860 Inland Water Quality Assessment, master

Introduction

This academic development of a European Masters degree programme entitled “Master of Inland Water Quality Assessment” was supported by EU Socrates grant nr 29369-IC-I-2002-1-SE-ERASMUS-PROGUC-1.

Partners in the development of this programme are Mälardalen University (Co-ordinator), Telemark University College, University of Insubria, Cork Institute of Technology, Lithuanian University of Agriculture, University of Latvia, Autonomous University of Madrid, Masaryk University - Research Centre for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, University of Veszprem, University of Lodz, Aristotle University of Thessalonica, Slovak Academy of Science - Institute of Botany, University of Algarve, Alexandrian Technological Educational Institute of Thessalonica and Helsinki University.

It is planned to launch the programme in 2006 at MälardalenUniversity, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and University of Lodz. During 2006 some of the participant universities will apply for recognition of the programme as an Erasmus Mundus programme. At Telemark University College the study programme will begin, at the earliest, in the autumn semester 2008.

The programme will consist of 6 mandatory courses worth 6 ECTS credits, 1 mandatory course worth 4 ECTS credits, 24 elective courses (each worth 4 ECTS credits) and a diploma component valued at 30 or 60 ECTS credits. The extent of the diploma work will be determined by agreement between the supervising university and the student.

The launch of the programme is conditional upon recruitment of not less than 10 students. However, the participant universities are free to set their own maximum numbers of prospective students.

Students intending to pursue the programme should send their application in the first instance to Mälardalen University. Their application should indicate the choice of “Home University” i.e. the university offering courses for their first semester and their diploma assignment. The application procedure will be detailed on the programme’s website. All applications will be appraised by an Evaluation Committee which, during the first year of the programme, will consist of one representative of each university offering the programme. The decisions of the Evaluation Committee are final.

The programme will be regularly inspected and reviewed by an Internal Evaluation Panel of representatives from each university offering the programme, as well as by an External Panel of 4 evaluators representing participant universities not offering the programme.

Number of universities and professors at each University:

	UNIVERSITY / INSTITUTION	COUNTRY	Nº PROFFESORS/ COLLABORATORS
1	Mälardalen University	Sweden	4
2	Slovak Academy of Science	Slovakia	1
3	University of Helsinki	Finland	1
4-5	Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Technological Education Institute of Thessaloniki	Greece	13
6	University of Veszprem	Hungary	7
7	Cork Institute of Technology	Ireland	1
8	University of Insubria	Italy	18
9	University of Latvia	Latvia	1
10	Lithuanian University of Agriculture	Lithuania	5
11	Telemark University College	Norway	10
12	University of Lodz	Poland	7
13	University of Algarve	Portugal	1
14	MasarykUniversity/ Research Centre for Environmental Chemistry	Czech Republic	1
15	AutónomaUniversity of Madrid	Spain	10

Programme start-up
Mälardalen University, Telemark University College, Lodz University and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid plan to commence offering the Master’s degree programme in 2006.
Masaryk University, Aristotle University of Thessalonica and Veszprem University plan to start participating in the programme during 2007.
In due course, the remaining university participants will announce their programme start-ups, pending the conclusion of discussions concerning legal and resourcing issues.

Target Group and Admission Requirements

Skills and formal requirements
Bachelor’s degree in biological science or in environmental science
Familiarity with laboratory work

Prerequisites
An ability to pursue a course of study at post-graduate level in English
Have completed 180 ECTS or equivalent (3 years of full-time study)
Have a study plan which fulfils the programme requirements of studying at two different universities
Have organized travel and accommodation

Aim of the Programme

To inform and impart knowledge to the student regarding the various procedures and methodologies associated with the assessment of water quality in accordance with the Water Framework Directive 60/2000 (WFD), as well as knowledge of policy responses and practical solutions for reducing the risks of negative anthropogenic impact on water quality. The objective is to teach the student how to conduct water quality assessments in accordance with the WFD.

During the programme, students will learn how to:

· Plan and undertake water quality assessments for inland water ecosystems using EU standards for sampling and analysis.

· Propose environmental management/risk management measures based on scientific rationale.

· Interpret water quality assessments.

· Present the outcome of water quality assessments in a format applicable to resource management and public information announcements.

