ECTS credits ECTS credits: 4.5
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 4 Expository Class: 14 Interactive Classroom: 18 Total: 36
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Chemistry Engineering
Areas: Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Chemical Engineering
Center Higher Technical Engineering School
Call: First Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
This subject, which is compulsory in module 2, aims to establish the foundations and provide the fundamental knowledge relating to environmental management systems, with a global perspective (i.e. implementation, maintenance and certification) and considering the regulatory context in which they are developed, covering both the voluntary sphere (standards) and the compulsory sphere (environmental impact assessment).
The contents developed in this subject are those succinctly contemplated in the descriptors of the master report:
- ISO, EN and UNE standards.
- Committees and types of documents. Development and application of standards.
- Environmental audits: ISO 14000 and EMAS.
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
- Preventive and corrective measures for impacts
- Environmental monitoring plans
This allows the subject to be structured in two thematic blocks:
Block I. Management Systems and Environmental Standards
Lecturer in charge: Almudena Hospido Quintana
Block II. Environmental Impact Assessment
Lecturer in charge: Xosé Luis Otero Pérez
which are further developed as detailed below.
BLOCK I. MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS and ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS (5 HE + 6 HI + 1 TG)
Topic 0. Linking with the previous module (1 HI)
Sustainable development components
Concepts of management and environmental management
Topic 1. Standards in environmental management (2 HE + 1 HI)
ISO, EN and UNE standards. Other standards in the field of environmental management
The cycle of continuous improvement
Management systems: ISO 14001 & EMAS
Topic 2. Committees and types of documents (1 HE + 1 HI)
Structures of standardisation committees.
Main types of documents and their scope
Topic 3. Development and application of standards (1 HE + 1 HI)
Lifeline of a standard
Case studies
Topic 4. Environmental audits (2 HI +1TG)
Implementation, maintenance and verification
Internal and external audit
Stages of an audit
BLOCK II. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (9 HE + 12 HI + 3 TG)
Topic 5. General concepts. Impact Assessment Legislation (1 HE + 1 HI)
Definition and impact assessment
Legislative framework of EIA
European regulations.
Basic State legislation
Application and legislation of the Autonomous Communities.
Topic 6. Content and procedure of the EIA Study and Assessment Process (1 HE)
EIA studies
Content and structure of EIAs.
Administrative process of evaluation and administrative declaration of environmental impact.
Topic 7. Scope of the Environmental Inventory (3 HE + 3HI)
The Physical Environment: climate, geology, edaphology, geomorphology, hydrology.
The biotic environment: vegetation study. Study of the fauna. Conservation status.
Landscape. Structure and aesthetics. Intrinsic quality. Fragility, visual optics.
Topic 8. Environmental Impact Assessment Methods (3HE+7HI+2TG)
Identification systems. Expert panel and Delphi method.
Environmental impact assessment methods. Magnitude and significance.
Qualitative and quantitative methods.
Topic 9. Preventive and Corrective Measures. Monitoring Plans (1HE+1HI+1TG).
Correction of impacts
Measures for environmental recovery.
Environmental monitoring and surveillance programme
BASIC BOOKS
• CLAVER CORTÉS, E. et al. (2011): Gestión de la calidad y gestión medioambiental: fundamentos, herramientas, normas ISO y relaciones. 3ª ed. Pirámide, 2011. Biblioteca ETSE A244 18 C; A244 18 D
• ABRIL SÁNCHEZ, C. et al. (2010): Guía para la integración de sistemas de gestión: calidad, medio ambiente y seguridad y salud en el trabajo FC Editorial y Laborprex auditores. Biblioteca Fac. Ciencias Económicas EMX 2841
• Garmendia, A., Salvador, A., Crespo, C., Garmendia, L.” Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental”. Ed Pearson Prentice Hall (2005). pedido en formato on-line
• Conesa, Vicente (2010). Guía metodológica para el Evaluación de Impacto ambiental. Mundi Prensa.
Biblioteca ETSE A242 30.
COMPLEMENTARY SOURCES
• Vidal López, R. Evaluación del impacto ambiental. Disponible en formato on-line vía PreLo (Biblioteca USC)
• Gómez Orea, D, Gómez Villarino, M.T. “Evaluación del impacto Ambiental”. Ed. Mundi Prensa, Madrid (2013). Biblioteca da ETSE A242 40 & Biblioteca intercentros Lugo EMA 471 e 833
• Fundación Cofemetal (2010). Evaluación de impacto ambiental. Biblioteca da ETSE A242 33
• MOPT. “Guías Metodológicas para la elaboración de estudios de impacto ambiental”. Monografías de la Dirección general de Medio Ambiente. Ed, Agrupen. Madrid (1989)
• MOPT. “Guía para la elaboración de Estudios del medio Físico”. Secretaria de Estado para las políticas del Agua y el Medio Ambiente. Centro de Publicaciones del Ministerio de Obras Públicas (1993)
• Wood, C., “Environmental Impact Assessment. A Comparative Review”. Longeman Group Limited New York (1995).
Database
AENORmás: Access to the full text of all the UNE standards, both current and withdrawn, drawn up and adopted by AENOR via A-Z de recursos: Base de datos (usc.gal)
BASIC and GENERAL:
CB 6. To have and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
CB 7. Students can apply their acquired knowledge and problem-solving skills in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
CB 8. Students can integrate knowledge and face the complexity of making judgements based on incomplete or limited information, including reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements.
CB 9. Students can communicate their conclusions and the ultimate knowledge and reasons that support them to specialised and non-specialised audiences in a clear and unambiguous manner.
CB 10. To provide students with the learning skills that will enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
GC 1. To identify and state environmental problems.
