Environmental Science
Bachelor Programme
Institute of Science and Environment
| Duration | Language | Campus |
| 4 Years Full-Time (Day) | English | NAPE Campus |
This programme prepares you for a successful career in environment-related areas. As a professional, you will have the opportunity to contribute solutions to the environmental challenges facing the world.
The Bachelor of Environmental Science responds to the growing worldwide demand for well-trained professionals in environmental science brought about by environmental degradation and increasing pressures on natural resources. This demand is especially evident in China and the Greater Bay Area which surrounds Macao. Students receive a broad formation in environmental science while also engaging with other scientific disciplines.
The programme includes foundation modules on different fields of science (biology, earth sciences, chemistry, physics, and mathematics), environment-related modules (pollution, energy, waste management, environmental politics, and environmental impact assessment), and modules that promote cross-talk with other disciplines such as ethics, management, architecture, and urban planning. There is a high proportion of hands-on learning hours so students can develop adequate technical training in tools, methods, and techniques useful for Environmental Science. Students completing this programme will also have the opportunity to continue their studies in this area at USJ with a Master of Environmental Sciences and Management.
The programme coordinator is Thomas Lei.
Student Experience
- Students obtain a solid formation in environmental science concepts and methods
- Students are oriented towards practical problem-solving, with extensive field and laboratory work
- Students are trained by experienced international researchers and industry leaders
Career Opportunities
- Research
- Civil service
- Environmental agencies and Non-governmental organisations
- Management
- Consulting services
- Education
Typical Applicants
- Have secondary school science background
- Have an interest in environmental issues
Study plan & description of modules
For the programme’s government approval [in Chinese and Portuguese] click here.
Please click on any specific module below to see its description.
Modules
Year 1The development of thinking skills is fundamental to learning. Students will learn how to develop higher order thinking skills, especially through an appreciation of different philosophic and logic systems and an understanding of important research results from the analysis of human thought processes. In addition, students will learn to reason ethically and morally through readings, discussion of moral dilemmas, and other suitable exercises. They will also learn principled and conceptual thinking and reasoning skills.
Topics will be discussed through case studies and students will learn and understand important concepts of thinking through class and group discussion.
This module will introduce students to the basic molecular processes common to life starting with the chemistry of life, carbon and molecular diversity of life and the structure and function of large biological molecules. Emphasis will be given on the concept of central dogma of information transfer, from DNA replication to protein synthesis and underlying molecular mechanisms of genetics. It will also introduce current understandings and research trends in DNA technology. Students will be engaged in hands-on laboratory experiments to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts learned in class.This module covers the basic principles of ecology focusing on the concepts pertaining to the complex patterns of interactions between the physical environment and communities on earth. Emphasis is given on current issues, especially in the context of the Pearl River Delta region. It aims to explore the ecology of terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments and the efforts being made to conserve them. Students will visit a variety of habitats, and observe directly the main environmental factors that prevail in each of them so as to gain a first-hand understanding of the ecology of Macao and neighbouring areas.General Physics provides an introduction to the basic principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the physical phenomena that govern everyday life.
Topics as kinematics, dynamics, gravitation, motion, momentum, energy, electricity and magnetism, wave motion, and optics will be covered.
This module has a laboratory-based experimentation component where students will explore natural phenomena by developing hypothesis, observing, measuring and collecting data, and interpreting and reporting the results. Students will work in groups on laboratory experiments to stimulate the thoughtful discussion and interpretation of their results and observations. The acquisition of science communication skills will also be promoted by written and oral reporting of results.
This module provides basic theoretical and practical foundations in chemistry. It includes nomenclature, the mole concept and stoichiometry, atomic structure, the periodic table, chemical bonding and bonding theories, solutions, gas laws and thermochemistry, acid/base calculations, titrations, basic chemical equilibrium, atomic and molecular spectroscopic, chromatographic, and electroanalytical methods of analysis. Much of these concepts will be taught by hands-on laboratory demonstrations focusing on modern methods of chemical analysisThis module explores the fundamental concepts and tools necessary to understand the dynamic planet Earth. During the course, it will be studied the earth materials, the internal and external Earth processes, and the dynamic forces that cause them to change, the geological age and its historical development, the Earth environments and why this is important to comprehend the Earth and its environmental changes.
Practical classes will be used to demonstrate common and simple methods of studying the Earth as for example by analysis of plate motions, plate kinematics and its hazard or the records of global climate change.
Life is remarkably diverse although common themes can be found between even phylogenetically distant organisms. This module takes a comparative perspective on the form (structure) and function (physiology) of living organisms to identify both general rules governing life on earth and specializations associated with the different life-styles of different species. Living organisms have common needs like mantaining their internal environment stable, reproducing or collecting and responding to external information. Multicellular organisms further need to coordinate the action of individual cells at the level of the organism. Across evolutionary times, different species have developed different solutions for these same basic challenges, resulting in a remarkable diversity of morphological structures and physiological mechanisms. The module will address this idea by studying variations in form and function across a wide variety or organisms, from unicellular organisms to fungi, plants and animals. An evolutionary approach will be taken to understand convergent and divergent traits across species and acknowledge both the potential for evolutionary diversification and its constraints. Topics will include investigating and comparing, in different organisms, their life-cycle, sensorial specializations, types of tissues and systems or cellular communication. For this purpose, a combination of lectures and laboratory practice will be used.
Overall, the module aims to provide a deep understanding about the basic principles governing life on earth and on the evolutionary basis for diversity on form and function across organisms.
Students will have an understanding of the environmental impacts on their life and know how to deal with environmental problems, such as pollutions, and to live in harmony with other organisms.This module reviews and introduces important topics and theories in mathematics that are relevant to everyday science and engineering. In this module selected issues in Arithmatic and Number Theory; Algebra and Systems of equations; Trigonometry and Coordinate Systems; Functions and Series; Calculus and Partial Differential Equations are considered. In all cases, “real world” applications of mathematics are emphasized.Integrated learning activities involving all skill areas help students practice and apply the fundamentals of English in a more varied setting and develop more accuracy and control of their spoken and written English. Reading activities promote vocabulary expansion and model accurate structure. Students participate in discussion forums and are introduced to presentation skills for groups and individuals. Logical thinking in both oral and written formats is guided. As well, students are introduced to the five-paragraph essay format and practice writing summative, descriptive and comparative compositions.Students will concentrate on gaining grammatical control of their communication (subject and verb agreement, modal auxiliaries, singular and plural nouns, pronouns, articles, sentence structure, statements, questions, simple and compound sentences, prepositions, gerunds and infinitives, adverbs and adjectives, punctuation, and some complex sentence patterns). At the end of the module, students should be able to write a paragraph without making major grammatical errors. Development of the five-paragraph essay format will continue and students will practice writing compositions that are opinion-based, persuasive and begin to compare literature from different sources. Development will continue in regard to presentation skills and discussion forums.This module provides practice integrating those reading skills necessary for academic success at university. These skills include reading for detail, inferring vocabulary in context, finding main ideas, critical reading, understanding sequence, summarizing, recognizing organization, and outlining. In addition, it emphasizes academic vocabulary. Students are introduced to language skills for research and are expected to apply previously taught presentation skills to give more analytical presentations. In this course students are also introduced to basic components of the research paper: abstract, data analysis and interpretation.This module teaches advanced grammar necessary for academic writing. It includes a review of basic grammar and a detailed study of noun, adjective, and adverb clauses, as well as prepositional, participial, gerund, and infinitive phrases. It will also provide written composition practice. Students will be introduced to the argumentative essay structure including the refutation of counter arguments. Students will engage in more complex discussion forums, debates and participate in organizing public presentations.Year 2This module is designed to introduce students to the different fields of science and their social and ethical consequences. It is aimed at students who have no background in science or are non-majors in science. The goal is to give students an overview of what science is and how the different fields of science intersects with everyday life. The course will highlight and encourage discussions on current understandings and research trends in the field of science and how these affect our daily lives.
Recent developments in Science relevant to concerns about the nature of life, health and related social issues will be addressed. Through lectures, discussions, debates, research projects, field trips, film-viewing, active-learning activities and workshops, the students will explore such issues as chemistry, stem cell research, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, genetic engineering/GMOs, forensic DNA, space exploration and energy.
