Master in Environmental Management and Audits

Currently, solid residue has become one of the most pressing problems of environmental conservation issues. The problem resides in their collection and disposal because waste cannot just be left anywhere without any consideration. They simply cannot be disposed of by burying or dumping them into the sea or river.

The problem of solid waste should now be focused on establishing channels that include proper treatment in order to preserve the natural environment that comprises the human habitat.

From a practical approach, this module presents the most relevant issues related to waste, providing current and practical examples, with an emphasis on the preventive and corrective techniques aimed at reducing pollution and its environmental impact.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Currently, the large-scale use of fossil and nuclear fuels is one of the main features of what is known as an industrialized society.

The environmental impact caused by the manipulation and transformation of the various conventional energy sources has generated a new and different framework that began during the oil energy crisis of 1973; global warming, the hole in the ozone layer, acid rain, desertification, the storage of radioactive waste, etc, have all led to increased awareness by the industrialized societies.

In this regard, governments issue and enact increasingly more restrictive laws regarding environmental criteria for the energy sector, which suggests an important role of renewable energy as the expected solution that should lead in the twenty-first century toward what is known as "sustainable development".

Looking at it from a practical approach, this module is essential in order to know the main sustainable technologies that exist today and their application to successfully confront the energy crisis problems of the new century.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Environmental figures for natural spaces may assume an important role in the coming years as experimental models for sustainable development. Natural areas tend to gravitate towards possibilities in diversification, by offering leisure and economic development activities, besides the more classic conservationist functions.

From a practical approach, this module is focused on the study of the conservation of natural areas and the resources that they include, as well as their management with a vision of proper spatial planning and sustainable development.

With regard to conservation, the aspects of diversity are addressed at the levels of genetics, species and communities, emphasizing the methods most used today to ensure their perpetuation. On the topic of management, the intervention of different types of spaces, both terrestrial and marine, as well as the interaction between urban and natural environments are addressed in a comprehensive way.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Education occupies an important role in humanity´s social and economic network, assuming, therefore, great importance in the creation of strategies that contribute to the solution of environmental problems.

The incorporation of an environmental dimension in educational programs requires effort to transform the system that is not without obstacles. Academic, educational and practical commitments to review educational developments and alternative approaches are needed.

From a practical perspective, this module addresses the issue as a way of enabling teachers to incorporate environmental content in basic education, as well as considering it as a process that contributes to the holistic development of human beings.

This program is part of an ambitious plan to train professionals who are able to design, promote and manage environmental education for sustainable development in various fields of social activity, from global, regional and local perspectives. The structure of the course will focus on four areas of action: conceptual and philosophical foundations, environmental education for sustainability, environmental management towards sustainable development and, finally, national and local experiences.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Directed towards graduates with previous studies or knowledge of marine sciences who are interested in environmental engineering subjects, to be able to improve their work expectations and widen their knowledge. The curricular structure is the following:

Currently, there are numerous industries that produce waste with high concentrations of heavy metals that can affect the aquatic environment. In invertebrates and other organisms, the accumulation of heavy metals in marine sediments causes them to pass through the food chain, starting the bioaccumulation of metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, among others.

From a practical approach, this module presents a comprehensive analysis of the main problems of pollution that are affecting marine spaces. In reference to physical contamination issues, existing theories and models of diffusion and the dilution of discharges into rivers and seas are addressed. In the discussion of chemical pollution, an overview of all chemical contaminants is carried out: hydrocarbons, pesticides, heavy metals, organic matter, etc. Finally, in terms of biological contamination, assessments and analysis of the major pathogens that can contaminate the environment are also studied.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Air pollution is an unwanted by-product generated by factories through industrial processes. Equipment, facilities and management have been devoted to the prevention, or at least control of pollution.

The atmosphere, the gaseous layer that surrounds the earth that given its magnitude, might appear to suffer less than that which occurs in water or soil.

