Bachelor's degree in Raw Material Extraction and Recycling
Would you like to know how we can use our natural resources more sparingly? Would you like to explore deposits? And learn how stones and earth can be mined sustainably?
Are you interested in how concrete can be recycled? Or how old road surfaces can be reused?
Would you like to learn about technologies and methods for extracting and processing raw materials in an environmentally friendly way?
Then we have something for you. Our degree programme offers answers to these questions and much more...
Become an expert in the raw materials industryTechnology, responsibility, career
Raw material extraction has become significantly more important in recent years, as the secure supply of mineral raw materials has increasingly become a focus of economic and political attention. Against the backdrop of current geopolitical developments, the development of domestic and international deposits is becoming strategically more relevant – qualified specialists are therefore in high demand and benefit from long-term, stable career prospects. So come and study raw material extraction and recycling at the THGA in Bochum!
Note: The programme has been further developed and is currently undergoing accreditation. The final decision of the Accreditation Council on the further developments is still pending. Changes are therefore subject to change.
We do not have a minimum grade requirement for bachelor's programmes, nor do we charge tuition fees. We only charge a semester fee, which includes the Deutschland-Ticket for public transport.
You can find all the information you need about enrolment and deadlines here.
Full-time study with a 4-day weekCompact study programme
You can study raw material extraction and recycling with us on a full-time basis. From the third semester onwards, you choose a specialisation and deepen your knowledge of stone and earth or civil engineering.
In our full-time programme, we guarantee you a 4-day week without compromising on the quality or scope of your studies. This means you have one fixed day for your plans, your job or your family. You will receive a more compact timetable, allowing you to complete your weekly semester hours in just four days.
Areas of Specialisation
This specialisation not only provides you with technical knowledge, but also a deep understanding of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in the raw materials industry.
Among other things, you will deal with the deposits of stones and earth. In other words, you will research where mineral raw materials occur. You will also learn about methods for the efficient extraction of loose rock in open-cast mining and analyse building materials made from mineral raw materials. Renaturation also plays an important role in this focus area. You will learn about measures for the ecological restoration of mined areas.
We offer you specialised training in the exploration and extraction of underground raw materials. Large quantities of raw materials are extracted worldwide using civil engineering techniques – including in Germany, which is the world's fifth-largest producer of potash and the third-largest producer of rock salt.
You will be involved in the investigation and evaluation of deposits of ores, salts and fossil fuels. You will also learn about techniques and processes for developing and extracting raw materials from underground. We will also teach you everything you need to know about the construction and safety of underground structures for raw material extraction. You will learn how tunnels are built and what needs to be taken into account when constructing mines.
This specialisation provides comprehensive knowledge of the techniques and challenges of underground mining, with a particular focus on safety and efficiency.
Start with the Bachelor of ChoiceOrientate yourself and then decide
Still unsure whether geotechnical engineering is right for you?
Then we offer you an orientation phase with the Bachelor of Choice. In the first two semesters, you will learn the basics of two degree programmes: Raw Materials Extraction and Recycling and Geotechnical Engineering and Applied Geology. After that, you decide which of the two degree programmes you would like to continue with.
Facts&Figures
Career Prospects
THGA is the only university in Germany to offer a degree programme specialising in minerals and earths. Graduates with this specialisation are in high demand. As in civil engineering, the number of jobs on offer has exceeded the number of graduates for years.
Our degree programme is designed to enable you to work for internationally oriented companies after graduation. We have compiled a few examples of typical career opportunities for you here:
Training AgreementWorking for the mining authority
In accordance with the training agreement between THGA and the Arnsberg district government, graduates of the degree programme with the two specialisations in stone and earth and civil engineering, in combination with the Master's degree in Georesource Engineering, fulfil the academic requirements for employment in the preparatory service (mining traineeship) for the civil service in career group 2, second entry-level position in the mining sector.
Follow-up master's degree Continuing at THGA
And if you want to deepen your knowledge even further, continue your studies at THGA with a Master's degree in Georesource Engineering.
We train engineers to plan and execute the complex processes involved in mine closure and aftercare in positions of responsibility. The programme combines scientific and technical qualifications at the interface of mining, mine surveying, surveying and geotechnical engineering.
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