As a GroundwatCh student you start the academic year at ULisboa IST in September, where during the first semester you start with the QGIS introductory (certified) course, followed by the mandatory courses addressing core competences in thematic areas A-D, and electives in E-F (see https://www.groundwatermaster.eu/about), totalling (at least) 30 ECTS (as you are free to select more electives). In February, still in Portugal, you will take preparatory training in interdisciplinary science and fieldwork to prepare for the Interdisciplinary project taking place at IHE Delft in the second semester. At the end of February, you move to IHE Delft, where you acquire (at least) 30 ECTS in the second semester, taking mandatory and elective courses within all thematic areas. Among the electives you can opt for an ECTS-credited internship at any of the associated partners (APs). Following conclusion of the second semester at the end of July, you can continue your internship if desired, or have a summer break before moving to TU Dresden mid-September, where you start your third semester with summer school courses and a thematic seminar. Subsequently, you obtain training (at least 30 ECTS) in thematic areas A, C and F, through compulsory courses in climate modelling and groundwater-soil-land-climate feed-back mechanisms, as well as a study project and electives which can also cover the other thematic areas.

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At the end of the third semester, in March of the second academic year, you will start your thesis study (30 ECTS), optionally together with an AP. You will conduct research under the guidance of a professor from one of the full partner universities, and lecturers or researchers from APs can be your mentors. We aim at a balanced distribution of MSc thesis projects and students amongst the three partner universities. The thesis has to be defended at the university where the student is registered, i.e. the university of the supervising professor, in agreement with local institutional regulations.