M.Sc. in Environmental Science and Management (MESM)

Objectives

• Definition, scope and goal of environmental sciences, its relation to other disciplines of science, environmental issues in Bangladesh and role of environmental science, state of environmental awareness, environmental communication and action-oriented programs in Bangladesh and South Asia. Concept of Gaia: the interconnectedness of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. 2. Natural Resources: Renewable and non-renewable resources, Natural resources and associated problems, Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources, Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyles. 3. Biogeochemical Cycles of some important elements: Carbon, Nitrogen, Sulfur; their implication for global environmental changes. 4. Social Issues and the Environment: From unsustainable to sustainable development, urban problems related to energy, Water conservation, rainwater harvesting, watershed management, Resettlement and rehabilitation of people; its problems and concern, Environmental ethics 5. Human Population and the Environment: Population growth, variation among nations, Population Explosion-Family Welfare Programme, Environment and human health, Human Rights, Value Education, HIV/AIDS, Women and Child Welfare, Role of Information Technology in Environment and human health.

Objectives

• Research Methodology: An Introduction: Meaning of Research, Objectives of Research, Motivation in Research, Types of Research, Research Approaches, Significance of Research, Research Methods versus Methodology, Research and Scientific Method, Research Process, Criteria of Good Research, Research Ethics, and Plagiarism. 2. Defining the Research Problem: What is a Research Problem? Selecting the Problem, Necessity of Defining the Problem, Technique Involved in Defining a Problem. Research Gap, Limitations. 3. Research Design & Sampling Design: Meaning of Research Design, Need for Research Design, Important Concepts Relating to Research Design, Different Research Designs, Basic Principles of Experimental Designs Census and Sample Survey, Implications of a Sample Design, Steps in Sampling Design, Criteria of Selecting a Sampling Procedure, Characteristics of a Good Sample Design, Different Types of Sample Designs How to Select a Random Sample? Random Sample from an Infinite Universe, Complex Random Sampling Designs 4. Measurement & Scaling Techniques: Measurement in Research, Measurement Scales, Sources of Error in Measurement, Tests of Sound Measurement, Technique of Developing Measurement Tools, Scaling, Meaning of Scaling. 5. Methods of Data Collection, Processing & Analysis of Data: Collection of Primary Data, Observation Method, Interview Method, Collection of Data through questionnaires, Collection of Data through Schedules, Difference between Questionnaires and Schedules, Some Other Methods of Data Collection, Collection of Secondary Data, Selection of Appropriate Method for Data Collection, Case Study Method, Processing Operations, Some Problems in Processing, Elements/Types of Analysis, Statistics in Research, Measures of Central Tendency, Measures of Relationship, Simple Regression Analysis Multiple Correlation and Regression, Partial Correlation, Association in Case of Attributes, Other Measures.

Objectives

• Water Pollution: Nature and types of water pollutants, elemental pollution and their determination, heavy metals, Cd, Hg, Cr etc., metalloids e.g. Arsenic in groundwater of Bangladesh, organic pollutants, pesticides in water, polychlorinated biphenyls. 2. Water Treatment: Treated water use, municipal water treatment and treatment of water for industrial use, removal of organic, removal of heavy metals and metalloids (arsenic), removal of phosphorus and nitrogen compounds. 3. Adsorption-filtration: Definition, types of adsorption, adsorption isotherm, adsorption of solutes by solids, hysteresis curves, thermodynamic properties, modes of adsorption by natural and synthetic adsorbents, application of adsorption-filtration process, desorption of solute particles, Mesoporous materials: Porous solids, classification of pore sizes, development of mesoporous supports, preparation of mesoporous materials. 4. Atmospheric Chemistry: Importance of the Atmosphere, Evolution of atmosphere, Inversions and Air pollution, Global climate and Microclimate, Carbon Cycle and Atmospheric Carbon dioxide, Reactions of Atmospheric oxygen and Nitrogen, Aerosols, their direct and indirect effects: Aerosol properties, sources and production mechanisms of atmospheric aerosols, direct and indirect forcing associated with aerosols. 5. Air Pollution: Atmospheric pollutants, Inorganic gasses, Organic and organic sulphites and particulate oxides of sulphur and sulphur cycle, Nitrogen Oxides and Nitrogen cycle, urban air pollution, Mitigation of urban air pollution. 6. Environmental Soil Chemistry: Soil and agriculture, Nature and composition of soil, Acidbase and Ion exchange reactions in soils, Wastes and pollutants in soil, Soil loss and degradation. 7. Ocean pollution: Sewage - source and effects of some marine pollution, toxic pollutants - antifouling paints, DDT, dioxins, PCBs; oil on water, marine debris - fishing gears, plastics.

