Course Synopsis of Environmental Sciences

 

ESC 2102 Environmental Health 3(2+1)
This course introduces concepts in human health.  Topics considered include epidemiology of disease and aspects of environment which affect human health such as the effects of industry, agriculture, construction and infrastructural development, and natural environmental disasters.  The spread of disease via air, water, food, and insert vectors will also be autlined.  Social influences such as housing, the work place, and cultural beliefs attitudes towards the environment and human health will be discussed.  The Malaysian health system is discussed in relation to those practiced in other countries.  An approach based on the use of appropriate technology is discussed for the preservation of the health of a particular community

 

ESC 3002 Chemical Principles in the Environment 4(3+1)
The topics in this course discuss the basic concepts of chemistry and their relationship as well as their application in the environmental field. The chemical processes causing changes in environmental quality during their interactions between air-water-land system and biological organisms that occur naturally or man-induced will be discussed. The application of chemical principles in pollution treatment processes, analytical methods and environmental quality measures will be discussed in detail. Instrumentation and methods for analysis of different samples will be discussed

 

ESC 3004 Environmental Measurement Technique and Method I 3(1+2)
The topics in this course include the various methods and techniques for field and laboratory studies of the environment.  Practical aspects involve land form survey and the collection and analysis of samples.  Methods for quantifying socioeconomic parameters are also discussed

 

ESC 3006 Priciples of Environmental Physics 4(3+1)
This course introduces physical principles and its applications in environmental studies. The topics to be discussed include mass conservation, energy, momentum, and continuity principle; hydrostatic; fluid forces; gas law; radiation law, momentum transfer and material flow. Basic principles of physics, mathematics and statistics used in an environmental model’s construction and materials movements such as Fick’s law, Darcy’s equation and Navier-Stokes’s equation will also be discussed. The processes influencing water and air movement on the earth’s surface such as Coriolis force, geostrophic, tides and waves will be introduced

 

ESC 3007 Principles of Environmental Biology 4(3+1)
This course covers basic principles of ecology such as  ecosystem, energy flow, nutrient cycling and food chain; basic plant physiology mainly photosynthesis; biodegradation process, fermentation, biodeposition and bioturbation including aerobic and anaerobic systems. Topics such as MFO enzyme systems, environmental preservation of natural resources, environmental pollution and eutrophication will also be covered. Students will also be exposed to the biogeochemical  cycles

 

ESC 3200 Hydrology and Water Resource 4(3+1)
This course will examine principles of  hydrologic analysis of precipitation, evapotranspiration, infiltration, runoff, river discharge, soil erosion and deposition, soil water, regional hydrology, water balance, flood prediction; and water resource policy. This course will also explore the use of computer softwares in relation to hydrological processes. Fieldwork will be arranged from time to time

 

ESC 3202 Principles of  Drinking Water Treatment 4(3+1)
This course will discuss water supply resources, water pollution sources, drinking water treatment processes and the importance of proper management for the production of potable water supplies on a continuous basis. Important drinking water quality parameters and proper disinfection techniques will be discussed in detail as well as the impact of water quality on human health and on aquatic populations. The various water uses in economic development will also be discussed. Drinking water sampling techniques, analytical procedures and water quality data management will be discussed in the context of water surveillance at the district and state level. The use of home accessories such as water filters, water sterilizers and  mineral water  production units will also be discussed

 

ESC 3304 Meteorology 3(2+1)
This course comprehensively discusses the physics, chemistry and forces of the atmosphere.  It also includes the direct impacts of the atmosphere on the earth’s surface, ocean and life.  This course also discusses climate, in particular the analysis of climatic data in solving specific operational and problem design

 

ESC 3305 Air Pollution and Noise 4(3+1)
The topics in this course discuss several important aspects of air pollution that include classification and sources of air pollutants, their effects on human, vegetation and material.  Sampling methods, pollution control and air quality management system will be discussed. Aspects of noise will explain the use of equipment for measuring and sampling pollutants and measuring noise and vibration

 

ESC 3506 Environmental Methodology 2(2+0)
This course discusses methods of scientific investigation, and the importance of scientific thought and analysis. Methods of data collection, modeling and environmental problem solving, including decision-making techniques, statistical inference, and error analysis are given emphasis

 

ESC 4001 Environmental Chemistry 3(2+1)
This corse introduces concepts of chemistry in the environment. Topics covered include acids and bases, carbonate system, alkalinity, metal complexation, particle reactivity, conservative and non-conservative bahavior of particles, partitioning behavior of solids and colloids, chemistry of natural and polluted waters, sooil chemistry and atmospheric pollution, transport and distribution processes, physico/biochemical reactions of compounds in natural waters will be investigated. Special topics on bioavailability, bioaccumulation, metabolism and degradation of chemicals will also be discussed. Biomonitoring, prediction and pollutant fate modelling in environmental compartments will be detailed out. Impact of industrialization and population explotion will be related to biogeochemical processes. Latest state-og-the-art equipments in chemical and environmental analysis will be explored

 

ESC 4202 Hydrogeology 3(2+1)
The discussion of groundwater occurrence and development; flow through porous media, water movement and distribution towards groundwater wells, drainage, reclamation procedures, groundwater pollution and subsidence

 

ESC 4203 Water Pollution Control Technology 3(3+0)
This course gives the students exposure to the physical, biological and chemical processes that are used in the treatment of water and waste water.  Process design calculation for specific processes will be stressed.   Examples of the use of these processes in the manufacturing sector and agriculture will be given.  Low waste zero discharge technology are discussed

 

 

For further information contact:
Assoc. Prof. Dr Mohd Kamil Yusoff
Head
Department of Environmental Sciences
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang
Malaysia
+60-3-89466770/6741
mkamil@env.upm.edu.my