswered questions?
Our Student Service Center will answer all your questions about studying at TH OWL as well as about application and enrollment:
Phone: +49 5261 702 2534
E-mail: studierendenservice(at)th-owl.de
Service hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.