all Master's programmes is English. The programmes start each year in September, they last two years, and consist of 120 ECTS credits. Most programmes offer various specializations and possibilities for majors. PhD programme The PhD programme is a four-year programme which consists of a research component (conducting research under supervision and writing a thesis) and a smaller education component (up to 10 percent of the total PhD time). To apply for a PhD position, the applicant must contact one of the six Graduate Schools of Wageningen University. In order to guarantee adequate supervision, the research subject must fit in the research programme of a Graduate School. Research institutes The following research institutes are part of Wageningen Research: Wageningen Environmental Research, formerly Alterra Wageningen Economic Research, formerly LEI Wageningen UR Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, formerly Central Veterinary Institute Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation, formerly Centre for Development Innovation Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, formerly Food & Biobased Research Wageningen Livestock Research Wageningen Marine Research, formerly IMARES Wageningen Plant Research Dairy Campus Wageningen Food Safety Research, formerly RIKILT Controversy Wageningen University and Research has come under fire due to claims of partiality in research. One case regards a research concerning bee colony collapse disorder. Research conducted by Tjeerd Blacquière on the topic has caused controversy due to funding received for the research from the German pesticide producer Bayer, the world's biggest producer of neonicotinoid insecticides, a suspect factor for the colony collapse disorder. In 2018 the Dutch magazine OneWorld went to court in an attempt to demand access to contracts between WUR and Bayer, Syngenta and Monsanto, but OneWorld ultimately lost the court case. Rankings International rankings In the field of life sciences, agricultural and environmental science, the university is considered world-class. According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings it is the best university in the Netherlands and No. 1 worldwide, in agriculture and forestry for 2017 on the QS World University Rankings charts. In the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Ranking Wageningen University & Research is ranked first in agricultural sciences, plant and animal sciences, and environment/ecology. In the 2017/2018 National Taiwan Ranking Wageningen University is ranked first in the field of agriculture. In the 2017/2018 National Taiwan Ranking Wageningen University is ranked first in the field of Environment & Ecology. In the 2016 Shanghai Ranking Wageningen University was ranked in the bracket 101-150th best universities in the world