Scheme of Studies
for
Two Years MSc Environmental Science

1.         INTRODUCTION

The 21st Century promises to be both an exciting time and a challenging one in which to live. Many of the most complex challenges will be environmental forcing people to divert their attention towards this field. Meeting these challenges will require problem solving abilities based in science, mathematics, the social sciences and other disciplines. Environmental Science is the application of a combination of scientific disciplines to issues and questions regarding environmental problems. 

The MSc Programme in Environmental Science takes an interdisciplinary approach that will provide students with the education and experience they need to be successful in meeting environmental challenges.

2.         AIMS & OBJECTIVES

      The overarching aim of BS Program in Environmental Science is to develop human resource for achieving the broader objectives of sustainable development.

2.1       Teaching Objectives

BS Programme in Environmental Science is designed to provide students with the knowledge base and equip them with necessary skills for pollution abatement, conservation and wise use of natural resources for the benefit of society by enabling them to:

1. Learn how to analyze and assess environmental problems;
2. Carry out independent scientific and technical research on environmental issues; and
3. Propose sustainable solutions for environmental problems.

2.2       Learning Objectives

1. Develop capabilities to understand the natural and socio-economic processes driving environmental systems;
2. Have scientific and technical expertise to solve environmental problems by introducing interventions;
3. Developing interactions with stake holders, managers and policy makers in addressing environmental issues.

3.         Program Structure

The MSc Programme in Environmental Science will lead to develop an understanding of environmental system, processes, problems and possible solutions. This programme will be of 2 years duration consisting of 4 semesters. Students have to complete minimum 72 credit hours of which 69 credit hours are for course work and 3 credit hours are for project as per HEC requirement.

The program is designed to provide a strong base for students by offering courses from other disciplines e.g. mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, economics, Earth Sciences, Law, and Economics etc. Students will also be equipped with computing, research and presentation skills during their course work.

1. Eligibility Criteria

Students having completed 14 years of education with at least 50% marks with any three of the following subjects:

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Economics, Sociology, General Science, Geography

3.2       Admission Criteria

Admission will be on merit determined through academic record (40%) and admission test (60%).

1. Semester Wise Courses

COURSE OUTLINES

FIRST SEMESTER

ES 320   INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Definitions, History, Movements, Environmental Systems; atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, origin and interrelationship. Environmental factors; chemical, physical and biological. Environmental pollution, types, sources, causes, effects. Environmental dilemmas, deforestation, water logging, salinity, drought and desertification. Issues of environment and sustainable development. Issues of the social environment, population growth, urbanization, migration and poverty. Environment and life style.

ES 325 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE OF ENVIRONMENT

Overview of ethical approaches, Transferring ethics to the environment, The need for human interventions in the biosphere,  The use of categorical principles in biosphere protection,  The use of principles and standards capable of being compensated in biosphere protection, Nature and the environment in the public perception, the perception of adverse environmental effects, Environmental conduct, Intercultural differences in dealing with nature. Impact of faith on environment. Islamic view of nature and natural order. The categories of the relationship between human beings and the environment: Khilafa, Taskheer, I’mar. Quranic teachings on bestowing trust and stewardship to man for a balanced ecosystem. Legislative principles, policies, and institutions of Islamic law which govern the procedures and measures for the protection and conservation of the environment.

ES 330 FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGY

Concept and framework of ecosystem. Energy and material flow within ecosystem.  Succession: (only basic concepts). Types of Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and their interrelationship with special emphasis on Pakistan. Communities; concept and structure of ecosystem, Global distribution, Patterns of diversity. Populations; Population distribution and abundance, Distribution limits, patterns, population density, rarety and extinction, Population dynamics, Interaction. Food webs; Community webs, Keystone species, Exotic predators, Humans as keystone species.

Effects of human activities on ecosystem; Exploitation of natural resources, Pollution, Global warming, Ozone depletion, Acid rain, Overpopulation

ES 340 HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

Introduction; concept, Basic requirements for a healthy environment, Measuring environmental quality, Human exposure and health Impact, Impact of environmental factors on health, Role of environmental health professional. Nature of environmental hazards, Risk assessment, Risk management, Air, Water and sanitation, Food and agriculture, Health and disease.  Human settlement and urbanization, Health and energy use. Health and development, Health indicators, Industrial pollution and chemical safety, Trans-boundary and global health concerns, Action to protect health and the environment. Epidemiology of infectious diseases, Communicable diseases, Non-communicable diseases, Introduction to Immunology, Pathology, Epidemiology.