This module offers an overview of the microbial diversity, under different perspectives comprising phylogeny, physiology, metabolism and ecology and putting in evidence the implications that microorganisms have on nature and human activities. The dynamics of the microbial genomes, the uniqueness of some metabolic processes and other aspects of the biology of microorganisms will be anlaysed in a context of eco-physiology. The content of this module provide the students with the necessary background to explore the role of microorganisms in human, animal and plant health and disease; in biotechnological applications; or as models in different areas of research.This module introduces students to concepts concerned with biodiversity, the genetic basis of evolution and evolutionary processes that leads to and maintains or limits biodiversity. Students will be introduced to the major groups of organisms from an evolutionary perspective and evaluate how these groups are related to one another and how they evolved. The role of biodiversity in the maintenance of healthy ecosystems and their potential for adaptation to recent changes in the environment will also be discussed.Identification of minerals and rocks is fundamental to understand the earth and environmental processes. This module focuses on the study of the chemistry, occurrence, classification and economic relevance of minerals and their effects on the environment. It also comprises the classification of rocks and chemical principles of petrology, including genesis, and identification of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. At the end, mineralogical and petrological processes relevant to understand environmental changes during geological and modern times will be discussed.
This module has a strong hands-on component where students will train how to identify minerals and rocks from their properties.
Understanding, modeling and predicting processes in the atmosphere and the ocean have gained importance in the last decade. This module focuses on physical phenomena such as heat transfer, atmospheric and oceanic circulation and waves.
Main characteristics of the Surface and Deep Ocean Circulation will be foccused, with emphasis on the importance of Thermohaline circulation (the global conveyor belt) as a temperature regulatory mechanism as well as a vital component of the global ocean nutrient and carbon dioxide cycles.
Ocean – Atmosphere Interactions will be analysed namely in what concerns climate evolution. Relationships between solar radiation variability (sunspot activity) and historical climate oscillations will be referred.
Oceanic waves will be described, introducing the main wave theories (Airy, Stokes, Cnoidal). Attention will be given to unusual waves, such as rogue and tsunami waves, as well as to infragravity waves and their importance in the shore characteristics.
Large-scale environmental phenomena and problems including the greenhouse effect, El Niño / La Niña, Arctic and North Atlantic oscillations, etc. will be examined as well as the role of the atmosphere - ocean system in climate change. It will be also debated the modern methods and technologies essential to understand and predict these phenomena.
At the end, evidence for changes in ocean and sea level due to global warming will be explored and the connection between human activity and the current warming trend will be focused, considering some of the potential social, economic and environmental consequences of climate change.
This module provides students with a basic understanding of the major coastal processes and systems with relevance to coastal zone management. Topics include the coastal geomorphology and morph-dynamics (genesis and evolution), coastal landform classification (estuaries, deltas, beaches, barriers, dunes etc), the complex coastal processes (wind, tides, current, waves and clime), coastal ecosystems (mangroves, coral reefs, salt marshes, etc) sea-level fluctuations (causes and consequences on the costal zones) and human-coastal interactions.
Coastal hazards related with sea-level rise, erosion, storms, tsunamis and other phenomena and their management will be also highlighted.
This module aims to introduce students to the principles of Animal Physiology, as well as, to some of the laboratory techniques used in the acquisition of physiological data.
The course will focus on organ-system physiology of both terrestral and aquatic organisms within an ecophysiological perspective.
Particular emphasis will be given to nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, and endocrine physiological mechanisms, and their interaction with the ecological features of the environment.
Laboratory work will be designed to familiarize students with some of the laboratory techniques and equipment used in physiological research.
This module emphasises on understanding the principal chemical controls of element distribution within Earth Systems. It will be mainly focused on fundamentals of the geochemistry of Earth materials, including basic geochemistry (major element, trace and rare earth element), radiogenic and stable isotopes, geochemical cycles, Earth differentiation and Earth surface geochemistry. The methods used in geochemistry to study the Earth systems and to understand the environmental and paleoenvironmental problems will be reviewed.This module requires a background of calculus as prerequisite. It provides an introduction to basic probability and statistics, and motivates students to build skills in data collection and analysis. Topics covered include statistics and data analysis, probability, random variables and probability distributions, mathematical expectation, some discrete probability distributions, some continuous probability distributions, functions of random variables, fundamental sampling distributions and data descriptions, sample estimation problems, tests of hypotheses, simple linear regression and correlation, experiments and fractions, as well as statistical quality control.This module introduces basic concepts of algorithmic problem solving and logical thinking. It covers problem solving strategies, basic data structures, as well as data and procedural abstraction. Through step-by-step practice, students learn basic skills to write their own code in an easy-to-master programming language for simple problem solving, and to perform simple debugging and testing. It serves as the first programming module and requires no prerequisite.This module will focus on the study of web and multimedia technologies.
The students will be able to understand what is the web, what is multimedia and how do they work. It’s a hands-on module that requires the use of the computer as an artistic and creative tool.
This module will also prepare students, with the basic technical and aesthetical skills, on how to create web and multimedia products with visually dynamic and creative graphics through best working practices. Students will design web pages by using Adobe Photoshop, HTML and CSS files by editing them by using text editors and other tools. Usability principles will be one of the considerations when designing web pages.
Students will learn and apply a variety of public presentation techniques useful for both individual presentations as well as participation in group discussions. An important aspect of the module is that it uses an active learning process whereby students learn a new skill and put it into practice. By the end of the module students will possess a number of public speaking strategies that will help them to prepare any range of public presentations, including proposals, as well as have the opportunity to participate in seminar organization and implementation.The primary aim of this module is to assist students in preparing themselves for the type of writing required for themes, essay examinations, term papers, and lengthy reports. The principles of rhetorical organization and development are thoroughly presented within the context of each student's language and cultural background. Students will engage in problem solving and idea development through the combination of independent investigation, and consultation with peers.Students will practice the process, purposes, and strategies of persuasive and explanatory writing. Students read and discuss works by both professional and student writers and explore techniques of argument and persuasion in writing a series of 5-6 essays. The module stresses revision, relies on frequent workshops of student writing, and aims finally to sharpen the student's ability to use evidence in a reasonable, convincing way.This is an advanced interdisciplinary writing course module emphasizing critical reading and thinking, argumentative writing, library research, and documentation of sources in an academic setting. Practice and study of selected rhetorics of inquiry (for example, historical, cultural, empirical, and ethnographic) employed in academic disciplines, preparing students for different systems of writing in their academic lives. Throughout this course, students will: significantly improve their academic writing; develop an understanding of how members of a particular discipline conceive of and engage in the rhetorical practices of that discipline; demonstrate understanding of the key conversations, the forms, and the conventions of writing in a particular discipline; gain experience in the construction of knowledge within a discipline and practice using its discourse; read critically and analyze rhetorically writings from a particular discipline and use those lenses to frame their own discourses; write in the different forms and styles of a particular discipline; and develop techniques for conducting research on the Internet and with other electronic databases.Year 3Students will study and explore the history, geography, culture, religion, architecture, urban development, economy, politics, arts, diversions and everyday life of Macau, through lectures, readings, fieldwork and public communication sessions. Special emphasis will be placed on Macau's relations with surrounding regions.
The main aim of this module is to support students in examining, evaluating and developing their own knowledge about Macau through critical engagement with a wide range of information sources. For students, the module will also represent an opportunity to further develop their reasoning ability, creativity, communication skills (through a variety of media) and their cooperative working capability.
This course introduces the study field of Geographic Information Science. It sets out the key components and insists on links between technology, data, methods and organization. Provides an introduction to spatial development, the terminology for this field and the classes of applications of Geographic Information Systems. It is presented the features of existing GIS software and the described modes of creating, editing, import, display and analysis of spatial data that GIS software provides. As well, it covers open source technologies for handling geographical information (FOSS4G).The module briefly reviews the fundamentals of descriptive statistics especially on the topics of correlations and reliability indicators. It then introduces advanced topics in statistics such as sampling, hypothesis testing, ANOVA, chi-square test. The focus will be on differentiating between various types of variables and using the right technique to conduct hypothesis testing to produce meaningful conclusions. The module also goes into data analysis using regression techniques. The assumptions behind using regression analysis are emphasized with residue analysis.This module will focus on the understanding of the effects and risks of pollutants to biological systems, including human population.
