MPhil Environmental Science (Code - ESCI)  

Year 1 

Year 2

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 

ESCI 601 Soil, Water and Air Quality

Properties of various classes of pollutants and processes determining the fate of pollutants. Treatment of industrial waste and sewage. Hydrological concepts and their impact on water quality. Soil characteristics and biological activities in soil and chemical degradation in soil, including monitoring and rehabilitation of chemically and physically degraded sites.  

ESCI 602 Environmental Economics

A study of the application of economic theory to the problems of ecology. Topics include the interplay of supply and demand and the notion of the market, cost- benefit analysis and social decision-making, and sustainable development.  

ESCI 603 Human Population and Urbanization

A study of the structure of human population, population regulation factors and the relationships between human population growth, resource use, technology, and the ecosystem. Urbanization with special reference to land-use slum and squatter settlements.  

ESCI 604 Environmental Law

Regulatory mechanisms that address environmental problems related to development, including constitutional responsibilities and powers with respect to environmental planning and management.  

ESCI 605 Remote Sensing

The principles and application of remote sensing for use in geographic, geological, hydrological, and environmental studies, and meteorological monitoring.  

ESCI 606 Environmental Impact Assessment

The identification and assessment of environmental impacts of development and their implications in the overall decision-making process. The mitigation of the impacts on physical, social, and biological systems. Environmental Impact Assessment as a tool for achieving sustainable development.  

IESS 605 Research Methods  

This module addresses proposal writing and the research process, with references to complex systems and scientific reporting. It is designed to develop skills and ability to formulate researchable problems, articulate knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts; write effective proposals, design and execute research; identify appropriate statistical techniques, including nonparametric statistics; analyze and interpret output; communicate scientific information and knowledge in writing; manage working time, scheduled tasks, and meet deadlines developed. 

 IESS 606 Special Project 

This course requires students to apply concepts learnt in various fields of study under each programme. At the end of the course, students should have carried out independent research (either practical or desk-based) to produce reports of the research in a number of different formats (e.g. written, verbal); be competent in constructing logically sound arguments and analysing scientific theories and data-generating methodologies (e.g. experiments, surveys), improve their expertise in at least one specialist area (e.g. modelling or policy analysis). 

ESCI 607 Environmental Chemistry

The course covers the chemical nature of the key pollutants of air, soils and freshwater and marine bodies, the effects of the pollutants in the environment and management of the pollutants. The chemistry of the major industries, and their problems in relation to the environment and the alternatives.  

ESCI 608 Atmospheric and Environmental Physics

The course deals with the important aspects of meteorology and characteristic of the Earth systems - the atmosphere, oceans and solid earth and the effect of land forms on climate and environment. The role of ozone, carbon dioxide, minor constituents, and aerosols.  

ESCI 609 Water Resource Management

The course deals with the determination of the biological status and quality of river systems and coastal waters, and studies on the effects of pollutants on aquatic ecosystems. Monitoring strategies and standards of pollution control. Integrated coastal Management. Fisheries exploitation and management.  

ESCI 610 Environmental Geology

The course covers aspects of geochemistry related to the environment, and the supply, conservation and quality of groundwater and surface water and water resource management. Other major areas of the course include the nature and effects of geologic hazards (e.g. minerals, mining and mineral extraction processes and attendant human health and environmental hazards, and technologies for minimizing the hazards.  

ESCI 612 Forest Resources Management

The course covers climate, soil and plant-growth interrelationships on the structure, composition and functioning of plant communities of the different vegetation types in West Africa. Other areas of the course include forest dynamics and the study of both temporal and spatial changes, animal-plant interactions, forest and wildlife management, and agricultural systems and soil conservation.