Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Forest and Nature Management

There is a growing interest in the preservation/conservation of existing forests and natural patrimony, and the acquisition of new nature areas. This tendency requires a growing expertise in sustainable management of natural areas. Our study programme aims at training academic engineers who are able to contribute to the sustainable use and integrated forest and nature management.

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Master's Programme

2 year 120 credits

Faculty of Bioscience Engineering

Dutch

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About the programme

Programme summary

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Off to a good start

After graduation

First year

(version 12 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Wood Anatomy and Identification of Wood Species	1	sem 1	nl	Joris Van Acker	4

Forestry	1	year	nl	Kris Verheyen	4

Forest Exploitation	1	sem 1	nl	Joris Van Acker	3

Inventory of Forest and Nature	1	sem 1	nl	Jan Van den Bulcke	5

Wood Technology: Basic Material Properties	1	sem 2	nl	Joris Van Acker	4

Nature Conservation	1	sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

Vegetation Modelling	1	sem 2	en	Hans Verbeeck	4

Urban Green Management	1	sem 1	nl	Jan Mertens	4

Integrated Forest Management Practicum		sem 2	nl	Joris Van Acker	4

Integrated Nature Management Practicum				Lander Baeten	4

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 40 credit units from no less than 3 and no more than 5 module(s) from the following list, of which at least 1 course unit is included from the list 2.3 Entrepreneurship and Management. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Full-time standard learning track:

Students can choose which of the elective course units are taken in the first respectively the second standard learning track year (unless otherwise specified); in combination with the general course units, students take a total of 54 to 66 credits per standard learning track year. The sum of the total number of credits taken up over the 2 standard learning track years must be 120 credits.

2.1 Master Specific Courses

Topics (see reference):

- B = Forest

- H = Wood

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Forest Protection	B	sem 1	nl	Luc Tirry	4

Forest Management for Ecosystem Services	B			Kris Verheyen	5

Tropical Forestry	B	sem 2	en	Joris Van Acker	5

Wood Technology: Wood Processing and Forest Products	H	sem 2	en	Joris Van Acker	5

2.2 Elective Courses from Related Fields of Study

Topics (see references):
- BD = Soil
- W = Water
- LB = Agriculture
- K = Climate
- LS = Landscape
- DZ = Sustainability
- D = Data

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Nutrient Management	BD	sem 2	en	Stefaan De Neve	3

Soil Erosion Control: Principles and Practice	BD	sem 1	en	Ann Verdoodt	4

Land Evaluation	BD	sem 2	en	Ann Verdoodt	5

Biogeochemical Cycles	BD	sem 2	nl	Steven Sleutel	5

Applied Soil Biology	BD	sem 1	en	Stefaan De Neve	4

Applied Freshwater Ecology	W	sem 1	en	Peter Goethals	3

Water Quality Management	W	sem 2	en	Peter Goethals	4

Water in the City	W	sem 1	nl	Katrien Van Eerdenbrugh	4

Hardy Nursery Stock Production	LB	sem 1	nl	Filip Debersaques	4

Tropical Crop Production	LB	sem 2	en	Eduardo de la Pena	4

Organic Farming	LB	sem 1	nl	Patrick De Clercq	4

Crop Husbandry	LB	sem 1	nl	Steven Maenhout	5

Meteorology and Ecoclimatology	K	sem 1	nl	Hans Verbeeck	5

Climate Change Processes	K	sem 2	nl,en	Diego Miralles	5

Landscape Management and Design	LS	sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Spatiotemporal Analysis and Modelling	LS	sem 1	en	Nico Van de Weghe	5

Sustainability Thinking	DZ / UKV	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Sustainable Development	DZ	sem 2	en	Bernard Mazijn	5

Sustainable Cities	DZ	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Experimental Design	D	sem 2	en	Stijn Luca	3

Machine Learning for Life Sciences	D	sem 1	en	Willem Waegeman	5

2.3 Entrepreneurship and Management

Subscribe to no more than 8 credit units from the following list.

Include at least 1 course unit.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Economics and Management of Natural Resources	sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Entrepreneurship	sem 2	nl	Petra Andries	3

Management for Engineers	sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	4

2.4 Skills and Attitudes

Subscribe to no more than 10 credit units from the following list, with no more than 10 credit units with reference a.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

Extended Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Extended International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Bio-ethics		sem 1	en	Farah Focquaert	3

Scientific Communication in English		sem 2	en	Geert Jacobs	5

Seminar		year	nl,en	Mieke Uyttendaele	3

2.5 Open Choice

Subscribe to course units from courses offered at Ghent University and at the alliance partner VUB, including the Ghent University Elective Courses.
A maximum of 2 such courses is allowed.
Maximum 8 credit units language courses are allowed within this master programme.
Subject to approval by the Faculty.

