Ghent University - Faculty of Bioscience Engineering
International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change
Ghent, Belgium
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 4,500 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Non-European students and all scholarship seeking students: 28 February 2026 | European students who do not wish to apply for a scholarship: 31 May 2025
** European students (all EU countries + Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey): € 4,500 | Non-European students: € 9,000 | For Erasmus Mundus Scholarship holders the tuition fee is included in the grant
Key Summary
About: The International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change (IMSOGLO) trains specialised soil scientists to address pressures from population growth, industrialization and intensive land use. Led by Ghent University's Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, the programme brings together four European universities: Ghent University (Belgium), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Austria), University of Göttingen (Germany) and Aarhus University (Denmark). It’s a 2 year Master of Science focused on soils, soil science applications, land-use change, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem management.
Career Outcomes: Non-EEA students may get a 12-month orientation year; alumni: 45% public sector, 50% consultancy/industry/agriculture.
Increased population pressure, industrialization, and intensive land use cause depletion of natural resources and limit the performance of land with respect to its functions such as biomass production, carbon sequestration, and water purification. The additive effects of climate change and the abovementioned aspects of global change influence the capacity of soils to sustain functions to provide planetary services and human wellbeing. Soil (pedosphere) forms the interface between the air (atmosphere) and the earth (lithosphere) and interacts with surface and groundwater (hydrosphere) and living organisms (biosphere). It is thus a vital component of ecosystems and needs to be secured.
Specialized soil scientists are needed to understand and address the impact of climate change on soil conditions and processes, and vice versa.
The International Master in Soils and Global Change (IMSOGLO) educates this next generation of soil scientists who have the knowledge and skills to characterize soils, and understand soil evolution in an ecosystem context under global change based on a deep insight into the underlying processes and interactions, and develop strategies to implement climate-smart soil management policies.
Graduates of IMSOGLO are able to contribute to multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary work in different ecosystems. This allows them to navigate the often competing interests of land users, managers, and other stakeholders, and to understand and appreciate the various viewpoints at play. Additionally, students have a deep understanding of high-order targets such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other international and European ambitions, such as the EU’s Green Deal. They are able to make conscious contributions to policy-relevant research, crucial for sustainable soil use and conserving soil health in the face of climate change.
IMSOGLO is a 2 year Master of Science program that brings together the expertise of 4 renowned European universities:
- Ghent University (Belgium)
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Austria)
- University of Göttingen (Germany)
- Aarhus University (Denmark)
Structure
This 2-year programme contains 120 ECTS credit units and has two specialisation options of 90 ECTS:
- Specialization "Soil biogeochemistry and global change" is organised by Ghent University, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the University of Göttingen and leads to a joint MSc-diploma issued by these 3 universities.
- Specialization "Physical land resources and global change" is organized by Ghent University and Aarhus University and leads to a joint MSc-diploma issued by these 2 universities.
Both specializations share the introductory module of Soil Fundamentals at Ghent University (first semester, 30 ECTS, which includes a joint primer event) and a joint summer activity at the end of the second semester.
The courses and locations during the second and third semester depend on the chosen specialization. Students follow mandatory courses and choose a number of eligible courses up to a total of 30 ECTS per semester.
The MSc-thesis is done at one of the universities organizing the specialization, with co-supervision from the other university. It is also possible to do the thesis in conjunction with one of the associated partners: the Joint Research Centre of the European Community, or the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing).
Ranking of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering:
QS ranking: position 9 (Agriculture and Forestry)
Shanghai Ranking: position 35 (Agricultural Sciences)
Times Higher Education ranking: position 49 (Life Sciences)
National Taiwan University ranking: position 19 (Agriculture)
Ranking of Ghent University
Shanghai Ranking: position 91
Times Higher Education ranking: position 115
National Taiwan University ranking: position 78
QS ranking: position 162
QS sustainability ranking: position 33
Graduates will be able to:
- perform at an advanced level in soil physics, soil biogeochemistry, land information systems, meteorology and climatology.
- understand the evolution of soil (agro-/forest/natural) ecosystems under natural conditions and human impact, in relation to global change.
- characterise soil, and can translate this to soil quality and assess the relations to natural and anthropogenic factors.
- conduct fieldwork (soil survey, soil profile description, soil sampling), interpret analytical data, classify the soil, and manage and interpret existing geospatial (soil) data.
- plan and execute target-orientated experiments or simulations independently and critically evaluate the collected data.
- possess a holistic understanding of interactions and processes in the agro-ecosystem and natural ecosystems, using statistical tools and advanced (geospatial) information- and modelling techniques.
- act from a researchers' perspective: creativity, accuracy, critical reflection, curiosity, justification of choices based on scientific criteria.
- integrate and extend acquired knowledge towards innovative solutions, knowing the limits of own competencies.
- participate in and lead interdisciplinary groups for the development of sustainable environmental solutions at a local, regional and global scale.
- possess qualifications for employment in private and public-sector companies and organisations where high-level expertise in soil management is required.
- communicate, orally and written, in words and in graphs, on the own discipline to experts and the general public.
Erasmus Mundus scholarships
ERASMUS Mundus scholarships are available only for the ERASMUS Mundus Joint Master Programs:
- AquaH - International Master of Science in Health Management in Aquaculture (no scholarships at the moment)
- IMSOGLO - International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change
- SINReM - International Master of Science in Sustainable and Innovative Natural Resource Management (no EM-scholarships at the moment)
- IMETE - International Master of Science in Environmental Technology and Engineering
- IMRD - International Master in Rural Development (no EM-scholarships at the moment)
Please contact the university for more information.
Non-EEA students eager to enter the Belgian job market can apply for an orientation year in Belgium. An orientation year allows students to extend their stay in Belgium with 12 months to find a job or start their own business.
Get inspired at the Study in Flanders website or the Ghent University website.
Labour Market
A needs analysis at the start of IMSOGLO has shown there is a substantial need for soil consultants primarily in the fields of agronomy and pollution. There is a larger need for academics, mainly in the fields of land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions, which strongly proves the need and relevance for the scope of the programme: soils and global change. Analysis of alumni of preceding MSc-programs showed that almost 45% of the alumni took jobs in the public sector, mostly in research and partly in education. About 50% of the alumni took jobs in either consultancy, industry or agriculture/agro-industry.