Master in Biology of Organisms and Ecology, Teaching focus
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Schedule
regular course
- ECTS Credits 120
Point of attention |
In 2024-2025, you still have the opportunity to start a didactic finality. From September 2025, to enter teacher training from the 4th year of secondary education, you must:
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Solve novel problems in modern environmental biology, participate in increasing understanding of how living organisms function in their environment at different levels of integration using cutting-edge techniques, communicate and pass on knowledge... these are just some of the challenges you'll face as professionals in organismal biology and ecology.
Your objectives
- react to environmental and biodiversity issues;
- understand the functioning, conservation and evolution of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems;
- apprehend the evolution of ecosystems and organisms;
- carry out field observations and experimental research;
- master modern technologies, from molecular tools to satellite image interpretation;
- acquire practical training that is decisive on the job market.
The benefits of training
- problems at the heart of current affairs;
- a personalized path and guidance towards a professional project;
- a wide choice of modules, in French or English, organized on two campuses;
- field observations and laboratory work;
- modern techniques: molecular biology, GIS, digital ecology...;
- a long research project: dissertation spread over 10 months;
- a 4-month professional internship teaching biology in secondary school;
- the possibility of completing your internship or dissertation abroad.
The program
The Master in Organismal Biology and Ecology is co-organized by the University of Namur and UCLouvain. Registration for this master's degree is exclusively at UCLouvain.
The originality of this master's degree is that it addresses modern issues in organismal biology and ecology, reconciling terrestrial and aquatic environments, long studied separately.
The different levels of biological integration (molecular, cellular, biochemical, physiological, behavioral, population, community and ecosystem) are brought into relation with each other using cutting-edge techniques (genomics, epigenetics, modeling, GIS...).
The comparative approach makes it possible to investigate diversified biological systems in the animal and plant kingdoms as well as in microorganisms, while avoiding a focus on a small number of model species.
You choose three modules from the eight on offer
- Conservation and restoration biology
- Ecotoxicology
- Molecular ecology
- Functional genomics and physiology
- Landscape and movement ecology
- Ecology and management of aquatic environments
- Applied ecology and evolution
- Interaction ecology
By selecting the didactic purpose, you are directing your future profession towards teaching in the upper cycle of secondary education.
Other master's degrees in biology
The University of Namur organizes
- the master's degree in biochemistry and molecular and cell biology
- the master in organismal biology and ecology
- the master in molecular microbiology
- the master 60 in biological sciences
- the master in biology education
- 120 credits - section 4 (from 2025)
- 60 credits - section 5 (from 2025)
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 SBOEM170 Advances in applied and basic ecotoxicology Thore Eli Silvestre Frédéric 40h th. + 24h ex. 5 5 LBOE2168 Plant-environment interactions 30h th. + 15h ex. 3 3 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 LBOE2120 Biodiversity conservation 45h th. + 15h ex. 4 4 LBOE2141 Restoration ecology 15h th. + 15h ex. 2 2 Développement durableImage
SBOEM237 Bioindicators of pollution De Laender Frederik 16h th. + 12h ex. 2 2 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 SBOEM113 Behavioural responses to a changing world 30h th. + 16h ex. 4 4 LBOE2161 Behavioural ecology 30h th. + 15h ex. 4 4 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 LBOE2292 Ecological and evolutionary modelling 15h th. + 45h ex. 4 4 Sustainable developmentImage
