Master’s in Biobased Sciences

The two-year master's programme prepares the graduate to be able to assess opportunities and challenges of the biobased economy from an interdisciplinary perspective. In the first year, you will start with two foundation courses followed by a specialisation, free optional courses and the Academic Master Cluster. In the second year, you will do your internship and write your master's thesis.

Wageningen University & Research covers the transition from a petrochemical to a biobased society from the different disciplines in an interdisciplinary, holistic approach. Wageningen has many pilot facilities, such as AlgaePARC and Acrres, as well as production facilities for products such as bioplastics, chemicals, and packaging materials.

The first year begins with a joint start of two foundation courses with the emphasis on circular material flows, followed by one of the three specialisations and space for personalisation in optional courses. In the first year you will also be a team member in the Biobased and Circular Solution Design-course, where you will tackle a real-life case together with students from different specialisations.

Foundation courses
The two foundational courses, Circular Economy and Principles of Biobased Economy, are both taught in September/October (period 1). 
In the course Circular Economy, you will learn how to realize a transition from a linear economy to a circular economy. This requires an interdisciplinary approach, combining technical, managerial, and environmental considerations. A systems approach to the circular economy is taken, considering different stakeholder perspectives, their incentive structures, and their impacts on circular alternatives. 
The course Principles of Biobased Economy is about exploring how to create a sustainable future by moving away from dependence on fossil resources to biomass resources for the production of food, chemicals, and energy-carriers. In this course, students will learn which different disciplines are important and how they are connected. Lectures about logistics, economy, biomass production, biorefinery and catalysis are included.

Biobased and Circular Solution Design 
In this course, you will work in an interdisciplinary team to design a new, innovative biobased circular solution, in which the three biobased disciplines are integrated. You will work on real projects, commissioned by companies or other interested parties from outside Wageningen University.

Together with your teammates you will design a biobased circular solution, work out the whole production and value chain in detail, and assess technological, circular, ethical, societal, and economic performance. 

Courses first year.

The second year will involve a research thesis (36 credits) at one of the chair groups and an internship (24–36 credits) at a host organisation outside Wageningen University & Research. The chair groups differ per specialisation. More information can be found on the website of the specialisations.

In year 2 you will also finalise the trajectory of Boundary Crossing in Biobased Sciences. You will write several reflection reports about your view on interdisciplinarity, how you can benefit from it in teamwork, how your thesis topic contributes to the bioeconomy, and about your future role in the transition towards it. You will discuss the reports during a final oral interview with one of the interdisciplinary experts in your specialisation. 

Courses second year.

There are three specialisations to choose from. You will develop thorough expertise in one of the three disciplines, and you will gain basic knowledge about the other two disciplines. To view all detailed information about each specialisation, check the Study Handbook of this master's. 

• Biomass Production and Carbon Capture
  Learn how to optimise biomass production using plant physiology, breeding, and Systems Analysis to supply high-quality biomass for a biobased economy. You’ll explore diverse production systems—from crops, seaweed to microalgae—and how to match crops with sustainable applications.
  There is also a variety of Restricted Optional courses, like Bioresources or Breeding for Stress Tolerance and Quality, that you can take throughout your first year, some of which should be suitable for your chosen thesis.
• Biorefinery and Conversion
  Focus on converting biomass into valuable products like bioplastics, chemicals, and energy through integrated knowledge of engineering, chemistry, and process technology. You’ll learn to design efficient, sustainable biorefineries from lab to industrial scale.
  There is also a variety of Restricted Optional courses, like Biobased Materials Science  en Environmental Electrochemical Engineering, that you can take throughout your first year.
• Biobased and Circular Economy 
  Explore how to drive the transition away from fossil-based systems through smart resource use, policy, logistics, and sustainable business models. This specialisation combines economic insight with systems thinking to close energy, water, and nutrient cycles.
  In this specialisation, you will find a variety of Restricted Optional courses, Entrepreneurship in the Circular Economy or Sustainability Analysis, that you can take throughout your first year.

Would you like to learn more about this master's and discover the different specialisations interactively? Play the Master of Circularity game!

Courses are taught by lecturers who are actively involved in research groups, contributing to the development of scientific content and ensuring the programme’s academic standards remain high. Teaching is offered in multiple formats, such as lectures, group-based tutorials with assignments, hands-on practicals, case-based group work (problem-based learning), and field excursions.  

At WUR, we believe that personal support drives success, and our study guidance is known for being highly accessible. We support students academically, professionally, and personally throughout their studies. Our study advisers help with monitoring study progress, choice of internship and thesis preparation. The study adviser is key contact for navigating your academic journey and aligning your studies with your career goals. All new students will be invited for an intake meeting with their study advisor before the start of the academic year to discuss your specialisation choice and course planning. 

The Master's in Biobased Sciences is unique in the combination of the offered disciplines. The following programmes are related to MSc in Biobased Sciences.

Master's in Biotechnology: The specialisation 'Biorefinery and Conversion' in MSc Biobased Sciences and the specialisation 'Environmental and Biobased Technology' in Biotechnology have a lot in common. The difference lies in the focus: in MSc Biobased Sciences you become a bridge builder between your expertise and other disciplines like Biomass Production or Circular Economy, while in MSc Biotechnology you become a specialist in the engineering part of biobased biotechnology.

