Earth Sciences

The track Environmental Management of the Master's programme Earth Sciences is aimed at combining geo-ecological knowledge with interdisciplinary skills.
This results in a professional and more applied earth scientist able to tackle environmental problems working in a team with other specialists. The curriculum combines one year of Earth Science courses and one specialised year concentrating on management aspects in Earth Science, interdisciplinary skills and an internship in a company or (non) governmental organisation.

Why study at the UvA?
Graduates of this track are well equipped to develop a successful career as an applied earth scientist. Such specialists are highly demanded to tackle the challenges of climate change and to translate scientific process knowledge into management strategies in order to lessen the effects for society.

In the Geo-ecological Dynamics track you will study dynamics in landscapes and geo-ecosystems of terrestrial environments and aquatic systems in fieldwork, in the lab and with computational methods.
Complex geo-ecosystems comprised of landscape, soil, water and biological systems are severely affected by global change and human interaction. Detailed knowledge of geo-ecosystem processes is crucial for understanding our past, current and future environments. This means incorporating spatial and process studies of the dynamics and properties of landscapes, land use (change), land degradation and desertification, pollution, biogeochemical cycles and eutrophication (e.g. carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus), and climate.

In this Master's track you will learn to apply state-of-the-art methods (including advanced fieldwork, lab methods and geo-computation) to answer the prominent environmental questions we are faced with.

In the two-year track Future Planet Ecosystem Science of the Master's programme Earth Sciences, you will learn quantitative methods and gain an in-depth understanding of concepts of geo-ecological sys
Human impact on our planet has reached unprecedented proportions. This severely affects biodiversity, geo-ecosystems and the services they provide to humanity. We urgently need an in-depth understanding of the functioning of geo-ecosystems, to predict the effects of local and global change (land use change, eutrophication, pollution, climate change) and to successfully manage Earth's systems (e.g. through integrated land management, spatial planning, nature and soil conservation). Only then can we rely on the use of ecosystem services in a sustainable way.

This Master's track teaches cutting-edge, quantitative methods (including observations, modelling and big data analysis) and how to apply these methods to global challenges. Specific attention is given to the identification of where scientific knowledge falls short of contributing to solutions for the grand challenges we are facing.