Welcome to the website of the Master in Nematology

The Postgraduate International Nematology Course (P.I.N.C.) or Master of Nematology programme is a 2-year Master course programme taught in English at Ghent University, Belgium. The nematology section at Ghent University is an internationally renowned centre for education and research on free-living and plant parasitic nematodes.
The Master of Nematology programme includes training and research on the morphology, systematics and biology of plant parasitic, insect parasitic and free-living nematodes. It also covers fundamental as well as applied aspects of Nematology and concerns different groups of nematodes in all possible environments: natural soils, agricultural soils, aquatic sediments of freshwater, brackish or marine habitats, temperate and tropical regions.
The course programme consists of a 2-year program of 120 credits divided over 4 semesters (2 semesters per year).
The first semester comprises compulsory basic and introductory courses in Nematology.
The second semester is composed of specific nematological courses related to one of the 3 following majors:

•  Nematology applied to agro-ecosystems 
•  Nematology applied to natural ecosystems
•  Nematode systematics: taxonomy, phylogeny and biodiversity.

The third semester is composed of a few compulsory courses and elective courses.
The fourth semester the students work on their personal research topic (the master thesis).

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must at least have a Bachelor degree in Zoology, Botany, Biology, Agronomy or any related to these. A very good proficiency of the English language is a prerequisite. Proof of at least 1 year of comprehensive English-based instruction at a University or recognized equivalent. If not, a TOEFL test is required: a minimum total score of 500 on a paper based test (PBT), or 80 on an internet based test (IBT). Or an IELTS test is required with a minimum overall band score of 5.5. Or a Cambridge ESOL test: first certificate in English.

EVALUATION & DEGREE

Evaluation is based on exams, laboratory and field work, reports and thesis. The participants, who successfully pass the exams and complete a personal research, will be awarded the degree ‘Master of Science in Nematology’.

JOB POSSIBILITIES

We aim to provide training for people from all over the world that will allow them to become highly qualified scientists.  Our graduates use their knowledge of nematodes and how these organisms interact with the world around them to obtain postitions:
 

• as researcher, consultants, policy makers, education,...
• in universities, research institutes, GOs, NGOs, laboratories, private companies, industry (pharma, agro)
• in topics such as: plant/food/crop protection, sustainable management of natural resources, biocontrol of crop pathogens, quarantaine, medicine,  toxicology, polluition, biomonitoring and conservation of aquatic and terrestrial environments, environmental protection, estimating biodiversity and molecular biology of host-parasite interactions.   A substantial proportion of EUMAINE graduates go on to PhD positions in these areas.

NEWS
With the start of the academic year 2012-2013 Belgian national television made a short report on the increasing numbers of interantional students at Ghent University and Flanders. The MSc in Nematology and the new students were the focus of the report. You can find the video here.