Master's in Environmental Sciences shares the interdisciplinary approach with MSc in Biobased Sciences. While the MSc in Biobased Sciences focuses on enabling a biobased and circular economy, the MSc in Environmental Sciences is oriented on avoiding the topics of pollution and degradation of the natural environment.

Master's in Economics of Sustainability: This advanced general economics master's programme focuses on the interactions between economic actors and the natural environment. You are trained as a quantitative economist, where in the MSc in Biobased Sciences you combine your economic background with knowledge of plant production systems and engineering. You will learn how to work together with and understand specialists from these disciplines.

Master's in Sustainable Business and Innovation: This advanced business master's programme provides a multi‐disciplinary perspective on how firms, farms, markets, and sectors can transform to be part of sustainable solutions. At the MSc in Biobased Sciences, you can work on similar topics. However, in the MSc in Biobased Sciences engineering and development in life sciences are taken into account too.

Master's in Resilient Farming and Food Systems and the MSc in Biobased Sciences are both oriented on the transition to a sustainable society. MSc Resilient Farming and Food Systems focuses on creating sustainable organic production systems and dives into the societal debate and biology of sustainable food production systems. The MSc in Biobased Sciences offers training in non-food production as well. In addition, engineering and economical aspects are included in the programme.

Master's in Biosystems Engineering: Another related master's programme is Biosystems Engineering. Both study programmes have a multi-/interdisciplinary approach. Biobased Sciences has a broader scope on the transition from a fossil based society to a circular economy, while Biosystems Engineering focusses more on the technological aspects of the agricultural context.

Check more information on Studiekeuze123.nlabout how you might be able to further compare this programme. 

Students are well-trained to work in a multi- and interdisciplinary team in a biobased research and development environment as a scientist, process engineer or manager. Graduates will have career opportunities in the agrifood business, water companies, energy producers, logistics, governmental and non-governmental organisations.  

Graduates will work in an innovative and ever-growing, emerging market. Because of the transformation of the Netherlands to a circular economy, “about 650 new jobs will be created each year for highly-skilled biobased professions” in the Netherlands, up to at least 2030. (Arbeidsmarktonderzoek masteropleiding Biobased Sciences Wageningen University & Research, October 2016).  

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

The admission requirements for the master's programme Biobased Sciences are defined in such a way that the students should be able to successfully complete the programme nominally in two years. This interdisciplinary programme values a broad influx of students from different backgrounds. Therefore, students should have specialised in their pre-education in one of the relevant disciplines, or followed an interdisciplinary programme in the field of biobased sciences, circularity or sustainability. Relevant disciplines for this are engineering, biomass production or economy.

The criterion used for admission is
a WUR BSc degree in Biosystems Engineering, Management and Consumer Studies, Biotechnology, Economics and Governance, Environmental Sciences, Molecular Life Sciences, Plant Sciences, Biologyor equivalent.

The norm for this equivalence is
An assessment of the student’s expertise the following topics:

• Biomass production and Engineering
  • Agricultural sciences (agrotechnology, biosystems engineering)
  • Biology (plant production)
  • Biotechnology
  • Chemistry (biochemistry, biorefinery)
  • Plant or Crop Science
  • Engineering (systems engineering, chemical engineering)
• Economy:
  • Economics (micro and macroeconomics)
  • Logistics
  • Business (frameworks)

Candidates are expected to have a specific expertise in one of the topics above or an interdisciplinary view on connections between most of these topics. 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.

Admissible study programmes
Graduates from study programmes that may meet the knowledge requirements for Biobased Sciences next to those similarly named to the ones above are for example: Future Planet Studies, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Applied Biology.

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.

Wageningen University offers a minor in biobased sciences to prepare for this master.

*Check the general admissions 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.

Micromaster programmes

Wageningen University and Research also offers micromaster programmes in the area of Biobased Sciences. These programmes can be followed on their own or as preparation for Master's in Biobased Sciences.

• Business and Operations for a Circular Bio-Economy: This micromasters programme focuses on determining if alternative (biobased) resources have the potential to become economically viable sustainable sources for the production of high value food and materials, feed and energy.
• Economics and Policies for a Circular Bio-Economy: This microMasters programme will help you to understand the basic economics of a circular biobased economy. You will learn to carry out economic assessments of the benefits and costs of new biobased technologies, in a dynamic value chain, where feedback occurs between different actors such as between retailers and food processors.
• Chemistry and Technology for Sustainability: This micromasters programme focuses on the use of chemical and biotechnological approaches for the production of energy-carriers, polymers, chemical building blocks and materials from renewable resources and waste streams. 

Studying comes with a price tag. Want to know what to expect? All information about the costs of this programme can be found on this page.

Your student life is about more than just studying. Wageningen is a small, international student city surrounded by nature, where it’s easy to feel at home. With students from all over the world, there’s a strong sense of community both on and off the campus. Whether you enjoy cycling through nature, joining study or sports associations, or relaxing at cafés and events in the city centre. The atmosphere is friendly and informal, making it easy to connect with others and balance your studies with social life. You got it on this page!