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msc programmes #1 university of the netherlands 105 nationalities 6771 students 30 2012-2013 brochure for international students master programmes library is open 14 hours per day furnished room provided teacher:student ratio 1:10 1 hour s travel from amsterdam rotterdam and the hague

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welcome `to explore the potential of nature and improve the quality of life this is the mission of our scientists and students wageningen university is one of the world s leading research and education institutes when it comes to life sciences we focus on complex issues in food production the relation between food and health environmental issues and bio-diversity these issues are of great importance and subject to increasing worldwide concern at wageningen we take into account the broader picture before zooming in on the finer details this enables us to both understand processes on a molecular level and their influence on and interaction with higher integration levels such as ecosystems crop characteristics or human health we also interlink socio-economic approaches to problems with biological chemical or physical approaches in the complex dynamics of the modern world it is no longer possible to solve complex issues through a simple mono-disciplinary result or approach this conviction is taught to our students and is the driving force behind our leading research groups our scientific and educational endeavours are internationally oriented and have an impact on society policy and science students and scientists from around the world gather in wageningen to form a large international community that bridges cultures in a natural way this enriches the dynamic climate of our university and gives our master study programmes an extra dimension i hope this brochure arouses your interest and that we may welcome you in the near future as a new member of the international wageningen academic community prof dr martin j kropff rector magnificus `to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life that is the mission of wageningen ur university research centre within the domain of `healthy food and living environment wageningen ur works around the globe conducting research for government agencies and the business community www.wageningenuniversity.eu 3

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master of science programmes 6 8 studying in wageningen msc animal sciences animal breeding and genetics animal nutrition applied zoology animal health and behaviour animal health management animal production systems 15 msc climate studies meteorology and air quality hydrology and quantitative water management crop and weed ecology or nature conservation and plant ecology earth system science or integrated water management or soil quality environmental system analysis environmental economics environmental policy 9 msc applied communication science 10 msc aquaculture and marine resource management aquaculture marine resources and ecology marine governance 16 msc development and rural innovation communication and innovation studies technology and agrarian development rural development sociology 17 msc earth and environment aquatic ecology and water quality management atmospheric chemistry and air quality earth system science hydrology and quantitative water management meteorology nature conservation and plant ecology soil biology and biological soil quality soil chemistry and chemical soil quality soil geography and landscape soil physics ecohydrology and groundwater management 11 msc bioinformatics bioinformatics systems biology 12 msc biology animal adaptation and behavioural biology bio-interactions molecular ecology conservation and systems ecology evolution and biodiversity health and disease marine biology molecular development and gene regulation plant adaptation 18 msc environmental sciences environmental quality environmental systems analysis environmental policy and management environmental technology 13 msc biosystems engineering agricultural engineering farm technology systems and control information technology environmental technology agrologistics 19 msc food quality management 20 msc food safety 21 msc food technology ingredient functionality product design food biotechnology and biorefining dairy science and technology european masters degree in food studies food innovation and management sensory science gastronomy sustainable food processing engineering 14 msc biotechnology cellular and molecular biotechnology process technology marine biotechnology medical biotechnology food biotechnology environmental and biobased technology 4 www.wageningenuniversity.eu

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22 msc forest and nature conservation policy and society management ecology 31 msc nutrition and health epidemiology and public health nutritional physiology and health status molecular nutrition and toxicology sensory science 23 msc geographical information management and applications 24 msc geo information science 25 msc international development studies sociology of development economics of development communication technology and policy 32 msc organic agriculture agro-ecology consumer and market 33 msc plant biotechnology functional plant genomics plants for human and animal health molecular plant breeding and pathology 34 msc plant sciences crop science greenhouse horticulture natural resource management plant breeding and genetic resources plant pathology and entomology 26 msc international land and water management land degradation and development irrigation and water management integrated water management 27 msc landscape architecture and planning landscape architecture socio-spatial analysis spatial planning 35 msc urban environmental management environmental economics environmental policy environmental systems analysis geo-information science management studies spatial planning urban environmental technology and management 28 msc leisure tourism and environment 29 msc management economics and consumer studies management studies consumer studies economics environment and governance management innovation and life sciences health and society 36 health and society specialisation 37 sensory science specialisation 38 water technology specialisation 30 msc molecular life sciences biological chemistry physical biology physical chemistry biomedical research environmental chemistry 40 admission application 42 programme outline www.wageningenuniversity.eu 5

