Environmental Studies

By Prof. Orus Ilyas, Dr. Sharad Kumar | Aligarh Muslim University

Learners enrolled: 7793 | Exam registration: 1209

ABOUT THE COURSE:
On the direction of Honorable supreme court of India, the University Grand Commission (UGC) has introduced “Environmental Studies” as essential subject to be taught at UG level. The prime objective of this proposed online courses to provide participants complete understanding of Environment. The course aims to enable students acquire practical and technical skills required for identifying and solving societal problems related to environment.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Under graduate students of all the discipline

PREREQUISITES: This course is being taught to Undergraduate students, hence 12^th is compulsory to pass/clear

INDUSTRY SUPPORT:

The present course may help professionals in development of an industry environmental management and education protocol for the purpose of training.
This course will also develop strong aptitudes among industry managers to understand economic development and challenges posed to environment due to establishment of industries.

Summary

Course Status :	Completed
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Environmental Sciences
Credit Points :	4
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	22 Jul 2024
End Date :	12 Oct 2024
Enrollment Ends :	05 Aug 2024
Exam Registration Ends :	16 Aug 2024
Exam Date :	25 Oct 2024 IST
ALERT ON EXAM DATE :	Exam date is subject to change.

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Environment and its multidimensional Nature: Definition Scope and importance

Lecture 0 : Structure of Environmental studies course

Lecture 1 : Environment and its multi-dimensional nature. Definition, scopes and importance Part I

Lecture 2 : Environment and its multi-dimensional nature. Definition, scopes and importance Part II

Lecture 3 : Environment and its multidimensional nature. Definition, scopes and importance Part III

Lecture 4 : Renewable and non-renewable resources: Food and food resources Part I

Lecture 5 : Renewable and non-renewable resources: Food and food resources Part II

Week 2: Renewable and non-renewable natural resources (Energy and Forest)

Lecture 6 : Renewable and non-Renewable Energy resources Part I

Lecture 7 : Renewable and non-Renewable Energy resources Part II

Lecture 8 : Forest Resources Part I

Lecture 9 : Forest Resource Part II

Lecture 10 : Forest Resources Part III

Week 3: Renewable and non-renewable natural resources (Land, Mineral, and water resources) and Biogeochemical cycle: water cycle

Lecture 11 : Land resources

Lecture 12 : Mineral Resources Part I

Lecture 13 : Mineral Resources Part II

Lecture 14 : Water Resource

Lecture 15 : Biogeochemical cycle: Water Cycle

Week 4: Biological cycles (Carbon, Oxygen, Sulphur, Phosphorus and Nitrogen cycle)

Lecture 16 : Biogeochemical cycle: Carbon Cycle

Lecture 17 : Biogeochemical cycle: Oxygen cycle

Lecture 18 : Biogeochemical cycle: Sulphur Cycle

Lecture 19 : Biogeochemical cycle: Phosphorus cycle

Lecture 20 : Biogeochemical cycle: Nitrogen cycle

Week 5: Concept of Ecosystem and its component. Types of Ecosystem (forest, grassland, aquatic, desert etc)

Lecture 21 : Concept of Ecosystem and its Characteristics

Lecture 22 : Components of ecosystem- Abiotic

Lecture 23 : Components of ecosystem- Biotic

Lecture 24 : Types of Ecosystem

Lecture 25 : Grassland Ecosystem

Week 6: Mountain and, Aquatic ecosystem, Food chain, food web and ecological pyramids, Concept of genus species and habitat

Lecture 26 : Mountain and Desert Ecosystem

Lecture 27 : Aquatic Ecosystem

Lecture 28 : Food Chain, Food Web, and Ecological Pyramids; Concept of Genus, Species, and Habitat

Lecture 29 : Biodiversity and Its Types

Lecture 30 : Genetic and Species Diversity

Week 7: Ecosystem Diversity: India as a Mega diversity nation. Biodiversity hotspots

Lecture 31 : Ecosystem Diversity

Lecture 32 : India as a Mega Biodiversity Nation

Lecture 33 : Biodiversity Hotspots (Part I)

Lecture 34 : Biodiversity Hotspots (Part II)

Lecture 35 : Biodiversity Hotspots (Part III)

Week 8: Biodiversity hotspots. biodiversity Impact Assessment and food security

Lecture 36 : Biodiversity Hotspots (Part IV)

Lecture 37 : Threats to Biodiversity

Lecture 38 : Biodiversity Impact Assessment (BIA)

Lecture 39 : Biodiversity conservation and Food security

Week 9: Biodiversity conservation (in-situ and ex-situ conservation), Global warming and Climate change

Lecture 40 : Protected Areas and their network in India (In situ conservation)

Lecture 41 : Protected area network-Centrally sponsored schemes

Lecture 42 : Ex-situ conservation: strategies, success: An integrated approach to biodiversity conservation.

