Master’s in Earth System Sciences

Courses 

The total programme of the MSc Earth System Sciences is 120 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). In the first year (60 ECTS), you take a number of compulsory courses (CS), restricted optional subjects (RO) and optional subjects (O). The second year (60 ECTS) consists of an MSc Thesis (36 ECTS) and an Internship (24 ECTS).  

Everyone starts the MSc Earth System Sciences with two compulsory courses: ‘Interdisciplinary Topics in Earth and Environment’ and ‘Environmental Data Collection and Analysis’ (8 weeks). After this first period you will take courses from your chosen specialisation, free choice courses and choose one from three Academic Master Cluster courses. A study adviser can help you decide on your personal programme.  

Academic Master Cluster  

Depending on your specialisation, you take an Academic Master Cluster in the 5th or 6th period in the first year. You either work on a project for a client as part of the ‘Academic Consultancy Training’, or you participate in a specific climate change module, ‘Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation’. In both cases, you work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team. The third option is to take the Research Master Cluster and follow a module on academic research proposal writing, which focusses more on preparing you for a possible PhD position. 

Courses first year.

Thesis  

The Master’s in Earth System Sciences offers a choice of different thesis subjects at nine Wageningen University chair groups. The thesis consists of 26 weeks of research and writing. Your choice of thesis subject and chair group depends on your chosen specialisation in the first year. A staff member from this chair group provides you with individual supervision. You agree on the research topic with your thesis supervisor and study adviser. You can choose from a range of subjects offered by your chair group, other institutes, or come up with an own subject based on your research interests. The resulting thesis is graded by your supervisor and another, independent, staff member. You are also required to present your results during a seminar, the ‘colloquium’.  

Internship

The 16-week internship is a required element of the master’s programme. In your second year you work at an institute outside Wageningen University or even outside the Netherlands. Your internship is a unique learning opportunity, where you can apply your academic skills in a professional environment, preparing you for your future career.  

Instead of your internship, it is also possible to take part in a master track (Dutch only) to obtain a first level teaching qualification, that provides the possibility for teaching physics in all years and all types of secondary education. However, to obtain this first level qualification it is required to have followed the education minor in your bachelor's degree where you can obtain a second level teaching qualification. 

Courses second year.

Within this master's programme, you can choose one of the specialisations below to meet your personal interests. Each of them trains you to become an expert in that field. Within your specialisation, you choose at which research group you would like to write your thesis. The two major parts of your specialisation are the (thesis-preparing) courses and a master thesis. You can extend your specialisation with an internship or a research practice. For a more detailed information on the programme structure per specialisation, visit the MSc Earth System Sciences Study Handbook page.  

• Hydrology and Water Resources 
  In this specialisation, you will explore how water moves through the Earth’s surface and how it’s affected by climate change, land use, and human activity. You’ll gain both theoretical and practical insights into hydrological processes—from rainfall and rivers to floods, droughts, and groundwater systems—across a variety of landscapes and scales. The programme combines system thinking with hands-on technical skills such as hydrological modelling, data analysis, and field observation. You will also engage with related fields like soil science, meteorology, and geomorphology, giving you a broad understanding of Earth system interactions.
  As part of the MSc Earth and Environment, this specialisation offers suggested learning paths (like Hydrogeology), while also allowing you to tailor your study plan to your own interests.
• Meteorology and Air Quality
  This specialisation focuses on understanding the atmosphere and its role in weather, climate, and air quality. You will explore how atmospheric processes work on different time and spatial scales—from local air pollution to global climate patterns. The programme offers a strong combination of theory, fieldwork, modelling, and data analysis. You will also develop skills that are highly relevant for careers in research, forecasting, policy, and environmental consultancy.
  At WUR, you can follow suggested learning paths such as Weather and Climate Dynamics, Urban Meteorology, or Atmospheric Chemistry, or create your own study route to match your interests.
• Biology and Chemistry of Soil and Water
  This specialisation focuses on the biological and chemical processes that shape the quality and functioning of soils and surface waters. You will explore how these systems support biodiversity, regulate climate, and manage nutrients and contaminants. Using a combination of fieldwork, lab research, and modelling, you will learn how to analyse and restore ecosystems on land and in water. Whether your interest lies in soil chemistry, aquatic ecology, or terrestrial ecosystems, this track provides a scientific foundation for sustainable environmental management.
  As part of the programme, you will choose from suggested learning paths or create your own, combining courses, a thesis, and an internship that align with your interests and ambitions.
• Soil Geography and Earth Surface Dynamics 
  This specialisation explores the dynamic relationship between humans, soils, and landscapes. You’ll study the spatial and temporal processes that form and transform our environment, using tools like GIS, digital soil mapping, and system modelling. The programme blends fieldwork, lab work, and modelling to help you understand both natural and human-driven changes in the earth’s surface. With a focus on sustainability and ecosystem services, you'll develop skills to analyse and guide land use for the future. 
  As part of the master’s, you’ll follow courses, a thesis, and an internship, and can shape your learning path by choosing from themes like Soil Geography and Data Science, Earth Surface Dynamics, or Sustainable Land Use.

The programme includes different ways of learning:

• Lectures – Learn from experts as they explain the course material in class.
• Tutorials – Work on assignments individually or in small groups.
• Labs – Apply environmental and statistical models, mainly in computer labs.
• Problem-Based Learning (PBL) – Solve real-life case studies together with your group and a supervisor.
• Self-study – Make time to dive deeper into the material, both during scheduled hours and on your own. 

