Career preparation - MSc Environmental Sciences
In the MSc programme Environmental Sciences two subjects specifically focus on career preparation: the internship and the course Academic Master's Cluster (AMC). Besides, there are also other additional possibilities related to career preparation.
Academic Master's Cluster
In the AMC course you apply knowledge and skills acquired in previous courses and broaden these by executing a real-life, interdisciplinary consultancy assignment with a group of fellow students from different disciplines. The European Workshop, an AMC-type of course, is specifically designed for students from the MSc Environmental Sciences. More information on this course, in which students visit an European country for two weeks, can be found in the study handbook and the paper The European Workshop (.pdf).
Internship
The internship consists of project work in an institution outside of Wageningen University & Research where you can apply learned skills and concepts to a professional setting. Depending on your interests, you work (at least) four months at an (inter)national NGO, research institute, consultancy firm, (start-up) company, etc. By selecting a specific internship, you can influence your future career towards a certain direction.
Career-oriented track (optional)
But there are also extra possibilities during your MSc Environmental Sciences to prepare and steer your career into a certain direction: by taking specific tracks offered by Wageningen University & Research or programmes offered by other institutions.
Environmental Education & Environmental Communication and Innovation
- MSc track Education and Communication - If you are interested in steering your career within the field of environmental sciences towards education and communication, there are two tracks you can follow during your MSc programme: Environmental Communication and Innovation and Environmental Education. It includes courses, and a thesis or internship (in total 36 ECTS credits).
- Courses - There is also the possibility to replace the Academic Master's Cluster (AMC) course by two courses in the field of environmental education and communication (in total 12 ECTS credits): Capacity Building for Sustainable Development.
International Relations
- MSc track Sustainable Development Diplomacy - Would you like to focus on sustainable development and diplomacy? The MSc Environmental Sciences offers the possibility to follow the special thesis track Sustainable Development Diplomacy. This is a variant of the thesis track “Environmental Policy” and can be followed as part of your MSc programme. The purpose of the programme is to provide you as (future) academic, practitioner and leader in the public, private and non-profit sectors a combination of theory and practice of international diplomacy and negotiations in the field of sustainable development. Such should allow you to better understand, analyse and tackle the world’s most challenging sustainability problems. This track is designed in cooperation with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University (Cambridge, Mass., USA), the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the World Bank (Washington DC, USA), and the Sustainability Challenge Foundation (SCF) from the Netherlands. Read more.
Entrepreneurship
- MSc Track Entrepreneurship - How about the entrepreneur (or intrapreneur) in you? Do you want to make a change? Or make lasting social or environmental impact? You can put your knowledge into action, valorize your ideas and try to make a difference. The Master Track Entrepreneurship is a comprehensive program focusing on innovative, sustainable entrepreneurship within the Wageningen domains (i.e. food and food production, living environment, health, lifestyle and livelihood). This track can be followed as part of your MSc program. Read more.
Research
- WIMEK Graduate Programme - The WIMEK Graduate Programme offers a maximum of 15 excellent MSc students WIMEK-related MSc programmes, including the MSc Environmental Sciences, the opportunity to participate in the 'WIMEK Graduate Programme'. This programme prepares highly motivated MSc students for an academic research career by further developing their research skills and writing a full PhD research proposal on a self-selected subject within the field of 'Environmental and Sustainability Sciences'. After finishing the conclusion of the WIMEK Graduate Programme all participating MSc students will be in an excellent position to pursue a career as a PhD candidate in one of the participating WIMEK research groups (or anywhere else in the world). Read more.
- The WASS Graduate Programme - The Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS) Graduate Programme offers motivated MSc students from several MSc programmes the opportunity to follow a special track starting in the second half of the first year of their MSc. The programme prepares students for a PhD position by providing them with additional support for writing and defending their own PhD research proposal. Participants receive the best possible training and supervision in their endeavour to become a PhD candidate thereafter. Students who complete the graduate programme will receive a WASS certificate. WASS intends to earmark budget for (at least*) one PhD position for the best PhD proposal each year. Read more.
Some of these options can be part of your MSc programme, some other options have to be followed partly next to your MSc programme. Note that you have to apply for most of these programmes and tracks, because only a limited number of students can be admitted. The selection procedure is usually only once a year.
| Career orientation | Option | Selection procedure | Within MSc programme | Notification on degree certificate | Certificate by WUR | Certificate by other institution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Education & Communication | MSc track (36 ECTS credits) | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Environmental Education & Communication | Courses (12 ECTS credits) | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| International relations | MSc track Sustainable Development Diplomacy | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Entrepreneurship | MSc Track Entrepreneurship | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Research | WIMEK graduate programme | Yes | Mostly | No | No | Yes |
| WASS graduate programme | Yes | Mostly | No | No | Yes |
For further questions related to these (additional) career-related possibilities during your MSc Environmental Sciences you can contact your study adviser.