Education programmes .. Science .. Ecology

The field

Science

Type of certificate

Bachelor degree

Name of certificate

Certificate in Ecology

The specialization

Ecology

Place and address of the program

Damascus- Baramkeh
Telephone: 0093-011-2121978
 0093-011-3392-4966
Fax: 00963-011-2119896 

Aims of the department

The goal of Ecology department at Damascus University can be summarized by clarifying the role of ecology in diagnosing the environmental problems, identifying their factors whether they are natural or cultural, and examining the tools of treating them. In addition to reacting against the dangers of these problems and confronting them. Responding to the request of Syrian society and keeping updated with international developments to preserve environment and protect it from pollution, working in this department is considered necessary and vital request.
To support the role of university for achieving more progression and development, the department of Ecology looks forward to be the pioneer in educational, academic, and research scopes to contribute in developing the local society, which can be done by two ways. Firstly, it graduates high qualified students and establishes institutions serving the society. Secondly, through developing the scientific and technical scopes, studies, and applied researches needed. This department depends on expert staff and uses modern and specialized laboratories to study the relationship between the modern, specialized and physical processes and the biotic chemical ones in order to find solutions to environmental problems 

Conditions of acceptance

  • Having a scientific baccalaureate by 1800 degree at least and applying to the system of the university’s acceptance

Preferable skills

  • The graduate will gain scientific and developed understand to the relationship between humans and their environment for applying the scientific progression, modern techniques, policies, and programs in order to solve the complex environmental problems and understand the environmental issues and their effects on consuming extra energy.
  • He/she will be able to observe and study environment pollution and invent practical ways to decrees all kinds of pollution.
  •  He/she will be able to manage getting rid of industrial and dangerous waste in a scientific way. 

Number of enrolled students per year

100 students

Length of study

Four years

Language of study

Arabic

Sectors of careers that are worked in

  • Teaching in schools and universities.
  • In the institutions that concern with environmental issues.
  • In the ministries of Energy, Environment, Industry, and organizations of Environment Quality.
  • In centers of studies and scientific researches, laboratories, and centers of researches at universities.
  • In departments of standers and metrology.
  • In unprofitable centers that concern with environmental issues, water, and renewable energy.
  • In governmental institutions, centers and the ministries that concern with environmental, water, and energy issues.
  • In governmental environmental centers, such as municipalities.
  • In the professions that concern with observing and controlling pollution, recycling and getting rid of waste in factories
  • .In the field of media that concerns with environmental issues and programs of environmental awareness