We believe in personal guidance and close contact. That’s why you will find more lecturers, study advisors and student counsellors ready to support you than at most other Dutch universities. This extra support helps you stay on track, reduces the chance of dropping out, and adds a personal touch that makes your study experience more enjoyable and effective. 

• Master's in Forest and Nature Conservation
  The Master's in Forest and Nature Conservation focuses on the understanding and the management of forest- and nature areas by studying ecological, societal and management aspects. Earth System Sciences has a broader scope than only forest and nature areas. Earth System Sciences focuses on the natural scientific aspects of the entire ‘System Earth’ including abiotic factors such as hydrology, meteorology and soil science.
• Master's in Environmental Sciences
  The Master's in Environmental Sciences provides you with insight in the characteristics and socio-economic causes of environmental pollution and degradation of our natural environment, with a focus on finding solutions to prevent or limit these effects. In Earth System Sciences you will come to understand the processes in the ‘critical zone’ allowing you to develop models to predict the human impact on the environment.
• Master's in International Land and Water Management
  The Master's in International Land and Water Management also contains similar aspects to the Master's in Earth System Sciences, but during this study programme you will focus on the physical, technical and socio-economic aspects of land- and water management. In Earth System Sciences the focus is specifically on understanding the physical, chemical and biological processes of ‘System Earth’. Less attention is placed on the socio-economic aspects. International Land and Water Management is open to both gamma- and beta students, whereas Earth System Sciences is specifically aimed at beta students.

Check more information on Studiekeuze123.nl. 

MSc Earth System Sciences graduates can continue their academic training as PhD student or start a career as a scientific professional at a university, research institute or consultancy agency. Depending on their specialisation, they will have different career opportunities, such as: 

• Consultant, researcher or specialist in Earth Sciences or Environmental Sciences.
• PhD or research career at universities and research institutes.
• Positions at engineering and consultancy firms.
• Roles within governments and governmental institutions (e.g. water authorities, meteorological institutes such as Rijkswaterstaat or KNMI).
• International careers as hydrologist, meteorologist, water quality scientist or soil scientist. 

Student Career Services facilitates WUR students towards the labour market. If you need help in your orientation towards your future career. 

Interested in the master's programme Earth System Sciences? Find out whether your knowledge and skills match the entry level of the programme.

Purpose and reason for the admission requirements  

The admission requirements for the master's programme Earth System Sciences are defined in such a way that the students should be able to successfully complete the programme nominally in two years. In order to comply, the student needs to have sufficient knowledge in the field of terrestrial and atmospheric processes and their influence on different systems, like the pedosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Moreover, the student must be able to relate physical, chemical, biological and spatial concepts to (near) the earth’s surface. This is to ensure that the student has a solid basis to follow the programme at master's level.  

The criterion used for admission is  

a WUR BSc degree in Earth System Sciences, or equivalent.  

The norm for this equivalence is  

An assessment of the students' expertise in the following topics:  

• Earth sciences (soil sciences, hydrology and/or atmospheric sciences)  
• Natural sciences (physics, chemistry, biology)  
• Computer sciences (programming skills and/or geo-information science)  
• Mathematics (linear algebra, calculus)  
• Basics in statistics  

Not all topics mentioned need to be mastered at the same level; they will be weighed by the Admission Board per individual application.

Method of assessment whether this norm is met  

• Transcript of records displaying the content of previous course subjects and project work;  
• Curriculum vitae displaying relevant work, internship and/or project experience on an academic level in a relevant field if applicable.  

Scores attributed by the Admission Board  

Admitted / not admitted / admitted under condition of obtaining the BSc or MSc degree / not admitted with offer of pre-master.

You can apply for this Master's here.

The Admission Board may allow and/or suggest compensation of knowledge gaps by:  

• a GPA≥7.0* for the previous education for small discrepancies, as new knowledge is sufficiently easily acquired;  
• a GPA≥7.0* and an individual pre-master's programme for larger discrepancies that can be compensated in ≤30 ECTS and one year of study.  

*Check the Application & Admission page for the International credentials evaluation guide for international equivalencies to a Dutch GPA>7.0. This guide includes compensating factors for a slightly lower GPA the Admission Board may include in their judgement.  

Contact us to discuss the possibilities of a pre-master or how to mitigate knowledge gaps if you are still in the process of obtaining your degree.

Admissible study programmes

Study programmes of which the graduates may meet the knowledge requirements of Earth System Sciences are for example: Earth sciences, Geosciences and Physical geography.

Study programmes with knowledge gaps

Study programmes whose students often have to follow additional courses within their current programme or in a pre-master to fulfil the knowledge requirements are for example: Environmental Sciences, Land and Water Management, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Civil Engineering or similar. 

Students from universities of applied sciences (NL: hbo) often follow additional courses in a pre-master in natural sciences, mathematics and/or a domain course before admission.

Personal Statement regarding prior education (optional)

Please upload a Statement of purpose in your application. Please address the following topics (where relevant):

• Which of the four MEE specialisations are you considering? Why do you think it matches your acquired knowledge this far, as well as your ambitions for this study programme and your future career?
• In case your expertise in one or more of the relevant fields (see 'Required knowledge': Earth Sciences, natural sciences, computer science, mathematics and statistics) is not obvious from your transcript of records, please explain which of those topics were addressed in which courses.
• In case your GPA is too low, please explain the reason for your (slightly) too low GPA.

Want to know the financial side of studying? All information about the costs of this programme can be found on this page. 

Life as a student means more than studying. Rent your room, enjoy social events and lively pubs, join student associations, and take part in festivals and sports clubs in and around Wageningen. All information about student life in Wageningen can be found on this page.