In cooperation with
MASTER
OF SCIENCE IN
PHYS
ICAL
LAND
RESOUR
CES www.vub.ac.be/physical-land-resources
120
ECTS
WHY VUB
VUB education delivers strong individuals,
critical minds & world citizens
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) offers highquality English-taught programmes, supported
by outstanding research. Being a student at
VUB means learning in an open atmosphere
of tolerance and diversity and growing into an
independent and critical-thinking individual.
All fields of study are offered on 4 student-friendly
campuses in the cosmopolitan city of Brussels. At
VUB, students have easy access to their lecturers
and assistants. Faculty members are available
and open to answer questions; small group
workshops are used to ensure close interaction
and hands-on experience.
VUB is a dynamic and modern university with
almost two centuries of history. There are 15.000
students, 21% of whom are international students
from more than 120 different countries.
The basis of our academic success
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel was founded on
the principle of ‘free inquiry’ as formulated by the
French mathematician and philosopher of science
Henri Poincaré (1854-1912): ‘Thinking must
never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a
party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to
a preconceived idea, nor to anything whatsoever,
except to the facts themselves, because for it to
submit to anything else would be the end of its
existence.’
Personal growth with a positive and critical attitude,
a sense of responsibility and open-mindedness,
these are characteristics that you will encounter
in everyone at the university, from professors and
researchers to students and staff. It lies at the
heart of our academic success.
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More than soil
The Physical Land Resources Master’s
programme aims to form experts that are able
to manage and protect the land as well as
manipulate the specifics and properties of the
soil. The programme encompasses a variety of
different aspects, such as the physics of the soil,
meteorology and natural hazards.
Our internationally oriented master’s programme
is a collaboration between the Vrije Universiteit
Brussel, Ghent University and two research
centres, namely the International Centre for
Eremology and the International Training Centre
for Post-Graduate Soil Scientists. Field work,
excursions, laboratory work, exercise sessions
and computer workshops are an important
component of the Physical Land Resources
programme.
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MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
PHYSICAL LAND RESOURCES
It’s no secret that our growing population is
putting pressure on the soil, causing severe
degradation, pollution and desertification.
These problems present serious danger for
the population, resulting in disputes and strife
between several parties, namely agriculture,
industry, urban planning and nature conservation.
The need for experts on these matters is very real,
and this is where the Physical Land Resources
programme comes into play: we form these muchneeded experts through high-level education,
including extensive field work.
Skilled, knowledgeable experts
This programme offers several skills inherently
tied to a Master of Science, such as the ability
to identify a problem, form a hypothesis, test it
through experiments of your own design in the
field and to report results and findings to both your
peers and a more general public. Another, very
important asset is the ability to think analytically
and synthetically, while still being creative – all
part of a problem-solving mentality. You’ll gain
all the knowledge and skills needed to build a
successful career as a scientist.
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Two specialisations
The master’s programme offers two
specialisations: Soil Science, which is organised at
Ghent University, and Land Resources Engineering,
organised at the VUB.
Land Resources Engineering
Students learn to combine applied scientific
knowledge and advanced technical competence
in non-agricultural aspects of soil management
like GIS and earth observation techniques to
digitally inventory and process soil data and
landscape characteristics. The programme
offers basic knowledge in geo-techniques with
special reference to practical applications of
soil as building and foundation material, and to
the stability of slopes and excavations. With the
use of field, physical and chemical techniques
students discover the interactions between soil
and groundwater in relation to environment
management and land use. This way they can
design possible measures for management and
remediation.
Soil Science
The abiotic aspects of soil and water
management, agricultural engineering systems
and techniques are the main aspects of this
profile. Students learn to deduct information
from the characterisation of soil material and
its environment about soil forming processes, in
particular for tropical areas. Modern equipment,
informatics and computer technology help them
to make inventories of soil or land to model
abiotic processes. Understanding, assessing
and interpreting these results helps them to
recognize the impact of technical interventions
and measures in the frame of soil and land
management.
MASTER YEAR 1
ECTS
MASTER YEAR 2
ECTS
Common Compulsory courses
45
Elective courses
30
Applied Statistics
Profile: Land Resources Engineering
Soil Chemistry
Applied Geomorphology
Soil Mineralogy
Internship
Soil Physics
Geology and engineering geology
Pedology
Geological and Geotechnical Aspects in
Coastal Lowlands
Land Information Systems
Meteorology and Climatology
Rock mechanics and underground
constructions
Soil Prospection and Classification
Scientific Communications on Physical
Land Resources
Specialisation compulsory courses
Geomechanics
GIS for Water Resources Engineering
15
Groundwater modelling
Applied Geophysics
Natural Hazards
Groundwater hydrology
Natural Risk Management
Water and Land Interaction and
Transformation
Remote Sensing in Water Resources
Engineering
Land Resources Engineering
Total
Profile: Soil Science
60
Irrigation and Drainage
Land Evaluation
The programme is subject to change.
Check www.vub.ac.be/en for the latest information about
the programme.
ECTS (European Credit Transfer System):
1 credit represents 25-30 hours of study activity.
