Core questions underlying the programme on Water

Holland, and the Dutch, are famous for having spent centuries mastering the art of water management. In view of the expected climate changes, this expertise and specialised knowledge in water management becomes increasingly important, especially how to apply them in other comparable contexts.

Considering the growing global demand, questions about how to govern the use and availability of drinking water deserve serious attention too. The programme also focusses on the relation between water shortage and water surplus.

Students can further develop their research skills on water-related issues by writing a research proposal or participating in an interdisciplinary project.

Courses on Water Management and Water Supply

Period: Semester 4: Feb – April (+ June)

• Challenges for the Blue Planet (new course, formerly Water Quality)
• Digital Earth
• From Data to Evidence
• Desertification & Land Degradation
• Water Management
• Geographical Information Systems
• Water Governance
• Spatial Implications of  Environmental Change
• Scenario Planning

For specific course details, please refer to the UvA Course Catalogue.

Admission requirements

The international programmes on Food & Water are open to students:

• with sufficient fluency in English, i.e. master the language at C1 level, as can be shown by an International Baccalaureate certificate, an IELTS test score > 7 or a TOEFL test score ≥ 95, or earlier academic education in English.
• with a background in social science that have successfully completed one semester (i.e. a study load of at least half of an academic year) in natural sciences courses related to Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Ecology or Climatology;
• with a background in one of these natural sciences. This allows in principle for admission to all courses, exceptions being Food & the City and Water Governance, as these courses require some background knowledge in economics, human geography or spatial planning.

Depending on their curricular background, a tailor-made programme can be put together that fits the needs and motivation of the individual student. 

Note: The available places for international students per course are limited.

Contact

For more information on the programme or exchange of ideas about the Bachelor's programme Future Planet Studies, please contact the student exchange office.