Available courses

Environmental Sciences

Course Status: Upcoming
Course Type: Core
Language for course content: English
Duration: 12 weeks
Category:
  • Multidisciplinary
  • Energy, Climate, and Sustainability
  • Environment
Credit Points: 3
Level: Undergraduate
Start Date: 21 Jul 2025
End Date: 10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends: 28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends: 15 Aug 2025
Exam Date: 02 Nov 2025 IST
NCrF Level: 4.5–8.0
 
ABOUT THE COURSE:
It has been widely acknowledged that finding solutions to environmental problems that we are facing now has become a top priority. To this end, the proposed course aims to (i) (i) provide deep insights into contemporary global environmental issues from an interdisciplinary perspective within the framework of sustainable development; (ii) apply a global approach to emphasize how environmental problems are highly complex and interrelated, requiring understanding on a local, regional, national, and global level; and (iii) critically evaluate possible solutions to our present global environmental crises in a holistic manner.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Undergraduate students pursuing a degree in science OR engineering, with an emphasis on the following disciplines:
• Environmental Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Biotechnology
• Agricultural Engineering
• Mining Engineering

PREREQUISITES: Class XII

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: AECOM, Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd., Environmental Resource Management, Veolia Water Technologies, SFC Environmental Technologies Pvt. Ltd., ARCADIS SENES, Nalco Water, Govt. Agencies like CPCB, SPCB, etc.
Summary
Course Status: Upcoming
Course Type: Core
Language for course content: English
Duration: 12 weeks
Category:
  • Multidisciplinary
  • Energy, Climate, and Sustainability
  • Environment
Credit Points: 3
Level: Undergraduate
Start Date: 21 Jul 2025
End Date: 10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends: 28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends: 15 Aug 2025
Exam Date: 02 Nov 2025 IST
NCrF Level: 4.5–8.0

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

Environmental Science

Course Status : Upcoming
Course Type : Core
Language for course content : English
Duration : 12 weeks
Category :

Environmental Sciences
Credit Points : 4
Level : Undergraduate
Start Date : 07 Jul 2025
End Date : 31 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends : 31 Aug 2025
Exam Date :  
NCrF Level   : 5.5

Course layout

WEEK - I
1-Ecological niche 
2-Atmosphere—composition and stratification
3-Light—Quality vs quantity (Global radiation budget, PAR)
4-Soil development (weathering and factors influencing soil development)
 
WEEK - II
5-Soil profile
6-Physical properties of soil (texture and soil structure)
7-Chemical properties of soil (pH and soil nutrient status)
8-Ion exchange and uptake of nutrients by plants 
 
WEEK - III
9-Morphological and anatomical responses of plants to water
10-Physiological responses of plants to water stress
11-Morphological, anatomical and physiological adaptations of plants to light
12-Morphological, anatomical and physiological responses of plants to salinity
 
WEEK - IV
13-Population characteristics 
14-Presentation of demographic data (life tables, survivorship curves etc.)
15-Population Regulation 
16-Population Interactions
 
WEEK - V
17-Community concept 
18-Community characteristics (Analytic and Synthetic)
19-Ecological Succession: Types and concept of climax community
20-Ecosystem Structure: biotic (food chains, food webs) and abiotic components; ecological pyramids
21-Primary productivity and factors influencing primary productivity 
 
WEEK - VI
22-Energy flow in an autotroph and detritus based ecosystems.
23-Biogeochemical carbon cycle: Forms of carbon; pools and fluxes
24-Biogeochemical nitrogen cycle: Forms of nitrogen; pools and fluxes; processes that bring about cycling of nitrogen through/across various reservoirs.
25-Biogeochemical phosphorus cycle: Forms of phosphorus; pools and fluxes; processes that bring about cycling of phosphorus through/across various reservoirs.
26-Biogeographic regions of India
 
WEEK - VII
27-Vegetation types of India
28-Global Warming
29-Concept of exotic species
30-Concept of sustainable development 
31-Nuclear Pollution
 
WEEK - VIII
32-Acid Rain
33-Ozone depletion
34-Noise Pollution - I
35-Noise Pollution – II
36-Thermal Pollution
 
