Master of Science in Physical Land Resources (Land Resources Engineering)
The Master of Science degree programme in Physical Land Resources is a two year, full time course. The first year provides a fundamental basis in physical land resources, including supporting methodological courses. The second year offers specialised courses in one of both main subjects: either Land and Groundwater Management or Urban Land Management. The goal is for graduates to be able to address the many environmental and climate change related challenges ahead of us and to address the sustainable development goals.
What
A country’s physical land resources are a fundamental pillar of support for human life and welfare. Worldwide, population pressures and severe degradation, pollution and desertification problems are threatening this – for several countries relatively scarce – natural resource, and cause competition between agricultural or industrial purposes, urban planning and nature conservation. To guarantee a proper use and management of this basic commodity for a nation, well trained specialists with a thorough knowledge of the properties and characteristics of this natural resource, and a solid insight in factors and measures that may alter its actual state and value are warranted and call for a high standard scientific and practical education.
For whom
The admission requirements depend on previous degrees (type of degree, country of issue etc ...) or additonal experience.
Structure
The main subject Land and Groundwater Management aims at training researchers, academics, government staff and expert consultants in the inventory and detailed characterisation of land capacity, and of groundwater in particular. Graduates should be able to understand the development and evolution of groundwater under natural conditions or following human interference using field, map, laboratory and remote sensing data. They should have the scientific knowledge to use and manage land and water in a sustainable way, and to optimize land and groundwater use under different natural and environmental conditions.
The main subject Urban Land Management aims at training researchers, academics, government staff and expert consultants in the inventory and detailed characterization of land capacity, and of urban land in particular. Graduates should be able to understand urban hydrology and hydraulics, and the problem of sustainable mobility and logistics, using field, map, laboratory and remote sensing data. They should have the scientific knowledge to use and manage urban land and water in a sustainable way, and to optimize urban land use under different natural and environmental conditions.
The course curriculum of the first year, and of the main subject in Land and Groundwater Management of the second year is organised at Ghent University, whereas all courses of the main subject in Urban Land Management of the second year are lectured at “Vrije Universiteit Brussel”. There is one common course in the second year: “Integrated Project”, assuring coherence between both majors.
An important part of the programme is allocated to the master dissertation. This is part of the second year programme. Students have to integrate the acquired knowledge with (guided) self-study, which involves experimental work, data analysis and interpretation, writing and communication. The master dissertation is an important measure of the final competences obtained by the student.
Labour Market
There is a great demand for experts in physical land resources to address the many challenges ahead of us, particularly resulting from the lack of similar programmes worldwide. Implementation of various environmental and climate change related directives and addressing the sustainable development goals, demands well-trained personnel in physical land resources, both in the Global North and South. The great majority of alumni are very satisfied with the programme and with the opportunities it created for their current jobs. Most alumni are employed in theory-oriented and applied research at universities or research institutes; policy making at (inter)governmental and non-governmental organisations; education, training, extension or rural innovation; design, management and interventions at small to medium-sized enterprises or corporate businesses; or take up a consultancy or advisory position.
Kwaliteitszorg
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University focusses continuously on improving the quality of its courses. The UGhent quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
www.ugent.be/nl/univgent/waarvoor-staat-ugent/onderwijsbeleid
www.ugent.be/en/ghentuniv/principles/educational-strategy/qualityassurance.htm
Outstanding aspects
- Strong student satisfaction: A recent alumni survey showed that the great majority of alumni were very satisfied with the programme and with the opportunities it created for their current jobs.
- Unique and international programme: we offer a two-years (120 credits) interfaculty and interuniversity programme that studies land and water from different perspectives. With its very strong focus on land and water in relation to climate change, food and water insecurity, environmental degradation and engineering applications, the programme addresses directly and indirectly most of the new 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The programme is taught in English and is followed by nationals from all continents, resulting in a unique international and intercultural experience.
- From theory to laboratory to practice: we offer an attractive, balanced and coherent programme with a wide range of activating didactic methods including field work, excursions, laboratory work, exercise sessions, computer workshops, group discussions, microteaching, scientific communication and classroom lectures. Our students really appreciate this applied and practical approach to teaching, in combination with a solid academic and theoretical formation. Attention is not only given to the latest technological developments and equipment, but also to low-tech alternative solutions encouraging self-reliance; the programme thus addresses candidates from both the Global North and South.
- Research-based education: students are truly embedded in the research conducted at the research units of lecturers involved programme. Students are trained to write a research project proposal and to present and defend this to a jury and their peers. An important part of the program is allocated to the master dissertation. Students thus get the opportunity to be involved as junior researchers in cutting-edge research. Many of our graduates start PhD studies at top ranked universities in and outside Europe.
- Delivery of highly demanded experts: the programme delivers well-qualified professionals with careers in theory-oriented and applied research at universities or research institutes; policy making at (inter)governmental and non-governmental organisations; education, training, extension or rural innovation; design, management and interventions at small to medium-sized enterprises or corporate businesses; or take up a consultancy or advisory position.
Strengths
- Motivated and engaged lecturers: our highly-qualified, internationally oriented staff specialised in various disciplines related to physical land resources, ensures that both teaching and research closely reflect topical issues in the Global North and South. Lecturers are internationally renowned experts in their discipline. According to a recent audit, few programmes succeed so well in guiding their students to a master’s dissertation.
- Readily accessible staff: our programme promotes an open-door policy and open one-to-one communication between teaching staff and students. Students are thus not numbers but individual members of the ‘physical land resources’ family, which they highly value. In a recent audit, the open culture and involvement of our students was highly valued.
- Fair evaluation and examination policy: our programme employs a wide variety of evaluation and examination methods. The evaluations are valid, reliable and transparent. Students highly appreciate the clear communication about the examination forms and content so that they can prepare themselves optimally for the exams. Due attention is given to feedback and feedforward.
- Highly valued didactical approach: apart from theoretical and practical knowledge, our programme offers several skills inherently tied to a Master of Science, such as the ability to identify a problem, formulate a hypothesis, test it through experiments of proper design, and report results and findings to peers and a more general public. Another, very important asset is the ability to think analytically and synthetically, while still being creative – all part of a problem-solving mentality. Students gain all the knowledge and skills needed to build a successful career as well-qualified professional.
- Very active alumni policy: through the extensive alumni network that has been built and maintained for over fifty years, the programme is able to adjust and modify its content and learning outcomes according to the demands of the professional field. Alumni are involved in the programme as co-supervisors of master dissertations and give guest lectures.
To work on
- More focus on needs and interests of European students: though the programme focuses on both students from the Global North and South, a recent audit suggested to better target European students. A significant programme change will become effective as of 2020-2021. More attention will be given to mineral resources, geophysics, and environmental programming and modelling.
- Study load: about half of the students perceive the study load of the 1st master year as heavy, though they also consider it worth the credits. We realise that we offer an intensive programme, but in the end, most students and alumni do appreciate this. The number of assignments given by the lecturers in different course units is now monitored so that students can better plan their work in the first master year.
- Structured and proactice evaluation policy: though students are very positive about the way they are evaluated, the programme is participating in a pilote study supported by the faculty Office of Educational Support and by UGent’s central Department of Education on how to further improve the evaluation policy as of January 2020.
An extended analysis of the education policy and programme quality assurance can be found in this report.