Second year

(version 12 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Forest and Nature Policy	2	sem 1	nl	Myriam Dumortier	5

Forest and Nature Management Planning	2	sem 2	en	Jos Van Orshoven	5

Integrated Forest Management Practicum		sem 2	nl	Joris Van Acker	4

Integrated Nature Management Practicum				Lander Baeten	4

2 Elective Courses

Full-time standard learning track:

2.1 Master Specific Courses

Topics (see reference):

- B = Forest

- H = Wood

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Forest Protection	B	sem 1	nl	Luc Tirry	4

Forest Management for Ecosystem Services	B			Kris Verheyen	5

Tropical Forestry	B	sem 2	en	Joris Van Acker	5

Wood Technology: Wood Processing and Forest Products	H	sem 2	en	Joris Van Acker	5

2.2 Elective Courses from Related Fields of Study

Topics (see references):
- BD = Soil
- W = Water
- LB = Agriculture
- K = Climate
- LS = Landscape
- DZ = Sustainability
- D = Data

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Nutrient Management	BD	sem 2	en	Stefaan De Neve	3

Soil Erosion Control: Principles and Practice	BD	sem 1	en	Ann Verdoodt	4

Land Evaluation	BD	sem 2	en	Ann Verdoodt	5

Biogeochemical Cycles	BD	sem 2	nl	Steven Sleutel	5

Applied Soil Biology	BD	sem 1	en	Stefaan De Neve	4

Applied Freshwater Ecology	W	sem 1	en	Peter Goethals	3

Water Quality Management	W	sem 2	en	Peter Goethals	4

Water in the City	W	sem 1	nl	Katrien Van Eerdenbrugh	4

Hardy Nursery Stock Production	LB	sem 1	nl	Filip Debersaques	4

Tropical Crop Production	LB	sem 2	en	Eduardo de la Pena	4

Organic Farming	LB	sem 1	nl	Patrick De Clercq	4

Crop Husbandry	LB	sem 1	nl	Steven Maenhout	5

Meteorology and Ecoclimatology	K	sem 1	nl	Hans Verbeeck	5

Climate Change Processes	K	sem 2	nl,en	Diego Miralles	5

Landscape Management and Design	LS	sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Spatiotemporal Analysis and Modelling	LS	sem 1	en	Nico Van de Weghe	5

Sustainability Thinking	DZ / UKV	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Sustainable Development	DZ	sem 2	en	Bernard Mazijn	5

Sustainable Cities	DZ	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Experimental Design	D	sem 2	en	Stijn Luca	3

Machine Learning for Life Sciences	D	sem 1	en	Willem Waegeman	5

2.3 Entrepreneurship and Management

Subscribe to no more than 8 credit units from the following list.

Include at least 1 course unit.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Economics and Management of Natural Resources	sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Entrepreneurship	sem 2	nl	Petra Andries	3

Management for Engineers	sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	4

2.4 Skills and Attitudes

Subscribe to no more than 10 credit units from the following list, with no more than 10 credit units with reference a.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

Extended Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Extended International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Bio-ethics		sem 1	en	Farah Focquaert	3

Scientific Communication in English		sem 2	en	Geert Jacobs	5

Seminar		year	nl,en	Mieke Uyttendaele	3

2.5 Open Choice

3 Master's Dissertation

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	nl	Joris Van Acker	30

Full programme

(version 12 )

Print

1 General Courses 50

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Wood Anatomy and Identification of Wood Species	1	sem 1	nl	Joris Van Acker	4

Forestry	1	year	nl	Kris Verheyen	4

Forest Exploitation	1	sem 1	nl	Joris Van Acker	3

Inventory of Forest and Nature	1	sem 1	nl	Jan Van den Bulcke	5

Wood Technology: Basic Material Properties	1	sem 2	nl	Joris Van Acker	4

Nature Conservation	1	sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

Forest and Nature Policy	2	sem 1	nl	Myriam Dumortier	5

Forest and Nature Management Planning	2	sem 2	en	Jos Van Orshoven	5

Vegetation Modelling	1	sem 2	en	Hans Verbeeck	4

Urban Green Management	1	sem 1	nl	Jan Mertens	4

Integrated Forest Management Practicum		sem 2	nl	Joris Van Acker	4

Integrated Nature Management Practicum				Lander Baeten	4

2 Elective Courses 40

Full-time standard learning track:

2.1 Master Specific Courses

Topics (see reference):

- B = Forest

- H = Wood

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Forest Protection	B	sem 1	nl	Luc Tirry	4

Forest Management for Ecosystem Services	B			Kris Verheyen	5

Tropical Forestry	B	sem 2	en	Joris Van Acker	5

Wood Technology: Wood Processing and Forest Products	H	sem 2	en	Joris Van Acker	5

