Programme content
This 2-year programme contains 120 ECTS credit units and leads to the joint diploma of International Master of Science in Soils & Global Change.
Language of instruction: English.
The IMSOGLO master programme is coordinated by the International Training Centre of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University.
This programme has two specialization options of 90 ECTS, to be chosen in advance (at application time) and to start after the 1st semester (30 ECTS).
- Specialization “Soil biogeochemistry and global change” is organized by Ghent University, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the University of Göttingen and leads to a joint MSc-diploma issued by these 3 universities.
- Specialization “Physical land resources and global change” is organized by Ghent University and Aarhus University, and leads to a joint MSc-diploma issued by these 2 universities.
The full programme with courses can be seen below.
Programme overview
2019 -2020
Master year 1
| SEMESTER 1 | SOIL FUNDAMENTALS | GHENT UNIVERSITY | 30 ECTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Course | Instructor | Study hours | Credits (ECTS) |
| Mandatory | Pedology | Peter Finke | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Soil Chemistry | Filip Tack | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Soil Physics | Wim Cornelis | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Land Information Systems | Ann Verdoodt | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Soil Genesis | Peter Finke | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Applied Statistics | Aisling Daly | 125 | 5 |
Depending on the chosen specialization:
Specialization 1
Soil Biogeochemistry and Global Change
| SEMESTER 2 | BOKU UNIVERSITY | 30 ECTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Course | Instructor | Study hours | Credits (ECTS) |
| Mandatory | Ecosystem Dynamics and their effect on greenhouse gases | Sophie Zechmeister-Boltenstern | 120 | 3 |
| Mandatory | Soil Protection | Walter Wenzel | 120 | 3 |
| Mandatory | Sustainable land use in developing countries | Georg Gratzer | 120 | 3 |
| Mandatory | Globalisation and rural development | Martin Kniepert | 120 | 3 |
| Mandatory | Soil problems in aridic and semiaridic regions | Eugenio Diaz-Pines | 120 | 3 |
| Mandatory | Summer School (Vienna with JRC) or Field work (China) | / | / | 3 |
| Elective courses (pick four for 12 ECTS) | ||||
| Elective | Possible impacts of climate change on water resources | Karsten Schulz | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Environmental risk analysis and management | Hans-Peter Nachtnebel | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Valuation methods for natural resources | Erwin Schmid | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Soil management in tropical and subtropical developing regions | Axel Mentler | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Soil Fertility and soil ecology in organic agriculture | / | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Agroforestry in moutain regions | Georg Gratzer | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Excursion in Land and Water Management | Cepuder | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Forest Soil Biology | Sophie Zechmeister-Boltenstern | 120 | 3 |
| Elective | Methods in Soil Microbiology | Sophie Zechmeister-Boltenstern | 120 | 3 |
Specialization 2
Physical land resources and Global Change
| SEMESTER 2 | GHENT UNIVERSITY | 30 ECTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Course | Instructor | Study hours | Credits (ECTS) |
| Mandatory | Climate Change | Dirk Verschuren | 120 | 4 |
| Mandatory | Soil Water Management | Wim Cornelis | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Soil Degradation | Ann Verdoodt | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Land Evaluation | Ann Verdoodt | 135 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Summer School or Field work | 3 | ||
| Elective courses (pick two for 8 ECTS) | ||||
| Elective | Economics and Management of Natural Resources | Stijn Speelman | 120 | 4 |
| Elective | Soil Prospection | Peter Finke | 120 | 4 |
| Elective | Dare to Venture | Johan Verrue | 120 | 4 |
| Elective | Scientific Communication | Geert Jacobs | 150 | 5 |
| Elective | Internship | Steven Sleutel | 135 | 5 |
| Elective | Seminars | Luc Tirry | 135 | 3 |
Master year 2
Specialization 1: Soil Biogeochemistry and Global Change
Specialization 2: Physical land resources and Global Change
| SEMESTER 3 | AARHUS UNIVERSITY | 30 ECTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Course | Instructor | Study hours | Credits (ECTS) |
| Mandatory | Assessing Soil Erosion Risk | Goswin Heckrath | 130 | 5 |
| Mandatory | Global soil threats and ecosystem services | Bo V. Iversen | 250 | 10 |
| Mandatory | Carbon Cycling and Climate Change | Mathias N. Andersen | 250 | 10 |
| Elective courses (pick one for 5 ECTS) | ||||
| Elective | Climate Through Earth's History | Marit-Solveig Seidenkrantz | 135 | 5 |
| Elective | Open Project work in Soil Physics | / | 135 | 5 |
| Elective | Bioactive Molecules in Agroecology | Inge S. Fomsgaard | 135 | 5 |
| Elective | Soil-classification | Mogens Humlekrog Greve | 135 | 5 |
| Elective | Arctic soils (Field trip Greenland) | Lis W. de Jonge | 135 | 5 |
Specialization 1: Soil Biogeochemistry and Global Change
| SEMESTER 4 | 30 ECTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Course | Institution | Study hours | Credits (ECTS) |
| Mandatory | Master thesis | BOKU University | 900 | 30 |
| or | ||||
| Mandatory | Master thesis | Göttingen University | 900 | 30 |
Specialization 2: Physical land resources and Global Change
| SEMESTER 4 | 30 ECTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Course | Institution | Study hours | Credits (ECTS) |
| Mandatory | Master thesis | Ghent University | 900 | 30 |
| or | ||||
| Mandatory | Master thesis | Aarhus University | 900 | 30 |