SBOEM162 Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning De Laender Frederik 16h th. + 12h ex. 2 2 Sustainable developmentImage
English Friendly CoursesImage
SBOEM142 Ecology of natural and disturbed aquatic environments De Laender Frederik 16h th. + 12h ex. 2 2 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 LBOE2150 Movement ecology 22.5h th. + 7.5h ex. 2 2 LBOE2151 <unknown> 22.5h th. 2 2 LBOE2140 Landscape Ecology 30h th. + 30h ex. 4 4 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 SBOEM114 Molecular ecology and biodiversity genomics 30h th. + 22.5h ex. 4 4 SBOEM115 Environmental Epigenetics 15h th. + 15h ex. 2 2 SBOEM116 Applied bioinformatics for molecular ecology 30h th. 2 2
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 LAGRE2221 Learning and teaching with new technologies and exercises 15h th. + 15h ex. 2 LAGRE2310 Micro-teaching exercises 15h th. 2 LGEO2330 Geography didactics seminar 30h ex. 5 LSCI2330 Science didactics research seminar 15h th. + 30h ex. 5 LMAT2330 Seminar on the didactics of mathematics 15h th. + 30h ex. 4 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 SBIOM201 Parasitology 15h th. 2 2 SVETM209 Molecular Virology Muylkens Benoît Gillet Nicolas 15h th. 2 2 SVETB301 Applied Ethology Diederich Claire 15h th. + 4h ex. 3 3 LBOE2143 Current issues in marine biology 30h th. 2 2 EBIOE2001 Marine biodiversity - flora expertise 6 6 LBOE2122 Marine biodiversity 30h th. 2 2 EBIOE2002 Marine biodiversity - wildlife expertise 6 6 LBIRE2105 Assessment of water - soil - air quality 30h th. 3 3 LBIR1362 Economics of natural resources and the environment 30h th. + 7.5h ex. 3 3 Développement durableImage
SGOLM146 Hydrogeology 18h th. + 12h ex. 3 3 LBIR1334 Introduction to forestry sciences 22.5h th. + 15h ex. 3 3 Développement durableImage
SGOLM145 Pedology 12h th. + 12h ex. 2 2 LBIR1336 Soil science and integrated excision 30h th. + 37.5h ex. 5 5 LENVI2011 Environmental assessment and management methods 30h th. 3 3 LBIR1328 Climatology and Hydrology Applied to Agronomy and the Environment 45h th. + 22.5h ex. 6 6 LGEOL2401 Vertebrate palaeontology 22.5h th. 2 2 LBOE2148 Microbial ecology 30h th. 2 2 SBIOM205 Epidemiology 15h th. 2 2 SBIOM132 Bacterial Genetics and Evolution De Bolle Xavier 22h th. 3 3 SGOLB210_P39579 <unknown> 24h th. + 40h ex. 5 5 Sustainable developmentImage
English Friendly CoursesImage
SBOEM123 Aquatic Biodiversity De Laender Frederik 12h th. + 24h ex. 3 3 SBOEM144 Management of fisheries and aquaculture resources 18h th. + 12h ex. 3 3 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 LBIRE2102 Applied geomatics 30h th. + 22.5h ex. 4 4 LGEO1343 Earth observation by satellite 30h th. + 30h ex. 5 5 LGEO2140 Global environmental challenges in the Anthropocene 30h th. + 30h ex. 5 5 LBRAT2101 Town and country planning 45h th. + 15h ex. 5 5 LBRTI2101A Data Science in bioscience engineering - Partim A : spatial and temporal data 22.5h th. + 15h ex. 3 3 SGOGB201 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Linard Catherine 15h th. + 20h ex. 4 4 SGOGB301 Modelling and analysis of geographic information Linard Catherine 20h th. + 30h ex. 4 4 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 Soft skillsImage
MGESM203_P38819 <unknown> 12h th. 2 2 LDROP2063 Sectoral Environmental Law - Droit sectoriel de l'environnement 30h th. 5 5 LDROP2102 Intellectual rights and new technologies 30h th. 5 5 SBIOM119 Human resources management 15h th. 2 LDROP2061 General environmental and living environment law 30h th. 5 5 LDROP2101 Management of Intellectual Property Rights 30h th. 5 5 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 WSBIM2290 Introduction to the science of laboratory animals 37h th. 3 3 SFCMM101 Training in animal experimentation at technician level: techniques, alternative methods, legislation and ethics 40h th. 4 4 SFCMM201 Training of master animal handlers 40h th. 4 4
