MSc Programs
International Joint Master Programme Groundwater and Global Change IHE Delft, IST Lisbon, TU Dresden
The international Joint Master Programme in Groundwater and Global Change – Impacts and Adaptation (GroundwatCh) offers a distinctive curriculum in the field of groundwater and climate sciences, within a framework of human pressures.
As the largest liquid freshwater reservoir on earth, groundwater has both a huge environmental and economic value, and will be an essential resource for adaptation to climate change and reduction of socio-economic vulnerability, particularly in regions where freshwater availability is highly variable and frequently limited.
Several factors foster the need for a more comprehensive and multidisciplinary educational groundwater programme.
First, groundwater is a component of the water cycle interacting with all other components at various temporal and spatial scales.
Second, groundwater systems are largely interdependent with socio-economic development. The presence of important and productive aquifers can boost socio-economic development and alleviate poverty in low-income countries by providing water for public supply and sustainable irrigation, increasing (environmental-friendly) land use efficiency.
On the other hand, the continuous growth of the world population and the socio-economic development of many countries has already caused, and will continue to cause, large impacts on freshwater (including groundwater) systems through uncontrolled exploitation, causing depletion, seawater intrusion, reduction in baseflows in rivers and ecological flows sustaining freshwater ecosystems, or land subsidence.
Third, climate change is foreseen to affect freshwater availability globally, with several hotspots, among which many areas that currently already suffer periods of severe droughts and freshwater scarcity, such as the Mediterranean area of southern Europe and Northern Africa, northeast China, northern and south-western Latin America, large parts of Australia and the western United States, among others. Fourth, important feedback mechanisms exist between groundwater (and its use), climate and global change, which vary in time and space.
The existence of groundwater at shallow depths for instance has a large influence on processes occurring in the atmospheric boundary layer, whereas lateral groundwater flow towards rivers and wetlands sustains surface moisture levels that feed back into the regional climate. Groundwater-supported evapotranspiration can significantly contribute to the overall water balance, whereas groundwater-fed irrigation increases evapotranspiration rates overall, possibly affect the precipitation regime.
GroundwatCh addresses the current gaps in higher education with regard to the understanding of the complex interactions between groundwater, surface water, climate and global change, and how we should consider these, and can benefit from them, for the implementation of adaptation solutions. Embracing the central theme of Groundwater and Global Change – Impacts and Adaptation we have linked it to six major thematic fields.
https://www.groundwatermaster.eu/ 
t.stigter@un-ihe.org
University of Birmingham
MSc Degree in Hydrogeology
United Kingdom, BirminghamMSc Degree in Hydrogeology
Why Birmingham MSc Hydrogeology?
• Longest running hydrogeology MSc course in the UK (48 years; >800 graduates from > 50 countries)
• Very strong and vibrant graduate network worldwide in consultancy, academia, and regulatory sectors
• Extensive industry involvement (over 40 groundwater organisations)
• Outstanding employment opportunities with well-recognised shortage and increasing demand for hydrogeologists in many countries worldwide
This MSc course is designed for those looking for a fascinating, varied career that is aimed at safeguarding both human and environmental well-being, including in the context of climate change. Offering a comprehensive education in the theory and practice of groundwater science and engineering, the course provides an excellent basis for careers in scientific, engineering and environmental consultancies, water companies, major industries, research, and government scientific and regulatory services in the UK and abroad. Hydrogeology is a multidisciplinary subject and we welcome students from a range of science backgrounds, including geosciences, engineering, physics, mathematics, chemistry, biosciences, computer sciences, and environmental sciences. The lecture component of the programme encompasses the full range of hydrogeology topics, including groundwater resources, contamination, remediation, and engineering. A wide choice of project topics is also available, including many with industry. The MSc is a full 12-month programme, though we also offer a ‘split registration’ option that allows the course to be taken over two years.
The taught part of the course is divided between two terms of 11 weeks. The autumn term (September to December) includes a week of fieldwork where a range of field testing and sampling is undertaken on the University campus research borehole array and visits are made to a range of sites in the UK where, for example, groundwater remediation, wetland conservation, river augmentation, waste disposal, or drilling can be seen in action. Students also attend a national research conference.
In the spring term (January to March), in addition to the taught modules, there is a programme of seminars involving industry speakers. From May to August students undertake an individual project. Projects are often with groundwater/environmental consultants or with government bodies, or may be associated with staff research. They may be based in the UK or overseas, and be focused on field work, laboratory work, computer modelling, or a combination of these.
Career openings include those with consulting engineering and environmental firms, government scientific services and regional water companies, both in this country and abroad. Demand for hydrogeologists is substantial and students from the course are highly regarded by employers.
