1. Introduction

 Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the scientific study of natural systems and human impacts on these systems. Most environmental problems are complex, demanding the problem-solving insights of multiple disciplines. A student seeking to specialize in Environmental Science is required to focus on at least three areas.  First, it is important for him to understand the natural processes (both physical and biological) that operate in the world. Second, it is important to appreciate the role that technology plays in our society and its capacity to alter natural processes as well as solve problems caused by human impact.  Third, the complex social processes that are characteristics of human populations must be understood and integrated with knowledge of technology and natural processes to fully appreciate the role of humans in the natural world.

The program proposed here is clearly different from Environmental Engineering in both its content and objectives. The distinction lies in the emphasis of the proposed program on the scientific aspects of environment rather than on its engineering applications.

 2. Objectives of the Program

 The proposed Environmental Sciences program aims at providing students with a broad-based foundation in the scientific principles that govern natural and engineered environmental systems. In addition, the program will focus on the critical environmental problems which transcend national borders, but which also have local relevance. The program will help students prepare for careers that require the policy-and decision-making skills necessary to integrate technical knowledge into a broader, applied framework.

 The program will integrate the natural, chemical, and physical sciences taught in the College of Sciences with a strong emphasis on concept-based learning and empiricism. In this program the students are to be trained for careers in Environmental Science research and management  in a wholly problem-solving setting.

3. Employment Opportunities

 Graduate students with a Mater’s degree in Environmental Sciences have a wide choice of employment opportunities  in the following sectors:

               ·        Government or private sectors dealing with environmental effects of oil, water resources, and mineral resources on the earth’s systems.

               ·        Government planning agencies dealing with the environmental assessments of urbanization programs in arid regions.

               ·        Consultation, construction and maintenance firms dealing with environmental applications.

               ·        Research institutes and national organizations dealing with detection, monitoring and mitigation programs of environmental hazards.

4. Admission Requirements

 Science or engineering graduates  from recognized institutions who have a GPA of 3.00 or above (on a 4.00 scale), or equivalent, are eligible to apply for admission as a regular student in the Master of Environmental Sciences Program. Applicants should also have satisfied the Graduate School admission requirements. Students with any deficiencies in their undergraduate courses will be required to take the relevant deficiency courses.

  5. Participating Departments

 The program will be administered by the Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Sciences with the active involvement of the Department of Chemistry. In addition, students will also take courses from other University departments as electives.                                                                     

 6. Degree Awarded

 The degree awarded in this program is Master in Environmental Sciences.

 7. Availability of Resources

The resources available in KFUPM and in the College of Sciences in particular, will be utilized in administering the program. Physical resources in terms of space, laboratory facilities, computer labs and research instrumentation, are for the most part available in the Departments of Earth Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics.   (see the Research & Teaching Facilities section). Hence, the program will be initiated using the existing resources without any major acquisitions.

Most of the required faculty for the proposed program will be drawn from the participating departments in the College of Sciences. The experts available in these departments should suffice  to teach the various courses suggested in the program. However, the program will also benefit greatly from the recruitment of some additional faculty members with who have an environmental orientation (in Physics and Chemistry).

 8. Research and Teaching Facilities

 The Earth Sciences Department houses a variety of teaching and research laboratories. Facilities and instruments include a thin-section preparation laboratory, polarizing, reflection, and binocular microscopy, sieving, x-ray diffractometry, a wet geochemistry laboratory, portable hydrogeochemistry laboratory, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), paleomagnetism laboratory, remote sensing and aerial photography, ISEM and two Sun Workstations in addition to a well-developed PC lab and computing facilities.

 The Department and RI/KFUPM centers are furnished with the required field and lab. equipment, tools and other facilities (i.e. geophysical, soil mechanics, rock mechanics, soil/water sampling) that are needed for environmental and geological activities. Additional facilities including XRF, SEM, ICP, TEM, AA, CL, and GC-MS are available in the KFUPM Research Institute (RI).  The Department owns three 4-wheel drive vehicles and a dune buggy for field trips.

 The laboratory facilities in the Chemistry Department include a wide array of general equipment, in addition to major instruments such as, the AC-80 FT Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer, the Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectrometer with a 15 inch magnet, 4-microwave bridges at the L, S, X and Q bands and an electron-nuclear double resonance accessory,  an X-ray diffractometer equipped with low temperature accessories, an inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer, a flame atomic absorption spectrometer,  a C, H, N, S-Elemental analyzer, infrared spectrometers including dispersive and Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometers, and conventional and capillary gas chromatographs.

 9. Comparison with USA Universities

The program was compared in terms of courses,  number of credit hours and course descriptions with some well known American Universities. The results of the survey are summarized in the table below:

 10. Degree Plan

 11. Program Requirements

Core Courses

General Required Courses:

Degree Requirements:

Environmental Sciences Elective Courses

Students are also required to take two courses from the following elective course list for a total of 6 credit hours as Environmental Sciences electives.