MSc Water and Environment

Water is one of the most important ressources on Earth. To have access to water and to avoid pollution of our water environment are the central work tasks for an engineer within the field of Water and Environment. During the Master's programme in Water and Environment, you learn to construct systems for water supply and drainage systems. You learn to plan how our groundwater can be utilised and protected, and you gain insight into the protection of our streams, fjords, and seas.

As the population of the world increase, and people gather in large cities, the need for a proper water supply and water drainage intensifies each day. History has shown that a well-functioning water supply and drainage is the most important factor with respect to the health of the population. Because this need is so fundamental, the water sector is almost independent of the actual economical and political situation - and this makes an education as en engineer in Water and Environment an excellent long-term investment with great employment possibilities all around the world.

Although the pipes for water supply and drainage are hidden below the soil surface, it is worth remembering that this part of the infrastructure of the society has the highest economical value of them all; more than roads, railroads, electricity etc. To overcome the on-going and coming climate changes, the development and extension of the storm drainage of the cities will be a further challenge for engineers in Water and Environment.

During the programme, you can work with subjects such as:

• Water supply
• Wastewater treatment plants
• Oxygen depletion
• Pollution

PROBLEM BASED LEARNING (PBL). Aalborg University is famous for its problem based learning where you work in a team on a large written assignment often collaborating with an industrial partner. This study method is also called “The Aalborg Model for Problem Based Learning”. The method is highly recognised internationally, and the university is host to a succesful UNESCO chair in Problem Based Learning in Engineering Education and a Centre for PBL and Sustainability approved by UNESCO.

The problem based project work at Aalborg University gives you a unique opportunity to acquire new knowledge and competences at a high academic level in an independent manner. You get to apply theory to practice when you work to solve real-life problems, and you will be well-prepared for your future career.

As a student in the Master's programme Water and Environment, you will work with real-life problems. Finding solutions for these problems will most often include experiments in the laboratories, field measurements and advanced computer modelling. The study programme focuses on the engineering perspective but also includes significant content of chemical and biological aspects in relation to the water environment.

Semester structure

1st Semester

• Soil and Groundwater Pollution (15 ECTS)
• Hydrogeology and Groundwater Modelling (5 ECTS)
• Environmental Soil Science and Geostatistics (5 ECTS)
• Experimental Hydrogeology (5 ECTS)

2nd Semester

• Pollution of Coastal Waters (15 ECCTS)
• Hydrodynamics and Time Series Analysis of Environmental flows (5 ECTS)
• Marine Pollution (5 ECTS)
• Waste Water Treatment (5 ECTS)

3rd Semester

• Choose between Numerical Modelling and Experimental Methods (15 ECTS) Advanced Urban Drainage (15 ECTS)
• Visualisation (5 ECTS)
• Urban Hydroinformatics (5 ECTS)
• Measurement Technology and Data Acquisition (5 ECTS)

4th Semester

• Master's thesis (30 ECTS)