GC 2. To be able to predict and control the evolution of complex situations through the development of innovative work methodologies adapted to the specific scientific/research, technological or professional field, generally multidisciplinary, in which their activity is carried out.
GC 3. To be able to take responsibility for their own professional development and specialisation in one or more fields of study.
TRANVERSALS:
CT 1. To develop skills related to teamwork: cooperation, leadership, listening skills.
CT 2. To lead and define multidisciplinary teams capable of resolving technical changes and managerial needs in national and international contexts.
CT 3. To be able to adapt to change, by applying new and advanced technologies and other relevant developments, with initiative and an entrepreneurial spirit.
CT 4. To demonstrate critical and self-critical reasoning, analytical and synthesis skills.
Ct 5. To elaborate, write and publicly defend reports and projects of a scientific and technical nature.
CT 6. To appreciate the value of quality and continuous improvement, acting with rigour, responsibility and professional ethics within the framework of commitment to sustainable development.
SPECIFICS:
CE 1. To know how to evaluate and select the appropriate scientific theory and the precise methodology of the field of study of Environmental Engineering in order to formulate judgements based on incomplete or limited information, including, when necessary and relevant, a reflection on the social or ethical responsibility linked to the solution proposed in each case.
SC 8. To approach a real environmental engineering problem from a scientific-technical perspective, recognising the importance of the search for and management of existing information and applicable legislation.
SC 10. To be able to apply environmental management tools (environmental impact studies, life cycle assessment, industrial ecology, clean technologies, ISO standards, EMAS) when preparing reports or projects.
The teaching strategy of this subject combines participative master classes (MD1), where audiovisual materials (presentations, videos, etc.) may be used (MD10), with seminars and conferences (MD2). If the budget is available, the possibility of a technical visit (MD5) is considered. In any case, the study and discussion of case studies in seminars (MD12) will bring real work and business reality closer to the classroom, also devoting the group tutorials (MD8) to this type of activities. If the health situation requires it, on-line teaching will be used (MD13); but, in any case, the online teaching support (virtual campus) as well as specialised software, databases and web resources on specific elements of the subject will be used (MD15).
Small group tutorials (4 hours): The first group tutorial will be devoted to the analysis of an audit report, while the remaining three will be devoted to the completion of EIA matrices.
Individualised tutorials: With the objective of resolving specific doubts related to the subject, they can be carried out both in person and through the MS Teams platform.
The Learning Management System (LMS) will be used as the main tool for communication with the students, offering them information about the teaching program and the evaluation tests, as well as making available additional materials for the study of the subject.
The student's grade is a weighted average of the performance obtained in the following five sections:
I. Final exam (40% of the grade).
II. Assignments/activities (40% of the grade), including pair work linked to topic 1 (10%), individual exercise linked to topic 3 (10%), reports linked to the topics of block II (20%).
III. Report of the technical visit (10%).
IV. Active participation (5%), through evidence of daily monitoring of the subject and of the discussions that take place in the classroom, by making relevant comments on what has been discussed, and by having a positive motivation and attitude in class.
V. Tutorials (5%)
The exam, the reports and the attendance to the technical visit are considered compulsory activities. Students who have not completed any of these activities will be considered NOT PRESENTED.
Before the final exam, students will know the marks obtained in items II-V, being necessary a minimum grade of 3 points out of 10 in the final exam (item I) to be able to incorporate these marks.For the second opportunity, the evaluation of sections II-V will be retained.
In cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the Regulations on the assessment of students' academic performance and the review of qualifications will apply.
The activities in which competencies are evaluated are listed below.
Activity Basic& Generals - Transversals - Especifics
Master class (MD1&MD10): CB6, CB10, CG1 – CT6 – CE1, CE8, CE10
Seminars and technical visit (MD2 & MD5 & M12): CB7, CG2 – CT3, CT4, CT5, CT8, CE1, CE8, CE10
Group tutorials (MD8): CG3 – CT1, CT2
Exam: CB6, CB7,CB8, CB9, CB10 – CT3 - CE1, CE8, CE10
The subject has a workload equivalent to 4.5 ECTS which are distributed as follows:
Formation activities ECTS Total hours In-person attendance
Expositive classes:Magistral classes 14 100%
Interactive classes:Seminars 18 100%
Group tutorial 4 100%
Student autonomous activities 74,5 0%
Exam 2 100%
TOTAL 4,5 112,5 -
Students should, in addition to knowing fundamental concepts about environmental compartments (water, air, soil and biota) and their interactions with human activities, have a good knowledge of the different environmental technologies to be able to discern their possible application and improvement.
Being at a master level, students are supposed to have additional knowledge such as: ability to read and acquire information from different sources, user-level skills in the most common computer tools (Word, Excel, statistical packages, web page consultation, GIS), as well as ability to interpret cartographic documents and databases.
A medium-high command of English is also expected to facilitate the access to books, scientific papers and web pages.
Continuous study of the subject throughout the semester is recommended.
Teaching is in Spanish and / or Galician. Some materials and bibliography will be in English with the aim of promoting professional development competence in the international context.
Xose Lois Otero Perez
Coordinador/a- Department
- Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry
- Area
- Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry
- Phone
- 881813300
- xl.otero [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
Almudena Hospido Quintana
- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- Phone
- 881816797
- almudena.hospido [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
| Monday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician, Spanish | Classroom A7 |
| Tuesday | |||
| 12:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician, Spanish | Classroom A7 |
| Wednesday | |||
| 12:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician, Spanish | Classroom A7 |
| 01.17.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A7 |
| 01.17.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A7 |
| 06.18.2025 12:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A7 |
| 06.18.2025 12:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A7 |