GC INTRODUCTION TO USE OF COMPUTER

Outlines will be provided by the university.

GC  INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS

Course outline will be provided by the university.

SECOND SEMESTER

ES 314 STATISTICS & PROBABILITY

Basic concepts in Statistics; Descriptive statistics; sample, parameter, variables. Collection of primary and secondary data; presentation of data. Measure of central tendency; mean, median and mode of the distribution, population and sample. Sampling techniques and distribution, mean and standard error of distributions. Measure of dispersion; Variance, Standard deviation. Linear regression and correlation. Probability; events, sample space, probability laws, binomial, Poisson and normal distribution; properties and uses. Hypothesis testing; Level of significance, Testing mean (Z-test, t-test, Chi-square test, F-test) and Variance test for association; analysis of variance. Excel, SPSS, Minitab

ES 315 Fundamental of earth science
Overview of Earth, its environment and resources. Man – environment interaction. Geological framework of Earth; Structure and Composition of Earth, Assessing geological hazards. Frame work of Atmosphere; Composition and structure of atmosphere, Solar radiation and energy balance in atmosphere, Air pressure, wind circulation, Solar radiation and ozone layer, Greenhouse effect and global warming. Human Demography; Human population distribution, Population growth, Current population trends, Causes of population growth, Overpopulation and consequences. Earth Resources; Energy resources their use and alternatives, Mineral resources, Soil resources, Water resources, Biological resources, Resource management.

ES 321 PHYSICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

The Essentials of Environmental Physics, Basic Environmental Spectroscopy; Introduction to the Solar Spectrum, Interaction of Light with Matter, Bio-molecules, Ozone and UV Light. The Global Climate, Energy for Human Use; Heat Transfer, Energy from (mainly) Fossil Fuels, The Price of Energy Conversion, Nuclear Energy. Transport of Pollutants, Diffusion, Conservation of Mass, Flow in Rivers, Ground Water Flow, The Equations of Fluid Dynamics, Turbulence, Turbulent Diffusion, Gaussian plumes in the Air, Turbulent Jets and Plumes, Particle Physics. Noise, Basic Acoustics, Human Perceptions and Noise Criteria, Reducing the Transmission of Sound, Active Control of Sound. Spectra and Examples of Environmental Spectroscopy; Atomic Spectra, Molecular Spectra, Scattering, Spectroscopy of the Inner Electrons of Atoms and Molecules, Examples of Environmental Analysis. The Context of Society; Risk Estimation, Limits on Cheap Resources, Saving Energy Resources and Nature.

ES 322 CHEMISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Material cycling in the environment; Micro and macronutrients, Cycling of water, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, Cycling and balance of nature. Pollution; Definition, Types of pollutants, Origin, transport, reactions and effects of chemicals in water, air, soil, and biotic environment, fate of pollutants in an ecosystem, treatment methods for pollutants. Instrumental Methods of environmental analysis; Principles of sampling, Sampling techniques for chemical analysis of air, water, soil and food, Principles of filtration, titration, distillation, paper chromatography, gas chromatography etc., Absorption spectroscopy and atomic emission spectroscopy, Determination of NEQS parameters, Lake Water quality, eutrophication of lakes and water and waste water characteristics, chemical coagulation, disinfection of water, smog formation and acid rain, green house effect, pollution of the sea and water desalinization. Soil Biological Activity and Soil Conservation. Pesticides and Herbicides. PCB’s. PAH’s and Dioxins etc. and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP’s)

GC BASIC of ACADEMIC WRITING and presentation

Course outline will be provided by the university

GC SOCIOLOGY

Course outline will be provided by the university.

