The question is no longer if our climate will change, but how will it change and how will we adapt to these changes? Adaption and mitigation to global warming, the greenhouse effect and climate change all form the basis of the master's Climate Studies programme in Wageningen. Students will gain a broad overview of climate change during this two-year programme. As changes and challenges crystallise, the demand for scientists able to understand and investigate them will rise. This master's programme is specifically targeted at students who wish to focus on the scientific insights into climate change and on the social and economic implications of climate change in the broadest sense.
The MSc programme Climate Studies runs annually beginning from September. It comprises 120 European credit points (EC) and runs for two academic years. The first year consists of 40 weeks of coursework; the second year consists of the academic internship (16 weeks) and thesis programme (24 weeks), which are the core components of the Masters degree programme. View the complete programme of Climate Studies.
Within the master's programme you can choose from the following Specialisations to meet your personal interests.
The best way to get to know a place is by getting to know the people. Students share their experiences with you about the master's programme and student life in Wageningen on the page Student experiences.
The demand for scientists that are able to understand and investigate climate change issues is increasing. After graduation you will be able to continue your scientific career or work in the professional field. Read more about the career perspectives and opportunities after finishing the programme.
Related programmes:
MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies
The Master's specialisation in Cities, Water and Climate Change discusses the relationship between city planning and development, climate mitigation and adaptation. Cities, because of high levels of energy consumption and mobility, are the main contributors to climate change. At the same time, cities, because of their population density, are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Questions that will be addressed in this specialisation are: How can city planners contribute to a reduction of CO2 emissions, and how can cities adapt to the consequences of climate change?
This Master's specialisation prepares students for working on the nexus between urban planning, water and environmental management. Students develop a broad and detailed view on the societal context of spatial and environmental issues is developed into an institutional approach.
Possibilities for mainstreaming climate change into urban planning are discussed as well as examples of carbon free cities and transition towns. It is expected that in 2050 more than 70% of the world’s population lives in delta areas. Because of the rapidly urbanizing delta areas, special attention will be paid to issues of flood risk management and multi-layered water safety. Which infrastructure is needed to protect delta areas, what is the potential of ecosystem engineering (‘building with nature’), and what are possibilities for flood proofing urban areas?
To learn more about these strategies, students will study case studies from the Netherlands (Delta programme, Rotterdam, and Nijmegen) as well as international cases (New Orleans, Miami, New York, Jakarta, Hamburg). Students will learn more about both strategies to enhance cities’ adaptive capacity (the capacity to adapt to changing climate conditions), and cities’ resilience (the capacity to respond to shocks, such as floods).
Our Spatial Planning graduates are greatly valued by their employers for their analytical skills, critical perspective and sound academic understanding of the relationship between human activities, their spatial environment, and relevant spatial interventions enhancing their living environment.
Upon completion students will have knowledge of:
Spatial planners from Nijmegen work as policy maker, consultant or project manager for government, consulting firms, project developers, housing corporations or research institutes. Also, more and more of our alumni are working in international projects.
Find out more on our website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cwcc
In our Master's programme in Earth, Life, and Climate, you will explore the fundamental processes which regulate the past, present, and future dynamics of sedimentary systems, biodiversity, and climate, as well as their evolution. This two-year programme will provide you with the knowledge you need to understand climate change and its impact on natural environments such as soils, sediments, lakes, groundwater, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans.
The main topics you will study include the evolution of life, the development of sedimentary basins, carbon sources and sinks, biogeochemical and geochemical fingerprinting of sedimentary processes/environments, and climate reconstruction.
You can choose one of four tracks based on your specific interests:
On this programme, you will learn state-of-the-art reconstruction methods, modelling techniques, and laboratory experiments used in a wide range of earth and beta science disciplines. These disciplines include biogeology, palaeontology, palynology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, environmental geochemistry, organic geochemistry, hydrology, physical geography, geology, biology, climate dynamics, marine sciences and palaeoceanography. You will utilise these skills in your own research project or on the traineeships you can take in preparation for an international career in applied or fundamental research.
The programme focuses on the following societal and scientific questions:
Analysing and reflecting on sustainability transformations in cities and regions with regard to topics such as waste, energy, water, transportation and climate change.
Cities around the world are dealing with environmental issues: air pollution, urban heat islands, stormwater flooding, the growing accumulation of solid waste. What can be done to keep citizens safe from environmental hazards and natural disasters? What is needed to ensure a pleasant living environment? And how can residents, commuters and businesses be stimulated – or if necessary, forced with legislation or financial sanctions – to do their bit? With the problems increasing, rather than diminishing, there’s a growing demand for professionals with an expertise in the development of sustainable cities.
The Master’s specialisation in Local Environmental Change and Sustainable Cities focuses on the local level of sustainability transformations. You’ll be introduced to the latest scientific insights, which will be illustrated with numerous examples of how cities and regions all over the world tackle these problems.