Pursuing academic study

Master and doctorate

Course description

Ecology
1st year
The principles of ecology., interactions of organisms with their environment, dynamics of populations, species interactions, structure and dynamics of ecological communities, biodiversity.
the interactions organisms  with each other and with their abiotic environment.
 the non-living and living components, Biomass,  nutrient cycling ,ecosystems.  adaptation and natural selection, Life processes, interactions and adaptations, the movement of materials and energy, the succession development of ecosystems , natural resource management ,a hierarchy, environmental problems, pollution.
Mathematics & Statistics
1st year
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and analysis.
Introductory statistical methods for  data: describing data (numerical and graphical summaries); introduction to probability; and statistical inference (hypothesis tests and confidence intervals). Intermediate statistical methods: comparing groups (analysis of variance) ,and methods for categorical data . model theory, and proof theory,  linear algebra ,numerical analysis ,  matrices,, graph theory,  approximation theory,
test a hypothesis.
Chemical Principles
(general chemistry)
1st year
Chemical equilibrium concepts, equilibrium constants, The properties of gases ,  acids and bases, chemical thermodynamics, quantum concepts, models of ionic and covalent bonding, atomic and molecular orbital theory, periodicity,
Physics
1st year
Introduction to kinetic theory of matter ,  the study of light and heat. Also, reflection and refraction, lenses and lens systems; polarization, interference, and diffraction; temperature, properties of matter and thermodynamics, introduction to kinetic theory of matter .Electrostatics ,electric potential,
Environmental Economics
1st year
Conduct economic analysis related to  the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques. .environmental issues,.  Common goods and public goods.  economic impact of environmental policies .the tools of economics to address environmental problems, Sustainable development, environmental accounting,  costs to clean up or remediate contaminated sites, environmental fines, penalties and taxes, purchase of pollution prevention technologies and waste management costs.
Climatology
1st year
The study of climate, weather forecasting ,atmospheric, the global patterns of atmospheric winds, ocean currents, and the climate of the Earth. climate change, the factors which impact the global climate system.  the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and ice.Also,  weather systems ,weather patterns,  the natural or human-induced factors that cause climates to change, Phenomena of climatological , the atmospheric boundary layer, circulation patterns, heat transfer (radiative, convective and latent), interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans and land surface (particularly vegetation, land use and topography), and the chemical and physical composition of the atmosphere. Temperature, atmospheric pressure, dehydration, relative humidity, clouds
Geology
1st year
Major minerals and rock types, rock-forming processes, and time scales. Temperatures, pressures, compositions, structure of the Earth, and measurement techniques. Geologic structures and relationships observable in the field. Sediment movement and landform development by moving water, wind, and ice. Crustal processes and planetary evolution in terms of global plate tectonics. It includes laboratory exercises on minerals, rocks, mapping, plate tectonics, glaciers, the origin of the solar system and the early Earth atmosphere , structural features of igneous and metamorphic rocks, and deformations.
Plant diversity
2nd year
The concept of diversity, indictors of diversity  , importance and its benefits , sources of threat to bio diversity, factors affecting diversity, maintaining plant diversity , Algae ,fungi , gymnosperm…Plant diversity in Syria.
Environmental chemistry
2nd year
Introduction of environmental chemistry  ,industrial ecosystems, aquatic and soil chemistry ,soil pollution, water Contamination treatment, O2 , CO2
Soil science
2nd year
The study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including soil formation, classification and mapping;  physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.
Hydrology The study of  movement, distribution, and quality of water. The hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability,  Groundwater,  the interchange between rivers and aquifers, water quality, pollution of groundwater and surface water and methods of disposal and treatment.
Microbiology
2nd year
Introduction, microbial diversity, classification, microbial nutrient, metabolisms, molecular biology and genetics, mutation, Hybridization, in bacteria, ecology, Coexistence, microbial disease, industrial microbiology,
The practical part: Sterilization, antiseptics,, culturing anaerobic bacteria,, study some properties of bacteria and determine their quality,
Animal diversity
2nd year
Cassification  : protozoa; cnidarian, , spongers, arthropod, Echinodermata, Mollusca,Vertebrates ; pisces(fish), amphibians, aves, Mammalia, reptilia
animal diversity.
Marine biology
 2nd year
Introduction of marine science, oceans , marine ecosystem , organisms, chemical and physical properties of sea water ,relations , nutrients , elements cycles, plankton, fish biology,Ways to nourish marine organisms.
Environmental geology The different concepts of the environment and ecosystems diverse and correlation caused by human impact to the environment , identify all the geological processes of internal and external,  geological hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes or storms, floods and landslides. identify the different types of natural resources (rocks and metals). The sources and types of environmental pollution, disposal of waste resulting from quarrying operations or industrial waste,
Geographic information system
GIS
2nd year
Capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data.Applications. information from different sources. Data representation, Data output and cartography,Graphic display techniques,  ARC-GIS.
Natural disasters
2nd year
Study natural disaster and man-made :  floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other geologic processes. Avalanches- Earthquakes- Volcanic eruptions- Hydrological disasters,Tsunami
Plant ecology
2nd year
Climatic factors affect plant ( light, heat) , water, winds affecting plants, topographic factors, soil properties, bio factors, ecosystem, human and environment, pollution affect plant
Pollution (English)
3rd year
Air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, the greenhouse effect, or global warming, types of pollution : the physical, chemical, biological, such as thermal pollution, noise pollution, pollution-mail, radioactive contamination, bacterial contamination, patterns of chemical pollutants, the impact of pollution on living live and on humans.
Astronomy and Dynamic air
3rd year
History of astronomy, study of celestial objects (such as stars, galaxies, planets, moons, and nebulae , solar system, Big Bangwind,Newton's law , Forces acting on the windÒ
Alternative energy
3rd year
Solar energy, wind energy ,wave and tidal energy , Bibful, hydropower.
Environmental Geophysics
3rd year
Students learn through it on: geophysical characteristics and uses, the way magnetism,  gravity, methods geoelectrical (method of electrical resistivity, methods of seismic, seismic refraction, methods of seismic reflectivity.
Radiobiology
3rd year
 