THIRD SEMESTER

ES 451 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Basic Definitions: Governance, Environmental Governance, MEA’s, Policy, Law, International Law, Environmental protection in the Constitution of 1973,
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 and provision for environmental protection in other laws of Pakistan, Environmental protection regulations, standards and environmental assessment guidelines in Pakistan, Environmental provisions in Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

ES 461 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Introduction. Principles and purposes of IEE and EIA and its significance for the society. Cost and benefits of EIA. Main stages in EIA process. Public consultation and participation in EIA process. EIA methods and techniques for impact prediction and evaluation. EIA involvement during project life cycle. EIA review and post project analysis. EIA process management. National Environmental Quality Standards for air, liquid, solids, and noise, role of quality assurance and quality control in environmental analysis. EIA Regulations 2000 of Pakistan. One case study to be completed by the students as practical work.

ES 462  ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Introduction to Environmental Management System; principles and elements of the process of EMS. Sources of data, data collection and interpretation. Related Environmental regulations, Principles of cleaner production. Application of environmental management principles and tools of environmental management. Introduction of ISO 14000 series of standards and its role in environmental management. Environmental Auditing. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

ES 426 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Purpose of Research; Research Project Conceptualization, Choice of Methods; Elements of a Research Proposal, Operationalization choices and illustrations.
Research Design: formulation of research design, pretesting of research instruments and procedures, units of Analysis, time dimension; Experimental design and use of indicators in research, Survey Research: Guidelines for asking question and questionnaires construction, Self-administered questionnaires, Interview and other survey methods; their strength and weaknesses.

Sampling: the logic of sampling, concepts and terminologies, population and sampling frames, types of sampling design. Field Studies: Steps in the conducting field study; Evaluation Research: How to carry out evaluation research; Analytical tools in research: qualitative and quantitative methods; Statistical analyses: Univariate, Bivariate and Multivariate analyses.

GC  EDUCATION
Course content will provide by the concerned department

GC  GLOBALIZATION

Course outline will be provided by the university

FOURTH SEMESTER

GC  SOCIAL WORK

Course outline will be provided by the university.

GC  INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT

Course outline will be provided by the university

GC  MASS COMMUNICATION
Course outline will be provided by the university

ES 432   APPLIED ECOLOGY

Introduction; Concept of applied ecology, Background and scope, Principles of applied ecology, Basic concepts in applied ecology. Carbon-energy balance and climate change; Solar radiation and primary production, Energy resources for now and for future, Carbon dioxide and global climate change, Effect of carbon dioxide concentration on photosynthesis. Ecological concepts in food production; Efficient use of resources in farming system, Cutting of forests for agricultural purposes, Sustainable agricultural practices, Sustainable livestock management practices. Aquaculture practices. Pollution control through Ecology, Basic concepts about pollutant transfer in plant and animals, Species response to pollutants, Using microcosms and mesocosms to study effects of pollutants on communities, Phytoremediations and bioremediations. Conservation and Management of Wild Species; Coexistence of species, Specie-area relationship, Influence of vegetation structure on animal diversity, Interaction between consumers and affect of specie abundance, Human influence on biodiversity extinction, Biodiversity conservation: aim and approach.

ES 433   ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
                         
History of microbiology, Microbial classification, growth and nutrition. Microbes as a component of Environment, Microbial communities, Growth of Microorganisms, Batch, Continuous and Mixed cultures. Influence of environment on growth and Measurement of growth, DNA structure and replication, Protein synthesis, Energy mechanism in microbial metabolism, Transfer of Genetic information, control of microorganisms, interaction among microbial population. Water, wastewater, soil and airborne microorganisms. Biodegradation and bioaccumulation.

ES 465   ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

Introduction. Objectives of sampling and monitoring program. Design and types of samples; pre-sampling requirements/information, sampling and design purposes, regulatory purposes for NEQS compliance, EIA requirement, NOC for plant operation, determination of concentration and distribution of a specific pollutant. Environmental sampling techniques. Quality assurance and quality control; planning analytic protocols, quality assurance programmes, quality control sampling considerations, quality assessment, field custody, laboratory custody. Preservation methods including pH control, chemical addition, refrigeration and freezing methods.  Biological indicators for environmental monitoring; role of biomarkers in environmental assessment.

ES 453   NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Natural resources and sustainable management of natural resources, Development of Management Plan, Watershed Management, Rangeland Management, Wildlife Management, Water Resource Management, Fisheries Management, Agricultural Resource Management, Energy (coal, hydrocarbon, hydel) and Mineral Resource (Metallic and non-metallic deposits) Management, Land use Planning and Management, Community based natural resource management.

