MSc in Environmental Engineering (3 ed)

Completion requirements:

Compulsory: 34,5
Optional: 31,5
External internships 6
Master’s Final Project: 18
Total: 90

Not contemplated

• Admission profile

  The curriculum of the degree as well as its development over this time allows to indicate a set of recommended skills, such as:

  - Interest in current environmental challenges: circular economy, waste and wastewater management, climate change, emerging pollutants, etc.
  - Interdisciplinarity, having an interest in working in multidisciplinary environments.
  - Interest in the business and industrial world, as well as in the development of innovative technologies.
  - Interest in R&D&I.
  - Teamwork.
  - Proactive behavior.
  - Autonomous learning to maintain and improve skills.
  - English language proficiency.

• Minimum number of ECTS enrollment credits per student and school period

  Completion requirements:

  Compulsory: 34,5
  Optional: 31,5
  External internships 6
  Master’s Final Project: 18
  Total: 90

• Tutorial action and reception

  La universidad dispone de diversos servicios para el apoyo y orientación del alumnado durante su trayectoria universitaria, que se describen a continuación:

  Asesoramiento y acción tutorial.

  - Informar sobre las características académicas de los estudios y sobre sus salidas profesionales.
  - Informar sobre el régimen de acceso y permanencia del alumnado en la Universidad.
  - Informar sobre los derechos del alumnado y asesorar sobre el modo de ejercerlos y/o reclamarlos.
  - Informar, a nivel general y en los Centros, de las becas y ayudas convocadas.
  - Promover la creación de becas y ayudas y proponer a las Juntas de Gobierno las acciones a llevar a cabo en materia de becas, ayudas y exenciones.
  - Asesorar en la búsqueda de empleo. En esta línea se realizan varias actuaciones que tienen como finalidad atender necesidades de información y orientación laboral. Ofrece información sobre salidas profesionales, prácticas, ofertas de empleo, direcciones de empresas, ayudas y subvenciones para el autoempleo.
  - Asesorar en la creación de empresas nuevas.
  - Programas europeos.

  Dispone también de planes de acción tutorial que asigna profesorado tutor a cada estudiante para ofrecer asesoramiento académico en cuanto a las opciones y la orientación de su proyecto académico y profesional.

  Asimismo, informa de los recursos y servicios que la Universidad pone a disposición del estudiantado y de la información sobre el funcionamiento general de la misma, sobre los aspectos administrativos, académicos, de gestión y de participación en las estructuras de gobierno.

  Cada año se realiza una sesión de bienvenida a os estudiantes de nueva incorporación que tiene como objetivo ofrecer a los estudiantes de nuevo ingreso información de acogida en el centro, incidiendo en aspectos que cualquier estudiante debe conocer de la vida universitaria a todos los niveles (institucional, de centro y de la titulación que va a cursar).

• Access

  Access

  Poderán acceder ás ensinanzas oficiais de máster:
  1. As persoas que estean en posesión dun título universitario oficial español.
  2. Aquelas que teñan un título expedido por unha institución de educación superior do EEES que faculta no país expedidor do título para o acceso a ensinanzas de máster.
  3. Os titulados conforme a sistemas educativos alleos ao EEES sen necesidade de homologación dos seus títulos, previa comprobación pola Universidade de que os ditos títulos acreditan un nivel de formación equivalente aos correspondentes títulos universitarios españois e que facultan no país expedidor do título para o acceso a ensinanzas de posgrao.

  Admission

  Modality: general criteria.

  Access degrees:

  Block A: 13 vacancies

  Technical Education Degrees ( Degree and Master's Degrees in Engineering; Higher Engineers; Technical Engineers; Architecture and Technical Architecture, etc.)

  Block B: 12 vacancies
  Experimental Sciences Degrees ( Degree, Master's Degree and Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Pharmacy, etc.)

  Block C: 5 vacancies (foreign students, both in technical and science education)

  NOTE: Vacancies that are not filled in Block A will be offered in Block B and vice versa. If places in Block C are not filled, applicants from Blocks A and B may have access to them and vice versa.

