International Master of Science in Agro- and Environmental Nematology

Nematodes or roundworms are everywhere. They are amongst the most harmful organisms to crops, especially in the tropics. As natural antagonists of certain pest insects they are at the same time very promising for use in bio-control programmes. Our study programme is unique in the world. It deals with fundamental as well as applied aspects of nematology.

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Master's Programme

2 year 120 credits

Faculty of Sciences

English

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About the programme

Programme summary

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Off to a good start

After graduation

Study programme content subject to change

First year

(version 8 )

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Data Mining, Processing and Communication	1	sem 1	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Nematode Morphology	1	sem 1	en	Wim Bert	5

Nematode Systematics and Evolution	1	sem 1	en	Wim Bert	5

Nematological Techniques	1	sem 1	en	Wim Bert	5

Molecular Toolbox	1	sem 1	en	Godelieve Gheysen	4

General Nematode Biology and Interactions	1	sem 1	en	Tom Moens	4

Practical Statistics for the Life Sciences	1	sem 1	en	Lieven Clement	5

Nematodes as Model Organisms	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Taxonomy and Biology	1	sem 2	en	Ralf-Udo Ehlers	3

Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Biotechnology and Use in Biological Control	1	sem 2	en	Ralf-Udo Ehlers	3

Diversity of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes	1	sem 2	en	Wim Bert	6

Management of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes	1	sem 2	en	Nicole Viaene	4

Life Cycle Biology, Physiology and Behaviour of Plant-parasitic Nematodes	1	sem 2	en	Wim Wesemael	4

Tropical Plant Nematology	1	sem 2	en	Annemie Elsen	3

Molecular Aspects of Plant-Nematode Relationships	1	sem 2	en	Godelieve Gheysen	3

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 30 credit units from 1 module from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1 UGent Track

Subscribe to 13 credit units from the following list.

Subscribe to 17 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1.1 Elective Course List

Subscribe to no more than 17 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Strategies for Research: Project Development and Paper Writing		sem 1	en	Matthew Shawkey	3

Plant Biotechnology		sem 2	en		5

Plants, Pathogens and Pests		sem 2	en	Monica Höfte	5

Plant Biotic Interactions		sem 2	en	Sofie Goormachtig	3

Biology of Ageing		sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	4

Economics and Management of Natural Resources		sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	5

Introduction to Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	3

Phylogenetics		sem 1	en	Olivier De Clerck	4

Environmental Technology: Soil and Sediment		sem 2	en	Filip Tack	3

Professional Internship		year	en	Wim Bert	5

Biotechnology: Biosafety, GMP and Intellectual Property		sem 1	en	Koen Vanhalst	3

Sustainable Food Systems		sem 2	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Advanced Academic English	UKV	sem 1 sem 2	en en	Geert Jacobs	3

Scientific Communication		sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	5

Food Safety and Risk Analysis		sem 1	en	Liesbeth Jacxsens	5

Development Economics		sem 1	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Introduction to Entrepreneurship		sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Dare to Venture		sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Dare to Start		sem 2	en	Frank Gielen	3

2.1.2 Elective Courses UGent

Subscribe to no more than 17 credit units choosen from the courses of UGent.

Second year

(version 8 )

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 30 credit units from 1 module from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1 UGent Track

Subscribe to 13 credit units from the following list.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Summer Course: Networking and Seminars	2	year	en	Wim Bert	4

Soil Biodiversity and Nematodes as Bioindicators of Soil Health	2	sem 1	en	Ronaldus De Goede	6

Quantitative Plant Nematology	2	sem 1	en	Thomas Been	3

Subscribe to 17 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1.1 Elective Course List

Subscribe to no more than 17 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Strategies for Research: Project Development and Paper Writing		sem 1	en	Matthew Shawkey	3

Plant Biotechnology		sem 2	en		5

Plants, Pathogens and Pests		sem 2	en	Monica Höfte	5

Plant Biotic Interactions		sem 2	en	Sofie Goormachtig	3

Biology of Ageing		sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	4

Economics and Management of Natural Resources		sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	5

Introduction to Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	3

Phylogenetics		sem 1	en	Olivier De Clerck	4

Environmental Technology: Soil and Sediment		sem 2	en	Filip Tack	3

Professional Internship		year	en	Wim Bert	5

Biotechnology: Biosafety, GMP and Intellectual Property		sem 1	en	Koen Vanhalst	3

Sustainable Food Systems		sem 2	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Advanced Academic English	UKV	sem 1 sem 2	en en	Geert Jacobs	3

Scientific Communication		sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	5

Food Safety and Risk Analysis		sem 1	en	Liesbeth Jacxsens	5

Development Economics		sem 1	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Introduction to Entrepreneurship		sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Dare to Venture		sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Dare to Start		sem 2	en	Frank Gielen	3

2.1.2 Elective Courses UGent

Subscribe to no more than 17 credit units choosen from the courses of UGent.

