Courses

You have one programme-wide course in period 1: Introduction to Marine Sciences (GEO4-1451; timeslot D). You will be automatically enrolled on this course.

In addition, you can choose between two courses that are part of the Marine Sciences Master's programme, or choose an elective:

• Life and the Carbon cycle (GEO4-1440; timeslot A).
• Making, analysing and interpreting observations (NS-MO504M; advanced physics; 3.75 EC; timeslot BC).
  • Please note: this is a 3.75 EC course and not a 7.5 EC.
• An elective from the entire Earth Sciences Master's programme and specifically this course might be relevant for you: Data and models in Earth surface and water systems (GEO4-4411; timeslot B).

Please indicate the course of your choice in the acceptance form of your offer on the Osiris Application platform.

* These courses are only recommended to students with an advanced background in Physics and who want to specialize in the field of Physical Oceanography. Courses with a code starting with “NS-M” are managed by the Department of Physics & Astronomy (at the Science Faculty).

Compulsory

You take two compulsory courses (15 EC):

• GEO4-1451 Introduction to Marine Sciences (1D)
• GEO4-1452 Ocean Law and Policy (3C)

Optional

You choose at least four courses (30 EC) from at least three of the core fields of Physics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Biology.

Physics

• NS-MO504M Making, Analysing and Interpreting Observations (1BC)
• GEO4-1453 Oceans and sea level (2C)
• NS-MO401M Dynamical Oceanography (3B)
• NS-MO448M Earth System Modeling (4A)
• NS-MO447M Waves in Geophysical Fluids (3&4 BC)

Earth Sciences

• GEO4-1405 Paleoceanography & Climate Variability (1B)
• GEO4-1412 Astronomical Climate Forcing & Time Scales (2D)
• GEO4-4435 Morphodynamics of Tidal System (2A)
• GEO4-4434 Morphodynamics of Wave-Dominated Coasts (3A)
• GEO4-1422 Reconstructing Extreme Climate Transitions (3B)
• GEO4-1419 Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems (3C)
• GEO4-1454 Ice-ocean-climate interactions (4A/B/C/D)

Chemistry

• GEO4-1439 Aquatic and Environmental Geochemistry (1C)
• GEO4-1443 Stable Isotopes in Earth Sciences (2B)
• GEO4-1421 Reactive Transport in the Hydrosphere (3D)
• GEO4-1420 Organic Geochemistry (4-)
• GEO4-1431 Field Research Instruction Geochemistry (4-)

Biology

• GEO4-1440 Microbes and Biogeochemistry (1A)
• GEO4-1450 Coastal Ecology (2D)

Electives

Depending on interest and ambition, you may select seminar modules / advanced courses (15-30 EC) from the total offer of Utrecht University. You will find this offer on the pages of the Master’s programmes under the heading 'Study programme' or look for courses in the Course Catalogue. It is also possible to chose from the offer of other universities, in the Netherlands or abroad.

The (NS-MO446M) NIOZ Marine Master's course could be interesting (3,75 EC) for you for example.

The electives of your Master’s programme should be:

• Relevant to your Master’s programme
• Approved by the Board of Examiners as a part of your personal programme. Fill in the form to apply for this approval.

You can choose to take complementary courses at other universities in both the course part and elective part of this Master’s programme. Both Dutch and foreign universities offer courses.

Please note! You need approval of the Personal Advisor before you start a course at an other university.

The following universities and courses are available:

University of Groningen (RUG)

• Function of Marine Biodiversity
• Polar Ecosystems
• Applied Population Genetics
• Molecular Methods in Ecology and Evolution
• Ecosystems Mediterranean Rocky Shores
• Advanced Statistics
• Mathematical Models in Ecology and Evolution

Search courses at RUG

University of Amsterdam (UvA)

• International Excursion Tropical Marine Biology
• Aquatic Ecotoxicology and Water Quality
• Benthic Ecology
• Coral Reef Ecosystems
• Experiments in Limnology & Oceanography
• Food Webs

Search courses at UvA

Wageningen University (WUR)

• Life History of Aquatic Organisms
• Fisheries Ecology
• Aquaculture Production Systems
• Marine Resources Management
• Nutrition, Welfare and Reproduction in Aquaculture
• Marine Systems
• Microbial Ecology
• Environmental Toxicology
• Ecology: Classics and Trends

Search courses at WUR

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) 

• Exploring the Wadden Sea

University of Svalbard (UNIS) (Norway)

• Ecosystems in Ice Covered Waters

• GEO4-1520 Master's Thesis (30-45 EC) (--) AND
• GEO4-1521 Guided Research (15-30 EC) (--)