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 LBOE2114 <unknown> 67.5h th. + 90h ex. 4 SBOEM297 Master thesis 22 LBOE2191 Ecology and society 30h th. 2 SBOEM111 Advanced and applied evolutionary Dennis Alice 35h th. + 30h ex. 3 SBOEM112 Data analysis and modeling of biological systems Thore Eli 30h th. + 45h ex. 5 LBOE2113 Scientific and Professional Communication in English 15h ex. 3 LBOE2196 Experimental design 15h th. + 22.5h ex. 2 SBOEM197 Introduction to scientific research 8 LGEO1342A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) partim 24h th. + 24h ex. 4 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 Sustainable developmentImage
SSPSM101 Science, ethics and development Leyens Stéphane 18h th. + 6h ex. 3 LFILO2003E Ethical issues in science and technology (seminar section) 15h th. + 15h ex. 2 LSC2001 Introduction to contemporary philosophy 30h th. 2 LSC2220 Philosophy of science 30h th. 2 MSBMM113 Bioethics Ravez Laurent Pontarotti Gaëlle 20h th. 2 SSPSM203 Philosophy of Life Sciences Pontarotti Gaëlle 12h th. 3 LTHEO2840 Science and the Christian faith 15h th. 2
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 FAGRM402 Psychopedagogy I Biemar Sandrine 30h th. + 20h ex. 4 Soft skillsImage
SAGRM211 Secondary school biology teaching internships 35h ex. 6 English Friendly CoursesImage
FAGRM401 School education and society Biemar Sandrine Roland Elsa 30h th. + 10h ex. 4 Sustainable developmentImage
Soft skillsImage
SAGRM203 Didactics and Epistemology of Biology I Vervoort Arnaud 30h th. + 10h ex. 3 FAGRM409 Foundations of neutrality 20h th. 2 FAGRM406 Educational psychology II Biemar Sandrine 30h th. + 10h ex. 3 Sustainable developmentImage
Soft skillsImage
SAGRM206 Didactics and Epistemology of Biology II Vervoort Arnaud 30h th. 3 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 FAGRM403 Education in new teaching and learning technologies Dumortier Laurence 15h th. 2 FAGRM405 Introduction to tutoring practices 4h th. + 11h ex. 2 SAGRM213 Didactical Comparison between Experimental Sciences and Mathematics Vervoort Arnaud Dias De Carvalho Junior Gabriel Henry Valérie 15h th. 2 FAGRM404 Analysis of practices Biemar Sandrine 8h th. + 7h ex. 2 SAGRM214 Management and implementation of a chemistry laboratory in secondary education 15h ex. 2 SSPSB202_P39327 History of science Sartenaer Olivier 15h th. 2 FAGRM407 Examining the relational and emotional aspects of the teaching profession Biemar Sandrine Fischer Line 10h th. + 5h ex. 2 -
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Code Name Staff Th.+Ex. Credits/Block 1 2 3 SAGRM204_P40643 Didactics and Epistemology of Chemistry I DEHON Jérémy 30h th. 3 Soft skillsImage
SAGRM202_P40648 Didactics and Epistemology of Physics I Dias De Carvalho Junior Gabriel 30h th. 3
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SBOEM170 Advances in applied and basic ecotoxicology Thore Eli Silvestre Frédéric 5 40h th. + 24h ex. LBOE2168 Plant-environment interactions 3 30h th. + 15h ex. -
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBOE2120 Biodiversity conservation 4 45h th. + 15h ex. LBOE2141 Restoration ecology 2 15h th. + 15h ex. Sustainable developmentImage
English Friendly CoursesImage
SBOEM237 Bioindicators of pollution De Laender Frederik 2 16h th. + 12h ex. -
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SBOEM113 Behavioural responses to a changing world 4 30h th. + 16h ex. LBOE2161 Behavioural ecology 4 30h th. + 15h ex. -
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBOE2292 Ecological and evolutionary modelling 4 15h th. + 45h ex. Sustainable developmentImage
SBOEM162 Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning De Laender Frederik 2 16h th. + 12h ex. Sustainable developmentImage
English Friendly CoursesImage
SBOEM142 Ecology of natural and disturbed aquatic environments De Laender Frederik 2 16h th. + 12h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBOE2150 Movement ecology 2 22.5h th. + 7.5h ex. LBOE2151 <unknown> 2 22.5h th. LBOE2140 Landscape Ecology 4 30h th. + 30h ex. -
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SBOEM114 Molecular ecology and biodiversity genomics 4 30h th. + 22.5h ex. SBOEM115 Environmental Epigenetics 2 15h th. + 15h ex. SBOEM116 Applied bioinformatics for molecular ecology 2 30h th.
