The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

PLEASE NOTE THAT MATRICULATION TO THIS PROGRAMME IS NOT POSSIBLE AS 2016-2017 WILL BE ITS FINAL YEAR OF OFFERING

Introduction

Environmental Engineering in the Caribbean is concerned primarily with the provision of an adequate supply of safe and potable water, the prevention of pollution of land, water and air, the collection, treatment and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, urban and land drainage, forest and soil conservation, management and mitigation of natural and industrial disasters, safety, management of resources in the coastal zone, the protection of public health and, the economics of sustainable development. The programme provides a theoretical and practical approach to environmental problems with the goal of improving the effectiveness of environmental management.

Aims and Objectives

The overall objective of the programme is to provide advanced education and training for graduates in engineering, science, and related areas to meet current and future needs of environmental engineering in the region.
Its objectives are:

• To alert participants to major environmental concerns: global, regional and local.
• To promote, among participants, a holistic and proactive approach to the solution of environmental problems.
• To familiarise participants with instruments and techniques used for the prediction and measurement of environmental quality.
• To train participants in the planning and design of engineering works related to the preservation and improvement of the environment.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have a BSc (Hons) in Engineering or an equivalent qualification. Candidates with a BSc (Hons) in the physical sciences will be considered if they have at least one (1) year relevant work experience. Qualifying examinations may also be prescribed for such candidates.

Structure of the Programme

Offered both part-time and full-time

Duration of Study

Full-time students are normally expected to complete the examination requirements within two (2) semesters and to complete the project in accordance with the relevant University Regulations.

Part-time students are normally expected to complete the examination requirements within four (4) semesters and to complete the project in accordance with the relevant University Regulations.

No. of Credits: 45

Project (consisting of either a laboratory or field study or detailed design)         9 Credits

Compulsory group of courses                                                                                      12 Credits 
Optional group of courses                                                                                             24 (minimum)
Total                                                                                                                                    45

The compulsory group of courses is designed to introduce students to major global, regional and local environmental concerns and to provide them with the basic background knowledge for a proper understanding of the specialist topics that follow.

Courses should be selected in consultation with the programme coordinator, according to the student’s background and interest.

Upon the recommendation of the programme co-ordinator, up to two (2) courses (8 credits) can be credited for studies undertaken at other institutions of higher education.

Students failing to complete all course requirements for the MSc programme within the specified period may be granted a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Engineering, upon request, provided that they have met all the necessary requirements.

Information on the Project

Projects will relate to real environmental problems, and will test a candidate’s ability to work independently. A project may be a major laboratory or field investigation, detailed design or research or any combination of these. Its scope will reflect the fact that it counts for close to 20% of the total number of credits. The MSc Project will be evaluated based on the final report.

Course Listing

Specialised Optional Courses

(Six courses are to be selected from the following)

In addition to the listed courses, the Department can approve any other course as an optional subject.

Other Information

Evaluation
Evaluation in all courses will normally be conducted by an approved combination of coursework and a final written examination. However, in some instances evaluation will be entirely by coursework. Candidates will be required to pass both the coursework and written examination, where applicable. Students who fail more than two courses in any one semester may be required to withdraw. Students will not normally be permitted more than two attempts at any course examination. Part-time students will normally be allowed a pro-rated number of attempts before withdrawal.

With the exception of those courses listed below, the coursework component of all courses (which may contain individual mini-projects), will count for 40% of the final mark.
The exceptions are:

Course Coursework Component Of Final Mark                                                            (%)

• Environmental Impact Assessment in Environmental Engineering                      100
• GIS - Land Use and Resource Management in Environmental Engineering      100

The MSc project will be evaluated based on the final report. The MSc will be awarded with distinction to candidates who achieve an overall average of 70% in the courses, as well as 70% in the project.

Students who have failed to complete all course requirements for the MSc programme within the specified period, but have obtained 24 or more credits, including the 12  credits fron the compulsory courses, will be granted a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Engineering.

Programme Delivery and Academic Supervision

The programme will draw mainly on staff in the Departments of Chemical and Civil & Environmental Engineering, but staff in the Departments of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering and Surveying & Land Information and, Departments in the Faculties of Science & Agriculture, Social Sciences, Medicine and Law will also contribute to teaching. Teaching will be complemented by the services of visiting specialists from consulting firms, public authorities, international agencies and industry. The programme will be delivered through lectures, laboratory classes, field trips, coursework assignments, design classes, mini-projects, tutorials, seminars and the Project.

Resources

Library
The UWI Library has an excellent stock of books, journals and reports relevant to the many discipline areas, which comprise the MSc programme. This collection is continuously augmented by annual additions.

Laboratories and Equipment
The laboratories that will be used for teaching are extensive and well equipped. All the basic equipment for carrying out routine analyses of water, wastewater and solid wastes are available in the Environmental Engineering Laboratory of the Department. This facility also includes sophisticated instruments such as an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and a UV/ visible spectro photometer for heavy metal and nitrogen analysis, respectively. These facilities are complemented by the generously equipped laboratories of the University..