What are the causes of various large-scale global environmental issues such as climate change? Can we identify options to solve these problems? Are options different for different countries?
While the global challenges with respect to the environment and sustainability are huge and can only be addressed in an interdisciplinary approach, they also call for specialization. The Energy and Environmental Sciences (EES) programme provides a series of introductory courses that give a general overview of the problem-field, and then allows for specialization towards any of a broad range of subjects within energy or sustainability, treating it from a natural science perspective. However, it trains the students that the natural sciences/technical approach to, and solution for problems is only a part of the story and collaboration with other scientific disciplines is vital.
As the programme has a strong focus on the natural sciences; a bachelor’s degree in one of the natural sciences or related engineering studies is an entry requirement. The exact background, however, can be very different, both in discipline (e.g. Marine Biology, Engineering, Nuclear Physics, Astronomy, etc.) and in nationality and culture (about 50% of the students come from abroad and it is not unusual to have over 10 nationalities). This educational and cultural setting makes for a most interesting and challenging learning environment. Here you can benefit and learn from each other’s knowledge and backgrounds and become accustomed to working in interdisciplinary and intercultural teams.
Lecturers of the programme are staff members of the Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG). Research groups within this institute are: Centre for Isotope research (CIO), Geo Energy, Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society (IREES), Energy Conversion (EC), Biomimetics and Nuclear Energy. Research within this institute covers a wide range of topics, from e.g. isotopes research to social acceptance of windmills, and staff members have a background in various natural science disciplines. You can conduct your master’s research project in one of the research groups of ESRIG as well as in an internship in a company. This means that an enormous variety of subjects is available and it is very likely that one of them suits you.
Around their graduation our students find jobs that suit their education and fit their interests. Universities (PhDs), energy companies, environmental consultancies, environmental NGO’s, industry and government are typical employers. These employers mention that the combination of a strong natural science foundation and the ability of working in an international/interdisciplinary context provides our students with extreme value.
Interested to hear what our students have to say? Listen to the first and second episode on this podcast to find out more about this Master's programme!
This is a two year research master degree programme. The first year strarts with 30 ECTS of obligatory courses, addressing the relevant theories and methodologies in our research field and 30 ECTS electives. These electives also include courses from other faculties, like economics, psychology or spatial sciences.
The second year focuses on doing research and consists of two research projects. The first project is an internal research project carried out within the ESRIG research institute or affiliated institute. This implies that a lot of options and subjects are available. The second project can be another internal research project at ESRIG or an external research internship/research project outside the university (company, consultancy, government, other university) or even abroad.
Your mentor will help you to design a tailor made study program that fits your interests and matches your future career wishes. It is also possible to follow a more business & policy related programme (see below).
Two-year programme; credits per year: 60 ECTS; most courses are 5 ECTS.
For the complete curriculum, please see: https://ocasys.rug.nl/current/catalog/programme/60608
| Programme options |
|---|
| Individually tailored programme (profile) Each student is different and therefore students have the options to adapt the programme to their individual wishes and strengths So it is possible to tailor your programme towards focusing on experimental research by choosing specialized courses and opting for experimental research projects. Or you can go for a more integrated systems approach by selecting courses from different disciplines and do integrated systems and modeling research projects. Combining your individual interests with the wide range of topics and methodologies of our research groups allows you to choose the study programme that best matches your future career. |
| Science, Business and Policy (profile) Interested in the business side of science? You can combine this Master's programme with the Science Business & Policy profile. The SBP profile includes a six-month internship as a scientific advisor. |
Exchange: All our Science and Engineering programmes offer study possibilities abroad at a number of partner institutions. Our partners include top-100 universities in Europe (for example in Germany, UK, and Sweden) and in the USA, China, South-East Asia, and South America. Our exchange programmes have a typical duration of one semester and count for your final degree.