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studying in wageningen international character wageningen university has an excellent international reputation study programmes and research are followed by students from over 100 countries through partnerships with numerous dutch and international companies and governments wageningen university has become the largest university in europe and one of the best universities worldwide in the field of life sciences as a result wageningen university students have no problems finding internships challenging work experience posts and career opportunities around the world the university wageningen university is one of the leading international universities in the field of healthy food and living environment studying at wageningen university guarantees you premium quality education and an international quality benchmark on your curriculum vitae here you will focus on current and future global issues that are of increasing importance to both industry and government wageningen university is listed in the top 150 of all universities in the world as published by the times higher education ranking furthermore it holds a top five position in the worldwide publication index in the field of food agriculture plants animals and environment in 2010 dutch students voted wageningen university as the best university in the netherlands for the sixth year in a row you are ensured personal guidance throughout your student career here with a teacher-student ratio of 1:10 which allows you to make the most of all the study options provided student coaches do you find it difficult to choose your msc programme contact a student coach of wageningen university student coaches are students they can help you with all your questions about the possibilities after your bachelor studies questions like what is the added value of a master for me what are my career possibilities in close collaboration with the study advisor the student coaches will help you to answer your questions and to help you make the right choice www.wageningenuniversity.eu/studentcoach meet future and current students on facebook contact future and current students alumni and researchers at the wageningen university facebook fan page let yourself be inspired by fun and surprising stories stemming from different study directions and corresponding experiences you can also participate in lively discussions view photos and watch videos www.facebook.com/wageningenuniversity campus facilities the campus is 11 soccer fields large with 70.000 m2 and offers excellent student facilities the library is open 14 hours per day there are multiple student associations and sports centre de bongerd offers 60 different sports ranging from tennis squash football rugby athletics and badminton each study programme has its own study association that organises a wide range of activities and services for students all international student have a room guarantee if you apply before the application deadline students will be allocated a room by student housing rooms contain basic furniture and fast internet connection this room is available for one year after that you need to find your own room for this we recommend you to register at idealis an independent housing corporation that manages most student apartment buildings in wageningen for more information about housing please visit www.wageningenuniversity.eu/housing please note that there are certain times of the year that the demand for rooms is very high and it is therefore possible you will be placed in temporary housing until a permanent room becomes vacant 6 www.wageningenuniversity.eu

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meet greet representatives of wageningen university attend many education fairs and universities worldwide if you want to meet us in your country or visit one of our open days in wageningen please visit www.wageningenuniversity.eu/meetus annual introduction days the annual introduction days aid are held prior to the start of the msc programme the aid is highly recommended for all new students during the introduction programme you can acquaint yourself with wageningen your fellow students and the university wageningen university counts over 6750 students of which over 5000 are dutch the other 1750 students international #1 100 nationalities students have judged wageningen university as the university of the netherlands year after year you can choose out of 30 master study programmes are comprised of more than 2 students 1167 courses can be followed in which you have a `freedom of choice to personalise your master programme the campus is 11 soccer fields large with 77.000 m and offers excellent student facilities you can practice tennis squash to football rugby and more at de bongerd sports centre the 60 different sports ranging from library is open 14 hours per day more than 95 of the students live in wageningen a room costs on average 300 euro per month for all international students a furnished room is provided students make up 18 of the population of the town of wageningen 54 woman 46 is man the teacher-student ratio is centrally located in the netherlands amsterdam rotterdam and the hague are only an hour s travel by train 1:10 and the university counts 35.000 graduates that attended before you wageningen is wageningen town wageningen university is centrally located in the netherlands amsterdam rotterdam and the hague are only an hour s travel by train wageningen is built on bicycle scale all university facilities and the city centre are within cycling distance most people speak english making it easy to communicate with the locals there are historic and modern buildings high-rise student flats works of art and botanical gardens adding to the diversity of wageningen over 6750 students study at wageningen university and they accounting for 18 of the population turn wageningen into a university town wageningen has a thriving cultural and social life theatres cinemas student clubs bars night life and restaurants create the elegance of a city within the safe environment of a rural village the many international students professors and researchers contribute to the international atmosphere www.wageningenuniversity.eu 7

