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Regional Studies – (M.Sc.)
University of Groningen
Faculty of Spatial Sciences
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| Application Deadline: | June 1 (EEA); 1 February (non EEA) | ||
| Annual Tuition Fee: | ≈ € 1,713 ≈ € 9,600 (non-EEA) | ||
| Location: | Groningen / Netherlands / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴ | ||
| Duration: | 24 months | Start Date: | February, September |
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| Credits (ECTS): | 120 | ||
| Languages: | English | ||
Location of University of Groningen
In the Research Master´s programme Regional Studies you are trained to be a full-grown researcher in one of the themes economic geography, cultural geography, planning, demography, or development studies. The programme is the natural follow-up of the Challenge trajectory in the Bachelor´s phase, and it is ideally suited to those who aspire to do a PhD.
Even if you do not have a PhD in mind, this Research Master´s programme might be the ideal preparation for those jobs in the labour market where analytical and research skills are very important. The programme is especially suited for students with a strong theoretical or methodological orientation. You will also meet the academic community, through conference visits, and a mandatory stay in an academic institute abroad, as well as through active participation in the scientific debate around a specific topic.
Students with a Research Master´s degree Regional Studies may opt for careers in academic as well as non-academic institutes. The Research Master is an excellent choice if you have ambitions to do PhD research. You will learn a large number of research skills and acquire knowledge which is crucial for doing PhD research. It is also possible to anticipate your PhD in your Master´s Thesis. The programme is also very well suited to prepare for a job outside the university, where research or consultancy are important.
The programme is aimed at training the analytical and critical skills of the students. Examples of institutes where a Research Master´s degree background is very useful are universities, commercial research and consultancy firms, research units of local, regional, national or even international government organisations, government related research institutes, such as the Spatial Planning Office (Ruimtelijk Planbureau), or the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI).
Contents
The Research Master has a highly varied, two-year programme, in which students are trained to become independent researchers in their fields of interest within the discipline of the spatial sciences.
A theoretical specialization, courses on philosophy and methodology, courses and workshops on research methods and techniques and a wide range of opportunities to further explore specific topics of personal interest are all part of the programme. The programme is very flexible. As a student you are mostly free to choose your own specialization region, research topics, and courses within the extensive range of this Research Master.
The programme offers four regions for specialization within the faculty of Spatial Sciences:
- cultural dimensions
- economic dimensions
- demographic dimensions
- planning and policy dimensions.
Research Process
- - the empirical cycle
- - the regulative cycle
- - start proposal Master thesis
Research frontiers
- conferences, workshops
Thematic theoretical specialization
Three out of four thematic theoretical specializations on regions (see also REG3b, 2nd year)
1: Cultural dimensions (10 ecs)
2: Economic dimensions (10 ecs)
3: Demographic dimensions (10 ecs)
4: Planning + policy for regions (10 ecs)
Individual research training
Research methods and techniques
- Advanced and specialized research methods and techniques in the social economic and spatial sciences
Year 2
- Research Proposal and Study Design
- Thematic theoretical specialization
- Practical skills Development of management skills, competences, debating skills
- Scientific writing and presentation Scientific writing and presentation in English, including a journal article
- International experience Study abroad period and/or international workshop related to Master´s Thesis
- Individual Master´s Thesis
- Writing preliminary PhD proposal
You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.
Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.
More informationRequirements
Admission to the Research Master´s programme in Regional Studies is granted if the following criteria are met:
- A Bachelor´s degree in human geography, planning of demography (with an average grade of 7 or higher on a 10-points interval).
- A Bachelor´s degree in one of the other spatial, social or economic sciences, that includes a minor of 30 ECTS in human geography, demography or planning.
- A scientific professional Master´s degree in the human geography or similar discipline.
- A comparable degree from a foreign university. See our website for more information.
Additional criteria are a sufficient passive and active knowledge of English, as well as sufficient knowledge of statistical methods and techniques, at the level as given in the Bachelor´s programme Human Geography & Planning of this Faculty.
Additional Requirements
| Minimal degree required: | Bachelor's degree |
| Minimal amount of work experience | Not specified |
Accreditation
Accredited by the Dutch Government
Contact
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