Short-term units – Faculty of Natural Sciences

Short-term units and modular learning units open up new opportunities within academic study. The Faculty of Natural Sciences offers tailored short-term units designed to help students acquire additional qualifications in a focused way. These compact learning formats broaden your academic profile with specialised knowledge and pave the way for future career prospects.

Our offering follows an EU recommendation promoting a European approach to lifelong learning and supporting flexible learning pathways.

Upskill in concise units

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Upskill in concise educational units

Competence module: micro-credential

A micro-credential is a single learning unit and serves as evidence of learning achievement. It can be earned by completing a short, self-contained unit of study successfully. Micro-credentials can usually be combined, so that several completed micro credentials can later lead to a micro-degree.

Competence package: micro-degree

A micro-degree is a defined programme. It consists of at least two micro-credentials, which together form a set of related and clearly defined learning outcomes. Unlike conventional degrees, which cover broad fields of knowledge, a micro-degree focuses on a specialised area or a particular competency and takes significantly less time to complete.

Offer from the Faculty of Natural Sciences

Our short-term units offer you a fast track to new qualifications. The benefits and opportunities for you: deepen your knowledge, broaden your skills and discover new perspectives.
At the Faculty of Natural Sciences, micro-credentials are short, self-contained learning modules worth 2 to 3 ECTS credits. The micro-degree programme consists of four micro-credentials and is worth 10 ECTS credits.

Once you have successfully completed a short unit, you can apply for a certificate. Credit transfer towards your degree programme is generally possible. Please note, however, that each case must be assessed individually. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the content or the registration process.

INDIVIDUAL MICRO-CREDENTIALS

Sustainability research
In-situ analysis of isotopes and trace elements

MICRO-DEGREE PROGRAMME

Mass spectrometry from an interdisciplinary perspective

DETAILS

Module catalogue [PDF file to download]

Based on current projects, the aim is to propose evidence-based ideas for greater sustainability on campus, at LUH, in Hanover, in Germany and worldwide. In this way, we seek to foster dialogue among all members of the faculty and beyond, while contributing to the shaping of a sustainable future.
Each summer semester, researchers from the Faculty of Natural Sciences will present their research approaches to sustainability in a series of interactive presentations designed to be accessible to a broader audience. There will also be ample opportunity for group discussion.

Who is it for? For students on all degree programmes in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, as well as anyone interested in sustainability. Recommended for Bachelor’s students from the 4th semester onwards and for Master’s students.
ECTS credit: 2

Registration is via Stud.IP. Places for the award of credits are limited. Further details can be found in the module catalogue.

In-situ isotope and trace element analyses with LA-ICP-MS

The one-week intensive course, presented in English, combines lectures with theoretical and practical training in the in-situ analysis of isotopes and trace elements by ICP mass spectrometry (ThermoScientific Neptune-Plus MC-ICP-MS, Element-XR) in combination with a laser ablation system (SpectraPhysics femtosecond laser). Femtosecond laser ablation allows relevant geological materials, such as minerals, glasses and ice, to be ablated without elemental or isotopic fractionation. It is therefore particularly well suited to in-situ analyses of stable isotopes, a key research focus in Hanover.

Who is it for? For students of Earth Sciences – recommended for Master’s programmes and doctoral candidates.
ECTS credits: 3

Registration is via Prof. Dr. Stefan Weyer. Places for the award of credits are limited. Further details can be found in the module catalogue.
Application deadline for the course starting in February 2027 is 13 December 2026.

The micro-degree programme demonstrates the wide-ranging applications of mass spectrometry in research and practice across chemistry, plant sciences and geosciences. It focuses on modern instruments, ionisation methods and analytical strategies that enable the precise analysis of molecules, proteins and isotopes. Seminars and practical sessions draw on current research examples and combine foundational knowledge with hands-on application. A final practical module provides direct access to the equipment and methods.

Competence modules in a package
The micro-degree comprises the following micro-credentials:
Mass spectrometry in chemistry: fundamentals and applications (3 ECTS credits)
Mass spectrometry in plant sciences: analysis of proteins, proteomes and specialised metabolites (2 ECTS credits)
Inorganic mass spectrometry in the geosciences: fundamentals and applications (3 ECTS credits)
Applied mass spectrometry in research (2 ECTS credits)
The courses are taught in English (with the exception of the unit “Bioanalytik pflanzlicher Proteine” in the micro-credential “Mass spectrometry in plant sciences: analysis of proteins, proteomes and specialised metabolites”).

Who is it for? For students on all degree programmes in the Faculty of Natural Sciences – recommended for Master’s programmes.
ECTS credits: 10

Registration is via E-Mail to the coordination. Please state your degree programme, semester and any compulsory-elective modules in the field of mass spectrometry that you might have already taken. Places for the award of credits are limited. Further details can be found in the module catalogue.