Soil Resources and Land Use Courses

View the Soil Resources and Land Use competency profile here

PLEASE NOTE: The below curriculum is provided for reference only, pending final approval from the relevant study board at each university. Updated December 2024.

The specialisation in Soil Resources and Land Use is offered by all four partner universities: UCPH, UHOH, SLU and BOKU. If you choose to specialise in Soil Resources and Land Use there are twelve possible ways to combine the Basic Semester Package (BSP) and the Advanced Semester Packages (ASPs) in your Master Program.

You just have to take the BSP and the ASP-1 at one of the universities (the Home university), and the ASP-2 at another of the universities (the Host university). The Masters thesis must be conducted at your Host university.

ASP-1 at UHOH: European and Worldwide Views (Soil Resources and Land Use)

30 ECTS

Semester 2

(summer)
  • Spatial Data Analysis with GIS (7.5 ECTS, Block 1)
  • Fertilization and Soil Fertility Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (7.5 ECTS, e-Learning, by arrangement)
  • Environmental Pollution and Soil Organisms (7.5 ECTS, Block 2)
  • Vegetation and Soils of Central Europe (7.5 ECTS, Block 2)
  • Field Course Soils and Vegetation (7.5 ECTS, Block 3)
  • Project in Soil Science (7.5 ECTS, no fixed date, but by arrangement)


ASP 1 at UHOH consist of blocked modules (i.e. these run for four weeks in either of the block periods 1, 2, 3 or 4.  No two blocked modules can be taken during the same block period.

NOTE: Highlighted courses are compulsory study activities, in addition students have to select two of the semi-elective modules plus one elective module. The elective module may be freely chosen from the module catalogue of all master courses of the Faculty of Agricultural Science and the Faculty of Natural Science.

Module descriptions can be found in the module catalogue at UHOH

ASP-1 at SLU: Soil Resources and Land Use 1

NOTE: No courses this semester are compulsory study activities, meaning all are elective study activities 

Period 3 (15 ECTS) Period 4 (15 ECTS)

Semester 2

(spring)
  • Soil biology and biogeochemical cycles (15 ECTS) 1
  • The ecology of cropping systems (15 ECTS) 1

  • Environmental assessment (15 ECTS) 1

1) Course with prerequisites. Check the individual course web page on the SLU web

ASP-1 at BOKU: Soil Resources and Land Use 1

You will find the BOKU courses (LV) in our teaching information system BOKUonline: https://online.boku.ac.at

Further information on how to look for courses at BOKU in general: http://www.boku.ac.at/int-in-boku-howtolookforcourses-en.html

30 ECTS

Semester 2

(summer)
  • Biogeochemistry of soils VU (3 ECTS) 
  • Soil protection VO (3 ECTS)
  • Soil fertility and soil ecology in organic agriculture VU (3 ECTS)
  • Soil and water bioengineering - principle and applications VS (3 ECTS)
  • In-situ treatment of polluted soils and sediments: phytoremediation, in-situ fixation and attenuation techniques UE (3 ECTS)
  • Mountain risk engineering VX (6 ECTS)
  • Global waste management II VO (3 ECTS)
  • Selected methods of soil analysis PR (4 ECTS)
  • Soil pollution and remediation VU (3 ECTS)
  • Soil management in tropical and subtropical developing regions VO (3 ECTS)
  • Valuation methods for natural resources VO (3 ECTS)
  • Soil properties and processes for ecological engineering VU (3 ECTS)
  • Environmental chemistry SE (4.5 ECTS) *
  • Description, functions of soil structure and its changes in agricultural landuse VX (3 ECTS)
  • Environmental risk analysis and management VO (3 ECTS)
  • Soil microbiology course UE (4 ECTS)
  • Molecular microbial ecology of soils VU (3 ECTS)
  • Biology, chemistry and microbiology for civil engineering VU (3 ECTS)
  • Project management VU (3 ECTS)
  • Free elective course(s) (6 ECTS)


* Offered every second year (2022, 2024, 2026, ....)

NOTE: Highlighted courses are compulsory study activities while the rest are elective study activities

ASP-1 at WU: Soil Resources and Land Use (preliminary list of courses)

 

Semester 3

(autumn)
  • Coastal Oceanography and Delta Geology, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Biological Interactions in Soils, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Evaluating soils in the Anthropocene: from plot to continent, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • The 4th Dimension in Earth Sciences, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Applications in Soil and Water Chemistry, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Spatial and Temporal Analysis for Earth and Environment, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Erosion Processes and Modelling, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • The Soil Carbon Dilemma, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Nutrients in a Circular Agriculture, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Trending Topics in Biology and Chemistry of Soil and Water, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Geology, landscapes and soils of the World, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Field Training Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interactions, RO3 (6 ECTS)
  • Field Training Geosciences, RO3 (6 ECTS)

NOTE: 18 ECTS have to be covered from above restricted elective courses. 
Ask at enveuro@wur.nl for course details

ASP-2 at UHOH: Soils (Soil Resources and Land Use)

30 ECTS

Semester 3

(winter)
  • Fertilization and Soil Fertility Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (7.5 ECTS, e-learning)
  • Project in Soil Sciences (7.5 ECTS)
  • Irrigation and Drainage Technology (6 ECTS)
  • Plant Ecology of Cultural Landscapes (6 ECTS)
  • Soil Fertility and Fertilization in Organic Farming (6 ECTS)


ASP 2 at UHOH consists of unblocked modules (i.e. these run throughout the entire lecture period).