2.2 Kenya – International Capacity Building & Sustainability

Subscribe to 30 credit units from the following list.

Course 5 in this module needs to be done in a country in the South. Courses 6 and 7 take place at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya. The 3 courses take place in November-December of the second master year.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Summer Course: Networking and Seminars	2	year	en	Wim Bert	4

Soil Biodiversity and Nematodes as Bioindicators of Soil Health	2	sem 1	en	Ronaldus De Goede	6

Quantitative Plant Nematology	2	sem 1	en	Thomas Been	3

Strategies for Research: Project Development and Paper Writing	2	sem 1	en	Matthew Shawkey	3

Professional Internship	2	year	en	Wim Bert	5

Tropical Crop Pests and Diseases & Extension Service Practice	2	sem 1	en	Daniel Coyne	5

Nematology Didactics & Capacity Building	2	sem 1	en	Laura Cortada-Gonzalez	4

2.3 International Mobility Track

Subscribe to 30 credit units from the following list.

Within semester 1 of year 2 and subject to approval by the faculty: the student selects for 26 credit units courses within one foreign university; for detailed information see www.imanema.ugent.be.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Summer Course: Networking and Seminars	2	year	en	Wim Bert	4

Study Programme Abroad	2	sem 1	en		26

3 Master's Dissertation

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	en	N. N.	30

Full programme

(version 8 )

Print

1 General Courses 60

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Data Mining, Processing and Communication	1	sem 1	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Nematode Morphology	1	sem 1	en	Wim Bert	5

Nematode Systematics and Evolution	1	sem 1	en	Wim Bert	5

Nematological Techniques	1	sem 1	en	Wim Bert	5

Molecular Toolbox	1	sem 1	en	Godelieve Gheysen	4

General Nematode Biology and Interactions	1	sem 1	en	Tom Moens	4

Practical Statistics for the Life Sciences	1	sem 1	en	Lieven Clement	5

Nematodes as Model Organisms	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Taxonomy and Biology	1	sem 2	en	Ralf-Udo Ehlers	3

Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Biotechnology and Use in Biological Control	1	sem 2	en	Ralf-Udo Ehlers	3

Diversity of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes	1	sem 2	en	Wim Bert	6

Management of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes	1	sem 2	en	Nicole Viaene	4

Life Cycle Biology, Physiology and Behaviour of Plant-parasitic Nematodes	1	sem 2	en	Wim Wesemael	4

Tropical Plant Nematology	1	sem 2	en	Annemie Elsen	3

Molecular Aspects of Plant-Nematode Relationships	1	sem 2	en	Godelieve Gheysen	3

2 Elective Courses 30

Subscribe to 30 credit units from 1 module from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1 UGent Track

30

Subscribe to 13 credit units from the following list.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Summer Course: Networking and Seminars	2	year	en	Wim Bert	4

Soil Biodiversity and Nematodes as Bioindicators of Soil Health	2	sem 1	en	Ronaldus De Goede	6

Quantitative Plant Nematology	2	sem 1	en	Thomas Been	3

Subscribe to 17 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1.1 Elective Course List

Subscribe to no more than 17 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Strategies for Research: Project Development and Paper Writing		sem 1	en	Matthew Shawkey	3

Plant Biotechnology		sem 2	en		5

Plants, Pathogens and Pests		sem 2	en	Monica Höfte	5

Plant Biotic Interactions		sem 2	en	Sofie Goormachtig	3

Biology of Ageing		sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	4

Economics and Management of Natural Resources		sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	5

Introduction to Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	3

Phylogenetics		sem 1	en	Olivier De Clerck	4

Environmental Technology: Soil and Sediment		sem 2	en	Filip Tack	3

Professional Internship		year	en	Wim Bert	5

Biotechnology: Biosafety, GMP and Intellectual Property		sem 1	en	Koen Vanhalst	3

Sustainable Food Systems		sem 2	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Advanced Academic English	UKV	sem 1 sem 2	en en	Geert Jacobs	3

Scientific Communication		sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	5

Food Safety and Risk Analysis		sem 1	en	Liesbeth Jacxsens	5

Development Economics		sem 1	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Introduction to Entrepreneurship		sem 1	en	Petra Andries	3

Dare to Venture		sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Dare to Start		sem 2	en	Frank Gielen	3

2.1.2 Elective Courses UGent

Subscribe to no more than 17 credit units choosen from the courses of UGent.