WEEK - IX
37-Climate Change
38-Problems in enforcement of environmental legislation
39-Photochemical Smog
40-Pollution case studies – I: Air Pollution and Industrial Disaster
41-Pollution case studies – II: Water and Soil Pollution
 
WEEK - X
42-Air Pollution
43-Water Pollution
44-Soil Pollution
45-Marine Pollution
46-Prevention of pollution
 
WEEK - XI
47-Defiition Genetic species & ecosystem diversity
48. Values of biodiversity
49. Threat to Biodiversity
50. Biodiversity at global, national and local level
51. In situ Conservation of Biodiversity
 
WEEK - XII
52. Ex situ Conservation of Biodiversity
53. Hotspots of Biodiversity - I
54. Hotspots of Biodiversity - II
55. India as a megadiversity nation
56. Endangered and endemic species of India
 

Books and references

•Jonathan M. Chase, Mathew A. Leibold, 2003. Ecological Niches: Linking Classical and Contemporary Approaches
•Connell, J. H. 1975. Some mechanisms producing structure in natural communities.
•Diamond, J.M. 1975. Assembly of Species Communities, in Ecology and Evolution of
•Communities (eds. M.L. Cody and J.M. Diamond), Belknap, Harvard, pp. 460-90.
•G. E. Hutchinson , "Homage to Santa Rosalia or Why Are There So Many Kinds of
Animals?," The American Naturalist 93, no. 870 (May - Jun., 1959): 145-159.
•Schoener T.W. (1986) Resource partitioning. In Community Ecology. Patterns and
Process (ed. by I. Kikkawa 8c D.]. Anderson), pp. 91-126.
•Ayoade, J. O. 2004. Introduction to Climatology for the Tropics. Ibadan:
Spectrum Books Limited.
• Critchfield, H.J. 1987. General Climatology. Prentice Hall of India Pvt.
Ltd., New Delhi.
• De Blij, H.J. and Muller, P.O. Physical geography of the global
environment, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.
• De, A.K. 1994. Environmental Chemistry. New Age International Ltd,
Publishers, New Delhi.
• Ernest, S. Gates 1972. Meteorology and Climatology for Sixth Forms.
Harrap: London.
• Kendeigh, S.C. 1974. Ecology. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.; Prentice- Hall.
• Lide, D.R. 2010. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 90th Edition. The Chemical Rubber Publishing Company, Cleveland. Ohio
U.S.A.
• Miller, Jr., G.T. 2004. Environmental Science. Thomson Brroks/Cole,
CA, U
 

Instructor bio

Profile photo

Dr. Irfan Rashid

Department Of Botany, University Of Kashmir

Dr. Irfan Rashid presently working as Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, J&K, India. Raman Fellowship for Post-Doctoral Research for Indian Scholars in USA by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India. Jan 2017 to Jan 2018 ,Visiting Scientist Fellowship by Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi to visit Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), Trebon, Czech Republic from November 11 - 25, 2016. J&K Council for Science & Technology Young Scientist award during 10th JK Science Congress, held in Jammu University from March 14-16, 2015 ,Young and Deserving Scientist award during 23rd Asian Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, held in Cairns, Queensland, Australia from September 26-29, 2011. AusAID funding during 23rd Asian Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, held in Cairns, Queensland, Australia from September 26-29, 2011. Travel grant by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, together with the Mountain Partnership (FAO) to participate in GMBA Conference at Chandolin, Switzerland July 27 - 30, 2010, Graduate Student Award during 5th International Weed Science Congress held at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 23 to 27 June 2008.

Course certificate

Internal Assessment - Weekly assessments released in the course shall be considered for Internal Marks and will carry 30 percent for the Overall Result. Out of all weekly assignments, the best/top five scores will be considered for the final Internal Assessment marks.
End-term Assessment - The final exam shall be conducted by NTA, and will carry 70 percent for the overall Result.
All students who obtain 40% marks in the internal assessment and 40% marks in the end-term proctored exam separately will be eligible for the SWAYAM Credit Certificate.