ES 471  SOCIAL THEORY OF ENVIRONMENT

Introduction to Social Theory; Environment and Societies, Contemporary Social Theory; Environmental degradation and politics, Classical Social Theory: Politics, Culture and Socialism. Social Interactions; Feminism, Population and Environment. Modernity and Environment; Capitalism, Industrialism and Transformation of Nature. Globalization. The Political Ecology of Capitalism. Social and Cultural Origins of Environmental Movements. The Sociology of Risk. Social Theory, Socialism and the Environment. The Ecology of Unemployment, War and Health.

ES 452    ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

 Fossil fuels and their environmental effects; Green house effect and acid rain etc. Renewable energy principles; essential Physics (fluid mechanics, thermodynamics etc.); Solar radiation characteristics, measurements and local data; Passive use of solar energy (water heating, air heating, crop dryers, space heating, water desalination, solar ponds and solar concentrators etc); Photovoltaic; Micro-hydro electric plants; Wind power; Biofuels; Ethanol from Biomass; Wave and tidal and ocean thermal energy; Geothermal energy; Energy storage (batteries and fuel cells etc); Hydrogen from renewable energy sources.

ES 466    OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Introduction; concept, importance and principles of occupational health and safety, Cost of accidents, Hazards and risks at work place and causes, Plant and mines safety and safe work practices; fire fighting techniques, Emergency response protocols, Spill response protocols, risk assessment approaches, Occupational Health and Safety Management System 18001, Occupational health and safety in Pakistan; Labour code of Pakistan (1986), Industrial and occupational rules and regulations in Pakistan, Agricultural Pesticides rules, 1973, agricultural pesticide ordinance, 1971.
                         
ES 472     PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Towards Participatory Management: A New Paradigm, Concepts and Philosophy, Historical Perspectives; Models of Participatory Management in South Asia; Participatory Approaches to Environment and Development; A Model for Urban Development “Orangi Pilot Project”; Women Participation in Development; Youth Participation in Development; Participatory Management of Mountain Ecosystems, Coastal and Forest Resources, Wetland Conservation; Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM).

ES 450     ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS

Introduction to natural resource and environmental economics, concepts of sustainability, valuating environment, market failures, cost benefit analysis, discounting and present value of net benefit. Efficient and optimal use of environmental resources: non-renewable and renewable resources. Pollution control, targets and instruments, instrument. Accounting for the environment. The economics of sustainable development

ES 454      WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT            

Introduction; hydrological cycle, water resources and their role, limits to water availability, water losses, water consumption, water pollution, water shortage problem and solution, improving water productivity, water conservation practices, integrated management of coastal and marine resources, wetlands resources, irrigation resources, sustainable aquaculture practices, flood and drought management, government Policies

and Programmes. Dams, barrages and their environmental impacts on farm water management. Recycling and re-use of wastewater as a resource. Indus Water Treaty 1960, Indus Water Accord 1991, relevant intuitions and authorities

ES 455     TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Collection, treatment and distribution of drinking water supply; low cost water treatment and sanitation techniques; cleaner production techniques; waste re-use and recycling; collection, treatment and disposal of municipal and industrial wastewater; solid and hazardous waste management; waste site investigation and remediation; air and noise pollution control.

ES 467      ENVIRONMENTAL INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUES

Introduction; Principles of physical, chemical and microbiological analysis of environmental pollutants, Sampling Procedure for the examination of Water, Wastewater, Air and Solid Waste; sampling rules, sample collection and preservation. Laboratory Techniques and Field Monitoring for parameters of importance causing environmental pollution. Environmental Chemical Analysis; role and importance, classical methods: volumetric and gravimetric analysis. Instrumental Techniques using Atomic Absorption and Emission Analysis Spectrophotometery, Gas Chromatography etc. Assessment and Interpretation of Results using Statistical Tools.
                         
ES 431      BIODIVERSITY & ITS CONSERVATION

Conservation biology, philosophical background, need and approach, Threats to Biological Diversity. Conservation at the population and species level; natural history and ecology, Gathering ecological information, Monitoring populations, Establishment of new populations, Considerations for successful programmes, Social behavior of released animals, Ex-situ conservation strategies, Overview of conservation categories of species, Legal protection of species, National laws, International agreements, Conservation at the community level; Protected areas, Designing protected areas, Managing protected areas: Habitat management, Park management and people, Outside protected areas: Traditional societies and sustainable development, International approaches to conservation and sustainable development,  An agenda for the future.