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msc animal sciences project learning from mother animal sciences education and research focuses on improving animal health and welfare an example of a project done by our students and researchers is the project `learning from mother young animals often find the transition from mother milk to solids foods very difficult it can lead to a low food intake and problems related to health and general well being the project learning from mother aims at easing this transition in an experiment in which the sows received anise flavoured feed during pregnancy the piglets showed a better food intake and less behavioural problems when given feed with the same flavouring benefiting both pig and farmer programme summary humans interact with animals in many different ways ranging from raising livestock for food to keeping pets for pleasure animal husbandry and livestock development are constrained not only by technical factors such as feed supply animal health management and genetics but also by infrastructural and socio-economic factors consequently today s animal scientists need in-depth scientific training combined with a critical attitude towards all factors that limit the sustainable development of animal husbandry students focus on specific disciplines such as nutrition breeding health or marketing with the aim of becoming experts in one of these fields our individually tailored programme trains animal scientists to obtain a broad view they will be well-equipped to tackle the problems of sustainable livestock management and to provide proper care for companion animals zoo animals and wildlife specialisations animal breeding and genetics understanding the function and sustainable utilisation of genetic differences in a wide range of species plays a central role in this specialisation students learn how breeding and genetics can contribute to safe and healthy food from animal origin and contributes to the health and welfare of animals animal nutrition students focus on the interaction between animal and their nutrition students learn about the way animals digest and convert food by studying the nutrient flows and the physiology of the animals in relation to the composition of feeds they also learn about the effect of feed in relation to health welfare and behaviour of the animal applied zoology understanding the relationship between structure and function of all systems within the body is the main focus of this specialisation students look at organ structures hormones bone structure or the immune system of animals and learn how these systems respond to outside influences animal health and behaviour knowledge of the adaptive capacity of animals is required to be able to determine how to keep an animal healthy and whether changes affect the animal by looking at animal behaviour stress parameters energy metabolism etc students investigate for example which housing system or feed regime is best for the health and welfare of the animal animal health management students focus on quantifying the risk of transmission of infectious diseases within and between groups of animals they investigate the influence of many factors on this process students learn to combine animal health management at population level with socioeconomic aspects by looking at aspects of veterinary epidemiology animal production systems students look at animal production systems in relation to the environment worldwide students learn about human and animal interaction and the influence of animal production on the environment health and welfare of people and animals and the economy variants and international programmes besides these specialisations it is possible to choose one of four variants which leads to a specific type of career you can focus on research education communication policy or business management there are also international programmes in which different universities provide education together it is even possible to obtain a double degree students can follow an international master in animal breeding and genetics in european animal management or animal welfare your future career our graduates work as nutritionists policy makers breeding specialists advisors managers researchers or phd students they work for feed manufacturing companies pharmaceutical companies or breeding organisations but also within regional and national governmental organisations non-governmental organisations or research institutes and universities other interesting programmes msc biology msc forest and nature conservation msc aquaculture and marine resource management biosystems engineering and msc organic agriculture admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website 8 www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mas dr rené p kwakkel programme director tel +31 0317 48 24 68 rene.kwakkel@wur.nl

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msc applied communication science alumnus susanna tol wetlands can be found all over the world from the polar regions to the tropics these ecosystems are among the most threatened of our planet and are also deteriorating rapidly susanna tol did her internship at wetlands international and after finishing her degree stayed on to work there by combining her knowledge of communication and environmental issues she develops strategies for the organisation s communication and policy activities currently she is involved with issues related to creating awareness about the need to protect and restore wetlands to mitigate climate change programme summary in this programme students learn to analyse design and manage the role of communication in social change within several domains in the life sciences such as nature environment water nutrition and health biotechnology and food production our students are trained to adopt an integrative approach that involves social science and technical innovations fulfilling an intermediary role to enhance multi-disciplinarity and interactive cooperation communication is a basic element of change complex processes of change involve different perspectives and perceptions of the various people involved societal processes like climate change poverty disease or ecological degradation require appropriate solutions that integrate insights from all kinds of disciplines and stakeholders opportunities for enhancing mutual understanding and collaboration between science disciplines and society are explored special attention