  Students coming from countries with a language other than Galician, Portuguese or Spanish must accredit the Galician language level: Celga II, or Spanish: B1, according to the Agreement of the Governing Council of the USC of July 30, 2018.

  If they do not have any of the qualifications, the USC will give them a level test and, if they do not pass it, they must attend an intensive course of Galician or Spanish in the first semester until they reach the required level.

The main objective is to train technicians able not only to analyze and diagnose problems related to the environment, but also to define proposal and project solutions, always dealing with the environment from an integral point of view.

These are general objectives of the degree (defined on the basis of the functions and tasks that the Environmental Engineer must assume) with which it is intended that the graduates should be capable and competent in:

- Identify and formulate environmental problems.
- Plan, design and project solutions, including management models, works or installations to avoid and solve such problems.
- Exploit, maintain andmanage works, facilities or environmental services

• Basic skills

  - Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for being original in the development and/or application of ideas —usually in a research context.

  - Students must know how to apply their acquired knowledge and their capacity of problem solving in new or uncommon surroundings. All of this, inside broader —or multidisciplinary— contexts associated with their study area.

  - Students must be able to integrate knowledge and confront the complexity of making judgements from information which could be incomplete and limited. This information must include reflections about social and ethical responsibilities associated with the application of their study areas’ knowledge and judgements.

  - Students must know how to clearly and unambiguously communicate their conclusions —and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that sustain them— to specialized and non-specialized public.

  - Students must possess learning abilities that will allow them to continue studying, in a way which would be largely self-directed and autonomous.

• Generic skills

  - To identify and enunciate environmental problems.
  - To be able to predict and control the evolution of complex situations through the development of innovative work methodologies adapted to a particular scientific/researcher, technological or professional field, multidisciplinary in general in which its activity is developed.
  - To be able to assume the responsibility of their own professional development and specialization in one or more fields of study.
  - To apply their knowledge of mathematics, physics,chemistry, biology and other natural sciences, acquired through study, experience and practice, with critical reasoning in order to establish economically viable solutions to technical problems
  - To conduct appropriate research, undertake design and lead the development of engineering solutions, in new or unfamiliar environments, linking creativity, originality, innovation and technology transfer.
  - To lead and administrate companies, as well as production systems and services, apply the knowledge and skills of industrial organization, marketing strategies, commercial and labor legislation, financial and cost accounting
  - To lead and manage the organization of work and human resources applying industrial security criteria, quality management, prevention of labor risks, sustainability and environmental management (good practices)
  - To lead and perform the verification, control of facilities, processes and products, as well as certifications, audits, verifications, tests and reports.
  - To manage the technological Research, development and Innovation taking into account the transfer of technology and property and patent rights

• Specific skills

  - To know how to evaluate and select the adequate scientific theory and the precise methodology of the field of study of Environmental Engineering in order to make judgments on the basis of incomplete or limited information including, when necessary and relevant, a reflection on the social or ethical responsibility linked to the solution proposed in each case
  - In-depth knowledge of technologies, tools and techniques in the field of environmental engineering to be able to compare and select technical alternatives and emerging technologies.
  -To develop the sufficient autonomy to participate in research projects and scientific or technological collaborations within the thematic field of Environmental Engineering, in interdisciplinary contexts and, in this case, with a high component of knowledge transfer.
  - To design products, processes, systems and services for the process industry, as well as the optimization of others already developed, taking as a technological basis the different areas of Environmental Engineering.
  - To conceptualize models of engineering, to apply innovative methods to problem solving and adequate informatic applications for the design, simulation, optimization and control of processes and systems.
  - To lead and supervise all types of facilities, processes, systems and services of the different industrial areas related to the environmental processes industry.
  - To direct and manage technically and economically projects, installations, plants, companies and technology centers in the field of environmental process industry and related industrial sectors.
  - To approach a real Environmental Engineering problem from a scientific-technical perspective, recognizing the importance of the search and management of existing information and applicable legislation.
  - To possess autonomous learning skills to maintain and improve their own competencies of Environmental Engineering that allow the continuous development of the profession.
  - To be able to apply environmental management tools (environmental impact studies, life cycle analysis, industrial ecology, clean technologies, ISO standards, EMAS) when preparing reports or projects.
  - To identify actions in the field of circular economy, defining the options within the new business models.