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBIRE2102 Applied geomatics 4 30h th. + 22.5h ex. LGEO1343 Earth observation by satellite 5 30h th. + 30h ex. LGEO2140 Global environmental challenges in the Anthropocene 5 30h th. + 30h ex. LBRAT2101 Town and country planning 5 45h th. + 15h ex. LBRTI2101A Data Science in bioscience engineering - Partim A : spatial and temporal data 3 22.5h th. + 15h ex. SGOGB201 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Linard Catherine 4 15h th. + 20h ex. SGOGB301 Modelling and analysis of geographic information Linard Catherine 4 20h th. + 30h ex. -
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 Soft skillsImage
MGESM203_P38819 <unknown> 2 12h th. LDROP2063 Sectoral Environmental Law - Droit sectoriel de l'environnement 5 30h th. LDROP2102 Intellectual rights and new technologies 5 30h th. SBIOM119 Human resources management 2 15h th. LDROP2061 General environmental and living environment law 5 30h th. LDROP2101 Management of Intellectual Property Rights 5 30h th. -
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 WSBIM2290 Introduction to the science of laboratory animals 3 37h th. SFCMM101 Training in animal experimentation at technician level: techniques, alternative methods, legislation and ethics 4 40h th. SFCMM201 Training of master animal handlers 4 40h th.
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBOE2114 <unknown> 4 67.5h th. + 90h ex. LBOE2191 Ecology and society 2 30h th. SBOEM111 Advanced and applied evolutionary Dennis Alice 3 35h th. + 30h ex. SBOEM112 Data analysis and modeling of biological systems Thore Eli 5 30h th. + 45h ex. LBOE2113 Scientific and Professional Communication in English 3 15h ex. LBOE2196 Experimental design 2 15h th. + 22.5h ex. SBOEM197 Introduction to scientific research 8 LGEO1342A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) partim 4 24h th. + 24h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 Sustainable developmentImage
SSPSM101 Science, ethics and development Leyens Stéphane 3 18h th. + 6h ex. LFILO2003E Ethical issues in science and technology (seminar section) 2 15h th. + 15h ex. LSC2001 Introduction to contemporary philosophy 2 30h th. LSC2220 Philosophy of science 2 30h th. MSBMM113 Bioethics Ravez Laurent Pontarotti Gaëlle 2 20h th. SSPSM203 Philosophy of Life Sciences Pontarotti Gaëlle 3 12h th. LTHEO2840 Science and the Christian faith 2 15h th.
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBOE2168 Plant-environment interactions 3 30h th. + 15h ex. SBOEM170 Advances in applied and basic ecotoxicology Thore Eli Silvestre Frédéric 5 40h th. + 24h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 Sustainable developmentImage
English Friendly CoursesImage
SBOEM237 Bioindicators of pollution De Laender Frederik 2 16h th. + 12h ex. LBOE2141 Restoration ecology 2 15h th. + 15h ex. LBOE2120 Biodiversity conservation 4 45h th. + 15h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBOE2161 Behavioural ecology 4 30h th. + 15h ex. SBOEM113 Behavioural responses to a changing world 4 30h th. + 16h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 Sustainable developmentImage
SBOEM162 Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning De Laender Frederik 2 16h th. + 12h ex. Sustainable developmentImage
English Friendly CoursesImage
SBOEM142 Ecology of natural and disturbed aquatic environments De Laender Frederik 2 16h th. + 12h ex. LBOE2292 Ecological and evolutionary modelling 4 15h th. + 45h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LBOE2140 Landscape Ecology 4 30h th. + 30h ex. LBOE2150 Movement ecology 2 22.5h th. + 7.5h ex. LBOE2151 <unknown> 2 22.5h th. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SBOEM114 Molecular ecology and biodiversity genomics 4 30h th. + 22.5h ex. SBOEM115 Environmental Epigenetics 2 15h th. + 15h ex. SBOEM116 Applied bioinformatics for molecular ecology 2 30h th.