is paid to everyday life situations and how people actively deal with common issues related to the domains of the life sciences there are no pre-defined specialisations in the programme students compile their own thesis tracks by choosing besides the compulsory communication science courses a combination of closely linked courses including a minor in a life sciences domain an internship introduces students to professional practice the major thesis allows them to become experts in a specific area within communication that is closely linked to their personal interests and future career thesis tracks communication in relation to nature conservation the communication courses in this thesis track focus for instance on interactive processes and policies that are combined with a minor in forest and nature conservation an example of a thesis written by a student in this field is `communication in nature conservation the relationships between social dynamics environmental policy and management in the nestos delta greece nutrition and health optional communication courses focus for instance on health promotion and behavioural change while minor courses provide in-depth knowledge on nutrition behaviour epidemiology and public health an example of a thesis is `future peer health education and the internet is health education with and for adolescents via the internet effective animal production systems optional courses focus on subjects such as organisational communication and environmental communication minor courses provide a background in animal production systems an example of a thesis in this field is `management of trade in parrots from west central africa other possibilities for linking communication science with a life science domain are ecology and environment forestry and rural development land use planning organic agriculture product design and quality management food technology water management other interesting programmes msc international development studies msc development and rural innovation health and society specialisation of msc management economics and consumer studies admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website your future career graduates are specialised in building bridges between various stakeholders such as governments and citizens or laymen and experts they work for communication consultancy organisations government departments hospitals development agencies commercial organisations and media and knowledge institutes career prospects are communication consultant advising organisations on how to improve their communication processes policymaker formulating policy in cooperation with groups in society process facilitator managing conflict negotiation and change communication manager organising internal and external communication processes of an organisation project manager managing the communication and collaboration between parties throughout the entire project lifespan journalist making scientific knowledge accessible to a broader public communication researcher making a systematic analysis of a communication issue marleen van maanen nooij msc study advisor tel +31 0317 48 27 72 marleen.nooij@wur.nl www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mcs 9

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msc aquaculture and marine resource management alumnus pascalle jacobs before i started the master aquaculture and marine resource management i already graduated as a terrestrial ecologist after many wanderings i started the master aquaculture and marine resource management mainly because i saw a lot of potential in marine research i did my thesis at imares and after my graduation they gave me the opportunity to work as a phd on a research project in my research i look at if and to what extend big amounts of young mussels attached to ropes or nets mussel seed collectors change the environment these young mussels eat a lot so one of my research questions is if this grazing affects the amount of food available for other animals specialisations aquaculture this specialisation deals with the culture of hundreds of aquatic species including finfish shrimp shellfish ornamental fish corrals sponges and algae in a wide range of culture environments including enclosures semi-extensive ponds cages raceways and recirculation systems production methods should be sustainable guarantee health and wellbeing of the culture organisms be economically viable and socially accepted and result in safe and healthy products this can only be achieved through insights in aquatic production ecology based on knowledge of aquatic biology physiology physics and chemistry social and economic contexts are also considered marine resources and ecology this specialisation focuses on the resilience of marine ecosystems to external pressures including climate change irresponsible fisheries habitat destruction and pollution sustainable management of the living resources in the sea include models of population dynamics and fishing yield it also requires insight into the ecological processes supporting the marine food chains interaction between and within species and linkages between ecosystems marine governance in this specialisation the focus lies on improving the sustainable governance of aquatic resources and marine ecosystems this requires knowledge about the interests and strategies of commercial enterprises non-governmental governmental organizations and international institutions that are involved in protecting the marine environment against harmful activities and uses the focus lies on analyzing and evaluating existing regulatory economic and marketbased policy instruments and to develop ways to ensure effective use and protection of aquatic resources and marine ecosystems programme summary oceans seas estuaries and lakes have been a major source of food since the origin of man in many cases exploitation levels have bypassed the carrying capacity of these ecosystems leading to devastating effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the future sustainable aquaculture can be one of the solutions to provide mankind with marine proteins and oils commercial fisheries itself should shift from a focus on `exploitation towards `ecosystem based management since society is requesting certified sustainable aquatic products new and innovative governance and monitoring systems are needed in addition international agreements