This programme teaches scientific principles and specialist knowledge of landscape ecology; it also aims at providing methodological expertise and career-related qualifications. Students initially acquire wide-ranging basic knowledge of the fundamental scientific principles of physics, chemistry, biology, geology and mathematics. They subsequently gain insights into the sub-disciplines of landscape ecology, viz. climatology, soil science, hydrology, vegetation and animal ecology; these insights are supplemented by an introductory training in geoinformatics and statistics.