Endeavor for Basic Requirements in Undergraduate Course Curricula for Environmental Sciences to Meet the Challenges of Twenty First

Century

Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3

Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Philosophy ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Objectives.......................................................................................................................................... 4

2. 3. 4. 5.

Current Curricula ........................................................................................................... 4 Expected Course Curricula ............................................................................................. 7 Implementable Course Curricula ................................................................................... 8 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 10

References .............................................................................................................................. 10

Abstract

1. Introduction
Overview
Jessore University of Science and Technology (previously namely Jessore Science & Technology University) started functioning from the 2008-2009 session. It is expected to achieve excellence in higher education, research and development in science and technology. It was started from 10 June 2009 in the JUST campus with four departments. Now there are 16 departments. Department of Environment and Technology is the pioneer department in JUST. Environmental Science and Technology comprises a multidisciplinary endeavor to seek knowledge for the well being of the society. Therefore holism and interconnectedness of various disciplines should come in to signify the guiding principles for enunciating course structure and contents of Environmental Science and Technology study from the very beginning to the highest level. The course of study for (Hon's) degree will extend over a period of four academic years and each year shall be divided into two semesters obtaining 160 credits. Presently, there are six batches with more than 23o students.

Philosophy
Environmental Science and Technology (EST) is the integration of science and technology principles to improve the natural or engineered environment (air, water, and/or land resources), to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate pollution sites. Technological development has increased the human impact on the environment, but a new technology aimed at solving the pollution problem has been developed simultaneously. This has occurred in the field of environmental technology, in which new methods of purification and recirculation of pollutants are being developed and attempts are being made to change existing technology to reduce pollution. The environmental science and technology program is designed to prepare students for i. professional careers in industry, government and higher education, ii. to conduct environmental impact, risk assessment and management and the ability to anticipate recognizes, evaluate and recommend action on a wide spectrum

of environmental problems. The main potential responsibilities of EST graduate will cover the tradition environmental science field as well as environmental technology fields, such as: Water Purification and Quality Control Technology; Waste Water treatment (ETP) Technology; Ecosystem Restoration Technology; Soil Abatement Technology; Air Pollution Control Technology and Noise Control Technology.

Objectives
The main objectives of the manuscript are i. to present the existing course curriculum of the degree of Environmental Science and Technology, ii. To find out the gaps between the existing curriculum and future curriculum and iii. To formulate a curriculum for Environmental Sciences to meet the challenges of Twenty First Century.

2. Current Curricula
The degree awarded from the department of Environmental Science and Technology, Jessore Science and Technology. The duration of the degree is four years with two semesters in each year. It contains several theoretical courses, practical courses and a semester final viva in each year and even a undergraduate thesis work in the final semester in 4th year. Here are the attached tabular forms of the exiting syllabus of the department of Environmental Science and Technology:
Table 2-1: The existing curriculum of the department of Environmental Science and Technology

First year: first semester

Course No EST 1101 EST 1103 EST 1105 EST 1107 EST 1109 EST 1111 EST 1104 EST 1106 EST 1108 EST 1120

Course Title Introduction to Environmental Science and Technology Earth Science I Biological Environment Chemistry I Mathematics I Communicative English Earth Science I Sessional Biological Environment Sessional Chemistry I Sessional Semester Final Viva

Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5

Grand Total First year: second Semester Course No EST 1201 EST 1203 EST 1205 EST 1207 EST 1209 EST 1211 EST 1213 EST 1204 EST 1208 EST 1214 EST 1220 Course no EST 2101 EST 2103 EST 2105 EST 2107 EST 2109 EST 2111 EST 2113 EST 2106 EST 2108 EST 2112 EST 2120 COURSE NO EST 2201 EST 2203 EST 2205 EST 2207 EST 2209 EST 2211 EST 2204 EST 2208 EST 2212 EST 2220 Third year: first semester COURSE NO EST 3101 EST 3103 EST 3105 EST 3107 EST 3109 Course Title Environmental Pollution Physical Environment Environmental Sociology Chemistry II Mathematics II Environmental Physics Computer Application Field Trip on Physical Environment Chemistry II Sessional Computer Application Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Ecology Public Health and Environment Soil Environment Environmental Chemistry Environmental Economics Environmental Hydrology Statistics Soil Environment Sessional Environmental Chemistry Sessional Environmental Hydrology Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Environment, Health & Safety Agriculture and Environment Earth Science II Environmental Bio-Chemistry &Toxicology Water and Waste Water Treatment Biodiversity and Conservation Agriculture and Environment Sessional Environmental Bio-Chemistry & Toxicology Sessional Field Trip on Biodiversity and Conservation Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Energy and Environment Environmental Microbiology Epidemiology Coastal Environment and Flood Plain Management GIS and Remote Sensing

Second year: first semester

Second year: second semester

20.5 Credit 3.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 21.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 21.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 20.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

EST 3111 EST 3104 EST 3106 EST 3110 EST 3120 Third year: second semester COURSE NO EST 3201 EST 3203 EST 3205 EST 3207 EST 3209 EST 3211 EST 3202 EST 3204 EST 3210 EST 3220 COURSE NO EST 4101 EST 4103 EST 4105 EST 4107 EST 4109 EST 4111 EST 4102 EST 4110 EST 4112 COURSE NO EST 4201 EST 4203 EST 4205 EST 4207 EST 4209 EST 4200 COURSE NO EST 4115 EST 4117 EST 4215 EST 4217

Fourth year: first semester

Fourth year: second semester

Optional course

Gender and Environment Environmental Microbiology Sessional Epidemiology Sessional GIS and Remote Sensing Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand total Course Title Meteorology Instrumental Analysis Research Methodology Environmental Management System Eco-toxicology Environmental Bio- technology Field Trip on Meteorology Instrumental Analysis Sessional Eco-toxicology Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Theory Waste Management Water supply, Health and Sanitation Environmental Ethics, Protocols and Laws Urbanization and Environment Disaster Management Environmental Modeling Waste Management Sessional Field Trip on Disaster Management Environmental Modeling Sessional Grand Total Course Title Environmental Impact Assessment Ecotourism Integrated Water Resource Management Industrial Pollution and Management Climate Process and Change Undergraduate Thesis Grand Total Course Title Pollution Biology Limnology and Oceanography Seminar on Environmental Science Seminar on Environmental Technology

2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 20.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 20.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 20.0 Credit 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 16.0 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0

3. Expected Course Curricula

To develop of a curriculum for Environmental Sciences to meet the challenges of the next century, it is necessary to consider the expected environmental problems and their potential prospects. The concept of sustainable development is also the main pillar of the thinking wheels. The unexpected natural calamities e.g. climate change and related issues and the man made hazards e.g. technological advancements, economy oriented industrial development has becoming the alarming issues for considering the philosophy of Environmental science. The proposed mission of the Department of

Environmental Sciences will be twofold: i. to provide students with the appropriate background in the knowledge that will allow them to pursue careers with industry or governmental agencies in the areas of pollution control, environmental impact, risk assessments and management, health and safety management, climate change and adaptation technology, hazard mitigation, alternative energy, etc. ii. To ensure that students who intend to higher education are adequately prepared. For sustainable development it is required to create a sustainable society which would not give too much pressure on the environment by human activities. To respond to this need, it is necessary to build a new learning umbrella which encompasses various fields related to environmental phenomena and leadership to make and implement plans, programs, and policies for sustainability to the challenges of the Twenty First Century. In the context of the syllabus of department of Environmental Science and Technology, we need to change / re-place some courses and even to add new course to meet the challenges not only the considering the Bangladesh perspective but also the global need. For example, Earth Science I and Earth Sceince II can be merged into one course named Environmental Geology. Namely the course,

Physical Environment can be replaced in 2nd year or 3rd year with changing the name or course content, emphasizing the Bangladesh Perspective. We should add the courses the course Industrial Ecology or Environmental Management that is mainly necessary for industrial concern with the environmental knowledge.