like the marine strategy framework directive in europe require a more holistic and integrated approach to marine governance therefore young professionals are needed with a holistic view on marine ecosystem management within this programme you will learn all about ecosystems nature conservation sustainable production of aquatic foods and socioeconomic processes graduates are skilled in techniques and methods for analysing and solving biological and environmental problems in aquatic systems by looking at the organisms and the communities including ecological management and social aspects admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website other interesting programmes msc animal sciences msc biology msc environmental sciences and msc forest and nature conservation your future career the msc started in 2005 as aquaculture and fisheries it has evolved from a focus on sustainable forms of fish production to the broader scope of the management and governance of sustainable aquaculture and marine ecosystems the interest in sustainable management of the seas and coasts is booming while few professionals are available with an integrated and specialised training in this field numerous types of specialists are needed including technical specialists researchers consultants and project leaders both in commercial governmental and non-governmental organisations 10 www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mam dr wilko van loon programme director study advisor tel +31 0317 48 52 16 wilko.vanloon@wur.nl

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msc bioinformatics student tom van den bergh it is sometimes difficult for doctors to diagnose genetic diseases caused by a missense mutations a missense mutation does not necessarily mean that you have the gene associated disease and become ill since not all missense mutations lead to appreciable protein changes tom van den bergh msc created a database for fabry s disease for his final thesis he wrote a computer programme that reads publications and stores all information about fabry mutations in its database genetic researchers can in turn quickly access this database to determine if the mutation they found in a patient has already been addressed in literature and what the effects were this is just one example of how bioinformatics can address real world problems thesis tracks bioinformatics the bioinformatics track focuses on the practical application of bioinformatics knowledge and skills in the molecular life sciences it aims at creating and using bioinformatics resources to address specific research questions the knowledge and skills gained can be applied in many life science disciplines such as molecular cell biology biotechnology human genetics health medicine and environmental biobased technology systems biology the systems biology track focuses on the study of the complex interactions in biological systems and on the emerging properties derived from these systems biology approaches to complex biological problems offers a wealth of possibilities to understand various levels of aggregation and enables control of biological systems of completely different scales ranging from the molecular cellular level to marine plant or animal ecosystems to a desired state the knowledge and skills gained can be applied in many life science disciplines including molecular cell biology applied biotechnology genetics medicine and vaccine development environmental and biobased technology programme summary dna contains information for life but how is this information used biological data such as dna and rna sequence information produced by next-generation sequencing techniques is accumulating at an unprecedented rate life scientists increasing use bioinformatics resources to address their specific research questions bioinformaticians bridge the gap between complex biological research questions and this complex data bioinformaticians use and develop computational tools to predict gene functions and to demonstrate and model relationships between genes proteins and metabolites in biological systems bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that applies computational and statistical techniques to the classification interpretation and integration of large-scale biological data sets if different data types are joined complex interactions in biological systems can be studied the use of systems biology methods to study complex biological interactions offers a wealth of possibilities to understand various levels of aggregation and enables control of biological systems of different scales systems biology approaches are therefore quickly gaining importance in many disciplines of life sciences such as in applied biotechnology where these methods are now used to develop strategies for improving production in fermentation bioconversion and enzymatic synthesis and in the study of human metabolism and its alterations where systems biology methods are applied to understand a variety of complex human diseases including metabolic syndromes and cancer the wageningen programme focuses on the practical application of bioinformatics and systems biology approaches in many areas of the life sciences to ensure that students acquire a high level of understanding of modelling and computing principles the curriculum includes training in the fundamentals of database management computer programming structural and functional genomics proteomics and systems biology methods this training is completed with advanced elective courses in molecular biology and biostatistics admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website other interesting programmes msc biotechnology msc molecular life sciences msc geo-information science your future career bioinformatics and systems biology are new fast growing biologybased inter-disciplinary fields of research poorly served by the traditional curricula of life sciences as demand has outpaced the supply of bioinformaticians the first job after graduation is often a phd project at a research institute or university it is anticipated that five years after graduation about one third will stay employed as a scientist at a university or research centre while the others choose for a career at research-oriented pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies dr peter schaap programme director tel +31 0317 48 51 42 mbf.msc@wur.nl www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mbf 11

