Academic Catalog 2023–2024

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Minor in Climate Change and Sustainability Policy (CLIMASP)

Overview

This minor is the result of a project funded through a Consortium Agreement on the Implementation of Tempus Project: “Development of an Interdisciplinary Minor Program on Climate Change and Sustainability Policy–CLIMASP” (Reference No. 543879-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-GRTEMPUS-JPCR) (Grant Agreement No. 2013-5043/001-001).

The CLIMASP minor curriculum is designed to provide undergraduate students from different majors the flexibility to select courses to enhance their interests in climate change and to enrich their major field of study with professional skills in climate change adaptation policies and planning.

CLIMASP offers students a unique multidisciplinary understanding of climate change. It provides a shift from a strict disciplinary orientation focused on natural sciences to other issues related to science, engineering, education, economics, sociology, architecture, and other disciplines. In fact, combining a minor with a major allows students to acquire increased knowledge and skills and widens their employment possibilities.

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of core courses, elective courses, and a required capstone course in three concentration areas, namely:

  • Climate Change, Environment and Society
  • Climate Change, Economics and Public Policy
  • Climate Change, Science and Technology

The CLIMASP minor offers students a meaningful and rewarding complement to their main field of study. Upon completion of the minor and major, students will be granted the Euro-Arab Pass diploma, provided they fulfill 45 to 60 relevant European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits. The CLIMASP program is administered by the same Interschool Steering Committee that worked on the development of the minor.

Courses per Concentration Area

CA1 Climate Change, Environment and Society

  • ENV210 Climate Change Risks to Ecosystems and Biodiversity (3 cr.)
  • ENV211 Conserving Biodiversity in a Changing Climate (3cr.)
  • ENV222 Social Aspects of Renewable Energy for Rural Development (3cr.)
  • CIE434 Civil Engineering Profession (3cr.)
  • CIE522 Environmental Impact Assessment (3Cr.)
  • EDU730 Curriculum Design (3cr.)

CA2 Climate Change, Economics and Public Policy

  • ENV223 Financing Renewable Energy (3 cr.)
  • ECO311 Development Economics (3 cr.)
  • ECO320 Environmental, Resource and Energy Economics (3 cr.)
  • CIE525 Environmental Policy and Management (3 cr.)

CA3 Climate Change, Science and Technology

  • BIO203  Introduction to Ecology* (3 cr.)
  • BIO331 Ecology* (3 cr.)
  • ENV200 Introduction to Environmental Sciences (3 cr.)
  • ENV224 World Ocean Solutions (3 cr.)
  • ENV225 Energy in Buildings (3 cr.)
  • ENV230 Sustainability in Practice (3 cr.)
  • ENV423 Environmental Microbiology (3 cr.)
  • ARC523 Environmental Systems I (3 cr.)
  • ARC524 Environmental Systems II (3cr.)
  • MEE401 Energy Systems & Sustainable Environments (3 cr.)
  • MEE599 Advanced Power Trains (3 cr.)
  • MEE599J Energy Audit (3 cr.)
  • CIE424 Water Distribution and Treatment (3 cr.)
  • CIE426 Wastewater Collection and Treatment (3 cr.)
  • CIE427 Environmental Engineering - SOFT (1 cr.)
  • CIE520 Solid Wastewater Management (3 cr.)
  • CIE521 Hydrology (3 cr.)
  • CIE526 Environmental Remediation (3 cr.)
  • CIE535 Groundwater Hydrology and Pollution (3 cr.)
  • CIE563 Transportation Planning and Land Use (3 cr.)
  • CIE582 Infrastructures Management (3 cr.)
  • CIE724 Air Quality Management (3cr.)
  • CIE725 Geo-Environmental Engineering (3 cr.)
  • CIE730 Irrigation and Drainage Engineering (3 cr.)
  • CIE788 Fundamentals of GIS and Remote Sensing (3 cr.)

* Students may not take both BIO203 and BIO331 for credit (either one only)

Mission

The mission is to provide a quality education in Climate Change and Sustainability Policy that combines theory and practice for undergraduate students and to satisfy industry demand for graduates with special education in sustainability that helps them enter the market force or pursue graduate studies.