It will begin by studying the major classes of pollutants that can impact health, the environmental sources of these substances, their transport and resilience in the environment and the routes for human and animal exposure to these chemicals.
Basic concepts of toxicology will be reviewed, including dose-response relationships, chemodynamics and chemokinetics. The potential impact on human health will be addressed by reviewing common negative effects on health (e.g. organ toxicity, carcinogenesis, endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental effects, etc).
The module will also review the existing procedures for monitoring environmental pollutants. Finally, a strong emphasis will be given to risk assessment and to the analytical procedures available for measuring environmental pollutants and for testing the potential negative effects of new pollutants in animal and human health.
Simple laboratory experiments in ecotoxicology will be run in order to provide hands-on training to students.
To present students knowledge and understanding of renewable and sustainable energy and their management in the area of technology, finance and regulatory practices.This module focuses on environmental natural disasters, as landslides, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, and other natural hazards in order to understand their origins and consequences, and evaluate their impacts in the earth dynamics and on the risks for human society. Discussions of how and why natural hazards occur; how human society should prepare for each of them; what kind of hazard events (secondary hazards) may occur after an initial disaster, will be debated.
Historical and contemporary case studies will be utilized to investigate the interaction between society and natural hazards.
The module will begin by reviewing the major international agreements in the environmental area. The local legislation on environment will also be reviewed at the end of the course and compared with relevant international legislation.
The market failures (public goods and the tragedy of the commons) are setting the scene for the environmental law. Indeed, our program cover two regulation areas that somehow are interconnected. Firstly, the module address environmental problems from the global prespective and therefore the main instruments of regulation as a set of broad policies (concepts and principles) which have been developed and used as the basis of the international environmental law. Furthermore, the modules also makes reference to the influence of environmental international law and other branches of law such as human rights law, international humanitarian law, trade law and, increasingly, in international investment law. Concurrently, it studies the main sources of environmental law, emphasizing the importance of the volutary mechanism as sources of international law. It further studies the main treaties and conventions directly related to the environment protection, namely the instuments applying to the global commons and international regulation of shared environmental impacts.
Secondly, if focus on the local reality (Macao acquis) and therefore of departing from Macao Basic Law, it concludes the study addressing the Macao SAR instruments on environment protection, side-by-side the sources of administrative and criminal individual responsibility.
Finally, students will have the opportunity to shortly research on one related environmental area from the legal and local point of view.
Development projects can have a significant impact in both the environment and populations. These include impacts as diverse as those derived from the manufacturing of construction materials, from ecological changes in non-urban areas, from energy consumption of built structures, or from undesirable effects to populations during and after construction. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a key instrument for sustainable development as it allows to integrate all the potential impacts of a project and to suggest measures for their mitigation and management. The module provides an overview of the EIA process, including of the tools most commonly applied for environmental assessment and management. The EIA framework at a regional (Macau, Hong Kong and Mainland China) and international level will be discussed. The different steps of an EIA study, including Screening, Scoping, Impact analysis, Mitigation and Impact Management, Reporting, Reviewing, Decision-Making, Implementation, and Monitoring will be reviewed. The concepts of Strategic Environmental Assessment and Cumulative Effects Assessment as tools for sustainability will be discussed. Finally, the concept of environmental standards and environmental management systems and their application to different fields will be reviewed.
In addition, the module aims to give practical training to students on EIA via hands-on analysis of case-studies. EIA analysis will be simulated to specific project in order to apply the EIA concepts learned in this module in real-life projects and understand how EIA can be incorporated in projects at the design, construction and operation phases.
By being aware of the concept and steps of EIA, developers can better integrate, from the start, measures in the planning and design of their projects that will minimize environmental and social impacts. The module will thus provide a comprehensive understanding of the process of EIA in various contexts.
This module focuses on marine pollution and ecotoxicology: from the definition of pollutant versus contaminant to the different types of pollutants that these ecosystems are subjected to (from organic to inorganic). Also, will be focused the effects of these pollutants on the coastal systems, from the cellular level to the population and ecosystem level. The students will be able to understand different mechanisms of bioaccumulation, biomagnification and elimination processes. Will be debated some strategies to control pollution in coastal systems. The contents of this module will promote a greater awareness for the importance of coastal systems, their management and conservation.This module provides a basic introduction to plant physiology which is essential in the understanding of how plants adapt and survive in different environments. Students will be first introduced to basic topics such as the structures and functions of the plant cell, photosythesis, transport mechanisms, metabolism and growth. Emphasis will also be given on current concepts and understandings related to how plants react to changes as well as stress in the physical environment like light, temperature, water availability, nutrients, pollution and defense against herbivory. Students will be engaged in both laboratory and field experiments to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts learned in class.The module aims to reflect on the moral challenges created by scientific advances in disciplines such as Biology or Neurosciences and to debate how controversial topics in these areas ought to be decided. We will start by reviewing and debating historical concepts in ethics like Moral Reasoning, Cultural Relativism, Subjectivism, Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism, Kantianism or the Social Contract. From these, we will try to reach a consensus within the class on which should be the general rules to be followed during ethical dilemmas and apply them to controversial issues raised in the specific field of Bioethics. These include topics like pre-natal screening, assisted reproduction, cloning, genetic enhancement, organ transplantation or assisted suicide. A case-study approach will be taken to overview these and other issues in bioethics and to try to identify general rules on which decision ought to be taken. Finally, the relationship between societies, non-human animals and ecosystems will be discussed from the perspective of bioethics and environmental ethics. The global impact of human activities in our planet will be reviewed and the role that individuals and organizations play towards the sustainable development of societies debated.Introduction to basic Portuguese with stress on oral drill and pronunciation. This course will focus on personal information.Continuation of Portuguese I, introduction to basic Portuguese in context, and will focus on people and objects.This course is the continuation of Portuguese II and will focus on public services and immediate needs, such as ordering food in a restaurant or complaining to the doctor.This course will be a continuation of Portuguese III and an introduction to level A2 of CEFR with the introduction to the past forms.Year 4This Module introduces Students to tools and methodologies to think and generate Business Models that could be validated by potential Clients that should be discovered and developed.
Business Models describe the way of how an organization create, deliver and capture value. So they are at the core of any Entrepreneurship project and are enhanced by Creativity and Innovation.
This Module proposes different approaches to promote Creativity, adding value to the process of Business Models Generation.
Technology Innovation will be presented as a stronger driver for changes in the markets and to be the basis of powerful Business Models.
This subject aims to introduce different literary genres. Students are expected to be conversant with some of the most pertinent literature of and for our times. Even though we disavow the relative merits of fixed lists of works considered classics, we do affirm the intrinsic value of communal reading and theorizing. Reading lists will be defined and evolve through proposals from faculty and students.This module focuses on the pollution of different environmental comparments, namely air, soil and water pollution, putting forward prevention measures on global and local scale and on treatment and remediation technologies. The contents of this module provide the students with tools to contribute to sustainable practices within primary production, aiming at preserving water and soil resources, with knowledge on technologies for water/wastewater treatment and for soil management and requalification, and with knowledge on valorisation solutions for water, by-products and residues produced during different human activities. Contribution of good practices to sustainability on a gobal scale will be approached.The module Environmental Philosophy and Ethics focuses on the relationship of humans with nature and their environment. While numerous philosophers have written on natural philosophy throughout history (Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Rousseau, Locke, Marx, Merleu-Ponty, Heidegger, Rawls, etc.), environmental philosphy and ethics only developed into a specific philosophical discipline in the 1970s. This emergence occurred due to the increasing awareness in the 1960s of the effects that technology, industry, economic expansion and population growth were having on the environment.
Sound philosophical and ethical reflections are indispensable today for consistent sustainable development and policies on local, national, and international level. The module Environmental Philosphy and Ethics reflects systematically on responsible interactions of people and societies with nature and the environment (ecological justice) on the individual (micro), the institutional (meso) and the socio-political level (macro). Aiming at sustainable societies, the module explores coherent philosophical and ethical principles for individuals and institutions underpinning the need to equitably balance the needs of those alive today (intragenerational justice) with the needs of future generations (intergenerational justice). Philosophcial and ethical foundations for a sustainable use of resources and energy are assessed: e.g. biodiversity, circular economy; decarbonisation, low/zero waste societies; waste hierarchy, user-polluter pays principle; transparency and accountability; economic incentives etc. Also the currrent inequalities between polluters and victims are addressed in order to promote a more just and ecologically sustainable form of development.