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
A University Bachelor's degree in (Applied) Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, Biology or another degree in the natural sciences or related engineering studies such as electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Information about admission possibilities and requirements for students from a Dutch HBO institute is published on: https://www.rug.nl/fse/msc-admission |
| other admission requirements |
BEFORE YOU APPLY Make sure to visit 'MSc Application Procedure' at www.rug.nl/fse/msc-admission for all the necessary information about the procedure and admission requirements. Please note that you will also need to fill out this checklist for your application to this Master's programme. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | Avans Hogeschool, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Chemical Engineering | Avans Hogeschool, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Chemistry | Avans Hogeschool, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Mechanical Engineering | Avans Hogeschool, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | Saxion University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Applied Physics | Saxion University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Chemical Engineering | Saxion University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Mechanical Engineering | Saxion University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Chemistry | Saxion University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | windesheim | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | windesheim | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Mechanical Engineering | windesheim | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | Hanze University Groningen, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Mechanical Engineering | Hanze University Groningen, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Chemistry | Hanze University Groningen, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | Hanze University Groningen, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Environment | Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Chemistry | Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Astronomy | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Physics | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Pharmacy | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Biomedical Engineering | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Life Science and Technology | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Chemistry | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Biology | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Chemical Engineering | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Applied Physics | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Applied Mathematics | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Computing Science | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Mathematics | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Artificial Intelligence | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Industrial Engineering and Management | All Research universities |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Sciences | Wageningen University |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Biotechnology | Wageningen University |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Electrical Engineering | Wageningen University |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | Wageningen University |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Soil, Water, Atmosphere | Wageningen University |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by admissions board. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | 3tu |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | 3tu |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | Delft University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Electrical Engineering | Delft University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | Delft University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | Delft University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | University of Twente |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Electrical Engineering | University of Twente |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | University of Twente |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | University of Twente |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | Eindhoven University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | Eindhoven University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Mechanical Engineering | Eindhoven University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Electrical Engineering | Eindhoven University of Technology |
Additional requirements More information:Access to be decided by Admissions Board. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Astronomy | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Physics | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Pharmacy | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Biomedical Engineering | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Life Science and Technology | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Chemistry | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Chemical Engineering | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Applied Physics | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Applied Mathematics | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Computing Science | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Mathematics | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Artificial Intelligence | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Industrial Engineering and Management | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
Do you prefer an early decision on your request of admission? Don't wait until 1 May, but use one of the earlier deadlines for this Master's programme (for a course start on 1 September). If the University of Groningen has received your complete application before, then you will receive a decision at the latest on:
Application - Decision:
1 December – 15 January
1 February – 1 March
15 March – 15 April
1 May - 15 June
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
University Bachelor's degree in (Applied) Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, Biology or another degree in the natural sciences or related engineering studies, such as mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. |
| additional subject |
The Admissions Office will advise the Board of Admissions on your application, after which the board will decide if you meet the admission requirements in terms of general level of previous education and specific background knowledge. Make sure to visit 'MSc Application Procedure' at: https://www.rug.nl/fse/education/admission-application/apply-msc/intl-diploma/ for all the necessary information about the procedure and admission requirements. |
| language test |
MAKE SURE TO VISIT http://www.rug.nl/fwn/fmns-programme/admissions/msc/language-requirements for all the necessary information about required language tests and minimum scores. |
| other admission requirements |
Please note that you will also need to fill out this checklist for your application to this Master's programme. |
The Board of Admissions will decide whether you can be admitted to the Master's degree programme. Applications are evaluated on a continuous basis. You do not have to wait until the application deadline to apply.
Do you prefer an early decision on your request of admission? Don't wait until 1 May, but use one of the earlier deadlines for this Master's programme (for a course start on 1 September).
If the University of Groningen has received your complete application before, then you will receive a decision at the latest on:
Application - Decision:
1 December – 15 January
1 February – 1 March
15 March – 15 April
1 May - 15 June
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
Energy and Environmental Sciences graduates from the University of Groningen are renowned for their in-depth systems approach and/or specialized experimental skills. Within months of graduation, almost all graduates (more than 90%) obtain suitable jobs in:
The Master's degree programme is connected to the Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG). The mission of ESRIG is to contribute to a world-wide energy supply for the next century, for more people in a sustainable way, by:
The main themes of research are Energy supply and conversion, and Transition towards Sustainability. ESRIG participates in the Energy Academy Europe (international centre of excellence).
Research subjects include:
- Renewable energy systems
- Second and third generation biofuels, land and ocean-based
- Energy scenarios and modeling
- Carbon capture and storage
- Air pollution modeling
- Greenhouse gas cycles and fossil fuel verification
To great satisfaction of the EES staff nearly all graduates find a job soon after (or even before) graduation within the environment/energy sector.
Graduates find employment in a wide variety of organisations and positions. Universities, energy companies, environmental consultancies, environmental NGO's, industry and government are typical first employers as can be seen from the Figure.
This Figure is based on information on the first jobs of the graduates of the last three completed academic years.
