This article was written during Madeliefs first year of MSc MADE. She has completed her studies and is now an MSc MADE alumna.
You have a BSc in Global Sustainability Science. How did you shape your BSc program to make it a good fit for the MSc MADE program?
Since my bachelor’s program was already interdisciplinary, I was lucky to follow both social and technical courses. The technical courses I followed were: Sustainable Energy Supply, Mathematics and System Analysis, and Natural Processes. This prepared me in the right way for the MSc MADE.
What do you think of the MSc MADE program so far?
So far, I really enjoyed the first year of MADE. Even though in the first period there was quite some overlap with my bachelor’s degree in terms of contents, I still learned a lot about sustainability at the Urban level and gained new skills regarding entrepreneurship and data science.
How did you find out about this program, and what made you decide this program was right for you?
I found out about the program through one of my friends. She asked me if I wanted to come along to the open day. Since we have similar interests and the same background education, I decided to join her. I was immediately enthusiastic. The interdisciplinary aspect of the MADE program interested me, as well as the fact that the MADE program is more practical than other masters.
Can you tell us a little about the study program and your personal choices?
For my electives, I chose three courses in Wageningen. The first course is “Geo-information Science for society”, this is a technical course where you learn how to work with ArcGIS and QGIs software. The other two courses I followed were “Managing Urban Environmental Infrastructure” and “Planning and Design of Urban Space”, both subjects are part of the MSc Urban Environmental Management from Wageningen University.
Which part of your study did you find the most interesting (so far)? Which courses did you like best?
In periods two and three, we took the courses Entrepreneurial Thinking and Entrepreneurial Skills. During Entrepreneurial Skills we had to come up with our own sustainable business case. It was an interesting course and very different from the usual academic courses I followed. During this course, we were able to talk with experts about our business idea, and therefore learn how to practice and develop entrepreneurial skills in a real-life setting!
How do you experience studying at AMS Institute compared to the Wageningen or Delft campus?
I really enjoy studying at AMS. It is very nice to have a place to study and work together and meet up with fellow students, it creates a sense of community! In the AMS building, there are different study spots, a “green room” to make videos, and a kitchen where we have lunch breaks together. The location Marineterrein Amsterdam is also very interesting, there are a few cafés and restaurants, and a place to swim outside.
What do you think of student life in Amsterdam?
During the first half-year of MADE I was still living in Utrecht. About a month ago, I moved to Amsterdam because I wanted the full experience of studying in Amsterdam. Even though we are in the middle of a pandemic and there is not much we can do, we often meet up outside at the Marineterrein and have a beer in the sun!