Seminars will be organized regularly to discuss specific topics in Environmental Science. These seminars will be taught by Professors from USJ, Professors from other institutions of higher education, non-academic professionals developing work in areas of interest to our students and also by individual students from the programme. The goal is to broaden the topics discussed during the programme and increase the students interaction with professionals from the field, thus enriching their learning experience, and also to give students practice in speaking in front of an audience while exploring topics of their own interest.This module will review and evaluate scientific theories, biological knowledge from genetics to ecosystems, that are essential to conservation biology and its applications. It will review concepts in biodiversity, applied ecology, environmental management, community, population and landscape ecology. Emphasis will be given to the various mechanisms that cause changes, specially the loss, restoration and maintenance of biological diversity, as well as the consequence of these changes, specially in today’s world. The implications of conservation for ethics, law, policy and economics will also be dealt with. Management principles and tools for conservation will be discussed and students are expected to apply this by taking part in practical field activities to identify and evaluate current conservation issues in the region.Writing scientific papers and communicating research efficiently are major keys to a sucessful academic career. This course provides an overview of the principles and techiques to define research questions, draft a paper and improve data presentation.
Lectures will be followed by practical exercises to apply the concepts discussed and strengthen communinication skills.
This module will offer an opportunity to improve writing and oral skills, but also to gain insights on how to publish and communicate efficiently across fields, which is critical to promote collaborations and translational research.
Urban ecology is the scientific study of the relation of living organisms with each other and their surroundings in the context of an urban environment. Environmental planning is a process of identifying, assessing and coming up with solutions to environmental issues. This overview module explores urban and environmental planning issues and problems, and reviews the ways planners grapple with them. Topics cover urban environmental issues and their impacts on the future of the city, including: food, water, urban health, biodiversity, landscape performance, pollution and toxicity, building health, resource consumption, waste management, and more.This module will prove the students the oportunity to develop a scientific project, which will include defining a research question, methods, collect data, and elaborate a final report. Students will have the chance to work on their individual research and experience lab work appropriate to their project goals. Students will receive constant guidance from a supervisor (from USJ staff) that will be assigned at the beginning of the project.This course will provide an overview of the principles of epidemiology and its relationship with public health. The content will focus on key terms for describing disease occurrence in the population, identify several commonly used study designs, and interpret measures of association and causality. Particular emphasis will be given to environmental epidemiology. This module will cover a description of the emerging methods used in enviromental epidemiology and to analyse epidemiological events affecting public health. Current and future directions of molecular biology, genetics (e.g. microarrays and proteomics) and pharmacology will also be discussed. A strong emphasis will be given to discussion of scientific papers.This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to utilize previous language background to lay a solid foundation for further Chinese language study.
本課程為母語為粵語或具有較高漢語水平的人士開設，旨在通過對學習者普通話听、説、讀、寫的訓練，提高語言水平，瞭解普通話的基本知識，為更高層次的普通話學習打下基礎。
This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to consolidate the foundation which students have built in their first level Chinese courses, to expand their vocabulary, and to introduce them to more complex grammatical structures.
本课程为母语是粵語或具有较高汉语水平的人士开设。在进一步提高学习者听、说能力，改善交际技巧的同时，重点对学习者进行阅读、写作和语法的训练。
Students read and discuss material from such sources as newspapers, journals, contemporary literature, media broadcasts and films. Students complete assignments in areas which focus on a practical application of Mandarin including in business, trade, tourism, education or linguistics.
本課程在學生完成普通話I、普通話II課程的基礎上，通過報紙、期刊、廣播、電影等大量現實語料的學習，幫助進一步讓學生進行提高語言水平，並能在商務、貿易等日程生活實際中正確運用
This module covers a variety of modern Chinese literary genres including essays, short stories, biographies, and criticisms. Emphasis will be on reading comprehension and expansion of vocabulary. Class discussions are on some substantive issues related to the readings.
普通話IV的講授主要包括三個內容：一是將繼續幫助學生提昇普通話水平，主要選用一些中國現代文學作品，包括散文、故事、人物傳記、評論等，作為補充材料，幫助學生理解、擴展詞彙的同時，瞭解中國社會及文化，並對一些相關問題進行討論，從而讓學生達到普通話的高級水平；二是普通話水平測試介紹及應試訓練；三是講授普通話教學法，幫助學生在教与學兩方面，於更高層次上瞭解和掌握普通話。
Topics will be discussed through case studies and students will learn and understand important concepts of thinking through class and group discussion.
Topics as kinematics, dynamics, gravitation, motion, momentum, energy, electricity and magnetism, wave motion, and optics will be covered.
This module has a laboratory-based experimentation component where students will explore natural phenomena by developing hypothesis, observing, measuring and collecting data, and interpreting and reporting the results. Students will work in groups on laboratory experiments to stimulate the thoughtful discussion and interpretation of their results and observations. The acquisition of science communication skills will also be promoted by written and oral reporting of results.
Practical classes will be used to demonstrate common and simple methods of studying the Earth as for example by analysis of plate motions, plate kinematics and its hazard or the records of global climate change.
Overall, the module aims to provide a deep understanding about the basic principles governing life on earth and on the evolutionary basis for diversity on form and function across organisms.
This module is designed to introduce students to the different fields of science and their social and ethical consequences. It is aimed at students who have no background in science or are non-majors in science. The goal is to give students an overview of what science is and how the different fields of science intersects with everyday life. The course will highlight and encourage discussions on current understandings and research trends in the field of science and how these affect our daily lives.
Recent developments in Science relevant to concerns about the nature of life, health and related social issues will be addressed. Through lectures, discussions, debates, research projects, field trips, film-viewing, active-learning activities and workshops, the students will explore such issues as chemistry, stem cell research, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, genetic engineering/GMOs, forensic DNA, space exploration and energy.
Recent developments in Science relevant to concerns about the nature of life, health and related social issues will be addressed. Through lectures, discussions, debates, research projects, field trips, film-viewing, active-learning activities and workshops, the students will explore such issues as chemistry, stem cell research, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, genetic engineering/GMOs, forensic DNA, space exploration and energy.
This module offers an overview of the microbial diversity, under different perspectives comprising phylogeny, physiology, metabolism and ecology and putting in evidence the implications that microorganisms have on nature and human activities. The dynamics of the microbial genomes, the uniqueness of some metabolic processes and other aspects of the biology of microorganisms will be anlaysed in a context of eco-physiology. The content of this module provide the students with the necessary background to explore the role of microorganisms in human, animal and plant health and disease; in biotechnological applications; or as models in different areas of research.
This module introduces students to concepts concerned with biodiversity, the genetic basis of evolution and evolutionary processes that leads to and maintains or limits biodiversity. Students will be introduced to the major groups of organisms from an evolutionary perspective and evaluate how these groups are related to one another and how they evolved. The role of biodiversity in the maintenance of healthy ecosystems and their potential for adaptation to recent changes in the environment will also be discussed.
Identification of minerals and rocks is fundamental to understand the earth and environmental processes. This module focuses on the study of the chemistry, occurrence, classification and economic relevance of minerals and their effects on the environment. It also comprises the classification of rocks and chemical principles of petrology, including genesis, and identification of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. At the end, mineralogical and petrological processes relevant to understand environmental changes during geological and modern times will be discussed.
This module has a strong hands-on component where students will train how to identify minerals and rocks from their properties.
This module has a strong hands-on component where students will train how to identify minerals and rocks from their properties.
Understanding, modeling and predicting processes in the atmosphere and the ocean have gained importance in the last decade. This module focuses on physical phenomena such as heat transfer, atmospheric and oceanic circulation and waves.
Main characteristics of the Surface and Deep Ocean Circulation will be foccused, with emphasis on the importance of Thermohaline circulation (the global conveyor belt) as a temperature regulatory mechanism as well as a vital component of the global ocean nutrient and carbon dioxide cycles.
Ocean – Atmosphere Interactions will be analysed namely in what concerns climate evolution. Relationships between solar radiation variability (sunspot activity) and historical climate oscillations will be referred.
