In the Master’s specialisation in Water and Environment you’ll be trained to become an environmental expert, analysing the human impact on nature. This might require a change of perspective: whereas biologists are used to argue from a specific organism, we start with a stressor, such as the emission of carbon dioxide or toxic agricultural pesticides. You’ll learn to unravel the effects of such stressors on all size scales, from cells to ecosystems.
This all-encompassing view is a great advantage at the job market, where there’s a great need for environmental experts who can make the connection between science and society. Think of researchers, policy makers, risk analysers or project managers. Because we focus on aquatic ecosystems and wetlands, our graduates have a head-start when it comes to pertaining positions at water boards or within water-related projects.
The Master’s specialisation in Water and Environment is taught at the Faculty of Science. It has a course load of 120 EC (two years). The first year of this specialisation contains five compulsory courses in the first quartile. You can compose the rest of the programme with specialisation and free electives, internships, literature theses and optionally a field course in Ireland or Switzerland.
– Compulsory courses: Orientation in Biology and Environmental Sciences, Ecological and Environmental Concepts, Management of Ecosystems, Biodiversity and ecological assessment, Environmental and Ecological Modelling.
– Specialisation elective: e.g., Sustainable Production and Consumption, Estuarine Ecology
– Philosophy elective
– Science electives
– Free electives
– Two internships
– Literature thesis 1
– Literature thesis 2 / field work