Properties and Management of Soils in
the Tropics
Quality of Groundwater Resources
Remote sensing
Soil Degradation
Soil Erosion Processes and Control
Soil Fertility
Soil Water Management
PREPARATION COURSE
All Physical Land Resources students are
highly recommended to take part in the
BE PreP summer school offered at Ghent
University. This is a preparatory programme
to refresh your general knowledge of
mathematics, chemistry, statistics and/or
economics. It also allows you to attend ICT
lectures and workshops and to integrate
yourself in Belgium with ease.
PARTNERSHIPS
The Master of Science in Physical Land
Resources is part of the International
Courses Programme (ICP). With the
International Courses Programme,
VLIR-UOS funds master courses of one
or two years on a development oriented
subject at a Flemish university. The
courses focus mainly on participants from
Africa, Asia and Latin America and are
taught in English. VLIR-UOS even awards
scholarships to follow the courses.
More info: www.vliruos.be/en
Master Thesis
30
Total
60
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND
ORGANISATION
The first year of the two-year, full time
programme provides a basis in physical
land resources, with a main subject in
either Soil Science or Land Resources
Engineering. The second year offers
specialised courses in one of the two main
subjects. The course curriculum of the
first year and of the main subject in ‘Soil
Science’ of the second year is organised at
the Ghent University, whereas all courses
of the main subject in Land Resources
Engineering of the second year are
organised at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Students in Land Resources Engineering
have to reside in Brussels during the
second year. The academic year starts the
last week of September.
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GET YOUR
HANDS
DIRTY!
FROM THEORY TO LABORATORY
TO PRACTICE
The master programme is not purely theoretical.
We offer a wide range of different teaching
methods. Field work, excursions, laboratory work,
exercise sessions and computer workshops are
an important component of the Physical Land
Resources programme. Our students tell us they
appreciate this applied and practical approach to
teaching.
A PROGRAMME WITH A LONG HISTORY
The Master of Science in Physical Land Resources
originates from two other programmes, namely
Soil Science and Eremology, formerly taught
at Ghent University. ‘Soil Science’ was founded
by ITC-Gent, the International Training Centre
for Post-Graduate Soil Scientists. As the name
suggests, it has a long-standing reputation in
the formation and training of soil scientists.
‘Eremology’, a programme devoted to the study of
deserts, was founded by the ICE, an organisation
that was set up as a reaction to the disastrous
droughts in Saharan countries. In 1997, Ghent
University worked with the Vrije Universiteit
Brussel to widen the scope of the course: the start
of the Physical Land Resources master course.
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”Being a member of the
academic community,
there was a need for me to
pursue academic and scientific
advancement to contribute in
improving the quality of education
in my university. The Master of Science
in Physical Land Resources provided
opportunities to gain knowledge from
excellent professors and mentors, not
only in theory but also through experience
in the laboratory and field.
Each course taught the application
of concepts learned in class through
excursions, practical applications and
hands-on exercises using software. As
an international joint program of Vrije
Universiteit Brussels and Gent University in
Belgium, students like me were given the
opportunity to interact with people in the
scientific community from different parts of
the world and to learn from them as well.
After I graduate from this program, I intend
to use the skills I acquired for improving risk
management and disaster preparedness
against geohazards in my country.”
April Joy Coleta (Philippines)
MSc Physical Land Resources option in Land Resources
Engineering, 2014-2016
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ADMISSION CRITERIA
Admission is based on review of each application: proof of meeting academic and language requirements, personal
motivation, etc …
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
SPECIFIC ADMISSION CRITERIA
Proof of English proficiency is compulsory for all
students. You need one of the following documents to
proof you level of English:
• English language tests: TOEFL min. iBT 80, pBT 550,
IELTS (academic) min. 6.5, Cambridge CAE min. B,
Cambridge CPE min C. or TOEIC min. 860
• Proof of having successfully completed at least on year
of secondary education with English as the language
of tuition
• Primary education certificate with English as the
language of tuition
• Proof of 15 ECTS credits of higher education with
English as the language of tuition
• Secondary education (ASO) in Belgium
For more details on admission requirements and
application: www.vub.ac.be/en/apply
The M.Sc. programme is open to holders of a degree
in exact or applied sciences equivalent to at least
4 years of university studies (eg. B.Sc. in geology,
geography, chemistry, botany, biology, B.Sc. in agriculture,
environmental sciences, civil engineering, education,
...). Holders of a specialized degree in physical land
resources (e.g. M.Sc. Soil Science) can apply for
exemption of the courses of the first year in the master
programme and thus be admitted directly to the second
year of the M.Sc. programme.
Enrolling for this plan is also possible having completed
the Preparatory Programme Master of Science in
Physical Land Resources.
Application deadline
Tuition fees
Prospective students are advised to apply as soon
as possible, even if they have not yet obtained their
degree. Applications can only be submitted through
our website www.vub.ac.be/en/apply
• Students who require a visa (non-EU/EEA nationals)
need to submit their application before June 1st
• Students who do not require a visa must apply
before June 1st
• Note: if the proof of English proficiency or APS
certificate is not ready before the deadline, you
can always submit it later instead of missing the
deadline
All Flemish universities in Belgium are subsidised
by the government, which results in relatively low
tuition fees. The general tuition fee for our master
programmes is €890/year. Some master programmes
have an increased tuition fee for students with a non
EU/EEA nationality. A detailed overview of the tuition
fees can be found on:
www.vub.ac.be/en/tuition-fees
www.vub.ac.be
www.vub.ac.be/physical-land-resources
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