A broad scope of environmental issues will be addressed, as well as existing measures and instruments. Stormwater management, forms of renewable energy and green roofs are just a small sample of what you can expect to encounter. You’ll also, for example, discover that waste management goes far beyond recycling schemes and how cradle-to-grave products are making way for cradle-to-cradle. In addition, we’ll be dealing with citizens’ initiatives in renewable energy as well as new focus areas, like the possible environmental advantages of community food systems.
This Master’s specialisation will teach you to become the bridge between science and society. What do the latest results in environmental research actually mean and how can that knowledge be converted into concrete plans and policies that will bring about the change needed? In this, it’s crucial that you understand how policymaking and legislation works as well as have some insight into human behaviour. For a plan to work, the people and businesses in the city need to collaborate. Environmental and behavioural psychology will therefore be addressed in various courses within this specialisation too.
See the website: http://www.ru.nl/masters/local
1. The specialisation strongly focuses on the local level of sustainability transformations, in particular sustainable cities.
2. The natural as well as social and political aspects of environmental issues will be addressed.
3. Related aspects of spatial planning will be incorporated in this specialisation. You can also take courses from the Master’s in Spatial Planning as electives for a multidisciplinary perspective.
3. Thanks to our extensive research, our staff members are among the leading experts when it comes to waterproofing and climate proofing cities.
4. You’ll gain insight on how to take scientific results and convert them into viable plans and policies.
5. Because the Netherlands is known for its expertise in water, climate and spatial planning, it offers a great atmosphere to study this field.
6. You’ll also benefit from the advantages of the Master’s programme in Environment and Society Studies in general.
See the website: http://www.ru.nl/masters/local
The cities of today are complex with interrelated economic, social, environmental and physical challenges which need to be balanced in the ever-changing urban environment.
The intensive 12-month MSc in Urban Management and Development is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to become competent urban managers by offering an in-depth insight into urban issues, policies and trends around the world through a blend of lectures with case studies, discussions, working groups, group assignments and field visits and field work. More specifically, you will be looking into questions like (but not limited to):
What are the dynamics of urban growth? How do you manage a city in a holistic way? What about creating urban land and space use policies that reflect the “New Urban Agenda” goals? What are the theories that underpin good urban governance? Under what conditions are Public Private Partnerships (PPP) successful vehicles for urban development? How can local governments finance urban infrastructure? What is the right way to assess a social policy in the view of a paradigm shift?
The master programme is divided into three main periods: a core period, a specialization period and a thesis period. Visit our website or download the brochure to find more information about the programme structure and the knowledge you will gain during each period.
Throughout the course, students participate in interactive lectures, workshops and discussions, engage in group and individual exercises, analyse cases, give presentations and write papers and essays which aim to deepen their knowledge about the concepts and theory. The training methodology of the programme includes field visits, fieldwork, simulation games, discussions, best practices and case studies.
IHS, the Insitute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam was honoured in 2007 with the UN-HABITAT Award for ‘leading the way as a global center of excellence and knowledge through its high quality teaching programmes in urban management and planning’ and over 60 years of experience in educating and training local and national governments officials.
Acquire a solid foundation in key renewable energy technologies and related socio-economic issues at Hanze UAS and specialise in a specific technology at a partner institute or at Hanze UAS. Specialisations are available in wind energy, photovoltaics, sustainable fuel systems for mobility, solar thermal energy, grid integration and ocean energy. This programme is for students with a technical background.
Acquire a solid foundation in sustainable energy system management. Topics include modelling, technologies, markets & innovation, scientific framework (law, policy, societal acceptance, nvironmental aspects). Work on real life projects, and follow the specialisation semester at a partner institute or at Hanze UAS. The specialisations you can choose are system integration and optimisation or sustainable energy management. This programme is for students with a background in economics, managerial engineering or equivalent.
Our Master’s programme in Climate Physics offers you a unique combination of theoretical courses and practical training in all aspects of the Earth’s climate. You’ll study the physics, dynamics, and chemistry of the atmosphere, oceans, and cryosphere – as well as explore their interactions.
The Dutch Master's Selection Guide (Keuzegids Masters 2017) ranked this programme as the best in the field of Physics in the Netherlands.
The two-year Climate Physics programme trains you to be a highly skilled researcher by focusing on the fundamental physical processes that make up the Earth’s climate system. The complex nature of the work requires advanced mathematical skills right from the start. You will build on this foundation by adding specialised theoretical, observational, and computational knowledge and skills relating to the atmosphere, meteorology, oceans, cryosphere (ice), and biosphere. Moreover, your instructors will encourage you to develop a critical attitude towards your research results and your underlying assumptions.
Our teaching staff include leading experts from the five research fields encompassed by the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU):
The MSc in Climate Physics is a two-year research Master’s programme that provides students with the knowledge and skills to evaluate the fundamental physical processes that regulate the Earth’s climate system, including the dynamics of the planet’s atmosphere, ocean, and climate.