From a practical perspective, this module examines this issue and proposes strategies for control and reduction based on the source of pollution, outside of the treatment and correction that in most cases, is the result of transfer of pollutants from one medium to another.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

The high pace of modern life results in an increase in producing waste, the disposal of which poses a serious problem for the environment. However, if combustion of the organic fraction of waste is made use of, not only can much of the waste be eliminated, but also the potential energy that waste contains may be recovered.

From a broader perspective, this technique can and should be framed within what could be termed as an optimal overall management of waste, a process that integrates a variety of solutions and occupies increasingly more space in national and local government agendas, as well as in businesses and various social organizations.

From a practical approach, this module raises this issue and objectively analyzes this solution. The systematized strategies of recovery, reuse and recycling, are prioritized over more corrective remedies such as incineration or discarding in controlled landfills.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Of the three basic elements that comprise the environment: water, soil and air, water is related to 60% of current environmental issues, which explains its importance to life in general and to sustainable development.

As the population and living standards have increased along with the process of urban sprawal, the water supply problems have worsened, leading to confrontations between agriculture, urban water supply and industry.

From a practical approach, this proposes to improve industrial water management (textile, paper, food, etc.) through conservation and more efficient use.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

There is a clear correlation between the per capita income of a country and the waste that they produce. The "throwaway" model of Western industrial societies and post-industrial societies has yielded that in nations such as Spain where each inhabitant generates an average of 20 kg of waste per day.

The volume of waste being produced has become one of the most pressing environmental conservation issues. The problem resides in the collection and disposal of solid waste. Today, the solution to waste must focus on establishing channels that include proper treatment in order to preserve the natural environment and human habitat. This comes at a high cost.

From a practical perspective, this module analyzes the factors that affect the rates of residue that is being produced and proposes sequential solutions that include reduction at the source, reusing and / or recycling techniques, treatment and, as a last recourse, discarding in controlled deposits.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Soil contamination is defined as one in which substances that pose a risk to the ecosystem and / or to people’s health, are detected in higher than normal concentrations.

Soil is particularly important since it functions as a reactor capable of carrying out complex filtering functions such as decomposition, neutralization, inactivation and storage, among others. That is why it acts as a protective barrier for other more delicate systems, namely hydrological and biological. Soil degrades as the result of different causes (chemical, physical or biological). In this context, the creation of a recovery plan is a key element in the investigation of potentially contaminated sites.

From a practical perspective, this module provides the tools for a study of the environment and, through sampling and analysis, develops a hazard map to establish corrective measures or to draft a recovery plan for a site.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Most of the raw materials used nowadays come from the subsoil. These are so important in today's economy that many countries base their economic development on the resources they possess.

Early in the last century, the growth of mining activity, unhindered by environmental protection regulations, led to indiscriminate exploitation, unmindful of the depletion of existing resources, leading to current levels of contamination nearly impossible to eliminate.

From a practical perspective, this module analyzes the problems caused by the lack of environmental awareness in mining activity, and proposes sustainable solutions that use existing rules as a basis for environmental policies.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

The 1992 signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was the beginning of a series of initiatives aimed at curbing the indifference that had existed until then regarding the emissions of certain gases into the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide and methane, causing an increase in the overall temperature of the earth.

Later, with the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, and its subsequent entry into force, it was given definitive recognition by being included, more or less successfully in government agendas of developed nations, in private investment and ultimately, in the day to day perception of civil society.

Nevertheless, other than specific interests, there exists much ignorance about the mechanisms of climate change and its impact on biodiversity, production systems and the general population, hence the need for qualified personnel to carry out actions and make decisions in the fight against global warming.

This module that we present here responds to the need to train critical professionals in different sectors, who can find alternatives and business opportunities arising from this phenomenon to develop plans for the adaptation and mitigation through Research, Development and Innovation projects.

For this reason, it is considered essential to train the student with a previous environmental background, so as to allow them to understand the basic issues of climate change and, thus, achieve, after the study of the second part, a comprehensive view of the problem at the environmental, socio-political and economic levels.

The credit structure of this optional module is the following:

Targeted towards graduates with studies or previous environmental knowledge who are interested in environmental engineering subjects, to be able to improve their work expectations and widen their knowledge. The curricular structure is the following:

The credit structure of this optional module is the following: