BSc Minor

BSc Minors

BSc Minor: Marine Living Resources (WUMLR)

Global climate change affects living resource communities and influences the balance between resources, their exploitation and other ecosystem services in coastal areas, sea and oceans. A sustainable, responsible exploitation of marine resources requires also regulatory frameworks and proper governance.

The BSc Minor programme Marine Living Resources (24 ECTS) focuses on the use and management of living resources in aquatic ecosystems with a particular focus on coastal zones, seas and oceans. It provides an integrated and comprehensive introduction in the biology, ecology and living conditions of the diversified organisms living in the sea; the complex interactions between life in (marine) water and their physical and chemical environment; the use and management of these resources for food, nature conservation an recreation and the social-ecological dimensions of governance processes for seas and oceans. It integrates concepts and analytical techniques from widely different scientific areas such as marine biology, marine ecology, aquaculture and fisheries and marine policy.

The programme offers a window for undergraduate students from Wageningen University and Professional Colleges (VHL) to explore and prepare on a potential specialization at MSc level in the area of Marine Biology, Marine Living Resources Management, Marine Governance and/or Aquaculture and Fisheries.

Learning outcomes

Students who finish successfully this BSc Minor are expected to have the following qualities:

  • sufficient knowledge of the biological, ecological, technological and socio-economical key disciplines related to marine life, its use and exploitation and the sustainable management of these resources;
  • understand how the morphological, physiological, behavioral and ecological characteristics of the organisms are adapted to complex ecosystem functions, and how both natural and human induced changes and governance affect marine resources;
  • skills in measuring and analyzing marine organisms, marine ecosystem processes, complex marine ecosystem and fisheries problems, and governance issues;
  • capable to integrate and use knowledge and skills of the mentioned disciplines in specific cases of coastal and marine resources exploration, exploitation and management.

Target Groups

This Minor is interesting for students in the following BSc programmes:

  • BBI – Biology
  • BBW – Soil, Water and Atmosphere
  • BDW – Animal Sciences
  • BEB – Economy and Policy; students must have a VWO exam in Biology or equivalent
  • BIL – International Land and Water Management
  • BMK – Environmental Sciences

BSc Minor: Seagriculture (WUSEA)

Seagriculture is rapidly gaining worldwide interest as one of the pillars of a biobased economy. It includes aspects of seaweed physiology and production, the marine ecological context, biorefinery, scenario’s for the value chain, combination with other ecosystem services and economic activities, and safety and governance issues. The goal of this minor is to provide students with knowledge and insights on sustainable seaweed production and value creation of seaweed biomass.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this minor students are expected to be able to:

  • understand the value creation in the seaweed chain from biological, ecological,
    technological and socio-economic disciplines (these contexts will
    determine limitation and opportunities);
  • understand how the seaweed chain can be developed in an ecologically and economically sustainable way, and what value creation innovations are possible and needed within the whole chain (such as biorefinery challenges, as well
    as other product innovations for the market);
  • understand the challenges to combine seaweed production with other forms of economic activities at sea;
  • understanding the sustainability challenges involved in sea weed production and value creation;
  • integrate and use knowledge and skills of the mentioned disciplines in specific
    cases of seaweed production and societal, economic and ecological value
    creation.

Target group

This minor is interesting for Students of:

  • BPW Plant Sciences
  • BBI Biology
  • BAT Biosystems Engineering
  • BIL International Land and Water Management
  • and others (VWO-level knowledge of general biology is required).
  • Bachelor students in general biology, life sciences, natural sciences etc.

Contact us

For more information, contact the Secretary of AFI. Phone 0317 (4)8 3307, e-mail office.afi@wur.nl