ES 441       ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY                

Introduction, Dose response relationship, Bioaccumulation and biomagnifications, Threshold limit for toxins, Toxicological Agents and their types, Toxicant Metabolism and accumulation in body organs and pathways, Response of the body systems to toxicological agents, immunological considerations in toxicology, toxicity screening using microbial systems, risks and their characterization, risk assessment.

ES 463     REMOTE SENSING & ITS APPLICATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Fundamentals of Remote Sensing. Energy Sources, Characteristics of electromagnetic radiation and spectrum, Spectral reflectance of land covers.  Remote Sensing system, Aerial Photography, Interpretation, Photogrammetry, Satellite Imageries, Image Processing, Interpretation, Preparation of thematic maps, Image interpretation and identification of features form photographs and satellite images, Land Use mapping.

Fundamentals of Geographic Information System (GIS), Data analysis and output, Organizational setup, evaluation and implementation; GIS applications in: Environmental protection and resource conservation, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishery and Wildlife. Introduction to relevant Pakistani Institutions working in GIS, environmental monitoring of natural and man-made processes such as floods, land sliding, ozone layer depletion, water pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, water logging and salinity. Resource inventories, techniques to carry out surveys and inventories, Mapinfo, ER Mapper, AutoCAD.

ES 464 GIS & ITS APPLICATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Fundamentals of Geographic Information System (GIS), Data analysis and output, Organizational setup, evaluation and implementation; GIS applications in: Environmental protection and resource conservation, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishery and Wildlife. Introduction to relevant Pakistani Institutions working in GIS, environmental monitoring of natural and man-made processes such as floods, land sliding, ozone layer depletion, water pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, water logging and salinity. Resource inventories, techniques to carry out surveys and inventories, Mapinfo, ER Mapper, AutoCAD.

ES 473 HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENT

Early approaches to Human Resource Development, Current approach to Human Resource Development, Different dimensions of development, Disparities among Developed and Developing countries, Human Development Goals & reports of United Nations, Human Development Goals and Reports for Pakistan, Calculating Human Development Index & sub indices, Poverty Environment linkages, Gender & Environment, Environmental Education & Environment Based Education, Human Resource Development for Disaster Risk Reduction, Actors for Human Resource Development & their development.

ES 434 ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY AGRICULTURE

Concept of Sustainable Agriculture, The modernization of Agriculture, The pursuit of Environmental Conservation, The Environment & Social Costs of improvement, Pesticides & Human Health impacts, Soil conservation & Erosion, The loss of Biodiversity, The breakdown of the Social fabric of Rural Communities, Resource conserving technologies & Processes, The management & control of Pests & Diseases, Managing Natural Enemies, Integrated plant nutrition, Soil Conservation, Water Management Systems, Participatory approach, institutions and policy framework for sustainable Agriculture.

ES 474 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANZATIONS

Defining HRM, Organization design, Job & role design, Organizational Development, The employment relationship, Knowledge Management, Resourcing, Performance Management, Human Resource Development, Organizational & individual learning, Management development, Career management, Reward management, Employee relations, Case Studies: Environmental organizations working in different sectors, their organization structures, resourcing, performance management & Human resource Development procedures

ES 475 ETHICAL APPROCHAES TO ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION

Overview of ethical approaches, Transferring ethics to the environment, The need for human interventions in the biosphere,  The use of categorical principles in biosphere protection,  The use of principles and standards capable of being compensated in biosphere protection, Knowledge and values as a basis for appreciation processes, Economic valuation as an expression of specific valuation ethics,  Methodological foundations and the need for explanation of economic valuations,  Overview of the procedure with an economic valuation of the biosphere,  Value categories of biosphere services from an economic point of view,  Limits of the applicability of the economic calculation to the valuation of biosphere services,  Economic methods for an overview of
Environmental valuation, Attempt to order the value categories from a global perspective
On the comparison of acceptance and acceptability, Nature and the environment in the public perception, the perception of adverse environmental effects, Environmental conduct, Intercultural differences in dealing with nature