School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) The University of Guyana. Proposal

Transcription

1 School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) The University of Guyana Proposal Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science Degree in Environmental Management Expected Start Date: August 2012 Proposed by SEES: November 2011

2 Faculty of: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) Title of Programme: Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science Degree in Environmental Management General Description: The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) proposes to offer a Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Environmental Management, with two Specialisation Streams in: (i) Natural Resources Management; and (ii) Climate Change and Disaster Management. The Programme seeks to build capacity amongst national and regional professionals, equipping them with the competencies, knowledge, skills and technical expertise to plan and implement policies, plans, programmes and actions that will enhance development, sustain livelihoods, reduce environmental degradation and destruction and improve environmental quality, as well as to effectively plan for and respond to disasters and climate change within a risk management framework. The Programme will be comprised of a combination of Core Courses and Specialisation Stream Courses to be pursued over a minimum 9-month period (for those pursuing the Postgraduate Diploma) and a maximum 36-month period. A minimum of 12 registered students is required for the Programme to be run in a given year. At the commencement of the programme, all students would be registered for the Postgraduate Diploma programme, with five Compulsory Core Courses and six Specialisation Stream Compulsory Courses pursued over a 9-month period (see Table 1). (In special instances, students may be able to audit undergraduate courses of relevance, once it is established how these courses would support the programme of study.) Students who successfully complete the requirements of the Programme with a minimum GPA of 2.4 would graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management. Those individuals attaining a GPA of 2.7 or above at the completion of the Postgraduate Diploma would have the option of progressing to and registering for the Master of Science Degree. This Degree would entail registration for 6 additional Courses and the completion of a 20,000 word thesis on a research topic to be agreed upon between students and their supervisors (see Table 2). The thesis would be completed over a 5-month period. All Courses will be taught over a 10-week period, comprised of 8 weeks of teaching (6 contact hours per week), 1 revision week, and 1 examination week. Page 1

3 Table 1: Postgraduate Diploma Programme Term 1 (19 th August th October 2012) Core Courses ENV 5101 Contemporary Environmental Issues and Problems ENV 5102 Environmental Planning and Problem-Solving Specialization Streams ENV 5103 Water Resources Management ENV 5104 Land Resources Management Or ENV 5105 Disaster Risk Management in the Caribbean ENV 5106 Climate Change Science Term 2 (5 th November nd December 2012; 7 th January nd February 2013) Core Courses ENV 5201 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics ENV 5202 Geographical Information Systems Specialization Streams ENV 5203 Forest Resources Management ENV 5204 Sustainable Energy Or ENV 5205 Climate Change Impacts ENV 5206 Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Term 3 (11 th February th May 2013) Core Courses ENV 5301 Environmental Impact Assessment Specialization Streams ENV 5302 Parks and Protected Areas ENV 5303 Eco-Tourism Or ENV 5304 Community-Based Disaster Risk Management ENV 5305 Emergency Planning and Management Page 2

4 Table 2: Masters Programme (follow-up to Postgraduate Diploma Programme) Term 4 (6 th May th July 2013) Core Courses Compulsory Courses ENV 6401 Environmental Research Methods ENV 6402 Statistics ENV 6403 Presentation Methodologies and Techniques ENV 6404 Research Project Term 5 (22 nd July rd September 2013) ENV 6501 ENV 6502 ENV 6503 ENV 6404 Coastal Zone Planning and Management Environmental Law and Policy Environmental Health Research Project Justification for the Programme and Expected Annual Student Intake: The SEES proposes to offer a Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science Degree in Environmental Management, with two Specialisation Streams in (i) Natural Resources Management and (ii) Climate Change and Disaster Management. This Postgraduate Programme will contribute to University, national and regional needs in a number of respects. At the University level, the Programme will enhance the growth and development of the School and by extension the University, whilst simultaneously creating an opportunity for the institution to enhance its relevance to the wider society by seeking to address some of the fundamental and urgent environmental management issues. Additionally, it is envisioned that the Programme offering will not only enhance the regional standing of the University of Guyana but that it will also build national and regional capacity among professionals in such national agencies as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Guyana and other national entities across Caribbean nations, as well as the larger regional bodies that include CDEMA, NDO, and similar agencies, by supplying students with the technical and practical knowledge and skills to effectively engage in environmental management, deal with and respond to disasters, and design and implement climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. After completing the Programme, students will be able to: Understand the various policy and planning issues surrounding environmental management; Engage in sound and effective environmental planning and problem-solving; Utilize scientific approaches to address issues in environmental management; Understand the causes and consequences of natural hazards; Understand the factors responsible for climate change and its impact on the bio-physical and social environments; Design, develop and implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures; Effectively plan for and respond to disasters; and Further research and policy agendas in support of environmental management. Given the need for environmental management in the Caribbean, and the region s vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change, it is expected that there will be a strong uptake of this programme, both nationally and regionally. It is envisaged that class sizes would range from students on an annual basis. Page 3