Organised by Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/gees/hydrogeology j.h.tellam@bham.ac.uk
University of Western Australia
Master of Hydrogeology
AustraliaThe Master of Hydrogeology at the University of Western Australia provides world-class training for groundwater professionals. The course can be completed in 1.5 to 2 years full time (depending on undergraduate degree). This course has been designed with industry to provide a rigorous training pathway for students with geology, environmental science, or environmental engineering degrees. Topics covered include groundwater flow systems, aquifer characterization, groundwater hydrochemistry, contamination and remediation, environmental hydrogeology and numerical modelling. Research projects and industry placements are available to successful candidates.
Organised by School of Earth Sciences.
http://handbooks.uwa.edu.au/coursedetails?id=c168 academic-ses@uwa.edu.au
IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands
MSc Programme in Water and Sustainable Development
NetherlandsThe MSc Programme in Water and Sustainable Development targets early and mid-career water professionals with a recognized BSc degree who want to gain knowledge and skills to tackle water challenges while enhancing their career opportunities within the water sector or related organizations.
If you seek a science-based MSc degree that is anchored in professional practice, this one-year (68EC) Delft based programme is ideal for you. The programme, accredited by the Netherlands-Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO), offers a few key features, which are explained in more detail below.
Organised by IHE Delft Institute for Water Education.
https://www.un-ihe.org/education/master-programmes/msc-programme-water-and-sustainable-development
Universitat de Barcelona
Máster de Formación Permanente en Hidrogeología y Modelación (MHGM)
SpainLa Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra de la Universitat de Barcelona y el Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas ofrecen desde octubre de 2022 el Máster de Formación Permanente en Hidrogeología y Modelación (MHGM) como título propio de la Universitat de Barcelona, con el objetivo principal de proporcionar una formación como especialista en el campo de la hidrogeología y la modelación numérica de acuíferos.
Organised by Roser Escuder.
https://www.ub.edu/portal/web/ciencias-tierra/master-propio-hidrogeologia roser.escuder@ub.edu
University of Strathclyde
MSc Hydrogeology
United KingdomWhy this course? Throughout the globe, the issues of water scarcity, water security, water economics and health and sanitation all rely on high-quality hydrogeology knowledge. This MSc will prepare you as a functional hydrogeologist to meet the needs of industry, regulators, non-governmental organisations and government consultants. The course provides you with the theoretical and practical skills to succeed in a career as a hydrogeologist. You’ll develop sound fieldwork skills which are sought-after by employers.
The MSc involves a curriculum of eight core classes and a range of optional classes. Each module is normally taught two hours per week over eight to 11 weeks.
Alternatively, the Open Access programme allows professionals to take single modules for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) purposes, or build up towards six modules to gain a Postgraduate Certificate.
MSc research project
Following successful completion of the taught component, you’ll undertake a dissertation project. We encourage you to complete this overseas. Our MSc course leader has extensive contacts in arid countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, the Middle East and Asia, giving you valuable, varied learning opportunities and practical experience around the world.
Field camp
In the spring semester you go on a week-long field camp in Scotland. You’ll get the opportunity to put much of the learned theory into practice.
Site visits introduce you to the geology and hydrogeology of the study area. You’ll gain practical experience in conducting pump tests, recovery tests and chemical sampling.
Work placement
As part of the class Independent Study in Collaboration with Industry you undertake a work placement where you report to the offices of a hydrogeological organisation and actively contribute to one of their ongoing projects.
This is a very valuable experience for you as it allows you to work as hydrogeologists for a number of weeks exposing yourself to a working environment as well as allowing you to build up contacts within industry.
Attendance
One year full-time study involves attendance at classes over two terms, plus a dissertation during the third term.
Part-time (open to UK/EU students only) involves class attendance in Years 1 & 2 and a dissertation in Years 2 or 3. Depending on timetables, just two days work release per week may be needed for 24 weeks in the year.
You can also study this course part-time through online distance learning, over 36 months, offering a flexible learning mode of study.
Organised by Christopher Gallacher.
https://www.strath.ac.uk/courses/postgraduatetaught/hydrogeology/ christopher.gallacher@strath.ac.uk
University of Edinburgh
Applied Environmental Hydrogeology MSc University of Edinburgh
United Kingdom, EdinburghBecome part of the next generation of sustainable hydrogeologists who will oversee and manage the global water crisis in the coming decades.
Groundwater resources are under threat around the globe from:
over-exploitation
anthropogenic contamination
climate change
land-use change
These threats put human and ecosystem health at risk by increasing the likelihood of water scarcity, water conflict, and water-related diseases.
Our MSc Applied Environmental Hydrogeology will develop your skills to tackle these challenges and sustainably manage groundwater resources to protect human and ecosystem health.
You will learn to become a critical, innovative thinker in the field of hydrogeology with a focus on sustainable environmental practices.
