Master of Science [M.S] [Ecology and the Environment] From Linkoping University

The programme at Link?ping University has a critical scientific approach to ecology and to its applications in society. Students acquire training in practical areas such as: experimental design, data interpretation, ecological fieldwork and theoretical modeling, both in a classroom setting and during hands-on fieldwork.

We have a strong focus on the practical application of ecological knowledge in society, e.g. environmental and natural resource management, involving interaction with various stakeholders. The courses cover population ecology, community ecology and ecology systems theories, including their relation to current environmental problems. Furthermore, the programme has an internship period and one course that focuses on ecological decision support for forestry and agriculture. Students also have the opportunity to add elective courses to the curriculum, such as environmental impact assessment, for instance.

The key part of the programme is the one year master project where students apply their theoretical and methodological knowledge. The project can be linked to current research projects at the Biology department such as: conservation ecology, ecology of shallow waters, design and management of treatment wetlands, spatio-temporal ecology or population and community ecology. Alternatively, the master thesis can be conducted at universities or research institutes abroad, in fields like tropical ecology or ecological engineering.

This programme also emphasizes the need for and the use of mathematical models and statistical analyses to address complex ecological and environmental problems. Examples of such applications are: identification of crop management strategies for effective biological control, understanding the impact of life history strategies on the risk of population extinction in a variable environment, or evaluating the preservation status of nature reserves and how they should be managed.

Career opportunities

Graduates of the Ecology and the Environment programme are well prepared to work with environmental issues and conservation biology in areas such as: sustainable use of natural resources in forestry, agriculture or limnology. Graduates are also well prepared for further studies towards a PhD.