Psychology and Sociology of Sustainable Transformation (B. Sc.)

Frau mit unbeschriebenem Protestplakat, rundherum in Park starren junge Menschen auf ihre Smartphones

Understanding how change succeeds

Would you like to understand why people act the way they do?
How attitudes, emotions and behaviour arise – and how they shape change processes?
Why some movements grow and others fail?

In the Bachelor's programme in Psychology and Sociology of Sustainable Transformation, you will learn how psychological and sociological processes shape change and transformation and how you can actively support this process.

Your studies

You will deal with questions such as:

How do narratives develop – and what effect do they have on transformations?
Why are social aspects not only emotionally but also economically relevant?
Why are some organisations successful in change, while others are not?

You will learn to understand, analyse and help shape dynamics in individuals, organisations and societies. The focus is on values, norms, communication and psychological safety as well as participation and social resonance.

Your perspective

Whether in NGOs, local authorities or companies, you will be empowered to accompany sustainable change processes and strengthen the resilience of organisations and societies – always with a focus on people. In addition to psychological and sociological fundamentals, you will also acquire skills in dealing with artificial intelligence and develop your human intelligence in order to combine the two in a meaningful way.

Why this degree programme?

The climate crisis, digitalisation, social tensions and geopolitical upheavals call for new ways of thinking and new solutions. This degree programme provides you with the knowledge and tools you need to shape transformations in a sustainable and responsible manner.

Degree
Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.)
Duration
7 semesters
Start of studies
Winter

Dual Study
Yes
Language
German

Location
Neuburg on the Danube

A degree programme that focuses on people as individuals and as part of society.

Psychology, the study of the human mind, and sociology, the study of social behaviour, group structure and interactions, are the cornerstones of the courses on offer. The aspect of sustainability is always considered in all modules and is integral content: consumption, housing and urban planning, energy transition and climate adaptation, digitalisation in the field of tension between urban and rural areas can only succeed in a sustainable transformation.

A course of study that focuses on systemic interactions between organisational units and social groups.

The Bachelor's degree programme starts at the intersection with definitions of sustainability: How can the most important decisions be made from today's perspective and the needs of the present be satisfied without jeopardising future generations?

Institutional foundations such as change management or business law, psychology (including personality development or work psychology) and sociology with a focus on culture and transformation are enriched by modules on international relations (geostrategy, foreign policy and post-colonialism) or environmental policy and behavioural economics.

During the practical semester, which can be completed in urban development, at NGOs or in companies in the field of innovation research or sustainability consulting, for example, you will gain important experience in methodology and moderation in stakeholder interaction and can help shape social debates.

Curriculum

1. Semester

Fundamentals of sustainability (5 ECTS)

Fundamentals of Micro- and Macroeconomics (5 ECTS)

Psychological basics (5 ECTS)

Social Psychology (5 ECTS)

Macrosociology (5 ECTS)

Scientific work (5 ECTS)

2. Semester

Fields of action of sustainability I (5 ECTS)

Management principles and ethics in organisations (5 ECTS)

Personal development (5 ECTS)

Communication Psychology and Participation I (5 ECTS)

Microsociology (5 ECTS)

Methods of data collection, data management (5 ECTS)

3. Semester

Fields of action of sustainability II (5 ECTS)

Change Management: Change in Organisations and Society (5 ECTS)

Sustainable Economics (5 ECTS)

Work & Organisational Psychology and Cultural Sociology (5 ECTS)

Sociology of transformation and sustainability (5 ECTS)

Methods of data analysis, artificial intelligence (5 ECTS)

4. Semester

Climate change transformation process (5 ECTS)

Business, administrative and environmental law (5 ECTS)

Economic, environmental and sustainability psychology (5 ECTS)

Applied practical project: Project management and participation (10 ECTS)

Applying methods and empirical work (5 ECTS)

5. Semester

Practical semester: 18 weeks in companies/public institutions/consultancies/municipalities (27 ECTS)

