The specializations within this programme explore natural and anthropological influences on the water cycle, from the perspectives of civil engineering, technology and earth sciences.
They are of direct relevance to sustainable development because they prepare graduates to improve the management of human impact on water resources, design simulation models for various phases of the water cycle, and develop methods of reducing the impact of water-related natural hazards.
Aim of the Programme
The programme aims to deepen the knowledge, insight and skills for hydraulic engineering (part of civil engineering), hydroinformatics (a technology discipline) and hydrology (an earth system science).
Graduates are able to work in professional water sector environments that require academic skills. Graduates who obtain good study results are eligible to undertake a PhD in an appropriate water science or engineering field.
In particular, this programme provides the education to:
- Improve the management of water resources through assessing and monitoring their vulnerability to hazards.
- Sustain economic development by better flood and drought protection and hazard reduction, in an era of global climate change.
- Improve environmental and public health through pollution prevention and treatment.
- Sustain and improve water supply, power generation and agriculture through integrated water resources development.
- Improve food production by developing, operating, maintaining and optimising water-related infrastructure.
- Sustain economic growth through the development of coastal and riparian zones.
- Manage and control water systems in an integrated and sustainable way, with stakeholders, through the development of technologies to simulate such systems.
MSc Thesis
The Water Science and Engineering programme is completed with an MSc thesis in which participants carry out experimental work, modelling, or case studies.
It starts with a six-week period to develop an individual research proposal, combined with self-selected topics.
The research takes place over a period of about six months. Participants undertake research that fits best to their personal and professional preference.
Specializations within the MSc Programme are:
You will learn to deal with the development, adaptation and management of agricultural water management and flood protection provisions for arid and semi-arid climates.
You will learn to deal with the scientific and engineering knowledge needed for the sustainable management of water for agriculture, learning about irrigation and drainage, IWRM, agronomy, hydrology and hydrodynamics.
You will be provided with knowledge and understanding of the ecological processes that support the resilience of aquatic ecosystems, and how these processes can be harmonized with engineering infrastructures at the river basin and used to sustain aquatic ecosystems quality and revert degradation.
You will develop scientific and engineering knowledge needed to reduce the human and socio-economic losses caused by flooding while at the same time taking into account the social, economic, and ecological benefits from floods and the use of flood plains or coastal zones....
You will be taught the technical background and practical skills to plan, model, design and manage coastal engineering and port development projects, and learn to analyse coastal problems and conceive appropriate solutions.
You will learn to plan, design, operate and maintain land and water resources and water-related infrastructure, emphasising on the modernisation of irrigation, drainage and flood protection schemes, and land use for agriculture.
You will develop scientific and engineering knowledge needed to design and implement projects for sustainable use of river systems and their resources, learning about the design of hydraulic structures, modeling of the river, and flood management.
You will develop a good understanding of the fundamentals of hydraulic, hydrological and environmental processes, advanced modelling and control techniques, decision support and information and communication technology.
You will be able to integrate hydroinformatics systems using the latest t...
You will deal with surface and groundwater, addressing both water quantity and quality, learning to understand human influences on the hydrological system, and receive tools, such as modelling, for the proper integration of hydrological knowledge and analysis in water resources planning and mana...
You will learn how to deal with integrated lowland development and management, including the required policies and approaches, the resulting plans and planning, and the actual design, implementation, operation, maintenance and management of the required programmes and projects.