5 Entrance Requirements: The Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science Programme is multi-disciplinary in nature and aimed at recent graduates and professionals in the field of environmental management working in government departments, semi-autonomous agencies, non-governmental organisations, media entities, disaster management, emergency management, health services, and other private and public sector agencies with an environment focus who wish to upgrade their knowledge and skills. For entry into the Postgraduate Diploma Programme, applicants should possess: Either: (i) An undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.7 in a relevant area, including Geography, Environmental Studies, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Management, Economics, or any other discipline deemed relevant by the School (such applicants would be required to undergo an interview). (ii) An undergraduate degree with a GPA of less than 2.7 in a relevant area, including Geography, Environmental Studies, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Management, Economics, or any other discipline deemed relevant by the School (such applicants would be required to undergo an interview), with a minimum of 3 years relevant post qualification experience. (iii) An undergraduate Diploma in any other related field with a minimum of 5 years relevant post qualification experience. (iv) Any other qualification deemed by the University to be equivalent to the above. For entry into the Master of Science Degree Programme, applicants should possess: Either: (i) A Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management with a minimum GPA of 2.7 or any other Postgraduate Diploma in a relevant area with a minimum GPA of 2.7. (ii) A Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management with a GPA of less than 2.7, with a minimum of 3 years relevant post qualification experience. (iii) A Master of Science Degree in a relevant area. (iv) Any other qualification deemed by the University to be equivalent to the above. Page 4

6 For those pursuing the Postgraduate Diploma Programme, there will be a total of 44 Programme Credits (11 Courses, 4 Credits each). For those pursuing the Masters Programme, there will be an additional 6 Courses (4 Credits each) and the Research Project (8 Credits), leading to a total of 76 Programme Credits. Programme Evaluation and Grading Scheme: The focus of the Postgraduate Diploma Programme is the provision and development of the technical knowledge and skills necessary to enable practicing professionals in both public and private sectors and semi- and non-professionals desirous of upgrading their knowledge and skills in the particular field to participate in the programme. Field projects and practical work will be a major component of the Programme. As an extension of the Postgraduate Diploma Programme, the Masters Programme is also designed to equip a specially selected group of students with research skills to seek solutions to specific environmental management problems across the Caribbean region. Students will be expected to demonstrate greater competence in the theoretical and practical aspects of the discipline, including the application of research methodologies in undertaking their research projects. Courses will be delivered through various teaching strategies, including, lectures, seminars, tutorials, labs, and fieldwork. The resources available to students include the University Library, academic databases and journals and handouts. Additionally, it is envisaged that an in-house library within SEES will be developed comprised of relevant texts and other materials. Each Course will be assessed via an assignment or portfolio of assignments, as determined by the Course Lecturer(s), which will contribute 60% of the Course Mark, and a final examination which will contribute 40% of the Course Mark (please see Appendix 1 for detailed Course Outlines). Grading Scheme The proposed Grading Scheme is as follows: A: 80 to 100 B: 70 to less than 80 C: 60 to less than 70 F: less than 60 For students who fail any given Course, an oral examination shall be given if the fail mark falls between This oral examination shall be marked out of 10, with the maximum Course grade attainable a C. The examination would be of 45 minutes to 1 hour in duration, would take place within one week of the release of all grades and would be administered by a Panel comprised of the Course Lecturer(s) and two additional staff members with expertise in the relevant Course. For all other fail grades, students will be required to redo the given Course. Students in the Postgraduate Diploma Programme will be eligible for a maximum of two Supplemental examinations and a maximum of two Upgrades. Students in the Master of Science Degree Programme will be eligible for a maximum of one Supplemental examination. No Upgrades will be allowed. Page 5

7 Students will graduate from the Postgraduate Diploma with: Distinction: minimum GPA of 3.4 and no fail grades Credit: minimum GPA of 2.7 and no more than one fail grade Pass: minimum GPA of 2.4 Students will graduate from the Master of Science Degree with: Distinction: minimum GPA of 3.4 and no fail grades Collaborating Institutions: Lecturers for the various Courses will be drawn from expertise within the Faculties/Schools of the University of Guyana. Staff members from other regional institutions, such as the University of the West Indies, with teaching and/or research experience in any of the Course areas will also be invited to deliver Courses or components of Courses. Additionally, there will be opportunities for professionals working in the field of environmental management, natural hazards and disaster management, and climate change to contribute their expertise. Individuals will be drawn from national and regional agencies such as the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the CARICOM Climate Change Centre, and other relevant entities. Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science Programme Programme Cost Description Unit Cost ($) Post Graduate Diploma Application fee 1, Application processing fee 5, Tuition fee 700, Registration fee 2, Field work 150, Master of Science Tuition fee 300, Registration fee 2, *For foreign students (non-guyanese) enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma programme, the tuition fee per student is US$7000. *For foreign students (non-guyanese) enrolled in the Master of Science Degree programme, the tuition fee per student is US$8,500 (students progressing to the Master of Science Degree programme would pay the difference). For foreign students, the relevant administrative fees are as follows: Application Fee US$15 Application Processing Fee US$40 Registration Fee US$25 Page 6