Environmental Sciences

Overview

Human activities are a regular cause of imbalances in natural systems and the societies that depend upon them, on the local, regional or global scale. Understanding the underlying physical, chemical and biological processes is essential for resolving contemporary environmental problems.

This understanding is represented in the form of models that allow informed management decisions to be made. However, these models must take into account data gathered through observation and monitoring of the phenomena concerned. Otherwise, the information they provide will be of little real value.

The teaching programme at the Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Sciences offered by University of Lausanne focuses on areas of study affected by both physical and chemical processes (for example, water tables, landslides, landfills, diffuse or concentrated pollution), as well as the interactions between environmental disruptors and living organisms. 

Through this interdisciplinary approach, future professionals are trained to acquire the capacity to confront the increasingly complex interactions between the critical zone, ecosystems and human activities.

The aim of the syllabus is to train students to describe, understand and model physical and chemical processes of both natural and anthropogenic origin. For this purpose, they will need to master and know how to use quantitative methodologies in environmental science (field measurements, laboratory work and data analysis), as well as how to choose appropriate techniques for the evaluation and monitoring of environmental problems. They will have to address the issues related to a theme on the theoretical and empirical foundations of natural science, while taking into account the complexity, uncertainties and limits of knowledge concerning environmental processes.

Moreover, university studies develop a great many transverse skills such as: oral and written communication, critical, analytical and summarising faculties, abilities in research, and so on.

 This panoply of skills, combined with specialist knowledge acquired in the course of studies, is excellent preparation for a wide range of employment opportunities, such as:

• Branches of the public administration responsible for environmental policies
• Non-governmental organisations dedicated to environmental protection
• Environmental management in companies
• Research institutes
• Consulting firms