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Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LAGRE2221 Learning and teaching with new technologies and exercises 2 15h th. + 15h ex. LAGRE2310 Micro-teaching exercises 2 15h th. LGEO2330 Geography didactics seminar 5 30h ex. LSCI2330 Science didactics research seminar 5 15h th. + 30h ex. LMAT2330 Seminar on the didactics of mathematics 4 15h th. + 30h ex. -
<unknown>
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<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SGOGB201 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Linard Catherine 4 15h th. + 20h ex. LBRTI2101A Data Science in bioscience engineering - Partim A : spatial and temporal data 3 22.5h th. + 15h ex. LGEO2140 Global environmental challenges in the Anthropocene 5 30h th. + 30h ex. LBRAT2101 Town and country planning 5 45h th. + 15h ex. LGEO1343 Earth observation by satellite 5 30h th. + 30h ex. LBIRE2102 Applied geomatics 4 30h th. + 22.5h ex. SGOGB301 Modelling and analysis of geographic information Linard Catherine 4 20h th. + 30h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 LDROP2101 Management of Intellectual Property Rights 5 30h th. LDROP2102 Intellectual rights and new technologies 5 30h th. LDROP2061 General environmental and living environment law 5 30h th. Soft skillsImage
MGESM203_P38819 <unknown> 2 12h th. LDROP2063 Sectoral Environmental Law - Droit sectoriel de l'environnement 5 30h th. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SFCMM101 Training in animal experimentation at technician level: techniques, alternative methods, legislation and ethics 4 40h th. WSBIM2290 Introduction to the science of laboratory animals 3 37h th. SFCMM201 Training of master animal handlers 4 40h th.
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<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SBOEM297 Master thesis 22 -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 FAGRM402 Psychopedagogy I Biemar Sandrine 4 30h th. + 20h ex. Soft skillsImage
SAGRM211 Secondary school biology teaching internships 6 35h ex. English Friendly CoursesImage
FAGRM401 School education and society Biemar Sandrine Roland Elsa 4 30h th. + 10h ex. Sustainable developmentImage
Soft skillsImage
SAGRM203 Didactics and Epistemology of Biology I Vervoort Arnaud 3 30h th. + 10h ex. FAGRM409 Foundations of neutrality 2 20h th. FAGRM406 Educational psychology II Biemar Sandrine 3 30h th. + 10h ex. Sustainable developmentImage
Soft skillsImage
SAGRM206 Didactics and Epistemology of Biology II Vervoort Arnaud 3 30h th. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 FAGRM403 Education in new teaching and learning technologies Dumortier Laurence 2 15h th. FAGRM405 Introduction to tutoring practices 2 4h th. + 11h ex. SAGRM213 Didactical Comparison between Experimental Sciences and Mathematics Vervoort Arnaud Dias De Carvalho Junior Gabriel Henry Valérie 2 15h th. FAGRM404 Analysis of practices Biemar Sandrine 2 8h th. + 7h ex. SAGRM214 Management and implementation of a chemistry laboratory in secondary education 2 15h ex. SSPSB202_P39327 History of science Sartenaer Olivier 2 15h th. FAGRM407 Examining the relational and emotional aspects of the teaching profession Biemar Sandrine Fischer Line 2 10h th. + 5h ex. -
<unknown>
Code Name Staff Credits Hours/Quarter 1 2 SAGRM204_P40643 Didactics and Epistemology of Chemistry I DEHON Jérémy 3 30h th. Soft skillsImage
SAGRM202_P40648 Didactics and Epistemology of Physics I Dias De Carvalho Junior Gabriel 3 30h th.
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Professions of experts in organismal biology and ecology
On completion of this Master's degree, you will be suitable for scientific employment on the national and international markets, particularly in research institutions, nature conservation organizations, governmental or non-governmental agencies, as well as private companies.
Your ability to model and understand phenomena in depth, your taste for research and your scientific rigor will be in demand not only in the scientific professions (research, development, teaching...), but in society as a whole.
Examples of career opportunities:
- researchers at universities or public research centers,
- teachers in secondary schools and colleges,
- eco-educators,
- scientific experts,
- environmental consultants,
- experts in ecotoxicology - REACH,
- ....
I manage a river contract in southern Belgium, within a nature park financed by European funds. Setting up a river contract involves convincing many partners with often divergent interests. I have to promote the project, notably by publishing brochures. I organize awareness-raising activities, such as courses for children. Administrative and financial management, as well as fund-raising, take up a good part of my time.
Nicolas, graduate