2.2 Kenya – International Capacity Building & Sustainability

30

Subscribe to 30 credit units from the following list.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Summer Course: Networking and Seminars	2	year	en	Wim Bert	4

Soil Biodiversity and Nematodes as Bioindicators of Soil Health	2	sem 1	en	Ronaldus De Goede	6

Quantitative Plant Nematology	2	sem 1	en	Thomas Been	3

Strategies for Research: Project Development and Paper Writing	2	sem 1	en	Matthew Shawkey	3

Professional Internship	2	year	en	Wim Bert	5

Tropical Crop Pests and Diseases & Extension Service Practice	2	sem 1	en	Daniel Coyne	5

Nematology Didactics & Capacity Building	2	sem 1	en	Laura Cortada-Gonzalez	4

2.3 International Mobility Track

30

Subscribe to 30 credit units from the following list.

Within semester 1 of year 2 and subject to approval by the faculty: the student selects for 26 credit units courses within one foreign university; for detailed information see www.imanema.ugent.be.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Summer Course: Networking and Seminars	2	year	en	Wim Bert	4

Study Programme Abroad	2	sem 1	en		26

3 Master's Dissertation 30

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	en	N. N.	30

Learning outcomes

Competence field 1: Competence in one or more scientific disciplines

Describes and explains in an integrated and in-depth manner theories, models, methods and processes in fundamental (morphology, systematics, diversity and identification) and applied aspects of Nematology (with focus on agro-ecosystems).
Integrates the different levels of organization in Nematology at which patterns and processes are to be situated (from gene over species to (agro-)ecosystem).
Applies knowledge and has understanding of the most recent developments to operate as a nematologist in both optimal and/or suboptimal conditions.
Applies in a creative, interdisciplinary and problem-oriented manner the models, theories and methods (also from related sciences) to specific nematological problems.

Competence field 2: Scientific competence

Relies on the scientific method and builds upon a prior critical assessment of available information to formulate relevant research questions and formulate hypotheses.
Translates nematological questions into hypotheses towards a problem oriented and structured research strategy.
Designs in a self-sustained manner a problem oriented strategy, and makes use of the appropriate scientific techniques to perform experiments and make observations within both field and/or laboratory context.
Accurately performs focused observations and measurements of complex nematological structures, patterns and processes.
Relies on a broad knowledge of computational and statistical techniques to manage and analyse complex nematological datasets.
Autonomously follows-up and critically evaluates new conceptual and methodological developments in the international literature.
Recognises nematological problems in developing countries and can be creative/inventive in strategies to tackle these problems.

Competence field 3: Intellectual competence

Translates a broad and in-depth scientific knowledge into applications of scientific Nematology research.
Shows a professional approach that demonstrates an open-minded attitude to new scientific developments and their applications in a broad scientific, economic or social context with respect to agriculture or the environment.
Demonstrates problem-prevention and problem-solving abilities in agriculture or the environment, and applies them in diverse situations or in a non-familiar context.
Shows an attitude of eagerness to learn (lifelong learning), where nematological information is being critically analysed and verified, matching the reliability of the source of information.

Competence field 4: Competence in collaboration and communication

Starting from complex scientific information, extracts the relevant information for proper communication towards a particular target audience.
Communicates own research, as well as research published in international literature towards both a specialized and broader audience.
Interacts in English with nematologists originating from different countries who may have English as a second language.
Organises efficiently and target-oriented team work to come to a shared conclusion, through task division and mutual consulting, and reports about it.
Develops or participates in a network of researchers in nematology or sister disciplines.

Competence field 5: Competence in social responsibility

Develops and communicates a scientifically supported vision with respect to the consequences of human activities on ecosystems and biodiversity.
Acts ethically and socially responsible within a group of people originating from all over the world and with different cultural backgrounds.
Acts in a scientific-ethical manner in all aspects of nematological research, outreach and affiliated professional activities.
Puts the use and importance of nematological research within a broader societal and/or economical context.

Competence field 6: Professional competences

Functions in a broad spectrum of work situations in a self-sustained, correct, critical and creative manner.
Functions in a multicultural team to solve nematological questions in a focused way, and translates this to useful information within a fundamental and applied context.
Applies the gained knowledge, skills and attitudes in nematological sciences within a broader range of jobs (situated in research, education, services, policy advice and entrepreneurship) in developing as well as in developed countries.
Initiates outreach programmes to inform the local people about the importance of nematodes and organizes trainings in recognition of the nematode infection symptoms and remediation of the adverse effects.