Ionizing radiation, effects of ionizing radiation on human health,
Tissue responses to radiation, Radiobiology, the biological effects of radiation, direct and indirect effect of ionizing radiation sensitivity, Relative biological effectiveness.
Animal Ecology
3rd year
A biotic factors; (heat, light, salinity, humidity) affecting organisms, biotic factors,  population ecology, ecosystem, interactions among species and their environment, (Systems fresh and salt water, forests, deserts, mountains), production and productivity: primary production, secondary production.
Alternative energy 2
3rd year
Students learn through it : wind energy , bio-fuel energy, extraction mechanism, bio-fertilizer.
Environmental problems
3rd year
Discuss the most important environmental problems in the world - pollution. the problems such as desertification, forests, water (drinking water), global climate change, biodiversity,, population explosion, poverty, and others.
applications of remote sensing Introduction.
Data acquisition techniques, Applications of remote sensing data, Radiometric correction, Data processing levels, image processing of satellite imagery. Spectral Analysis , Remote sensing of the environment: - Digital Image Processing.
environment Microbiology
3rd year
The course covers:
Microbial ecosystem, microbial physiology, the role of microorganisms, environmental relations;
Biogeochemical cycles, environmental relations , the effect of human activities, hydrology.
Bio cycles, waste treatment, water treatment , microbiological contamination.
Research Project
3rd year
Mechanism of writing and the preparation of scientific research, each student or group of students look at one of the topics of environmental , with  the supervision of a faculty member of the college or other, the rounds at public and private institutions to collect the  information to search, discussion by the scientific committee at the end of the season.
Environmental education
4th year
Environment, education, the concept of environmental education, the characteristics of environmental education,  and forms, the family's role ,the role of the school and university, -education and protection of the environment,   teaching environmental education in the school, environmental education and health for children,, the role of media, the effects of international conferences in the process of environmental education, awareness  about the environment and environmental challenges, integrate environmental education into curricula.
Environmental and health
4th year
Air quality, occupational health, air pollution, ergonomics, occupational diseases, stress and psychological factors resulting from the work, micro-industries, general conditions and problems of life in rural areas, sanitation and harms.
Legislation
4th year
Environmental law, Pollution control and remediation, Environmental Protection, legislations specifically enacted for the protection of Water, Air, Wildlife .The human right to a healthy environment through national laws and international conventions.
Natural Products
4th year
Proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and cofactors; concepts and types and structure .
Environmental impact assessment
(EIA)
4th year
EIA methods, definition ,Purpose, procedures - general information about the project, the criteria, projects that require a comprehensive environmental assessment)
provide sufficient information, Description of actual project and site description, drawing up lists of project types, Consultation and Coordination
Waste treatment - liquid and gaseous
4th year
An idea about chemical, physical and biological properties of water, wastewater treatment, Industrial wastewater treatment,Ionic exchange - reverse osmosis -, adsorption , air pollution , Types of waste gas. air pollution Treatment
Solid waste treatment Types of solid waste, waste treatment, riskiness of solid wastes, Agricultural waste water treatment, Industrial waste treatment.
Environmental toxins
4thyear
Introduction , definitions ,Forms of chemical  pollution, pesticides, heavy metals, metal Toxins.
Environmental Quality Systems
4th year
Environmental management system, definition ,concepts; Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
Environmental policy and general requirements, planning - implementation - verification, audit administration.
"Environmental quality and safety 4th year Introduction about; environmental impact assessment, environmental label, Product Life Cycle(EIA).
Graduation Project
4th year
Students learn through;  the mechanism of conducting scientific research, chooses the subject of environmental problems , preparation applied research on the subject, The writing. Compose, workshop and revise scientifically relevant and personal essays in biology. And scientific report is discussed in front of a scientific committee.