Admission requirements
With a Bachelor’s degree from GIUZ
Students who have successfully completed their Bachelor's degree program in Geography at UZH will be admitted to any of the 4 tracks of the consecutive Master’s programmes in Geography or Earth System Science (application for a direct entry via the semester enrollment).
With a Bachelor’s degree from UZH but not from GIUZ
Students who have successfully completed their Bachelor’s degree program at UZH in another subject than Geography or Earth System Science can also apply for a direct entry via the semester enrollment. Subsequently, your application will be assessed and depending on your Bachelor’s degree program and module combination, you may be required to pass some modules from GIUZ’s Bachelor curricula – specifically assigned to you – in order to fill gaps.
Earth System Science requirements for students with a Bachelor Degree from another University
The Earth System Science Master's program is open for students holding a Bachelor's degree in Earth System Science or a closely related field from an accredited university. To be considered for admission, a minimum of 120 ECTS credits in ESS content is required, including natural sciences (physics, math, chemistry, biology) and foundational skills in Geography domains (remote sensing, GIS, physical geography, and geology). We check for equivalent courses to the following courses:
| ESS 111 | Dynamic Earth I: Geology | GER |
| ESS 341 | Python programming in remote sensing | EN |
| GEO 121 | Physical Geography II | GER |
| GEO 123 | Earth Perspectives | EN |
| EEE 102 | Introduction to Ecology | EN |
| PHY 118 | Physics I for natural sciences | EN |
| CHE 170 | Basics in Chemistry for natural sciences | GER |
| MAT 182 | Analysis for natural sciences (Excersices in EN) | GER/EN |
Additional requirements
If you do not meet some of these prerequisites you can still be admitted, but you are required to catch up by participating in specific modules that will be assigned to you. The specific requirements (max. 60 ECTS; typically 0 - 30 ECTS credits) will be determined based on your individual academic background and will have to be fulfilled in addition to the Master's curriculum. If the additional requirements exceed 60 ECTS, you will not be admitted to the program. Additional, you need to fullfill the language requirements from the UZH.
Please note that most Bachelor courses at UZH and at ETHZ are only offered in German.
Geography requirements for students with a Bachelor Degree from another University
The Geography Master's program is open for students holding a Bachelor's degree in Geography or a closely related field from an accredited university. To be considered for admission, a minimum of 120 ECTS credits in geographical content is required, including at least 10 ECTS in mathematical foundations (analysis and statistics). Additionally, applicants must possess at least 15 ECTS credits within their chosen emphasis area (physical geography, human geography, GIScience or Remote Sensing) offered by the program.
Additional requirements
If you do not meet some of these prerequisites you can still be admitted, but you are required to catch up by participating in specific modules that will be assigned to you. The specific requirements (max. 60 ECTS; typically 0 - 30 ECTS credits) will be determined based on your individual academic background and will have to be fulfilled in addition to the Master's curriculum. If the additional requirements exceed 60 ECTS, you will not be admitted to the program. Additional, you need to fullfill the language requirements from the UZH.
Please note that most Bachelor courses at UZH and at ETHZ are only offered in German.
Typical additional requirements
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MAT 182 |
Analysis for Natural Sciences (Basic skills)(Excersices in EN) |
GER/EN |
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MAT183 |
Stochastics (Basic skills)(Excersices in EN) |
GER/EN |
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GEO246 |
Statistics (Basic skills) |
EN |
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GEO 121 |
Physical Geography II (Emphasis Physical Geography) |
GER |
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GEO123 |
Introduction to Cartophraphy & Geovisualisation (Emphasis GIS) |
EN |
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GEO363 |
Critical Reading and Writing (Emphasis Human Geography) |
EN |
Application process
The application process goes through various stages and can therefore take several weeks. In special or urgent cases, you can contact the Office of Student Affairs of the Faculty of Science.
To do |
Further Information |
Links and Guidance |
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UZH application |
The application for the Master at UZH is possible for fall semester until 30 April and for spring term until 30 November.
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More information for the Application. Guide to the Application portal
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Admission letter of MNF |
After applying at UZH, you will receive a decision in the form of an e-mail from the Faculty of Science. The email will inform you whether you have been admitted and you can access the admission document in the student portal. If you have to meet requirements (i.e. pass modules from GIUZ’s Bachelor program), these requirements are listed in a second document that can be read on the student portal. |
You will receive the document from the Faculty of Science in the Student Portal at “Application”.
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Conditions of required modules |
If you have to meet requirements, you should check the conditions of the required modules, i.e. the language the course is taught in, fall/spring term, proof of performance etc. Please note that a failed proof of performance (i.e. an exam) can only be repeated once! Moreover, you need to pass these modules before you can start with your Master's Thesis |
Some information are on the attached document of the letter and some you can look up in the Course Catalogue If you need more help and guidance about your requirements, please contact the Student Advice |
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Semester fees |
Please check if you paid your semester fees after receiving the bill. If not, you will not be able to book any modules. |
More Information about the semester fees. You can find the invoice in the Student Portal at “My Requests and Invoices”. |
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Login data |
Check if you have received the login data of UZH.
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More information for new Students about Logins and more Guide to the IT Support. More information about access data from UZH. |
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E-mail from Department of Geography |
About one month before the lecture start, you will receive a welcome email from the Department of Geography (GIUZ). |
If you did not receive this email, please contact the Teaching Support
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Module booking |
The module booking is usually possible 4-5 weeks before the start of the lectures (mid-September and mid-February). In the Course Catalogue, you will find further information about booking deadlines and requirements of the modules. The compulsory modules GEO 410 for Geography and ESS 401 for Earth System Science need to be booked first (both take place in the autumn semester).
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Information about the module booking process, how to book modules and the deadlines. You can look up your modules in the Student Portal under “Search UZH Course catalog” and book them at “Noted Items & Module Booking”. If you need help, please contact the Student Advice |
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First lecture of GEO 410 |
For Geography Students only: First lecture of GEO 410 visited (Monday, first week of fall term). There, you will receive additional information about the Geography Master’s program.
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More Information about the Module GEO 410. |
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Contact ESS coordinator |
For ESS Students only: As soon as possible, you should contact ESS’s Master’s program coordinator. |
You will discuss your curriculum (i.e. choice of track) with Dr. Maarten Eppinga at the beginning of your studies of ESS. |
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MSc information event for external students |
The Department of Geography offers an information event for external students, if you have just started the Master's program, you should come to this information event. You will also receive further information and can ask questions if anything is still unclear. |
If you did not receive any information about the event, please contact the Teaching Support |
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Starting your Master’s thesis |
Before you start your Master's thesis (earliest in the 2nd semester of your Master program), you should contact a potential supervisor and discuss the topic and process of your thesis.
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More information about the Master's thesis at GIUZ
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| Assignment of Modules |
At the end of the program, when all modules have been completed and added to the study portal (including Master's thesis and Master's examination), the modules can be assigned in the Student Portal under “Study Progress & Graduation”. It is important that the requirements should not be assigned to the Master's degree but to the requirements separately. |
More information about the Assignment of Modules and Graduation in general. |