Default track

English
VUB Main Campus Etterbeek
120
 ECTS
2 years

The course programme consists of 6 parts:

1. Foundation courses (27 ECTS-credits)
2. Toolbox professional skills (23 ECTS-credits)
3. Toolbox supporting skills (6 ECTS-credits)
4. Toolbox research skills (10 ECTS-credits)
5. One major (24 ECTS-credits) to choose out of 4 specialisations:
- Major 1: Global Change Impacts on Ecology and Biodiversity
- Major 2: Conservation Biology and Ecosystem Management
- Major 3: Environmental Impact and Remediation
- Major 4: Marine and Lacustrine Geosciences
6. The master thesis (30 ECTS-credits)

Master of Science in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management

Foundation courses - year 1

Fundamental Oceans and Lakes Biology
3
Oceanography
4
Limnology
4
Estuarine and Coastal Systems
4
Law and Ethics on Conservation of Aquatic Systems
3
Environmental Modelling
3
Analysis of Biological Data
6

Toolbox professional skills - year 1

Governance and Policy in Development and Cooperation - Part I
3
Governance and Policy in Development and Cooperation - Part II
3
Seminars: Case Studies on Biodiversity Management
3

Electives

Choose 3 ECTS

Environmental Impact Assessment
3
Science Communication
3

Toolbox supporting skills - year 1

From the courses listed below students must choose 6 ECTS or they can choose free elective courses (2x3 ECTS or 1x6 ECTS).
The free elective course must be approved first by the head of the exam commission. The next step is to fill out the online request form, with the approval email attached to it, by the deadline of 15 October: https://form.jotform.com/222663056398362

Introduction to GIS
3
Methods of Scientific Diving
3
Tracer Isotope Biogeochemistry
6
Applied Geomorphology
6
Natural Risk Management
3

Toolbox research skills - year 1

Integrated Marine Coastal Ecology Field Course
3
In-situ and Remote Sensing Tools in Aquatic Sciences
4

Electives

From the courses listed below students must choose one 3 ECTS course.

Integrated Field Course at Sea
3
Integrated Limnological Field Course
3
Integrated Estuarine field Course
3

Toolbox professional skills - year 2

In this module the student needs to follow 11 ECTS.
It is only possible to take up the course ‘Internship’ of 11 ECTS if a student does not take up Monsoon School or Summer School.
Monsoon School is mandatory for VLIR-UOS scholars.

Option 1

Monsoon School
6
Internship
5

Option 2

Summer School
6
Internship
5

Option 3

Internship
11

Major - year 2

One major to choose out of 4 specialisations, consisting of 24 ECTS of compulsory courses. You can only choose the major 4 'Marine and Lacustrine Geosciences' if you have a Bachelor of Science in Geology.

Major 1: Global Change Impacts on Ecology and Biodiversity

Aquatic Food Web Ecology
4
Marine Extreme Systems
4
Lacustrine Systems
4
Aquatic Microbial Ecology
6
Aquatic Genomics
6

Major 2: Conservation Biology and Ecosystem Management

Marine fisheries management
6
Integrated Coastal Zone Management
6
Law of the Sea and Protection of Oceans
3
Conservation Genetics
3
Freshwater Ecology and Management
6

Major 3: Environmental Impact and Remediation

Aquatic Ecotoxicology and Environmental Monitoring
6
Ecosystem Based Adaptation to Global Change
6
Global Change Physiology
6
Integrated Practicals
3
Freshwater Ecosystem Functioning
3

Major 4: Marine and Lacustrine Geosciences

Please note:

  • it is only possible to follow this major if you have a Bachelor of Science in Geology.
  • As of 2025-2026, it is possible that this major is not offered anymore for new students (to be confirmed).

 

Advanced Sedimentology
6
Micropaleontology and Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction
6
Integrated Offshore Exploration
6
Paleoclimatology and Climate Change
6

Master's Thesis

Literature review
3
Master's Thesis: Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management
27
Total number of ECTS
120