Master of Science in Environmental Biology
Utrecht University
Key Information
Campus location
Utrecht, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,209 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* EU/EEA, Surinam or Swiss students; €20,750: International students
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Explore Life from Genes to Ecosystems
Plants, animals, and microbes all play a key role in the sustainability of life on Earth. The Master's program in Environmental Biology offers you the opportunity to explore different organizational levels of life – from genes, cells, and organisms to populations and entire ecosystems.
In this program, you will study the fundamental life processes of plants, animals, and microbes. The interdisciplinary course content also offers you the chance to examine ecology, biology, and animal behavior from an evolutionary perspective.
Program Outcome
As a student of this unique program, you will:
- examine life at different organizational levels, from genes, cells, and organisms to populations and ecosystems;
- work on urgent research questions with critical societal relevance;
- tailor your program to your interests by selecting from one of four different tracks;
- work with internationally renowned scientists;
- make use of state-of-the-art techniques and facilities.
All Utrecht Master’s programs are linked to renowned research institutes and Schools that combine the expertise and academic training facilities of the science departments, with the clinical research of the Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Faculty of Medicine. This combination is unique in the Netherlands, and it has gained the University a strong international reputation in biomedical and life sciences research.
Curriculum
Tracks
Within the Environmental Biology Master, you can select a specialized track:
Plant Biology
Plants transform the solar energy that drives nearly all living processes on Earth. These organisms are the primary source of human and animal nutrition. They are also critically important in terms of environmental changes to the biosphere as a whole.
This track is research-oriented. As a student with an interest in molecular biology and physiology, you can join the research programs of the groups Molecular Plant Physiology, Plant-Microbe Interactions, or Plant Ecophysiology. All of these groups have research programs across the scales of genetics – molecular biology – plant physiology – plant-environment interactions.
All research groups focus on a variety of fundamental and applied research questions. Your research training will involve investigations at the level of cells, individual plants, or plants in their environmental context.
One of the strengths of the Plant Biology track is that it places knowledge of molecular and cellular mechanisms in an environmental or agricultural context, helping you to bridge the gap between molecular biology and real-world environments and applications.
Fungal Biology
Although fungi are less visible than plants, they are key players in nature. Fungi are essential in degrading organic material (waste recycling), establishing mutual beneficial symbiosis with plants and animals, and can be devastating pathogens as well. In addition, they are the main cause of food spoilage. On the other hand, fungi are of key importance for mankind by providing food (e.g. mushrooms) and in the production of food (e.g. cheese, wine, beer, soy sauce). Moreover, they are used in biotechnology for the production of materials, enzymes, and metabolites such as pharmaceuticals.
If you have an interest in microbiology, you can join the research programs of the groups' Microbiology, Plant-Microbe Interactions, or the Utrecht Fungal Biodiversity Centre. With this research-oriented specialization track, you will have the opportunity to work on fundamental research topics such as “How fungi choose from Nature’s menu”, “The fungal protein factory”, “Fungal biodiversity”, and “Control of mushroom diseases.”
Ecology and Natural Resource Management
This specialization track uses an interdisciplinary approach to provide you with the tools that are needed to address environmental concerns brought on by human society and industrialization. You will learn how to protect biodiversity and sustainably manage the Earth's natural resources.
Ecology & Natural Resource Management prepares you to generate and disseminate knowledge in the ecological and environmental sciences. Members of the participating research groups offer lectures on the latest developments in the field of ecology of natural resources. Guest lecturers from NGOs and governmental organizations provide the context for these developments from their day-to-day work.
In addition to your internship at the UU, you will have the opportunity to do an internship outside the University in a private company, consultancy, governmental institution (ministry, province, or municipality), advisory board, NGO, or applied research center, either in the Netherlands or abroad.
Behavioral Ecology
This track is research-oriented and offers you an interdisciplinary setting in which to explore animal behavior in relation to social behavior, welfare, ecology, and conservation.
The Behavioural Ecology track takes a multi-level approach to understand the causes and consequences of animal behavior. We do this through the integration of evolutionary and proximate approaches, taking a unique multidisciplinary approach to animal behavioral research. Coursework covers a variety of taxa (particularly primates and birds).
During your studies, you can join the research programs of the groups Animal Behaviour & Cognition (Biology, Utrecht University), Department Population Health (Veterinary Sciences, Utrecht University), the Netherlands Institute for Ecology (NIOO), and the Centre for Research and Conservation of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (Antwerp Zoo). These highly-regarded research groups offer you the ability to work on topics such as social cognition and behavior, social learning and animal innovation, ecology of animal personalities, animal welfare, zoo breeding programs, and wildlife conservation.
Career Opportunities
Academic Careers
A significant proportion of Environmental Biology Master’s students continue on to Ph.D. studies. Utrecht University provides ample opportunities for Ph.D. research, such as the Ph.D. program in Environmental Biology. However, there are also excellent opportunities to perform your Ph.D. research elsewhere in the Netherlands or abroad.
Professional Careers
Graduates that do not choose to follow a Ph.D. program can find employment in research institutes, such as RIVM, TNO, KNAW-NIOO, NIOZ, Plant Research International, in environmental consultancy firms, such as Arcadis, Royal Haskoning, Tauw Milieu, or Witteveen en Bos, or in or private or government nature protection or restoration organizations, such as World Wildlife Foundation, Natuurmonumenten, Wetlands International, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, provincial water boards, or ministries and provincial authorities.
Students with a Behavioural Ecology background may find employment at zoos (e.g. Arnhem, Antwerp, Vogelpark Waldroden), Stichting AAP, or Noldus.
Students may also choose to follow a career in industry, such as the plant breeding companies Monsanto, ENZA Seeds, Rijk Zwaan, Nunhems Seeds, Syngenta, Nickerson Zwaan, or BEJO Seeds, or at biotechnology companies, such as DSM, Genetwister, or Keygene.