Curriculum and structure

Joint Master of Inland Water Quality Assessment

Code	Course title	Credits	O/V *)	Credits pr. semester
				S1(A)	S2(V)	S3(A)	S4(V)
4600	Ecological risk assessment	6.00	O		6
4601	Aquatic ecology	6.00	O	6
4602	Bioindicators	6.00	O	6
4603	Environmental informatics	4.00	O		4
4604	Biological monitoring	6.00	O	6
4605	Chemical monitoring	6.00	O	6
4606	Sewage and wastewater treatment	4.00	V
4607	Groundwater	4.00	V
4608	Applied Aquatic microbiology	4.00	V
4609	Case studies	4.00	V
4610	Sedimentology	4.00	V
4611	Environmental GIS	4.00	V
4612	Oligotrophic lakes	4.00	V
4613	Biostatistics	4.00	V
4614	Diploma Work I	30.00	O				30
4615	Diploma Work II	60.00	O			30	30
Total:				30	30	30	30

*) O - Mandatory course, V - Optional course

To find other mandatory or elective courses please see “Studieprogrammets innhold, oppbygging og sammensetting”.

Structure and progression in the programme:

1st semester: Mandatory courses 30 ECTS
2nd semester: Mandatory courses 10 ECTS and elective courses 20 ECTS
3rd semester: Diploma work 30 ECTS or elective courses 30 ECTS
4th semester: Diploma work 30 ECTS

The language of instruction is English. There is a minimum registration requirement of 10 students per course. Students are strongly recommended to complete the mandatory courses before the elective courses.

The programme consists of the courses listed below, and a Diploma thesis. In order to reach the required level of 120 ECTS credits students may choose a combination of courses valued at 60 ECTS credit and a Diploma thesis worth 60 ECTS credits; or courses valued at 90 ECTS in conjunction with a Diploma assignment of 30 ECTS credits. The balance of ECTS points required to reach the selected 60 or 90 ECTS level is to be obtained by choosing elective courses of appropriate value.

A student may already have studied one or more advanced courses which appear as mandatory courses in this programme. In such cases those ECTS credits may not be used for purposes of fulfilling the mandatory course requirements in this programme. However the student may replace such courses with suitable electives for this programme in order to acquire the necessary 120 total ECTS credits for the Master’s degree programme. The complete list of Mandatory and Elective courses developed for the programme is as follows:

Course availability at Universities planning to offer the programme from year 2006:

	COURSES	TYPE (MD/EL)	ECTS	UNIVERSITY	SEMESTER
1.	Environmental Law	MD	6	ULO/ UAM **)	1st semester/ 1st year
2.	Ecological Risk Assessment	MD	6	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	2nd semester/ 1st year
3.	Aquatic Ecology	MD	6	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	1st semester/ 1st year
4.	Bioindicators	MD	6	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	1st semester/ 1st year
5.	Environmental Informatics	MD	4	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	2nd semester/ 1st year
6.	Biological Monitoring	MD	6	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	1st semester/ 1st year
7.	Chemical Monitoring	MD	6	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	1st/2nd semester/ 1st year
8.	Health Risk	EL	4		variable*
9.	Sewage and Wastewater treatment	EL	4	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	variable*
10.	Groundwater	EL	4	HIT	variable*
11.	Water Treatment	EL	4	MDH/ ULO	variable*
12.	Applied Hydrology	EL	4	ULO/ UAM
13.	Remediation	EL	4	MDH/ ULO	variable*
14.	Ecotoxicology	EL	4	MDH/ ULO	variable*
15.	Ecotoxtests/Bioassays	EL	4	MDH/ ULO	variable*
16.	Anthropogenic Pollution	EL	4	MDH/ ULO/ UAM	variable*
17.	Ichtyology	EL	4	ULO	variable*
18.	Environmental Economy	EL	4	MDH/ ULO/ UAM	variable*
19.	Applied Algology	EL	4		variable*
20.	Molecular Ecotoxicology	EL	4		variable*
21.	Applied Aquatic Microbiology	EL	4	HIT	variable*
22.	Case Studies	EL	4	MDH/ HIT / ULO	variable*
23.	Water Catchment	EL	4		variable*
24.	Sedimentology	EL	4	MDH/ HIT	variable*
25.	Biodiversity	EL	4	ULO	variable*
26.	Population Genetics	EL	4		variable*
27.	Eutrophication	EL	4	MDH/ ULO	variable*
28.	Predictive Limnology	EL	4	MDH/ ULO/ UAM	variable*
29.	Environmental GIS	EL	4	MDH/ HIT /	variable*
30.	Ecological Certification	EL	4		variable*
31.	Environmental Embryotoxicity and Teratogenesis	EL	4		variable *
32.	Oligotrophic Lakes	EL	4	MDH/ HIT	variable *
33.	Biostatistics	EL	4	MDH/ HIT	variable *
34.	Diploma Work	MD	30/60	MDH/ HIT / ULO/ UAM	2d year

Variable*: the implementation of each elective course will be at the discretion of each university.
Variable**: Environmental law is intended to be offered as e-learning course at Telemark University College.

MDH: Mälardalen University
HIT: Telemark University College
ULO: University of Lodz
UAM: Universidad Autonoma de Madrid

Teaching and Learning Methods

See individual course curricula.

Assessment Methods