NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Places available: 75
of which 5 for Non-EU citizens, including 1 reserved to Chinese citizens
Acceptance based on the chronological order of enrolments
Enrolment: from July 20th 2016, 12.00 h, to August 8th 2016, 12.00 h - if the number of available places is not reached, enrollments will re-open from August 23rd 2016, 12.00 h, to September 30th 2016, 12.00 h
COURSE STRUCTURE DIAGRAM WITH CREDITS
Second semester
- 6 CFU - COMPULSORY SUBJECTS, CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CLASS
Profile of the programme
The First Cycle Degree Course in Natural and Environmental Sciences was implemented in Academic Year 2009/2010, resulting from the merging of the previous degree courses in Natural Sciences and in Environmental Sciences and Technologies for the Productive System and Territory. The objective of such action is to optimise the basic programmes offered in order to allow graduates to enter Second Cycle Degree Courses concerning both areas of Natural Sciences and Environmental Sciences.
The creation of a single degree course has been carried out with the aim of:
- providing students with a good cultural background in basic disciplines, especially Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, which account for a greater number of credits if compared to similar degree courses;
- adequately preparing students on natural sciences, above all through the courses of Earth Sciences and Life Sciences, corresponding to a high value and number of credits;
- reorganising and harmonising the curricula in ecological disciplines and environmental management.
The First Cycle Degree Course in Natural and Environmental Sciences lasts three years, organised into six semesters. The course includes 20 subjects corresponding to a total number of 180 credits.
The course offer is structured into a single curriculum; however, students can personalise their curriculum towards Natural or Environmental Sciences through the choice of optional subjects, accounting for 12 credits.
Graduates in Natural and Environmental Sciences can enter the Second Cycle Degree Courses in Ecology and Nature Conservation (Class LM 6, but compatible with Class LM 60) and in Sciences and Technologies for Environment and Resources (Class LM 75). The 180 credits obtained in the First Cycle Degree are totally recognized.
Attendance to courses is both a right and duty of the students.
On 11th May 2015, the University of Parma approved the Regulation allowing students to enrol part-time on some courses. For the academic year 2015-2016, the course in Natural and Environmental Sciences has set specific study programmes consenting students to sit exams and carry out their activities in a double time compared to the standard period, by balancing the workload in two semesters.
The Study Manifesto, published every year on the course website, reports both the standard and the part-time study programme.
Admission requirements
Admission to the First Cycle Degree Course in Natural and Environmental Sciences requires possession of a secondary school diploma or a valid certificate obtained abroad and recognised as an equivalent qualification according to the University current legislation. Basic scientific competences (including Mathematics) achieved at high or secondary school are necessary pre-requisites for entering the course.
Admission to the course is open. However, the applicant’s pre-requisites will be examined through a preliminary test (not an entrance test) scheduled before the beginning of lessons. The test will especially verify the applicants’ knowledge background on Mathematical, Physical and Chemical disciplines as well as on elementary notions of Life and Earth Sciences.
The results of such test, whether positive or not, will not prevent enrolments; however, professors will take into account the results to adequately plan the first semester lessons and (if needed) to encourage students to attend support activities (independent or organised by the degree course).
All information concerning the preliminary test and possible support activities can be retrieved on the degree course website: http://scienzenatamb.unipr.it
Key learning outcomes
The First Cycle Degree Course in Natural and Environmental Sciences is primarily aimed at providing graduates with the necessary basic competences for dealing with problems and issues concerning natural and artificial environment, including all its biotic and abiotic components and their interactions.
In particular, the course offers:
- a good cultural background in basic disciplines, allowing students to deal with natural and environmental themes through scientific methods;
- an adequate naturalistic preparation in the field of Life and Earth Sciences;
- fundamental notions on environmental management;
- written and spoken skills of another EU language beyond Italian, especially as regards specific disciplinary lexicon.
Training activities are aimed at producing professional profiles capable of analysing naturalistic and environmental problems, even complex ones; graduates will also be able to collaborate with other experts of public institutions (ARPA – Regional Agency for Environmental Protection; Provinces ; ASL – Local Healthcare Service; Regions; Parks, etc.) engaged in naturalistic-environmental activities. Graduates will learn how to take/collect samples and make coherent measurements in support of professional studios as well as of private and public research centres.
The course programme includes: basic Chemical, Physical and Mathematical disciplines; fundamental notions of Life and Earth Sciences integrated with ecological and juridical-economic subjects to understand the complex relations between environment and society; on-site training and laboratory activities.
In particular, the course provides:
1) a higher number of credits than the usual one established for the disciplines related to Mathematics- Computer Sciences- Statistics, Physics and Chemistry;
2) a high number of credits for an in-depth study of the disciplines belonging to the field of Life and Earth Sciences;
3) adequate knowledge background on ecology and sustainable principles through a considerable number of credits in ecologic and juridical-economic disciplines;
4) on-site training and laboratory activities for application and practice of the theoretical notions acquired; practice is further developed during the internship and the preparation of the final thesis.
Students also have the possibility to personalise their curriculum through the choice of specific naturalistic or environmental optional subjects. Besides this opportunity, the general aim of the course is to provide a homogeneous programme, in order to produce professional profiles with adequate basic competences in scientific disciplines, above all in Life and Earth Sciences, for understanding the interactions between human beings and the environment.
In compliance with such objectives, the course also offers complementary activities like training internships in companies, public administration offices, laboratories, as well as study programmes abroad in other Italian and European universities, thanks to both national and international agreements.
Final examination, if any
The thesis consists in an experimental or theoretical research project, preferably having an interdisciplinary approach. The research activity (accounting for 6 credits) can be conducted in other companies or institutions outside the University upon agreement.
The candidate must elaborate his/her thesis under the supervision of a professor of the degree course or at least of the Department, supported (if necessary) by one or more experts in the chosen topic of study. The thesis can be related to the internship experience.
The final examination consists in the presentation and discussion of the thesis in front of a designated commission composed of the professors of the course. Admission to the final examination requires the candidate to present his/her thesis in Italian, with the help of a multimedia device. The thesis can be edited in English with a full abstract in Italian.
All information concerning internships, thesis editing and final examination modalities are indicated in the attachment “Regolamento Tirocinio e Tesi di Laurea triennale" (Regulations on Internships and First Cycle Degree Thesis) on the course website.
In the final examination, the candidate will prove his/her capacity of retrieving, elaborating and discussing data.