Oceanic waves will be described, introducing the main wave theories (Airy, Stokes, Cnoidal). Attention will be given to unusual waves, such as rogue and tsunami waves, as well as to infragravity waves and their importance in the shore characteristics.
Large-scale environmental phenomena and problems including the greenhouse effect, El Niño / La Niña, Arctic and North Atlantic oscillations, etc. will be examined as well as the role of the atmosphere - ocean system in climate change. It will be also debated the modern methods and technologies essential to understand and predict these phenomena.
At the end, evidence for changes in ocean and sea level due to global warming will be explored and the connection between human activity and the current warming trend will be focused, considering some of the potential social, economic and environmental consequences of climate change.
Main characteristics of the Surface and Deep Ocean Circulation will be foccused, with emphasis on the importance of Thermohaline circulation (the global conveyor belt) as a temperature regulatory mechanism as well as a vital component of the global ocean nutrient and carbon dioxide cycles.
Ocean – Atmosphere Interactions will be analysed namely in what concerns climate evolution. Relationships between solar radiation variability (sunspot activity) and historical climate oscillations will be referred.
Oceanic waves will be described, introducing the main wave theories (Airy, Stokes, Cnoidal). Attention will be given to unusual waves, such as rogue and tsunami waves, as well as to infragravity waves and their importance in the shore characteristics.
Large-scale environmental phenomena and problems including the greenhouse effect, El Niño / La Niña, Arctic and North Atlantic oscillations, etc. will be examined as well as the role of the atmosphere - ocean system in climate change. It will be also debated the modern methods and technologies essential to understand and predict these phenomena.
At the end, evidence for changes in ocean and sea level due to global warming will be explored and the connection between human activity and the current warming trend will be focused, considering some of the potential social, economic and environmental consequences of climate change.
This module provides students with a basic understanding of the major coastal processes and systems with relevance to coastal zone management. Topics include the coastal geomorphology and morph-dynamics (genesis and evolution), coastal landform classification (estuaries, deltas, beaches, barriers, dunes etc), the complex coastal processes (wind, tides, current, waves and clime), coastal ecosystems (mangroves, coral reefs, salt marshes, etc) sea-level fluctuations (causes and consequences on the costal zones) and human-coastal interactions.
Coastal hazards related with sea-level rise, erosion, storms, tsunamis and other phenomena and their management will be also highlighted.
Coastal hazards related with sea-level rise, erosion, storms, tsunamis and other phenomena and their management will be also highlighted.
This module aims to introduce students to the principles of Animal Physiology, as well as, to some of the laboratory techniques used in the acquisition of physiological data.
The course will focus on organ-system physiology of both terrestral and aquatic organisms within an ecophysiological perspective.
Particular emphasis will be given to nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, and endocrine physiological mechanisms, and their interaction with the ecological features of the environment.
Laboratory work will be designed to familiarize students with some of the laboratory techniques and equipment used in physiological research.
The course will focus on organ-system physiology of both terrestral and aquatic organisms within an ecophysiological perspective.
Particular emphasis will be given to nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, and endocrine physiological mechanisms, and their interaction with the ecological features of the environment.
Laboratory work will be designed to familiarize students with some of the laboratory techniques and equipment used in physiological research.
This module emphasises on understanding the principal chemical controls of element distribution within Earth Systems. It will be mainly focused on fundamentals of the geochemistry of Earth materials, including basic geochemistry (major element, trace and rare earth element), radiogenic and stable isotopes, geochemical cycles, Earth differentiation and Earth surface geochemistry. The methods used in geochemistry to study the Earth systems and to understand the environmental and paleoenvironmental problems will be reviewed.
This module requires a background of calculus as prerequisite. It provides an introduction to basic probability and statistics, and motivates students to build skills in data collection and analysis. Topics covered include statistics and data analysis, probability, random variables and probability distributions, mathematical expectation, some discrete probability distributions, some continuous probability distributions, functions of random variables, fundamental sampling distributions and data descriptions, sample estimation problems, tests of hypotheses, simple linear regression and correlation, experiments and fractions, as well as statistical quality control.
This module introduces basic concepts of algorithmic problem solving and logical thinking. It covers problem solving strategies, basic data structures, as well as data and procedural abstraction. Through step-by-step practice, students learn basic skills to write their own code in an easy-to-master programming language for simple problem solving, and to perform simple debugging and testing. It serves as the first programming module and requires no prerequisite.
This module will focus on the study of web and multimedia technologies.
The students will be able to understand what is the web, what is multimedia and how do they work. It’s a hands-on module that requires the use of the computer as an artistic and creative tool.
This module will also prepare students, with the basic technical and aesthetical skills, on how to create web and multimedia products with visually dynamic and creative graphics through best working practices. Students will design web pages by using Adobe Photoshop, HTML and CSS files by editing them by using text editors and other tools. Usability principles will be one of the considerations when designing web pages.
The students will be able to understand what is the web, what is multimedia and how do they work. It’s a hands-on module that requires the use of the computer as an artistic and creative tool.
This module will also prepare students, with the basic technical and aesthetical skills, on how to create web and multimedia products with visually dynamic and creative graphics through best working practices. Students will design web pages by using Adobe Photoshop, HTML and CSS files by editing them by using text editors and other tools. Usability principles will be one of the considerations when designing web pages.
Students will learn and apply a variety of public presentation techniques useful for both individual presentations as well as participation in group discussions. An important aspect of the module is that it uses an active learning process whereby students learn a new skill and put it into practice. By the end of the module students will possess a number of public speaking strategies that will help them to prepare any range of public presentations, including proposals, as well as have the opportunity to participate in seminar organization and implementation.
The primary aim of this module is to assist students in preparing themselves for the type of writing required for themes, essay examinations, term papers, and lengthy reports. The principles of rhetorical organization and development are thoroughly presented within the context of each student's language and cultural background. Students will engage in problem solving and idea development through the combination of independent investigation, and consultation with peers.
Students will practice the process, purposes, and strategies of persuasive and explanatory writing. Students read and discuss works by both professional and student writers and explore techniques of argument and persuasion in writing a series of 5-6 essays. The module stresses revision, relies on frequent workshops of student writing, and aims finally to sharpen the student's ability to use evidence in a reasonable, convincing way.
This is an advanced interdisciplinary writing course module emphasizing critical reading and thinking, argumentative writing, library research, and documentation of sources in an academic setting. Practice and study of selected rhetorics of inquiry (for example, historical, cultural, empirical, and ethnographic) employed in academic disciplines, preparing students for different systems of writing in their academic lives. Throughout this course, students will: significantly improve their academic writing; develop an understanding of how members of a particular discipline conceive of and engage in the rhetorical practices of that discipline; demonstrate understanding of the key conversations, the forms, and the conventions of writing in a particular discipline; gain experience in the construction of knowledge within a discipline and practice using its discourse; read critically and analyze rhetorically writings from a particular discipline and use those lenses to frame their own discourses; write in the different forms and styles of a particular discipline; and develop techniques for conducting research on the Internet and with other electronic databases.
Year 3Students will study and explore the history, geography, culture, religion, architecture, urban development, economy, politics, arts, diversions and everyday life of Macau, through lectures, readings, fieldwork and public communication sessions. Special emphasis will be placed on Macau's relations with surrounding regions.
The main aim of this module is to support students in examining, evaluating and developing their own knowledge about Macau through critical engagement with a wide range of information sources. For students, the module will also represent an opportunity to further develop their reasoning ability, creativity, communication skills (through a variety of media) and their cooperative working capability.
This course introduces the study field of Geographic Information Science. It sets out the key components and insists on links between technology, data, methods and organization. Provides an introduction to spatial development, the terminology for this field and the classes of applications of Geographic Information Systems. It is presented the features of existing GIS software and the described modes of creating, editing, import, display and analysis of spatial data that GIS software provides. As well, it covers open source technologies for handling geographical information (FOSS4G).The module briefly reviews the fundamentals of descriptive statistics especially on the topics of correlations and reliability indicators. It then introduces advanced topics in statistics such as sampling, hypothesis testing, ANOVA, chi-square test. The focus will be on differentiating between various types of variables and using the right technique to conduct hypothesis testing to produce meaningful conclusions. The module also goes into data analysis using regression techniques. The assumptions behind using regression analysis are emphasized with residue analysis.This module will focus on the understanding of the effects and risks of pollutants to biological systems, including human population.