Lecture 43 : Endangered Species Management

Lecture 44 : Global warming and Climate Change

Week 10: Environmental pollution; water, air and land pollution. Causes of environmental degradation including ill effects of fireworks and its impact on human population and health

Lecture 45 : Environmental pollution and air pollution

Lecture 46 : Water pollution

Lecture 47 : Soil pollution

Lecture 48 : Environment Degradation

Lecture 49 : Effects of fireworks and mitigation of environmental degradation

Week 11: Climate change and global warming. Various conservation laws

Lecture 50 : Environment Conservation Laws in India-Environment (Protection) Act

Lecture 51 : Biological Diversity Act 2002

Lecture 52 : Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 part 1

Lecture 53 : Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 part 2

Lecture 54 : Forest (Conservation) Act and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act

Lecture 55 : Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and National Environmental Tribunal Act

Week 12: Social issues and the environment; sustainable development

Lecture 56 : Role of NGOs in Environment conservation

Lecture 57 : Social issues and the environment: Sustainable development

Lecture 58 : Sustainable development benefits and UN Sustainable Development Goals

Lecture 59 : Ways to achieve sustainable development

Lecture 60 : Sustainable Practices and Mission Life

Lecture 61 : Conclusion of Environmental studies course

Books and references

Bourse, D.F. and Wright, R.T. (2016). Environmental Science: Toward A Sustainable Future. Pearson Education. 672pp
Keen, M., Brown, V.A. and Dyball, A. (2005). Social Learning in Environmental Management: Towards a Sustainable Future. (1st ed.). Routledge, Taylor & Francis. 288pp.
Cunningham, W.P. and Cunningham, M.A. (2016). Principles of Environmental Science. McGraw Hill. ISBN 0078036070. 464pp.
Berg, L. R., Hager, M.C. and Hassenzahl, D.M. (2013). Visualizing Environmental Science. Wiley. ISBN 1118176863. 528pp.
Rajagopalan, R. (2015). Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure. (3 ^rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN-10: 0199459754. 424pp
McKinney, M.L., Schoch, R.M., Yonavjack, L. and Mincy, G.A. (2017).Environmental Science: Systems and Solutions. (6^th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Pub. ISBN 9781284091700. 576pp
Cunningham, W.P. and Cunningham, M.A. (2011). Environmental Science: A Global Concern. McGraw Hill Education. (12^th ed.). ISBN 0073383252. 640pp.
Mishra, D.D. (2010). Fundamental Concepts in Environmental Studies. S. Chand & Company. ISBN 8121929377. 271pp.
Kumar, A. (2014). Textbook of Environmental Science. Medtech. ISBN 9789381714546. 151pp.

Bharucha, E. (2021). Text book for Environmental Studies for undergraduate courses of all branches of Higher Education. UGC (e-Book). ISBN 9789389211788, 288pp

Instructor bio

Prof. Orus Ilyas

Aligarh Muslim University

Prof. Orus Ilyas is working as Professor in Biodiversity & Environmental study, at the Dept of Wildlife Sciences. She worked in the high-altitude Himalayas for more than 20 years. She did her Ph.D. on Ungulates of the Himalayas and after she has also worked as a young scientist under the Fast Track Program of DST, and worked for the conservation of Musk deer in Uttrakhand Himalayas. She has served four terms as "Asia Coordinator" of the Deer Specialist group or SSC/IUCN. Prior to joining as faculty in Dept of Wildlife Sciences in 2009, she worked on various projects ranging from community participation to species conservation and ecology, funded by many organizations i.e. WSI, WWF-India, CAPART, DANIDA, UGC, UPFD-TERI. She has published two technical Reports, two books (One from Tailor and Francis, Routledge), and more than 50 scientific papers in National and International Peer review high-impact factor journals, she has contributed more than 20 chapters in reputed edited books. She has received many Extra Mural grants from UGC, SERB, and CSIR to work on ungulates of high-altitude Himalayas and the Tiger reserves in central India. Recently on 29th March 2023, she has been awarded "recognition for her excellent academic achievements in STEM disciplines by the APJ Abdul Kalam Center for STEM Education & Research and the International Society of Muslim Women in science (ISMWS)". She taught this course for more than 10 years and taking exams, evaluation etc.

Dr. Sharad Kumar

Dr. Sharad Kumar has been working as Assistant Professor in Department of Wildlife Sciences since 2019. Dr. Kumar has received his Ph.D. in Wildlife Sciences from Aligarh Muslim University in 2010. He has conducted a long-term study on the ecology of tiger in Corbett Tiger Reserve for his Ph.D. thesis. He joined The Corbett Foundation in 2008 and worked with the organization till 2019. During his tenure with The Corbett Foundation, he is involved with various research and conservation projects in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. Dr. Kumar worked as the Principal Investigators in various research and conservation projects such as Status and Conservation of Vultures in and around the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, Dispersal routes of tigers and other wildlife species in buffer zone of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India, Understanding the dynamics of Human-Sloth bear conflict in Kanha-Pench Corridor, Madhya Pradesh, India, Connecting stripes-A multidimensional approach to conserving tigers and maintaining corridor viability in the Central Indian landscape and Watershed management in Umaria district. He also involved with the training of nature guides and forest department personnel of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Reserve, Sanjay Tiger Reserve and Shahdol circle He also served as Member of Local Advisory Committee of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Tourism Committee of Umaria district. Currently he is the member of IUCN Commission on Environment, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP). He is passionately interested in developing and working on innovative conservation ideas for large carnivores and birds and mitigation of human-wildlife conflict in and around the Protected Areas. He has over a decade of experience working with Government and Non-government agencies. He is also involved in developing wildlife and environment education material to various sections of society. He possesses front- line experience in wildlife research, training, teaching and fund raising. He is teaching Environment studies to the undergraduate students of different discipline of AMU.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: 25 October 2024 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.

Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of AMU and INI.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- INI Team

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