Semester 1
Students begin at VGU or TU Darmstadt, depending on the assigned study location.
International study experience
One Programme.
Two Urban Regions.
Study Sustainable Urban Development across Ho Chi Minh City and FrankfurtRheinMain — with the second semester bringing the entire SUD cohort together at TU Darmstadt.
Germany in the SUD journey
A joint degree designed across two academic and urban contexts
SUD is a full-time, four-semester Joint Degree Master’s programme delivered by Vietnamese-German University and TU Darmstadt.
The programme uses two metropolitan regions — Ho Chi Minh City and FrankfurtRheinMain — as contrasting contexts for interdisciplinary learning about sustainable urban development.
Semester 2
All students study together at TU Darmstadt.
Semester 3
The full cohort continues together at VGU.
Semester 4
Master’s thesis in Germany or Vietnam.
Your semester at TU Darmstadt
Study together in Darmstadt
Semester 2 consists of five 6-CP modules, combining urban infrastructure, environmental systems, construction and building-scale sustainability.
Water in Urban Development
Urban water supply, drainage, wastewater treatment, hydraulic engineering and water-resource challenges.
Sustainable Waste Management & LCA
Waste-management systems and life-cycle thinking for assessing environmental impacts and resource use.
Infrastructure Planning
Planning, financing and assessing technical and social infrastructure systems under changing urban conditions.
Green Building Design
Constructive, technical and ecological principles for resource-efficient and healthy buildings.
Urban Construction Technologies
Construction organisation, scheduling, cost estimation, lean construction, safety and urban construction processes.
How learning works in Darmstadt
A semester-long academic rhythm
At TU Darmstadt, SUD modules are generally delivered as weekly courses across the semester rather than as short intensive blocks.
The programme FAQ describes approximately three contact hours per module each week, accompanied by about three hours of weekly self-study per module over roughly 13–15 weeks.
5Semester 2 modules
30 CPAcademic workload
EnglishProgramme language
Beyond the classroom
Learn from the city, the region and professional practice
Studying in Germany places SUD students within FrankfurtRheinMain — a metropolitan context for observing infrastructure, mobility, housing, environmental systems and urban transformation.
Urban context
Use the FrankfurtRheinMain region as a comparative setting alongside Ho Chi Minh City to reflect on urban systems in different institutional and spatial contexts.
Interdisciplinary cohort
Work with students from different academic backgrounds and national contexts, an approach embedded in the design of the Joint Degree programme.
Professional exposure
Students may independently pursue internships, competitions or working-student opportunities. These are not compulsory components of the SUD curriculum and are not arranged by the programme.
Living & learning in Darmstadt
Prepare early for your semester in Germany
Academic preparation is only one part of the move. Housing, health insurance, university services and arrival arrangements should be checked against the latest TU Darmstadt guidance.
Accommodation
TU Darmstadt advises international students to begin their housing search early. The university provides housing guidance, but accommodation is not automatically guaranteed.
Current housing guidance ↗International student support
TU Darmstadt’s International Student Services provides advice for international students, including orientation and administrative support.
International Student Services ↗Language & everyday life
The degree programme is taught in English. The SUD FAQ nevertheless recommends basic German for everyday life in Germany.
Check the official FAQ ↗
Continue your SUD journey
From Darmstadt to your Master’s Thesis
In Semester 4, students may choose to complete the 24-CP Master’s thesis in Germany or Vietnam. The thesis brings together the analytical, interdisciplinary and applied perspectives developed throughout the programme.
Official resources
Continue with current TU Darmstadt information
Procedural information can change. For regulations, module details and practical guidance, use the official sources below.