The Faculty of Spatial Sciences aims at high quality academic teaching that offers a challenge to both students and staff. The various educational programmes are based on recent academic knowledge in geography, planning and demography. The Faculty offers two Bachelor’s programmes – Human Geography & Planning and Environmental
& Infrastructure Planning. These Bachelor’s programmes are in Dutch and are of three years duration.
In September 2004, eight Master’s programmes started. The following MSc programmes were established – Cultural Geography (Dutch language), Economic Geography (Dutch language), Real Estate Studies (Dutch language), Planning (Dutch language), Geography for Teaching (Dutch language), Environmental and Infrastructure Planning (English language) and Population Studies (English language). In addition, a Research Master’s in Regional Studies (English language) is offered as a two-year programme for students wanting to pursue a PhD.
In addition, the faculty hosts The International School of Spatial Policy Studies, which was established by the Faculty in 1989 to provide English language courses and coordinate educational programmes for visiting students from other countries.
It currently offers the core course Spatial Problems and Spatial Policies: The Dutch Experience. This course, commencing twice yearly in September and April, uses the Dutch experience in defining spatial problems and devising, implementing and monitoring spatial policies to investigate more widely applicable aspects of national, urban and regional planning.
The course is taught by specialist staff from the Faculty of Spatial Sciences and is coordinated in a weekly tutorial. Various other components such as an orientation programme, excursions and social programmes are designed both to integrate visiting students into the life of the Faculty and to maximize the benefits of the Groningen experience.