2.2 Elective Courses from Related Fields of Study

Topics (see references):
- BD = Soil
- W = Water
- LB = Agriculture
- K = Climate
- LS = Landscape
- DZ = Sustainability
- D = Data

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Nutrient Management	BD	sem 2	en	Stefaan De Neve	3

Soil Erosion Control: Principles and Practice	BD	sem 1	en	Ann Verdoodt	4

Land Evaluation	BD	sem 2	en	Ann Verdoodt	5

Biogeochemical Cycles	BD	sem 2	nl	Steven Sleutel	5

Applied Soil Biology	BD	sem 1	en	Stefaan De Neve	4

Applied Freshwater Ecology	W	sem 1	en	Peter Goethals	3

Water Quality Management	W	sem 2	en	Peter Goethals	4

Water in the City	W	sem 1	nl	Katrien Van Eerdenbrugh	4

Hardy Nursery Stock Production	LB	sem 1	nl	Filip Debersaques	4

Tropical Crop Production	LB	sem 2	en	Eduardo de la Pena	4

Organic Farming	LB	sem 1	nl	Patrick De Clercq	4

Crop Husbandry	LB	sem 1	nl	Steven Maenhout	5

Meteorology and Ecoclimatology	K	sem 1	nl	Hans Verbeeck	5

Climate Change Processes	K	sem 2	nl,en	Diego Miralles	5

Landscape Management and Design	LS	sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Spatiotemporal Analysis and Modelling	LS	sem 1	en	Nico Van de Weghe	5

Sustainability Thinking	DZ / UKV	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Sustainable Development	DZ	sem 2	en	Bernard Mazijn	5

Sustainable Cities	DZ	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Experimental Design	D	sem 2	en	Stijn Luca	3

Machine Learning for Life Sciences	D	sem 1	en	Willem Waegeman	5

2.3 Entrepreneurship and Management

Subscribe to no more than 8 credit units from the following list.

Include at least 1 course unit.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Economics and Management of Natural Resources	sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Entrepreneurship	sem 2	nl	Petra Andries	3

Management for Engineers	sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	4

2.4 Skills and Attitudes

Subscribe to no more than 10 credit units from the following list, with no more than 10 credit units with reference a.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

Extended Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Extended International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Bio-ethics		sem 1	en	Farah Focquaert	3

Scientific Communication in English		sem 2	en	Geert Jacobs	5

Seminar		year	nl,en	Mieke Uyttendaele	3

2.5 Open Choice

3 Master's Dissertation 30

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	nl	Joris Van Acker	30

Learning outcomes

Competence field 3: Knowledge competency

Have advanced knowledge of the components of (semi-)natural ecosystems in Belgium and the world, insight into the processes that take place there and insight into the influence of human actions on these components and processes
Have knowledge and understanding of management and planning strategies to optimally provide the goods and services required by society from (semi-)natural ecosystems
Apply qualitative and quantitative techniques to support forest, nature and landscape management (e.g. inventory and planning techniques, spatial information techniques, processing techniques of woody biomass)
Apply the national and international policy frameworks for forests and nature
Have insight into the functioning of the field of work of the forest, nature and landscape manager

Competence field 4: Scientific competency

Identify and analyze problems in forest and nature manegement and formulate clear research questions with a view to achieving effective and potentially applicable solutions
Consult and critically interpret professional literature according to scientific standards
Select, adapt or, if necessary, develop the appropriate analysis methods and process techniques
Extract yseful information from excessive, incomplete, or conflicting data
Plan, monitor and adjust scientific research
Accurately collect, scientifically process, critically analyze and interpret data in accordance with the principles of scientific integrity
Identify new or remaining bottlenecks and research questions based on knowledge, insight and experience

Competence field 5: Intellectual competency

Use one's own knowledge creatively, purposefully and innovatively in research, design and production
Argument scientifically in a multidisciplinary context
Demonstrate openness to new scientific developments and their applications in a broad scientific, economic and social context
Adopt an active and honest attitude towards permanent knowledge development, lifelong learning and independently steer one's own learning process

Competence field 6: Competency in collaborating and communicating

Have the required social and communication skills to work in a team
Collaborate and display early leadership in a multidisciplinary environment
Communicate clearly in writing and orally about one's own discipline in Dutch and English

Competence field 7: Social competency

Act ethically, professionally and socially responsible, also in an international or intercultural environment
Function autonomously within a short period of time in scientific research, in industrial functions, at consultancy firms, NGOs and government institutions
Consider sustainability aspects and social preconditions when developing a high-quality system, product, service or process

Competence field 8: Engineering competency

Design, plan and execute an engineering project at the level of a starting professional in an independent and result-oriented manner
Understand the complexity of a problem/system using quantitative methods
Assess the risks and technical feasibility of a project
Integrate biological, physico-chemical, technological, economic and ecological aspects into research, production, quality management, management or policy