Environmental and Infrastructure Planning – (M.Sc.)

Contents

Structure

The one-year master degree curriculum starts in September. Starting at another time during the academic year conflicts with the logical built up of the program and is hence unfavourable for the way a student should sequentially and successfully follow the courses. Exceptions are possible, but only after consultations with and agreement from the coordinator of the Master EIP . If -in exceptional cases- access to the Master program is allowed it is done at the student´s own responsibility.

The total size of an academic year is 60 EC (European Credits) divided over two semesters of 30 EC, while each semester in turn is divided in two 15 EC sub-semesters. Each of these four sub-semesters is divided again in three 5 EC courses. Finally, there are 20 EC reserved for the master thesis. See the overview.

The possibility to follow an elective is restricted to the first sub-semester of semester 2 and is always subject to endorsement by the coordinator of the EIP Master. Electives are offered within the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, but may also be chosen from the offer of other Faculties within or outside the University of Groningen.

Contents

The interdisciplinary character of EIP is reflected in the contents of the curriculum. A broad introduction of relevant literature provides a basis on which the knowledge and skills offered in the separate courses can positioned. The field of EIP is introduced in its national and international setting in the courses Infrastructure Planning start and Theory of E&IP tutorial. These educational activities together provide the student with a comprehensive overview of EIP in its academic and professional context. Furthermore, they constitute a theoretical orientation on the field of EIP and its potential areas of research and application.

Building on this basis attention will turn to EIP´s specific activities such as Process and Project Management , (international) case studies Environmental Planning , frontline research and specific planning skills such as creative thinking, negotiating, evaluation and forecasting. To satisfy the individual academic interests of students a number of electives are available. The last course to be offered in the curriculum before embarking on the writing of the master thesis is water management. In this course the whole spectrum of water management is presented and discussed from a general perspective on spatial planning and water to Integrated Coastal Zone Management.

The pinnacle of the one-year Master course is the thesis. This is an individual testimony of mastering the subject of EIP. The thesis presents a scientific analysis from the definition of a problem, via an academic sound analysis that ends into academic sound conclusions.

The Master thesis is an individual effort supervised by one of the staff members. The topics for a Master thesis will be linked to ongoing research of the members of staff that are responsible for the EIP Master.