Program Objectives

The program aims to:

  1. provide students with an understanding of the climate change and sustainability policy issues,
  2. provide students with enough background to be able to analyze and formulate possible solutions to climate change problems, and
  3. better prepare students for the job market.

Learning Outcomes

CLIMASP aims to:

  1. solve climate change and sustainability policy problems using knowledge of applied mathematics, science, economics, and other fields,
  2. acquire, analyze, and use technical data to design climate change and sustainability policy,
  3. integrate professional, ethical, social, and environmental considerations into climate change and sustainability policy design and problem solving,
  4. develop the ability to communicate results effectively and provide experience in team efforts, and
  5. acquire the habit of continuous learning to maintain technical competence and keep abreast of contemporary issues.

Eligibility

Students from the Adnan Kassar School of Business, School of Architecture and Design, School of Arts and Science, and the School of Engineering may choose to enroll in the CLIMASP minor. Students can enroll in this minor in their second year of study.

Requirements

To obtain this minor, students are required to complete a minimum of 30 ECTS (18 credits).

The minor consists of:

  • 3 core courses (9 credits representing one course from each concentration area)
  • At least 1 course from Concentration Area 1
  • At least 1 course from Concentration Area 2
  • At least 1 course from Concentration Area 3

To receive this minor, the student must achieve a CGPA of at least 2.0 in courses related to the minor.

Some of these courses may count towards fulfilling the requirements and technical elective components of students’ programs of study. As a result, students are expected to complete less than the actual minor requirements.

To obtain the Euro-Arab Pass with this minor, students are required to complete a minimum of 45-60 ECTS (27-36 credits).

In this case, the minor will consist of:

  • 3 core courses (9 credits representing one course from each concentration area)
  • At least 1 course from Concentration Area 1
  • At least 1 course from Concentration Area 2
  • At least 1 course from Concentration Area 3
  • Capstone and Internship (15 ECTS or 9 credits)

For the capstone and internship (15 ECTS or 9 credits), students are expected to pay for 3 credits for the capstone and 1 credit for the internship.

Recommended Study Plan

Typical Course Offering

Students from CA1 have to take at least 2 courses from CA2 and 2 courses from CA3, according to their preferences (electives). The capstone course will be equivalent to 15 ECTS (9 credits) that will focus on an independent study/internship. The capstone can be a combination of an internship and directed studies project.

CLIMASP Minor (Option 1)

Students must complete a minimum of 18 credits, distributed as follows:

Core Courses (9 credits)

  • CA1 Climate Change, Environment and Society (1 course)
  • CA2 Climate Change, Economics and Public Policy (1 course)
  • CA3 Climate Change, Science and Technology (1 course)

Elective Courses (9 credits)

  • CA1 Climate Change, Environment and Society (1 course)
  • CA2 Climate Change, Economics and Public Policy (1 course)
  • CA3 Climate Change, Science and Technology (1 course)

CLIMASP Minor Euro-Arab Pass (Option 2)

Students must complete a minimum of 27 credits, distributed as follows:

Core Courses

  • CA1 Climate Change, Environment and Society (1 course)
  • CA2 Climate Change, Economics and Public Policy (1 course)
  • CA3 Climate Change, Science and Technology (1 course)

Elective Courses

  • CA1 Climate Change, Environment and Society (1 course)
  • CA2 Climate Change, Economics and Public Policy (1 course)
  • CA3 Climate Change, Science and Technology (1 course)

Capstone (15 ECTS or 9 credits)

  • Capstone in any CA (preferably CA1)
  • Internship in any CA (preferably CA1)

CLIMASP Recommended Structure

Core Courses (9 Credits)

  • CIE522 Environmental Impact Assessment (3cr.)
  • ECO320 Environmental, Resource and Energy Economics (3 cr.)
  • ENV230 Sustainability in Practice (3 cr.)

Elective Courses

  • CA1 Climate Change, Environment and Society (at least one course)
  • CA2 Climate Change, Economics and Public Policy (at least one course)
  • CA3 Climate Change, Science and Technology (at least one course)

Capstone (15 ECTS or 9 credits)

To be selected properly to meet the minimum concentration area requirements, if needed.