Objectives

• Climate Change Science: Introduction to Climate Change Science, Anthropogenic Drivers of Climate Change. GHGs and CO2 emission. Current knowledge about observed and future impacts of climate change on the natural and human environment: Freshwater resources and their management, Ecosystems, their properties, goods and services, Food, fibre and forest products, Coastal systems and low-lying areas, Industry, settlement and society, Human health. 2. Impacts of climate change- Bangladesh perspective 3. Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity. 4. Inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation. 5. Perspectives on climate change and sustainability. 6. Issues related to mitigation in the long-term context: Energy supply, Transport and its infrastructure, Residential and commercial buildings, Industry, Agriculture, Forestry, Waste management. 7. Case studies.

Objectives

• Basics of Biology: The structure and function of a living organism in this natural environment; components and ecological inter-relationships, brief account about interactions between environment and organisms: Ecological Concepts-Environment, 2. Ecology and Biodiversity: levels of ecological organization, species, population, community and ecosystem. abiotic and biotic factors, habitat and niche. structure and function of ecosystem, energy flow and material cycling within ecosystem and carrying capacity. Biomes of the world, Ecological production, Biodiversity and its conservation: Introduction, Definition (genetic, species and ecosystem diversity), Value of biodiversity, Biodiversity at global, national and local levels, and conservation of biodiversity. 3. Earth Sciences: Study of planet earth, lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, oceans, biosphere, the interconnectedness of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. 4. Hydrosphere: Hydrological cycle, components of the hydrologic cycle, condensation, precipitation, evaporation, evapotranspiration, infiltration and percolation, runoff, transport, Page 29 of 39 Humans and the hydrologic cycle, observed change in the hydrologic cycle, The ocean, Groundwater 5. Environmental Profile of Bangladesh: Introduction to history, land, geography, people, culture, health, education; Ecological: ecological zones, major ecosystems, topographic zones; Economic: agriculture, industry, water resources, urbanization and pollution.

Objectives

• The students’ having the CGPA 3.50 and above upto 6th semester will be eligible to take the thesis. The rest of the students will be allowed to take the project work. According to the performance and interest of the students, they can apply for the thesis. Research work for a thesis shall be carried out under the supervision of a full-time member of the staff belonging to the relevant department/ Institute of BUP or any other university recognized by UGC. However, in special cases, a full-time member of the staff belonging to a department outside Environmental Science may be appointed as Supervisor, if the research content of the thesis is within the field of specialization of the member of the staff. The thesis proposal of a student shall be submitted for approval of the Academic Committee in 4th year 1st semester. b. If the supervisor needs to change, it shall be approved by the Academic Committee. c. The research work must be carried out in BUP or at a place(s) recommended by the Academic Committee. The work schedule and financial involvement should be mentioned in the research proposal for carrying out research work outside the University. d. Eligible thesis students will be selected by the department. But thesis works will be done by individual students. It cannot be carried out in a group. e. Every student shall submit thesis report to the Chairman, Department of ES/ Dean, through his/her Supervisor, required number of type written copies of his/her thesis in the approved format on or before a date to be fixed by the Supervisor concerned in consultation with the Chairman, Department of ES/ Dean. f. The student shall certify that the research work was done by him/her and the work has not been submitted elsewhere for the award of any other diploma or degree. g. The thesis should demonstrate an evidence of satisfactory knowledge in the field of research undertaken by the student. h. Every student submitting a thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements of a degree, shall be required to appear at an oral examination, on a date or dates fixed by the Supervisor concerned in consultation with the Chairman, Department of ES and must satisfy the examiners that he/she is capable of intelligently applying the results of this research to the solution of problems, of undertaking independent work, and also afford evidence of satisfactory knowledge related to the theory and technique used in his/her research work.

Objectives

• a. Project work shall be carried out under the supervision of a full-time member of the staff belonging to the relevant department of BUP or any other university recognized by UGC. However, in special cases, a full- time member of the staff belonging to a department outside ES may be appointed as Supervisor, if the research content of the project work is within the field of specialization of the member of the staff. The title of the project, cost and the Supervisor shall be recommended by the Academic Committee for approval which will be reported to the Dean, FST. The project proposal of a student shall be submitted for approval of the Academic Committee in 1st year 1st semester. b. If the supervisor needs to change, it shall be approved by the Academic Committee. c. The project work must be carried out in BUP or at a place(s) approved by the Dean FST or recommended by the Academic Committee. The work schedule and financial involvement should be mentioned in the project proposal for carrying out project work outside the BUP. d. Eligible project students will be selected by the department. e. Students shall submit to the Chairman, Department of ES, through his/her Supervisor, required number of type written copies of his/her project report in the approved formation or before a date to be fixed by the Supervisor concerned in consultation with the Chairman, Department of ES. f. The student shall certify that the project work was done by him/her and the work has not been submitted elsewhere for the award of any other diploma or degree. g. The project should demonstrate an evidence of satisfactory knowledge in the field of project undertaken by the student. h. Every student submitting a project report in partial fulfillment of the requirement of a degree shall be required to appear at an oral examination, on a date or dates fixed by the Supervisor concerned in consultation with the Chairman, Department of ES and must satisfy the examiners that he/she has gained satisfactory knowledge related to the project work.