It will begin by studying the major classes of pollutants that can impact health, the environmental sources of these substances, their transport and resilience in the environment and the routes for human and animal exposure to these chemicals.
Basic concepts of toxicology will be reviewed, including dose-response relationships, chemodynamics and chemokinetics. The potential impact on human health will be addressed by reviewing common negative effects on health (e.g. organ toxicity, carcinogenesis, endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental effects, etc).
The module will also review the existing procedures for monitoring environmental pollutants. Finally, a strong emphasis will be given to risk assessment and to the analytical procedures available for measuring environmental pollutants and for testing the potential negative effects of new pollutants in animal and human health.
Simple laboratory experiments in ecotoxicology will be run in order to provide hands-on training to students.
To present students knowledge and understanding of renewable and sustainable energy and their management in the area of technology, finance and regulatory practices.This module focuses on environmental natural disasters, as landslides, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, and other natural hazards in order to understand their origins and consequences, and evaluate their impacts in the earth dynamics and on the risks for human society. Discussions of how and why natural hazards occur; how human society should prepare for each of them; what kind of hazard events (secondary hazards) may occur after an initial disaster, will be debated.
Historical and contemporary case studies will be utilized to investigate the interaction between society and natural hazards.
The module will begin by reviewing the major international agreements in the environmental area. The local legislation on environment will also be reviewed at the end of the course and compared with relevant international legislation.
The market failures (public goods and the tragedy of the commons) are setting the scene for the environmental law. Indeed, our program cover two regulation areas that somehow are interconnected. Firstly, the module address environmental problems from the global prespective and therefore the main instruments of regulation as a set of broad policies (concepts and principles) which have been developed and used as the basis of the international environmental law. Furthermore, the modules also makes reference to the influence of environmental international law and other branches of law such as human rights law, international humanitarian law, trade law and, increasingly, in international investment law. Concurrently, it studies the main sources of environmental law, emphasizing the importance of the volutary mechanism as sources of international law. It further studies the main treaties and conventions directly related to the environment protection, namely the instuments applying to the global commons and international regulation of shared environmental impacts.
Secondly, if focus on the local reality (Macao acquis) and therefore of departing from Macao Basic Law, it concludes the study addressing the Macao SAR instruments on environment protection, side-by-side the sources of administrative and criminal individual responsibility.
Finally, students will have the opportunity to shortly research on one related environmental area from the legal and local point of view.
Development projects can have a significant impact in both the environment and populations. These include impacts as diverse as those derived from the manufacturing of construction materials, from ecological changes in non-urban areas, from energy consumption of built structures, or from undesirable effects to populations during and after construction. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a key instrument for sustainable development as it allows to integrate all the potential impacts of a project and to suggest measures for their mitigation and management. The module provides an overview of the EIA process, including of the tools most commonly applied for environmental assessment and management. The EIA framework at a regional (Macau, Hong Kong and Mainland China) and international level will be discussed. The different steps of an EIA study, including Screening, Scoping, Impact analysis, Mitigation and Impact Management, Reporting, Reviewing, Decision-Making, Implementation, and Monitoring will be reviewed. The concepts of Strategic Environmental Assessment and Cumulative Effects Assessment as tools for sustainability will be discussed. Finally, the concept of environmental standards and environmental management systems and their application to different fields will be reviewed.
In addition, the module aims to give practical training to students on EIA via hands-on analysis of case-studies. EIA analysis will be simulated to specific project in order to apply the EIA concepts learned in this module in real-life projects and understand how EIA can be incorporated in projects at the design, construction and operation phases.
By being aware of the concept and steps of EIA, developers can better integrate, from the start, measures in the planning and design of their projects that will minimize environmental and social impacts. The module will thus provide a comprehensive understanding of the process of EIA in various contexts.
This module focuses on marine pollution and ecotoxicology: from the definition of pollutant versus contaminant to the different types of pollutants that these ecosystems are subjected to (from organic to inorganic). Also, will be focused the effects of these pollutants on the coastal systems, from the cellular level to the population and ecosystem level. The students will be able to understand different mechanisms of bioaccumulation, biomagnification and elimination processes. Will be debated some strategies to control pollution in coastal systems. The contents of this module will promote a greater awareness for the importance of coastal systems, their management and conservation.This module provides a basic introduction to plant physiology which is essential in the understanding of how plants adapt and survive in different environments. Students will be first introduced to basic topics such as the structures and functions of the plant cell, photosythesis, transport mechanisms, metabolism and growth. Emphasis will also be given on current concepts and understandings related to how plants react to changes as well as stress in the physical environment like light, temperature, water availability, nutrients, pollution and defense against herbivory. Students will be engaged in both laboratory and field experiments to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts learned in class.The module aims to reflect on the moral challenges created by scientific advances in disciplines such as Biology or Neurosciences and to debate how controversial topics in these areas ought to be decided. We will start by reviewing and debating historical concepts in ethics like Moral Reasoning, Cultural Relativism, Subjectivism, Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism, Kantianism or the Social Contract. From these, we will try to reach a consensus within the class on which should be the general rules to be followed during ethical dilemmas and apply them to controversial issues raised in the specific field of Bioethics. These include topics like pre-natal screening, assisted reproduction, cloning, genetic enhancement, organ transplantation or assisted suicide. A case-study approach will be taken to overview these and other issues in bioethics and to try to identify general rules on which decision ought to be taken. Finally, the relationship between societies, non-human animals and ecosystems will be discussed from the perspective of bioethics and environmental ethics. The global impact of human activities in our planet will be reviewed and the role that individuals and organizations play towards the sustainable development of societies debated.Introduction to basic Portuguese with stress on oral drill and pronunciation. This course will focus on personal information.Continuation of Portuguese I, introduction to basic Portuguese in context, and will focus on people and objects.This course is the continuation of Portuguese II and will focus on public services and immediate needs, such as ordering food in a restaurant or complaining to the doctor.This course will be a continuation of Portuguese III and an introduction to level A2 of CEFR with the introduction to the past forms.Year 4This Module introduces Students to tools and methodologies to think and generate Business Models that could be validated by potential Clients that should be discovered and developed.
Business Models describe the way of how an organization create, deliver and capture value. So they are at the core of any Entrepreneurship project and are enhanced by Creativity and Innovation.
This Module proposes different approaches to promote Creativity, adding value to the process of Business Models Generation.
Technology Innovation will be presented as a stronger driver for changes in the markets and to be the basis of powerful Business Models.
This subject aims to introduce different literary genres. Students are expected to be conversant with some of the most pertinent literature of and for our times. Even though we disavow the relative merits of fixed lists of works considered classics, we do affirm the intrinsic value of communal reading and theorizing. Reading lists will be defined and evolve through proposals from faculty and students.This module focuses on the pollution of different environmental comparments, namely air, soil and water pollution, putting forward prevention measures on global and local scale and on treatment and remediation technologies. The contents of this module provide the students with tools to contribute to sustainable practices within primary production, aiming at preserving water and soil resources, with knowledge on technologies for water/wastewater treatment and for soil management and requalification, and with knowledge on valorisation solutions for water, by-products and residues produced during different human activities. Contribution of good practices to sustainability on a gobal scale will be approached.The module Environmental Philosophy and Ethics focuses on the relationship of humans with nature and their environment. While numerous philosophers have written on natural philosophy throughout history (Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Rousseau, Locke, Marx, Merleu-Ponty, Heidegger, Rawls, etc.), environmental philosphy and ethics only developed into a specific philosophical discipline in the 1970s. This emergence occurred due to the increasing awareness in the 1960s of the effects that technology, industry, economic expansion and population growth were having on the environment.
Sound philosophical and ethical reflections are indispensable today for consistent sustainable development and policies on local, national, and international level. The module Environmental Philosphy and Ethics reflects systematically on responsible interactions of people and societies with nature and the environment (ecological justice) on the individual (micro), the institutional (meso) and the socio-political level (macro). Aiming at sustainable societies, the module explores coherent philosophical and ethical principles for individuals and institutions underpinning the need to equitably balance the needs of those alive today (intragenerational justice) with the needs of future generations (intergenerational justice). Philosophcial and ethical foundations for a sustainable use of resources and energy are assessed: e.g. biodiversity, circular economy; decarbonisation, low/zero waste societies; waste hierarchy, user-polluter pays principle; transparency and accountability; economic incentives etc. Also the currrent inequalities between polluters and victims are addressed in order to promote a more just and ecologically sustainable form of development.