• Transversal skills

  - Desarrollar capacidades asociadas al trabajo en equipo: cooperación, liderazgo, saber escuchar
  - Liderar y definir equipos multidisciplinares capaces de resolver cambios técnicos y necesidades directivas en contextos nacionales e internacionales
  - Adaptarse a los cambios, siendo capaz de aplicar tecnologías nuevas y avanzadas y otros progresos relevantes, con iniciativa y espíritu emprendedor
  - Demostrar razonamiento crítico y autocrítico, capacidad analítica y de síntesis
  - Elaborar, escribir y defender públicamente informes y proyectos de carácter científico y técnico
  - Apreciar el valor de la calidad y la mejora continua, actuando con rigor, responsabilidad y ética profesional en el marco de compromiso con el desarrollo sostenible
  - Dominio de la gestión del tiempo y de situaciones críticas
  - Habilidad para las relaciones interpersonales

Mobility

Student mobility is regulated through the “Regulation of inter-university exchange.” Exchange programs are managed through the International Relations Office, such as national exchange programs (SICUE) as well as Europeans (ERASMUS) and from outside the European Union (exchanges with Latin American countries or English-speaking countries):

Portal Internacional

Internships

The internship will consist of an internship in one or more companies or institutions, for 150 hours in order to obtain a total of 6 equivalent credits (1 ECTS credit = 25 hours of internship).

The Higher Technical School of Engineering will assign the student a tutor among the Teaching and Research Staff of the Center, who will monitor the work done by the student and ensure the quality of the stay. The School has experience in the organization of these internships, managed directly by the Coordinator of internships in companies of the ETSE or processed by the General internship program of the Social Council of the USC..

Given the characteristics of the degrees taught at the School, we consider the relationship with the companies of the implicated sectors to be fundamental in order to carry out technical visits, conferences and the development of external internships and final projects in the companies.

A Master’s Thesis of 18 ECTS will be realized by each student and will consist in an original research work, design or scientific or technical development studies, always related to the different subjects of the Master. The project may be carried out during a stay in a Company, Public Organization, University, Research Center or Technological Center that has signed a collaboration agreement with the USC in the context of the Master, or in a Research Group of the USC.

The main objective of the Master’s Thesis will be the completion of a project in the field of Environmental Engineering as the application, by the student, of the knowledge and skills acquired in their training, in order to simulate an anticipated professional activity, whether in the scientific, technical or managerial field, which will allow them to complete their academic training, in accordance with the student's personal interests.

The teaching staff of the Master in Environmental Engineering is made up of 30 professors from 10 different departments, a clear indicator of the transversal concept of the MSc programme. Parity is complete, with 50% of men and women. Regarding their professional category, 37% are university Full Professors, 54% Associated Profs., as well as the participation of 1 Assistant Prof., 1 post-doc researcher and 1 lecturer from companies.

The teaching staff stands out for their level of recognition both in their teaching activity and research activity, as well as a great conection with the business world (high number of agreements and contracts with companies). These data as well as the lines of research can be consulted on the degree's website.

Practically all the teaching staff have extensive recognized teaching and research work (publications, project management, membership of consolidated research groups, etc.). It should be noted that half of the teaching staff is a member of the recently created CRETUS research center (Cross-disciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies), an international group of excellence in the field of environmental sciences and technologies.

CRETUS brings together 8 research groups, with 50 professors and 90 researchers with great scientific activity and technology transfer (in the period 2009-16 they published 949 articles, 34 books, 103 theses and 23 patents, capturing 19.1 million patents in that period). euros through 134 projects and 210 contracts) The teaching staff of the MEnA is widely represented in CRETUS, since 50% are members of it.