Water Technology (joint degree) (MWT) / MSc

Profile

The joint degree aims to educate students at a master level to become design-oriented researchers who are capable to develop, propagate and apply innovative knowledge in the area of sustainable water technology according to generally recognized academic standards. The objectives of MSc programme Water Technology are to gain knowledge, skills and academic attitude at such a level that graduates have the competences for professional, autonomous practice and/or can successfully continue their academic education in scientific research or process engineering in sustainable water technology and related fields.
New water process technology needs to be developed in order to produce clean water from alternative sources like salt (sea) water, waste water or humid air minimizing the use of precious groundwater and to treat waste water and to recover valuable compounds. These challenges require academically-trained experts that can think out of the box and help to find practical solutions in the near future. Solutions are required for existing and new global problems related to the availability and quality of water for personal, agricultural, and industrial use in a sustainable manner with a minimal impact on the environment.
The design of the programme reflects on abovementioned challenges. These challenges are approached from a multidisciplinary perspective, bridging new technological and business developments on one hand and societal and user desires, needs and opportunities on the other. Water technology is a multi- and interdisciplinary specialized master programme, based on combined knowledge from the field of Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering. The combination of biological and chemical conversion (science) with separation technologies, sophisticated technological systems and new/improved materials (technology) offers many opportunities to develop innovations in water technology, especially when researchers work interdisciplinary and in close collaboration. The main research areas are covered by the basis sciences chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics.
The programme consists of a multidisciplinary mix of topics from the field and aims at educating not only specialists in one of the topics in question, but also well prepared professionals to serve as a bridge between science and engineering applications. Graduates will be able to switch easily between the different specialisms in question.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of the MSc programme Water Technology, master graduates:
- have demonstrated adequate scientific knowledge and understanding of water technology pertaining to the basic sub-areas from the process engineering programmes of biotechnology and chemical engineering;
- have the ability to extent their knowledge with the application of new and emerging technologies through study;
- have the ability to integrate knowledge from abovementioned disciplines, and therefore handle complexity;
- have advanced research skills such as literature search, design and execution of experiments, interpretation of data and computer simulation in at least one sub-area of water technology;
- have the ability to acquire, independently, new knowledge through research;
- have demonstrated sufficient knowledge and understanding to design, independently, solutions to unfamiliar problems that needed to be solved by sustainable technology;
- can apply their knowledge and understanding in designing new or modified water treatment processes and related products with the intention of creating value in accordance with predefined requirements and desires, showing flexibility in dealing with uncertainties;
- have demonstrated a systematic approach characterised by the development and use of theories, models and coherent interpretations related to water technology and its sub-areas;
- have demonstrated a critical attitude and insight into the nature of water technology during the design, execution and analysis of experiments and the comparison of results and conclusions with existing knowledge and theories;
- have the ability to be critical and self-critical, to reflect constructively in discussions with others and to form well-reasoned opinions;
- have demonstrated sufficient sense of responsibility, communication and leadership skills to interact adequately and to work professionally and effectively with other (international) researchers and involved parties in the interdisciplinary field of water technology;
- have demonstrated to be aware of the different roles of professionals and the use of sustainable water technology in society worldwide;
- have the ability to decide upon their own role in society and to integrate ethical and normative aspects in their scientific work.