Seminars will be organized regularly to discuss specific topics in Environmental Science. These seminars will be taught by Professors from USJ, Professors from other institutions of higher education, non-academic professionals developing work in areas of interest to our students and also by individual students from the programme. The goal is to broaden the topics discussed during the programme and increase the students interaction with professionals from the field, thus enriching their learning experience, and also to give students practice in speaking in front of an audience while exploring topics of their own interest.This module will review and evaluate scientific theories, biological knowledge from genetics to ecosystems, that are essential to conservation biology and its applications. It will review concepts in biodiversity, applied ecology, environmental management, community, population and landscape ecology. Emphasis will be given to the various mechanisms that cause changes, specially the loss, restoration and maintenance of biological diversity, as well as the consequence of these changes, specially in today’s world. The implications of conservation for ethics, law, policy and economics will also be dealt with. Management principles and tools for conservation will be discussed and students are expected to apply this by taking part in practical field activities to identify and evaluate current conservation issues in the region.Writing scientific papers and communicating research efficiently are major keys to a sucessful academic career. This course provides an overview of the principles and techiques to define research questions, draft a paper and improve data presentation.
Lectures will be followed by practical exercises to apply the concepts discussed and strengthen communinication skills.
This module will offer an opportunity to improve writing and oral skills, but also to gain insights on how to publish and communicate efficiently across fields, which is critical to promote collaborations and translational research.
Urban ecology is the scientific study of the relation of living organisms with each other and their surroundings in the context of an urban environment. Environmental planning is a process of identifying, assessing and coming up with solutions to environmental issues. This overview module explores urban and environmental planning issues and problems, and reviews the ways planners grapple with them. Topics cover urban environmental issues and their impacts on the future of the city, including: food, water, urban health, biodiversity, landscape performance, pollution and toxicity, building health, resource consumption, waste management, and more.This module will prove the students the oportunity to develop a scientific project, which will include defining a research question, methods, collect data, and elaborate a final report. Students will have the chance to work on their individual research and experience lab work appropriate to their project goals. Students will receive constant guidance from a supervisor (from USJ staff) that will be assigned at the beginning of the project.This course will provide an overview of the principles of epidemiology and its relationship with public health. The content will focus on key terms for describing disease occurrence in the population, identify several commonly used study designs, and interpret measures of association and causality. Particular emphasis will be given to environmental epidemiology. This module will cover a description of the emerging methods used in enviromental epidemiology and to analyse epidemiological events affecting public health. Current and future directions of molecular biology, genetics (e.g. microarrays and proteomics) and pharmacology will also be discussed. A strong emphasis will be given to discussion of scientific papers.This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to utilize previous language background to lay a solid foundation for further Chinese language study.
本課程為母語為粵語或具有較高漢語水平的人士開設，旨在通過對學習者普通話听、説、讀、寫的訓練，提高語言水平，瞭解普通話的基本知識，為更高層次的普通話學習打下基礎。
This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to consolidate the foundation which students have built in their first level Chinese courses, to expand their vocabulary, and to introduce them to more complex grammatical structures.
本课程为母语是粵語或具有较高汉语水平的人士开设。在进一步提高学习者听、说能力，改善交际技巧的同时，重点对学习者进行阅读、写作和语法的训练。
Students read and discuss material from such sources as newspapers, journals, contemporary literature, media broadcasts and films. Students complete assignments in areas which focus on a practical application of Mandarin including in business, trade, tourism, education or linguistics.
本課程在學生完成普通話I、普通話II課程的基礎上，通過報紙、期刊、廣播、電影等大量現實語料的學習，幫助進一步讓學生進行提高語言水平，並能在商務、貿易等日程生活實際中正確運用
This module covers a variety of modern Chinese literary genres including essays, short stories, biographies, and criticisms. Emphasis will be on reading comprehension and expansion of vocabulary. Class discussions are on some substantive issues related to the readings.
普通話IV的講授主要包括三個內容：一是將繼續幫助學生提昇普通話水平，主要選用一些中國現代文學作品，包括散文、故事、人物傳記、評論等，作為補充材料，幫助學生理解、擴展詞彙的同時，瞭解中國社會及文化，並對一些相關問題進行討論，從而讓學生達到普通話的高級水平；二是普通話水平測試介紹及應試訓練；三是講授普通話教學法，幫助學生在教与學兩方面，於更高層次上瞭解和掌握普通話。
The main aim of this module is to support students in examining, evaluating and developing their own knowledge about Macau through critical engagement with a wide range of information sources. For students, the module will also represent an opportunity to further develop their reasoning ability, creativity, communication skills (through a variety of media) and their cooperative working capability.
It will begin by studying the major classes of pollutants that can impact health, the environmental sources of these substances, their transport and resilience in the environment and the routes for human and animal exposure to these chemicals.
Basic concepts of toxicology will be reviewed, including dose-response relationships, chemodynamics and chemokinetics. The potential impact on human health will be addressed by reviewing common negative effects on health (e.g. organ toxicity, carcinogenesis, endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental effects, etc).
The module will also review the existing procedures for monitoring environmental pollutants. Finally, a strong emphasis will be given to risk assessment and to the analytical procedures available for measuring environmental pollutants and for testing the potential negative effects of new pollutants in animal and human health.
Simple laboratory experiments in ecotoxicology will be run in order to provide hands-on training to students.
Historical and contemporary case studies will be utilized to investigate the interaction between society and natural hazards.
The market failures (public goods and the tragedy of the commons) are setting the scene for the environmental law. Indeed, our program cover two regulation areas that somehow are interconnected. Firstly, the module address environmental problems from the global prespective and therefore the main instruments of regulation as a set of broad policies (concepts and principles) which have been developed and used as the basis of the international environmental law. Furthermore, the modules also makes reference to the influence of environmental international law and other branches of law such as human rights law, international humanitarian law, trade law and, increasingly, in international investment law. Concurrently, it studies the main sources of environmental law, emphasizing the importance of the volutary mechanism as sources of international law. It further studies the main treaties and conventions directly related to the environment protection, namely the instuments applying to the global commons and international regulation of shared environmental impacts.
Secondly, if focus on the local reality (Macao acquis) and therefore of departing from Macao Basic Law, it concludes the study addressing the Macao SAR instruments on environment protection, side-by-side the sources of administrative and criminal individual responsibility.
Finally, students will have the opportunity to shortly research on one related environmental area from the legal and local point of view.
In addition, the module aims to give practical training to students on EIA via hands-on analysis of case-studies. EIA analysis will be simulated to specific project in order to apply the EIA concepts learned in this module in real-life projects and understand how EIA can be incorporated in projects at the design, construction and operation phases.
By being aware of the concept and steps of EIA, developers can better integrate, from the start, measures in the planning and design of their projects that will minimize environmental and social impacts. The module will thus provide a comprehensive understanding of the process of EIA in various contexts.
This Module introduces Students to tools and methodologies to think and generate Business Models that could be validated by potential Clients that should be discovered and developed.
Business Models describe the way of how an organization create, deliver and capture value. So they are at the core of any Entrepreneurship project and are enhanced by Creativity and Innovation.
This Module proposes different approaches to promote Creativity, adding value to the process of Business Models Generation.
Technology Innovation will be presented as a stronger driver for changes in the markets and to be the basis of powerful Business Models.
Business Models describe the way of how an organization create, deliver and capture value. So they are at the core of any Entrepreneurship project and are enhanced by Creativity and Innovation.
This Module proposes different approaches to promote Creativity, adding value to the process of Business Models Generation.
Technology Innovation will be presented as a stronger driver for changes in the markets and to be the basis of powerful Business Models.
This subject aims to introduce different literary genres. Students are expected to be conversant with some of the most pertinent literature of and for our times. Even though we disavow the relative merits of fixed lists of works considered classics, we do affirm the intrinsic value of communal reading and theorizing. Reading lists will be defined and evolve through proposals from faculty and students.
