Objectives
The specific educational objectives of the Master's Degree in Environmental Monitoring and Rehabilitation consist of acquiring interdisciplinary knowledge, technologies, and investigation methods for the monitoring and restoration of even complex environmental systems.
The Master's Degree in Environmental Monitoring and Rehabilitation is part of an international framework, taking as its reference point European and international environmental conventions, protocols, and directives, such as the Rio Conference, the Convention on the Conservation of Biodiversity (CBD), the Kyoto Protocol, and the initiatives of the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Specifically, the purpose of these environmental activities at the European level is to safeguard biodiversity (Europe 2020 Strategy), ecosystem services, and human health, and to promote sustainable development in Member States, in line with Agenda 21. The practical goal is to reduce pollution, seeking to minimize environmental damage while avoiding ecosystem disruption to allow future generations to enjoy them. This framework includes several approved conventions, including the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Pollution, the European Air Quality Directive, and the Directive on the Protection and Use of Inland Waters and Soil. Among these activities, environmental monitoring is crucial. Since 2000, through the Working Group on Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (UNECE), it has provided recommendations to Member States, proposed action plans, and improved coordination of international initiatives. The skills provided by the Master's Degree are particularly consistent with the implementation of these Conventions, given that the phase dedicated to defining environmental monitoring and redevelopment protocols has begun at both the European and national levels. This phase specifically requires biotic and abiotic skills and adequate knowledge of ecosystem balances, as outlined in the curriculum for this Master's Degree.
Master's graduates, upon completion of their studies, will have acquired technical and scientific training with in-depth knowledge of the abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems, chemical, biological, ecological, and geochemical processes of environmental interest, and data collection and analysis methodologies. In short, in order to contribute to socioeconomic growth in terms of sustainable development, this Master's Degree program aims to develop aspects related to the monitoring, control, and management of the environment and land.
The curriculum is divided into compulsory courses for all, held in the first and second semesters, and elective courses within two optional groups offered in the second and third semesters. The choice of courses offers students the opportunity to delve deeper into specific topics of interest. The curriculum is rounded out by a significant number of credits dedicated to other training activities, including internships and work placements, and a high number of credits dedicated to the final thesis.
The core and related or complementary disciplines identified for the Master's Degree program, in addition to targeted theoretical aspects, also include practical field and laboratory activities, as well as specific thematic seminars. Practical activities involve the application of methodologies and the use of cutting-edge equipment, the analysis of observations and data collected, as well as the final analyses and considerations. All of this contributes, overall, to meeting the requirements of each Dublin Descriptor.