NOTE: Courses listed above are semi-elective. Students have to select at least two of the semi-elective modules. Additional elective modules may be freely chosen from the module catalogue of all master courses of the Faculty of Agricultural Science and the Faculty of Natural Science so that a total of 30 credits is reached.

Module descriptions can be found in the module catalogue at UHOH

ASP-2 at SLU: Soil Resources and Land Use 2

NOTE: No courses this semester are compulsory study activities, meaning all are elective study activities

Period 1 (15 ECTS)

Period 2 (15 ECTS)
for some courses divided into 2a and 2b

Semester 2

(fall)

  • Soil water processes in agroecosystems, (15 ECTS) 1

  • Soils of the world and sustainable water and soil management, (15 ECTS) 1

  • Sustainable technologies for low and medium income countries (7.5 ECTS, at 25% during whole semester)
  • Research internship (15 ECTS) 1
  • Environmental geochemistry, (15 ECTS) 1

  • Safe nutrient recycling, (15 ECTS)

  • Research internship, (15 ECTS) 1

  • Land use and watershed management to reduce eutrophication, (7.5 ECTS) 2a 1

  • Models for sustainable water management (7.5 ECTS) 2a

  • Geographic information systems for environmental and natural science studies, (7.5 ECTS) 2b

1) Course with prerequisites. Check the individual course web page on the SLU web

ASP-2 at BOKU: Soil Resources and Land Use 2

You will find the BOKU courses (LV) in our teaching information system BOKUonline: https://online.boku.ac.at

Further information on how to look for courses at BOKU in general: http://www.boku.ac.at/int-in-boku-howtolookforcourses-en.html

30 ECTS

Semester 2

(winter)
  • Soil physics and chemistry VO (3 ECTS)
  • Soils and Global Change SE (4 ECTS)
  • Master's Thesis Seminar SE (2 ECTS)**
  • Soil Erosion Models and their Application VU (4.5 ECTS)
  • Soil indicators VO (3 ECTS)
  • Role of soils in nature conservation and wildlife management VU (1.5 ECTS)
  • Soil – plant science workshop: From the hypothesis to publication I SE (3 ECTS) 
  • Soil conservation VU (3 ECTS)
  • Soil water management VO (3 ECTS)
  • Simulation in vadose zone environment VU (3 ECTS)
  • Stable isotopes (C, N, S, O, H) in soil and environmental sciences VX (3 ECTS)
  • Ecology and management of the rhizosphere in ecological engineering UE (3 ECTS)
  • Mountain forest climatology and headwater hydrology VU (4.5 ECTS)
  • Integrated flood risk management VO (3 ECTS)
  • Chemistry of soil water VU (2 ECTS)
  • Protection of natural resources by organic farming VS (3 ECTS)
  • Rhizosphere processes and application to agriculture and soil protection VO (3 ECTS)
  • Specific methods in soil analysis (lecture) VO (1 ECTS)
  • Specific methods in soil analysis (practical) UE (1 ECTS)
  • Soils and food security VU (2 ECTS)
  • Field course soil ecology UE (3 ECTS)
  • Interdisciplinary project work: soil sciences (in Eng.) PJ (6 ECTS)
  • Risk management and vulnerability assessment VS (3 ECTS)
  • Dynamics of geophysical flows VS (3 ECTS)
  • Decision support systems SE (3 ECTS)
  • Free elective course(s) (6 ECTS)


** Associated with the Master's Thesis in the 4th semester -- compulsory 

NOTE: Highlighted courses are compulsory study activities while the rest are elective study activities

ASP-2 at WU: Soil Resources and Land Use (preliminary list of courses)

 

Semester 3

(autumn)
  • Academic Consultancy + modulal skills training RO1-1 (12 ECTS) 
    • or 
  • Design of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies RO1-2 (12 ECTS)
  • Interdisciplinary Topics in Earth and Environment, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Sedimentary geology of lowlands; principles, methods and applications, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Environmental Data Collection and Analysis, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Coastal Oceanography and Delta Geology, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Soil Hydrology (new course), RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Biological Interactions in Soils, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Evaluating soils in the Anthropocene: from plot to continent, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • The 4th Dimension in Earth Sciences, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Applications in Soil and Water Chemistry, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Spatial and Temporal Analysis for Earth and Environment, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Erosion Processes and Modelling, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • The Soil Carbon Dilemma, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Nutrients in a Circular Agriculture, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Trending Topics in Biology and Chemistry of Soil and Water, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Geology, landscapes and soils of the World, RO7 (6 ECTS)
  • Field Training Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interactions, RO7 (6 ECTS)

NOTE: 18 ECTS have to be covered from above restricted elective courses. 
Ask at enveuro@wur.nl for course details