SOIL ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION

OBJECTIVES

The Master in Soil Evaluation and Remediation, offered by the Faculty of Sciences in partnership with the Faculty of Engineering, has as general objectives the training of professionals with the knowledge and skills to carry out soil quality assessments, with respect to their capacity to guarantee its functions and ecosystem services and to propose remediation strategies adjusted to the type of degradation and the future use of each area.

Specific objectives of the master’s degree are to confer knowledge and skills in:

• Geochemistry, pedology, hydrology and modeling;
• Soil genesis and geomorphology, weathering and soil evolution;
• Ecotoxicology, ecology and soil microbiology;
• Selection and evaluation of chemical, physical, biological/biochemical and ecological indicators of soil quality appropriate to each real situation;
• Planning of sampling designs and technical field evaluations;
• Analytical methodologies and technologies available for soil evaluation and rehabilitation;
• Decision-support tools for the choice of rehabilitation approaches and/or soil management practices more appropriate for each real situation.

 

STRUCTURE

The Master includes:

• in the first year a Specialization course consisting of an organized set of curricular units corresponding to 60 ECTS credits, which allows to obtain a Specialization in Soil Evaluation and Remediation, not conferring degree;
• in the second year, a dissertation of an original scientific nature and specially carried out for this purpose, or a professional internship subject to a final report, corresponding to 60 ECTS credits, and whose presentation and defense in a public exam allows to obtain the Master’s degree in Soil Evaluation and Remediation.

 

CURRICULAR PLAN

Click here to view the complete version of the latest curricular plan.

 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• To hold a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences and Technology, Environmental Engineering, Biology, Geology, Mines Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry or related fields.
• Alternatively, a foreign higher academic degree in the mentioned areas conferred after a Bachelor degree within the Bologna process or that the scientific committee of the Master considers to fulfill the objectives of the graduation degree.
• As a final alternative, an academic, scientific or professional curriculum that the scientific committee of the Master recognizes as attesting ability to do so.

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

The evaluation of the applicants (from 0 to 20 values) will be made according to the following criteria (A + B or A + C):

A. Academic qualifications (Weighting 50%)

• Average of the degree or the curricular units completed up to the date of the application (50%);

or

• Average of the degree in scientific areas other than those indicated (50%);

 B. Scientific or professional curriculum (Weighting 50%):

• Curricular and extracurricular internship on environmental science areas (10%);
• Scientific Publications (5%);
• Communications in Scientific Meetings (10%);
• Participation in funded projects (5%)
• Other extra-curricular activities and soft skills (10%)
• Professional activity in the area of environmental sciences (10%)

C. Professional experience (Weighting 50%)

• Professional experience of high merit in the area of the Master course – 35%;

or

• Professional experience of high merit in the environmental sciences area – 35%;

• Number of years of professional experience – 15%

Breakout Criteria: Interview

Note: Candidates who do not complete the degree until the registration deadline will be excluded from the selected list.

 

CAREER PROSPECTS

The Master Course in Soil Evaluation and Remediation will train professionals with solid and advanced skills to provide services, to design and manage projects and to create new business ideas focused on soil evaluation/rehabilitation (agricultural, residential, industrial, forestry), always taking into consideration the evaluation and the protection of water bodies, ecosystems and human health. Examples of professional activities: management of agroecosystems and forest areas, risk assessment and rehabilitation of contaminated areas, rural development and circular economy, urban planning, nature conservation.