Program Overview

Introduction to Health Management in Aquaculture

The Health Management in Aquaculture Master's Programme is a two-year, full-time degree that aims to equip students with the knowledge and expertise necessary to secure global food safety. With the world population expected to exceed nine billion by 2050, there is a growing need for sustainable and healthy food production. Aquaculture, the controlled production of aquatic organisms, is expected to play a significant role in relieving this need.

Programme Structure

The programme consists of an initial common semester at Ghent University, followed by three semesters at one of the partner universities: NTNU, WU, or UAB/UB. Students can choose from three learning paths that will deepen their knowledge on a specific aspect of the overarching programme theme.

Learning Paths

• NTNU: Relationship between the ecosystem and health
• WU: Preventing disease and maintaining adequate health, whilst minimising the impact on the environment
• UAB/UB: The relationship between animal physiology and health

What You Will Learn

The programme will provide students with a broad knowledge at an advanced level in essential disciplines underpinning health management in aquaculture, including:

• Immunology
• Applied microbiology
• Virology Students will also learn to integrate understanding of fish and shellfish (micro)-biology, immunology, genetics, and (viral) diseases in the use of aquatic organisms in aquatic production systems.

Career Opportunities

The AquaH programme will prepare students for a range of diverse career options, including:

• Head of R&D teams in one of the leading aquaculture pharma companies
• Self-employed consultant in fish disease issues
• Governmental veterinary officer responsible for farmed fish health and welfare, quarantine regulation, food quality, and security control

Study Environment

The programme offers students the opportunity to live in multiple cities and attend multiple universities, including:

• Barcelona, Spain
• Ghent, Belgium
• Trondheim, Norway
• Wageningen, Netherlands

Admission

Please note that this program does not currently admit any new applicants. However, the admission requirements are as follows:

• Application deadlines: 31st of May for admission, 28th of February for scholarship applications
• Students must meet the specific programme requirements, which can be found on the programme's website

Programme Details

The programme is a multi-university degree, combining the expertise of four European excellency centers in the field:

• Ghent University (UGent coordinator), Belgium
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway
• Wageningen University - Aquaculture & Fisheries Group (WU), Netherlands
• Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Spain

Each partner has a long-standing and strong reputation in aquaculture research, with a growing focus on health and disease management. The programme consists of an initial common semester, followed by three semesters of specialized learning, and a final semester of master's dissertation or thesis.