Student testimonial
Student Lara Jungmann - BSc Marine Sciences
“Hey, my name is Lara and I’m a 2nd year Marine science student. Originally from Germany, last year I moved to Wageningen to start my studies. My dream is to become a researcher in marine sciences hopefully being able to follow my passion for sharks and manta rays. Right now I’m working on expanding my knowledge through courses offered by WUR. At the moment, these courses are Introduction to Law and Introduction to Cell Biology.”
In general I would say that the courses you are obliged to follow for this programme give a very good overview of all the topics involved in the broader realm of Marine sciences.
How did you choose for Marine Sciences?
“To be honest I was first enrolled for psychology at another university. Before starting that study, I decided to first go to the Maldives to work in a dive centre as a dive guide. Living there I got in contact with local communities and even in the short time I was lucky to spend there, I got to see the devastating impacts climate change and anthropogenic influences have on the reefs. I came to the realisation that nature is not the untouched nature anymore we see in documentaries but in fact nowadays there is a critical connection between us humans and the marine ecosystem.
After experiencing this and also joining and talking to members of a shark NGO, it was clear to me that there won’t be a career for me inside a therapist’s office, but that I definitely want to enter the field of Marine Sciences.
In my home country there is no such bachelor programme offered so I reached out to a friend. She told me about this new study at Wageningen University and after looking into it, it was clear for me that I will apply. The matching test that is obligatory for an application really helped me to get a feeling for what this programme is like and from my perspective now after one year, I feel like it fits quite well.”
Could you tell us something about your study programme?
“Well, the Bachelor Marine sciences is well-structured by itself. However in the first half of the last year, there is time to explore universities in other countries with Erasmus or for example prepare for a Master by following different minors. Or just following courses that we are interested in.
In general I would say that the courses you are obliged to follow for this programme give a very good overview of all the topics involved in the broader realm of Marine sciences. Of course, there are some that fit my interests more than others but I can generally say that I can always see the importance of each course in the broader picture.”
Which part of your study did you find the most interesting?
“By far my favourite courses are the ones that are more ecological and biological based. I very much enjoyed Introduction to Marine Sciences as well as Marine Ecology and Marine life. I also enjoyed all the excursions we had in the first year and think that they really helped to understand the matter.
What surprised me was that I enjoyed the course Marine and coastal governance so much. I personally wouldn’t see me in a governance career but it was also just very interesting to get insights into the areas where I don’t know anything about yet. And it sparked my interest for those topics. Without this integrated, broad approach in this programme, I probably would have never found out!”
What do you do besides studying?
“Student life here in Wageningen is vibrant. Luckily besides studying, there is still sufficient time for me to follow my passion for diving with the sports association “The Seadragons” where I also became part of 2 committees. I also enjoy joining sports classes in the sports centre “De Bongerd”. The surrounding nature of Wageningen also invites to nice walks in the evenings or a picnic with friends at the Rhine.
Besides more active things I like to do in my free time, I also enjoy to follow for example extracurricular lectures or activities by the student association Biologica or our own sub association Minoa. And since there are so many like-minded people here, it was also easy to find friends that, just like me, enjoy cooking together or going out.
I’m convinced that everybody, no matter the interest, is able to find some groups or associations here to practice their hobbies or follow their interests.”
What do you think about the student life in Wageningen?
“I would have never imagined to encounter such a nice, kind and tight community of students here in Wageningen. I believe that since most of the studies here focus on “green topics”, there are many people here that are very like-minded. And even though Wageningen might not be a huge city, there is still everything a student could wish for; “eet cafes”, places to go party, creative groups, nature, sports clubs and so much more to explore!”