During your Master’s in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (GEO), you will collect a total of 120 EC within two years. In addition to the three mandatory courses of the Master’s, you will take four specialisation courses and elective courses. You can also do an optional internship and complete your studies by writing your master’s thesis.
Student workload at Dutch universities is expressed in EC, also named ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System), widely used throughout the European Union. In the Netherlands, each credit represents 28 hours of work. The recognition of credits is at the discretion of your Master's.
For students interested in the Disaster Resilience (DIR) specialisation, the recommended curriculum is as follows.
Please note: the courses listed may be adjusted based on availability and curriculum updates.
Foundation coursesMandatory courses for all students of the Master’s.
15 EC
Programme courseMandatory courses for all students of the Master's.
10 EC
Specialisation coursesRequired specialisation courses for all students of the different learning pathways.
25 EC
Elective courses
You can choose a course that matches your interests and career ambitions.
Individual study programme
In the second year, you can personalise your individual study programme:
Professional skills development courses (limited choice)
Elective courses (choice) (choices can also include any of the specialisation courses offered in the first year, or courses from other programmes). For an overview of elective courses, please consult the Study Guide.
MSc research proposal and MSc research / Academic research skills
35 EC
You will complete your Master’s in GEO by writing a master’s thesis. The MSc research proposal and thesis writing is 40 EC in total, of which you do 5 EC in the first year. You will also receive training and guidance on the necessary academic and research skills required to start your MSc research in the first year.
In the second year of your Master’s in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, you can apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired during your studies by doing an internship at the Netherlands Red Cross, (inter)national governmental organisation, research institute, or non-governmental organisation in the Netherlands and abroad. ITC has a broad network of organisations where you can do your internship project.
Examples of internships that students have done are:
Join us on a journey as we follow two Master students, Carolina Pereira Marghidan and John Ifejube, during their internships at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) at the University of Twente. Get ready to witness the impactful work they're doing in their respective placements and gain a glimpse into the future that awaits you as a prospective student. Watch the video!
You will complete your studies with a Master’s thesis on a topic of your choice. You will work with a supervisory team throughout your research.
Some examples of research topics you can write your thesis on include:
Check out our MSc research topic website for more examples of topics you can write your thesis on if you come to ITC for your Master's.
View all MSc topics