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msc biology alumnus martine kos since 2007 i work as a phd-student at wageningen university being a phd-student means that you work on a large research project for four years i work on the effects of plant resistance on biological control of pest insects in other words i test whether resistance compounds that plants produce to defend themselves against herbivorous insects like caterpillars can also negatively affect the predators like lady bird beetles and parasitoid wasps that plants attract to eat the herbivores my research is a great combination of field work performance studies of the insects in the greenhouse chemical analyses in the lab behavioural studies and of course trying to write everything down as clear as possible in publications specialisations animal adaptation and behavioural biology this specialisation focuses mainly on subjects as adaptation mechanisms involved in these adaptations and behaviour of animals bio-interactions in this specialisation you obtain knowledge about interactions between organisms you learn to understand and interpret interactions on different levels from molecular until ecosystem level molecular ecology in this specialisation you learn to use molecular techniques to solve ecological questions you will use for example molecular techniques to study the interaction between a virus and a plant conservation and systems ecology this specialisation focuses initially on fundamental processes which play a key role in ecology you learn to interpret different relations for example the relation between chemical or physical processes and bioprocesses besides that you learn to analyse different ecosystems this knowledge you can use to manage and conserve these ecological systems evolution and biodiversity the systematics of biodiversity in an evolutionary perspective is the central focus of this specialisation subjects that will be addressed in this specialisation are evolution genetics biosystematic research and taxonomic analysis health and disease the mechanisms that play a role in maintaining healthiness of humans animals and other organisms are the main points in this specialisation marine biology choosing this specialisation means studying the complexity of the marine ecosystem moreover you learn about the impacts of for instance fishery and recreation on this ecosystem or the interaction between different species in this system molecular development and gene regulation this specialisation focuses on gene regulations and the different developmental mechanisms of organisms plant adaptation this specialisation focuses on the adaptations that different plants gained in order to adjust to various conditions you learn to understand the regulation processes in plants that underlie these adaptations programme summary biological issues are at the forefront of the technological progress of modern society they are central to global concerns about how we effect and are affected by our environment understanding the complexity of biological systems at scales ranging from single molecules to whole ecosystems provides a unique intellectual challenge with over 20 biological research groups wageningen university can offer tailor-made msc biology programmes that allow students to specialise in a field which appeals to their personal interest to prepare for a successful international career we strongly encourage our students to complete part of their programme requirements abroad other interesting programmes msc molecular life sciences msc animal sciences msc plant sciences msc forest and nature conservation msc biotechnology msc plant biotechnology msc aquaculture and marine resource management msc organic agriculture your future career admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website many graduates from the biology programme enter careers in fundamental and applied research or go on to become postgraduate students some find a position as communication officer manager or decision-maker over 80 percent of our graduates find a job within three months upon graduation compared to other dutch universities many biology graduates from wageningen university find a position abroad 12 www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mbi dr peter de jong study advisor tel +31 0317 48 22 44 peter.dejong@wur.nl

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project watergy the researchers who worked on project watergy developed a concept for a closed greenhouse with a closed water cycle the ability to recycle virtually all water offers a great solution to greenhouse farming in hot and semi-arid climates daytime heat retention supports heating at night there is no co2 emission and insects cannot reach the crops the results are promising for both the environment and crop production 70 of all irrigation water is retrieved and crop yields are similar to those in conventional greenhouse farming msc biosystems engineering and msc management,economics consumer studies programme summary the biosystems engineering study programme educates students in finding innovative solutions to technology-related problems they combine their knowledge of technology living systems and the natural and social sciences with their experience in integrated thinking by taking a systems approach these solutions can be applied to either the field of food or non-food agricultural production graduates of the biosystems engineering programme are capable of working as academically-trained professionals during the programme they develop independence and creativity while acquiring skills that enable them to analyse problems and work as part of a team both interdisciplinary and multicultural biosystems engineering is a tailor-made thesis-oriented programme the individualised curriculum is based on the specific interests and competencies of the student the most important part of the programme is the thesis thesis tracks agricultural engineering farm technology this topic consists of four main themes automation for bioproduction greenhouse technology livestock technology and soil technology all these topics have the shared goal of designing systems in which technology is applied to the demands of plants animals humans and the environment examples of such applications include precision agriculture conservation tillage fully automated greenhouses and environmentally friendly