Soil and Water Management – (M.Sc.)

This program prepares you to face the challenge of providing clean water, safe food, wood products and energy while minimising negative impacts on the environment and health.

We all depend on the sustainable use of soil and water for our survival and well-being. This is why all levels of society from local authorities to international organisations are active in securing water supplies and the production of food, timber, energy and other commodities.

The use and quality of soil and water resources are intimately linked and must be understood together. Thus, the sustainable use of soil and water is a challenge shared by professionals in natural sciences, sociology and economics. This programme focuses on natural sciences, although you will be trained to work in an interdisciplinary environment.

Future

This Master’s degree will prepare you to work as a soil/water expert at public authorities at various levels or within consultancy . Those seeking an international career may join development agencies, research institutes, non-governmental organisations, consultancy firms, governmental or international authorities. Another option is to continue at PhD-level at SLU or another university.

Important areas of future work include e.g. : Incorporation of the EU water and soil directives in land use planning processes to minimize contamination of surface and ground water and development of strategies for reducing losses of nitrogen and phosphorus to near coastal zones. Other areas of high relevance are e.g. soil conservation strategies and assessment of soil carbon pools in the perspective of climate change.