4. Implementable Course Curricula

Table 4-1: the implementable course curricula for Environmental Sciencec

First year: first semester

Course No EST 1101 EST 1103 EST 1105 EST 1107 EST 1109 EST 1111 EST 1104 EST 1106 EST 1108 EST 1120 Course No EST 1201 EST 1203 EST 1205 EST 1207 EST 1209 EST 1211 EST 1213 EST 1204 EST 1208 EST 1214 Course no EST 2101 EST 2103 EST 2105 EST 2107 EST 2109 EST 2111 EST 2113 EST 2106 EST 2108 EST 2120 COURSE NO EST 2201 EST 2203 EST 2205 EST 2207 EST 2209

First year: second Semester

Second year: first semester

Second year: second semester

Course Title Introduction to Environmental Science and Technology Environmental Science Biological Environment Chemistry I Mathematics I Communicative English Earth Science I Sessional Biological Environment Sessional Chemistry I Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Environmental Pollution Environmental Sociology Chemistry II Mathematics II Environmental Physics Computer Application Field Trip on Physical Environment Chemistry II Sessional Computer Application Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Environmental Biology Soil Environment Environmental Chemistry Environmental Economics Environmental Hydrology Statistics Soil Environment Sessional Environmental Chemistry Sessional Environmental Hydrology Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Environment, Health & Safety Agriculture and Environment Environmental Bio-Chemistry &Toxicology Water and Waste Water Treatment Biodiversity and Conservation

Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 20.5 Credit 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 21.5 Credit 3.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 21.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0

EST 2211 EST 2204 EST 2208 EST 2220 Third year: first semester COURSE NO EST 3101 EST 3103 EST 3105 EST 3107 EST 3109 EST 3111 EST 3104 EST 3106 EST 3110 EST 3120 COURSE NO EST 3201 EST 3203 EST 3205 EST 3207 EST 3209 EST 3211 EST 3202 EST 3204 EST 3210 EST 3220 COURSE NO EST 4101 EST 4103 EST 4105 EST 4107 EST 4109 EST 4111 EST 4102 EST 4110 EST 4112 COURSE NO EST 4201 EST 4203 EST 4205 EST 4207

Third year: second semester

Fourth year: first semester

Fourth year: second semester

Agriculture and Environment Sessional Environmental Bio-Chemistry & Toxicology Sessional Field Trip on Biodiversity and Conservation Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Energy and Environment Environmental Microbiology Epidemiology Coastal Environment and Flood Plain Management GIS and Remote Sensing Gender and Environment Environmental Microbiology Sessional Epidemiology Sessional GIS and Remote Sensing Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand total Course Title Meteorology Instrumental Analysis Research Methodology Environmental Management System Eco-toxicology Environmental Bio- technology Field Trip on Meteorology Instrumental Analysis Sessional Eco-toxicology Sessional Semester Final Viva Grand Total Course Title Theory Waste Management Water supply, Health and Sanitation Environmental Ethics, Protocols and Laws Urbanization and Environment Disaster Management Environmental Modeling Waste Management Sessional Field Trip on Disaster Management Environmental Modeling Sessional Grand Total Course Title Environmental Impact Assessment Industrial Ecology Integrated Water Resource Management Industrial Pollution and Management

1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 20.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 20.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 20.5 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 20.0 Credit 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0

EST 4209 EST 4200 Optional course COURSE NO EST 4115 EST 4117 EST 4215 EST 4217

Climate Process and Change Undergraduate Thesis Grand Total Course Title Pollution Biology Limnology and Oceanography Seminar on Environmental Science Seminar on Environmental Technology

2.0 3.0 16.0 Credit 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0

5. Conclusion

References