animal husbandry systems that also promote animal welfare systems and control production processes and various kinds of machinery have to be optimised to run as efficiently as possible and with the least amount of possible environmental impact to achieve this computer models and simulations are developed and improved examples include designing control systems for a solar-powered greenhouse to include a closed water cycle and designing a tomato harvesting robot information technology information and communication play a vital role in our society to optimise production processes and quality in production chains it is necessary to acquire use and store data and information this requires the design and management of business information systems software engineering designing databases and modelling and simulation environmental technology environmental technology revolves around closing cycles and reusing waste products and by-products processes have to be designed in such a way that they either reuse waste or separate it into distinct and reusable components examples include the production of compost the generation of green energy or the design of environmentally friendly animal husbandry systems and greenhouses agro logistics the goals of agro logistics are to get the right product in the right quantity and quality at the right time and to the right place as efficiently as possible while fulfilling the requirements of the stakeholders such as government legislation and regulations this requires the design of effective innovative logistic concepts in agrifood chains and networks examples are the design of greenhouses developed for optimal logistics or designing a dairy production process with minimal storage costs other interesting programmes msc animal sciences msc plant sciences msc geo-information science msc geographical information management and applications msc organic agriculture your future career most graduates are employed in the agro-food sector in related sectors of industry and trade or at local regional or national government agencies in industry and trade graduates are employed as project leaders product managers technical experts sales specialists or managers graduates work for many kinds of companies including designers of agricultural buildings animal husbandry systems greenhouses and bio-energy production systems others find jobs with it companies climate control computers automated information systems or firms in the agro-food chain that produce store process distribute and market agricultural products in the service sector graduates enter careers as consultants or information officers graduates also work for the government as policy makers in the fields of technology and sustainable agricultural production while others enter careers in research at institutes or universities admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website neeltje van hulten msc study advisor tel +31 0317 48 27 96 mab.msc@wur.nl www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mab 13

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msc biotechnology alumnus sina salim in america and brazil production of maize and sugar cane for bio ethanol takes up enormous swathes of arable land that could otherwise be used for food production this leads to the well-known food versus fuel dilemma an alternative method for producing bio diesel is the use of algae instead currently too much energy is consumed during the growth and harvesting of algae but huge efforts are being made to reduce these energy requirements sina salim is trying to develop a cheap and energy efficient harvesting method to ultimately produce bio diesel from algae a competitor of fossil fuel programme summary biotechnology is defined as the industrial exploitation of living organisms or components derived from these organisms its practical applications include age-old techniques such as brewing and fermentation which are still important today in recent decades gene modification has revolutionised the biotechnology industry spawning countless new products and improving established processes more and more types of fermentation are being used and most new medicines are products of biotechnology in addition biotechnological processes are beginning to replace traditional petrochemical products and newly discovered organisms from the sea are being used in marine biotechnology modern biotechnology has become an applied area of science with a multidiscipline approach embracing recombinant dna technology cellular biology microbiology and biochemistry as well as process design engineering modelling and control specialisations cellular and molecular biotechnology this specialisation focuses on the practical application of cellular and molecular knowledge with the aim of enhancing or improving production in micro organisms or cell cultures possible majors molecular biology biochemistry microbiology virology enzymology and cell biology the knowledge and skills gained can be applied in food biotechnology medicine and vaccine development environmental and bio-based technology process technology this specialisation focuses on engineering strategies for developing enhancing or improving production in fermentation bioconversion and enzymatic synthesis possible majors bioprocess engineering food or environmental engineering applied biotechnology and system and control techniques the knowledge and skills gained can be applied in food biotechnology medicine and vaccine development environmental and bio-based technology marine biotechnology this specialisation focuses on the use of newly discovered organisms from the sea in industrial processes applications include production of new medicines fine chemicals bio-based products and renewable energy medical biotechnology this specialisation focuses on the use of modern biotechnology in the development and production of new vaccines and medicines advanced molecular and cellular techniques are used to study diagnostic and production methods for vaccines and medicines possible majors molecular biology microbiology virology and cell biology food biotechnology this specialisation focuses on the application from biotechnology to food processing the approach includes microbial and biochemical aspects integrated with process engineering and chemistry possible majors food microbiology food chemistry and process engineering environmental and biobased