This module focuses on the pollution of different environmental comparments, namely air, soil and water pollution, putting forward prevention measures on global and local scale and on treatment and remediation technologies. The contents of this module provide the students with tools to contribute to sustainable practices within primary production, aiming at preserving water and soil resources, with knowledge on technologies for water/wastewater treatment and for soil management and requalification, and with knowledge on valorisation solutions for water, by-products and residues produced during different human activities. Contribution of good practices to sustainability on a gobal scale will be approached.
The module Environmental Philosophy and Ethics focuses on the relationship of humans with nature and their environment. While numerous philosophers have written on natural philosophy throughout history (Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Rousseau, Locke, Marx, Merleu-Ponty, Heidegger, Rawls, etc.), environmental philosphy and ethics only developed into a specific philosophical discipline in the 1970s. This emergence occurred due to the increasing awareness in the 1960s of the effects that technology, industry, economic expansion and population growth were having on the environment.
Sound philosophical and ethical reflections are indispensable today for consistent sustainable development and policies on local, national, and international level. The module Environmental Philosphy and Ethics reflects systematically on responsible interactions of people and societies with nature and the environment (ecological justice) on the individual (micro), the institutional (meso) and the socio-political level (macro). Aiming at sustainable societies, the module explores coherent philosophical and ethical principles for individuals and institutions underpinning the need to equitably balance the needs of those alive today (intragenerational justice) with the needs of future generations (intergenerational justice). Philosophcial and ethical foundations for a sustainable use of resources and energy are assessed: e.g. biodiversity, circular economy; decarbonisation, low/zero waste societies; waste hierarchy, user-polluter pays principle; transparency and accountability; economic incentives etc. Also the currrent inequalities between polluters and victims are addressed in order to promote a more just and ecologically sustainable form of development.
Sound philosophical and ethical reflections are indispensable today for consistent sustainable development and policies on local, national, and international level. The module Environmental Philosphy and Ethics reflects systematically on responsible interactions of people and societies with nature and the environment (ecological justice) on the individual (micro), the institutional (meso) and the socio-political level (macro). Aiming at sustainable societies, the module explores coherent philosophical and ethical principles for individuals and institutions underpinning the need to equitably balance the needs of those alive today (intragenerational justice) with the needs of future generations (intergenerational justice). Philosophcial and ethical foundations for a sustainable use of resources and energy are assessed: e.g. biodiversity, circular economy; decarbonisation, low/zero waste societies; waste hierarchy, user-polluter pays principle; transparency and accountability; economic incentives etc. Also the currrent inequalities between polluters and victims are addressed in order to promote a more just and ecologically sustainable form of development.
Seminars will be organized regularly to discuss specific topics in Environmental Science. These seminars will be taught by Professors from USJ, Professors from other institutions of higher education, non-academic professionals developing work in areas of interest to our students and also by individual students from the programme. The goal is to broaden the topics discussed during the programme and increase the students interaction with professionals from the field, thus enriching their learning experience, and also to give students practice in speaking in front of an audience while exploring topics of their own interest.
This module will review and evaluate scientific theories, biological knowledge from genetics to ecosystems, that are essential to conservation biology and its applications. It will review concepts in biodiversity, applied ecology, environmental management, community, population and landscape ecology. Emphasis will be given to the various mechanisms that cause changes, specially the loss, restoration and maintenance of biological diversity, as well as the consequence of these changes, specially in today’s world. The implications of conservation for ethics, law, policy and economics will also be dealt with. Management principles and tools for conservation will be discussed and students are expected to apply this by taking part in practical field activities to identify and evaluate current conservation issues in the region.
Writing scientific papers and communicating research efficiently are major keys to a sucessful academic career. This course provides an overview of the principles and techiques to define research questions, draft a paper and improve data presentation.
Lectures will be followed by practical exercises to apply the concepts discussed and strengthen communinication skills.
This module will offer an opportunity to improve writing and oral skills, but also to gain insights on how to publish and communicate efficiently across fields, which is critical to promote collaborations and translational research.
Lectures will be followed by practical exercises to apply the concepts discussed and strengthen communinication skills.
This module will offer an opportunity to improve writing and oral skills, but also to gain insights on how to publish and communicate efficiently across fields, which is critical to promote collaborations and translational research.
Urban ecology is the scientific study of the relation of living organisms with each other and their surroundings in the context of an urban environment. Environmental planning is a process of identifying, assessing and coming up with solutions to environmental issues. This overview module explores urban and environmental planning issues and problems, and reviews the ways planners grapple with them. Topics cover urban environmental issues and their impacts on the future of the city, including: food, water, urban health, biodiversity, landscape performance, pollution and toxicity, building health, resource consumption, waste management, and more.
This module will prove the students the oportunity to develop a scientific project, which will include defining a research question, methods, collect data, and elaborate a final report. Students will have the chance to work on their individual research and experience lab work appropriate to their project goals. Students will receive constant guidance from a supervisor (from USJ staff) that will be assigned at the beginning of the project.
This course will provide an overview of the principles of epidemiology and its relationship with public health. The content will focus on key terms for describing disease occurrence in the population, identify several commonly used study designs, and interpret measures of association and causality. Particular emphasis will be given to environmental epidemiology. This module will cover a description of the emerging methods used in enviromental epidemiology and to analyse epidemiological events affecting public health. Current and future directions of molecular biology, genetics (e.g. microarrays and proteomics) and pharmacology will also be discussed. A strong emphasis will be given to discussion of scientific papers.
This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to utilize previous language background to lay a solid foundation for further Chinese language study.
本課程為母語為粵語或具有較高漢語水平的人士開設，旨在通過對學習者普通話听、説、讀、寫的訓練，提高語言水平，瞭解普通話的基本知識，為更高層次的普通話學習打下基礎。
本課程為母語為粵語或具有較高漢語水平的人士開設，旨在通過對學習者普通話听、説、讀、寫的訓練，提高語言水平，瞭解普通話的基本知識，為更高層次的普通話學習打下基礎。
This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to consolidate the foundation which students have built in their first level Chinese courses, to expand their vocabulary, and to introduce them to more complex grammatical structures.
本课程为母语是粵語或具有较高汉语水平的人士开设。在进一步提高学习者听、说能力，改善交际技巧的同时，重点对学习者进行阅读、写作和语法的训练。
本课程为母语是粵語或具有较高汉语水平的人士开设。在进一步提高学习者听、说能力，改善交际技巧的同时，重点对学习者进行阅读、写作和语法的训练。
Students read and discuss material from such sources as newspapers, journals, contemporary literature, media broadcasts and films. Students complete assignments in areas which focus on a practical application of Mandarin including in business, trade, tourism, education or linguistics.
本課程在學生完成普通話I、普通話II課程的基礎上，通過報紙、期刊、廣播、電影等大量現實語料的學習，幫助進一步讓學生進行提高語言水平，並能在商務、貿易等日程生活實際中正確運用
本課程在學生完成普通話I、普通話II課程的基礎上，通過報紙、期刊、廣播、電影等大量現實語料的學習，幫助進一步讓學生進行提高語言水平，並能在商務、貿易等日程生活實際中正確運用
This module covers a variety of modern Chinese literary genres including essays, short stories, biographies, and criticisms. Emphasis will be on reading comprehension and expansion of vocabulary. Class discussions are on some substantive issues related to the readings.
普通話IV的講授主要包括三個內容：一是將繼續幫助學生提昇普通話水平，主要選用一些中國現代文學作品，包括散文、故事、人物傳記、評論等，作為補充材料，幫助學生理解、擴展詞彙的同時，瞭解中國社會及文化，並對一些相關問題進行討論，從而讓學生達到普通話的高級水平；二是普通話水平測試介紹及應試訓練；三是講授普通話教學法，幫助學生在教与學兩方面，於更高層次上瞭解和掌握普通話。
普通話IV的講授主要包括三個內容：一是將繼續幫助學生提昇普通話水平，主要選用一些中國現代文學作品，包括散文、故事、人物傳記、評論等，作為補充材料，幫助學生理解、擴展詞彙的同時，瞭解中國社會及文化，並對一些相關問題進行討論，從而讓學生達到普通話的高級水平；二是普通話水平測試介紹及應試訓練；三是講授普通話教學法，幫助學生在教与學兩方面，於更高層次上瞭解和掌握普通話。
Last Updated: November 30, 2023 at 3:39 pm