Supervision (3 ECTS)

6. Semester

Digitalisation transformation process (5 ECTS)

International Relations (5 ECTS)

Business Coaching and Mediation (5 ECTS)

Communication Psychology and Participation II (5 ECTS)

Compulsory elective I (5 ECTS)

Social Entrepreneurship and Methods of Innovation (5 ECTS)

7. Semester

Compulsory elective subject II (5 ECTS)

Bachelor thesis (12 ECTS)

Research colloquium (3 ECTS)

Science and Technology Studies (5 ECTS)

Compulsory elective subject III (5 ECTS)

Quick Info

The degree programme, held in German, can be started in the winter semester.

As the degree programme is not admission-restricted, applications are made exclusively via the PRIMUSS application portal THI. It is therefore not necessary to register with DOSV/hochschulstart.

Application deadlines
Information on the application period, which starts on 2 May, and the application process is summarised on the page"Application for a Bachelor's degree course place".

The Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) degree in Psychology and Sociology of Sustainable Transformation provides a combination of psychological and sociological expertise that enables students to address sustainability-related issues in a well-founded manner. This opens up diverse and promising career prospects in an increasingly ecologically and socially conscious world.

Graduates of the degree programme are prepared in a variety of ways, particularly for project coordination and specialist project management tasks:

Examples:

Urban and regional development: Participation (involvement in participatory processes for sustainable urban and regional planning, work in local authorities or planning offices with a focus on social sustainability and quality of life, design of sustainable mobility and housing concepts)
Companies and organisations: Innovation and futurology (developing scenarios and supporting future processes in organisations, analysing social megatrends in the context of sustainable transformation, working in innovation labs, real-world labs or think tanks)Companies and
organisations: Change management and organisational development (accompanying change processes towards sustainability-oriented organisational cultures, moderating workshops and team developments with a focus on sustainable values)
NGOs: policy advice and NGO work (analysis and development of socially acceptable sustainability policies, stakeholder communication and representation of interests, organisation and moderation of participatory processes)
Research: Behavioural change and environmental psychology (design and evaluation of campaigns to promote sustainable behaviour, research into barriers and motivations for sustainable action, development of incentive systems for sustainable behaviour)
Service companies: Sustainability consulting (development of sustainability strategies in companies, support for transformation processes towards socio-ecological sustainability)

A wide range of support options in the form of scholarships are available to students at THI.

For German and EU citizens, as well as other interested parties with German university entrance qualifications under certain conditions, studying at THI is free of charge; only a semester fee payable to the Erlangen-Nuremberg Student Services Association is required.

Applicants from outside the EU/EEA should note the following:

The Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt intends to charge tuition fees of €800 per semester (bachelor's degree) starting in the summer semester of 2026.

At THI, we strive to offer our students the best possible conditions for developing their skills and personalities for the professional world of the future. Our International Welcome Centre provides excellent services and support. Our degree programmes offer the best possible study conditions.

As soon as the necessary legal framework has been established and further details on implementation are available, we will provide information on our website.

Contact us

Prof. Dr. Annette Risi
Phone: +49 841 9348-5027
Room: CN110
E-Mail: Annette.Risi@thi.de

Director ForTraNN Sustainability Research and Transfer
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Holzhammer
Phone: +49 841 9348-5025
E-Mail: Uwe.Holzhammer@thi.de

Module Handbook

A module handbook describes the modules belonging to a degree programme. It contains information on admission requirements, learning content and objectives, ECTS points, duration, workload, literature, examination types, lecturers and module coordinators of the modules and courses of the respective degree programme. The module handbook for this degree programme is currently still being finalised.

Study and Examination Regulations

The study examination regulations describe the legal framework for your degree programme. The current SPO for Psychology and Sociology of Sustainable Transformation can be viewed on the website of the Legal Affairs Office. If you have any questions, please contact the Service Center Study Affairs.