technology this specialisation focuses on the design and development of biotechnological processes for solving environmental problems by removing waste products or by producing renewable energy possible majors environmental technology bioprocess engineering microbiology and system and control techniques other interesting programmes msc molecular life sciences msc food technology msc bioinformatics msc plant biotechnology and msc environmental sciences your future career graduates in biotechnology have excellent career prospects and most receive job offers even before graduation more than 60 percent begin their careers in research and development many of these msc graduates go on to earn their phd degrees and often achieve management positions within a few years approximately 30 percent of graduates start working immediately for biotechnology companies relatively few begin their careers outside the private sector or in a field not directly related to biotechnology in the netherlands some graduates work for multinational companies such as merck schering plough dsm heineken unilever and shell while others find positions at smaller companies and various universities or research centres such as nki and tno admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website 14 www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mbt dr sonja isken programme director tel +31 0317 48 22 41 mbt.msc@wur.nl

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msc climate studies project survival nl the climate conference in copenhagen denmark in december 2009 drew attention from people and governments worldwide dutch students set-up a project called project survival nl to enhance a fair climate agreement the goal of the project was to attract attention to the under-representation of less-developed countries and to provide support for small delegations from africa a selection of youth delegates from local african organisations involved in sustainability issues and youth participation attended the conference they participated in negotiations about the survival of their country with a focus on climate change activities included networking with politicians ngos businesses youth media and more it was a busy time for the project survival nl group programme summary climate studies earth life and society focuses on better understanding and addressing climate change and its implications for nature and society it has become clear in the past decades that the climate is changing across the earth research into the climate system and its dynamics is booming it is leading to an improved understanding of the geophysical and biogeochemical processes involved although many fundamental questions remain unanswered forceful debates are conducted about the impact of climate change on nature and society and about strategies for coping with the impact adaptation and for limiting climate change in the long term mitigation these issues are important the world over and fuel a range of new challenges to both natural and social sciences this msc programme aims to analyse and understand the climate system as well as the societal dynamics of climate change in order to enable society to make informed and future-oriented decisions about climate-change related issues key questions addressed include how will ecosystems be affected and how will these in turn impact climate systems what will be the effect on the availability of water and food how can agriculture adapt to changing climate conditions how will climate change issues influence national and international political agendas and how will citizens and companies respond what will be the economic consequences of climate change and how will they be distributed globally will new social and economic opportunities emerge in the process of adaptation as these changes and challenges become ever more apparent the demand for scientists who are able to understand and investigate them will increase wageningen university has a strong international reputation in this field due to the quality of its research in natural and social sciences and its excellent track record in interdisciplinary research projects it has bundled its expertise and resources in this msc programme specifically aimed at students who wish to focus on the scientific insights in climate change and its implications for nature and society as the largest environmental research and education institute in europe with students from virtually all countries of the world wageningen offers a truly global platform for study in this field wageningen university is one of the academic core partners of the european knowledge and innovation community addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation climate studies earth life and society gives you a broad overview of climate-change related issues you will become an expert in a topic of your choice during your thesis research we offer the following thesis tracks meteorology and air quality hydrology and quantitative water management crop and weed ecology or nature conservation and plant ecology earth system science or integrated water management or soil quality environmental system analysis environmental economics environmental policy the chair groups that offer these research projects all participate in the wageningen institute for environment and climate research and/or the c.t de wit graduate school for production ecology and resource conservation according to recent international panel assessments the quality and relevance of their research programmes range from very good to excellent other interesting programmes msc environmental sciences msc earth and environment msc management economics and consumer studies your future career graduates from this programme are well equipped with the knowledge and skills to continue their academic training as a phd student or to start a career as a scientific professional at universities research institutes and environmental and governmental organizations applied climate change researchers and experts are needed by banks insurance companies construction power companies and authorities admission requirements for general admission requirements see page 40 more information about specific admission requirements can be found on the website andré van amstel msc study advisor tel +31 0317 48 48 15 mcl.msc@wur.nl www.wageningenuniversity.eu/mcl 15

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