Study programme - Master Economics of Sustainability

This programme focusses on economic analysis of sustainability issues like climate change, food production, and economic development. The education has a multidisciplinary character by its relation with environmental, agricultural, and food sciences.

Study programme Master Economics of Sustainability
Study programme Master Economics of Sustainability

Year 1

Programme specific courses (30 ECTS)

The programme courses deal with subjects like

  • Rethinking Economics
  • Advanced Econometrics
  • Economic Modeling of Sustainability Challenges
  • Philosophy, Ethics, and Economics
  • Behavioral Economics and Sustainability
  • Political Economy, Economics of Development
  • Economics of EU Policies for Sustainable Transitions
  • Economics of Sustainable and Fair Use of the Environment and Natural Resources.

Academic Master Cluster (12 ECTS)

In the Academic Master Cluster, teams of 5 to 7 students from different disciplines are assigned to execute a transdisciplinary-oriented academic consultancy project for an external commissioner.

Electives (18 ECTS)

The space for electives can be used for deepening or broadening knowledge on the field of interest of each individual student.

Year 2

Thesis (36 ECTS)

The thesis (individual research) consists of 24 weeks of research and reporting (36 credits). The research is conducted under supervision of a staff member of one of the chair groups related to this master programme.

Internship (24 ECTS)

The internship consists of 24  credits of project work in an institution outside of Wageningen University. The internship may either be undertaken in the Netherlands or abroad. The purpose of the internship is to provide students with a unique learning opportunity to apply acquired knowledge and skills in a professional setting. The experience gained from the internship also serves to help students focusing on their area of interest, as well as building confidence and maturity in their field.

Academic Year

The programme runs annually beginning in September each year. It comprises of 120 credit points (ECTS), equivalent to two academic years. The academic year consists of 6 periods. Period 1,2,5 and 6 comprise six weeks of classes, one week of self-study and the exam week. In these periods students often follow two courses worth 6 credits each. Period 3 and 4 entail of four weeks in which both the lectures and the exams take place. In these periods students follow one course worth 6 credits. The expected workload is 40 hours per week.