Curriculum of Master of Science Program

1

Curriculum of Master of Science Program

In Earth System Environment

(New Curriculum 2015)

Academic InstitutionPrince of Songkla University

Hatyai campusFaculty of Environmental Management

Section 1 General Information

1. Curriculum Name and Program

• Master of Science Program in Earth System Environment

2. Name of Academic Degree and Program

Full Title: Master of Science (Earth System Environment)

Abbreviation: M.Sc. (Earth System Environment)

Section 2 Curriculum Structure

1. Curriculum

1.1 Master of Science Program: Number of the total credits not less than 36 credits

1.2 Curriculum structure:

2. Courses (For Master of Science Program)

2.1 Compulsory courses9 credits

837-501(Earth System Environment and Sustainability) 3(3-0-6)

837-502(Advanced Earth System Research Methodology)* 3(3-0-6)

837-503 (System Sciences)** 3(3-0-6)

837-504(Seminar I)***1(0-2-1)

837-505(Seminar II)***1(0-2-1)

* Compulsory for graduate student

** Compulsory for graduate student plan 2.2

*** No credit (Result in grade of S=Pass, U= Fail)

2.2 Elective Courses 9credits

825-520 (International Environmental Policy)3(3-0-6)

826-516(Policies and Actions for Sustainable Development)3(3-0-6)

830-520(Lake Basin Management)3(2-1-6)

830-602 (Climate Change and Ecosystem)3(3-0-6)

837-511(Sustainability Sciences)3(3-0-6)

837-512 (Global Environmental Change, Impact Mitigation, 3(3-0-6)

and Adaptation Planning)

837-513(Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation)3(3-0-6)

837-514(Atmospheric Air Pollution)3(3-0-6)

837-515(Climate and Global Warming)3(3-0-6)

837-516(Advanced Weather and Climate Analysis and Forecasting)3(3-0-6)

837-517(Atmospheric Boundaries Layer Science)3(3-0-6)

837-518Tsunami and Storm Surge Analysis3(3-0-6)

837-519Geohazards and Adaptation3(3-0-6)

837-520(Advanced Modeling for Earth System Environment) 3(2-2-5)

837-521(Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics for Global Change) 3(2-2-5)

837-522(Sustainable Equator Environment) 3(3-0-6)

837-523(Biodiversity, Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation) 3(3-0-6)

837-524(International Environmental Law)3(3-0-6)

837-525 (Green Growth and Sufficiency Economy)3(3-0-6)

837-526(Basin Evolution, Process and Analysis)3(2-1-6)

837-527(Coastal Environmental Change)3(3-0-6)

837-528(Flood Risk Management)3(3-0-6)

837-541(Special Topics in Environment Earth System I)3(3-0-6)

837-542(Special Topics in Environment Earth System II) 3(3-0-6)

837-606 (The Earth and Ecosystem Management) 3(3-0-6)

2.3 Thesis 18-36 credits

Plan A: A2

837-800(Thesis)18(0-54-0)

Plan A: A1

837-801(Thesis)36(0-108-0)

*Note. Students may select any course offered for Master degree or Doctoral degree in Prince of Songkla University curriculum. However, the selected course must be approved by curriculum supervisor or thesis advisor.

The meanings of numeral code of credit are as follows:

[Example. 3(2-3-4)]

First number (3) represents the total credits

Second number (2) represents hours of lecture per week

Third number (3) represents hours of practice per week

Fourth number (4) represents hours of independent study per week

3. Study Plan

Plan A: A1Thesis36 credits

First Year, Semester 1

837-801(Thesis y)9 credits

837-504(Seminar I) *(No-credit)1 credits

First Year, Semester 2

837-901(Thesis) 9 credits

837-505(Seminar II) *(No-credit)1 credits

Second Year, Semester 1

837-801(Thesis)9 credits

837-504(Seminar I) *(No-credit)1 credits

Second Year, Semester 2

837-801(Thesis)9 credits

837-505(Seminar II) *(No-credit)1 credits

Plan A: A2Study 18 credits, Thesis 18 credits

First Year, Semester 1

837-501 (Earth System Environment and Sustainability)3 credits

837-502 (Advanced Earth System Research Methodology)3 credits

837-504 (Seminar I) *(No-credit)1 credits

xxx-xxx (Elective course) 3 credits

Total9 credits

First Year, Semester 2

837-503 (System Sciences)3 credits

837-505(Seminar II) *(No-credit)1 credits

xxx - xxx(Elective course II)3 credits

xxx - xxx(Elective course III)3 credits

Total9 credits

Second Year, Semester 1

837-800 Thesis9 credits

837-504 (Seminar I) *(No-credit)1 credits

Second Year, Semester 2

837-800 Thesis9 credits

837-505 (Seminar II) *(No-credit)1 credits

4. Course Descriptions

4.1 Compulsory courses 9 credits

837-501Earth System Environment and Sustainability3(3-0-6)

Earth system environment; description of the basic subsystems: atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere; the emerging spheres of interest: the anthrosphere, cryosphere, and astrosphere; historical development and evolution of earth system, critical environmental changes and impacts to the human race, global warming and climate change, oceanographic change and sea level rise, geological disasters, and cosmic risks, the need for interdisciplinary approach, and challenges for the future

837-502Advanced Earth System Research Methodology3(3-0-6)

Research concept; topic determination and problem identification in earth system environmental research; conceptual frame work and literature review; operation research, experimental research, and survey research; data collection and compilation; data processing; geo-informatics, earth observation and related engineering tools for data analysis; research report

837-503System Sciences3(3-0-6)

Introduction of systems theory, approach and dynamic; discrete dynamic systems; model simulation; decision analysis; complex adaptive systems; ideas of meta-systems and subsystems; value system and optimization; analyzing the behavioral dynamics of systems; application

837-504Seminar I1(0-2-1)

Presentation, analysis and discussion of interesting topics in earth system environment; presentation of conceptual framework and/or thesis proposal

837-505Seminar II1(0-2-1)

Presentation, analysis and discussion of interesting topics in earth system environment at local, regional and global levels; presentation of conceptual framework and/or thesis proposal

4.2 Elective courses

825-520International Environmental Policy3(3-0-6)

International agreement; climate change agreement, biodiversity agreement; marine environmental management policy; policy on international trade and the environment and other related issues

826-516 Policies and Actions for Sustainable Development3(3-0-6)

Public policy; processes of policy formulation; approaches to developing development policies from macro to micro levels; policy implementation in Thai society, its related political, economic, social and cultural factors; guidelines and actions for sustainable development

830-520Lake Basin Management3(2-1-6)

Basic physical, ecological and social science information of lake basin; Songkhla Lake as a case study; capability of the basin; past problems and possibilities for future development

830-602 Climate Change and Ecosystem3(3-0-6)

Overview of climate change science; energy balance and radiative transfer; greenhouse effect and global warming; natural causes of climate change; paleoclimate and future climate changes; assessment of climate change induced by anthropogenic causes; exchanges, sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the ecosystem; impact of climate change on the ecosystem; adaptation and vulnerability of the ecosystem

837-511Sustainability Sciences 3(3-0-6)

Philosophy and science of sustainability; complex interacting, maintainability and management of human and environmental system; change, vulnerability, resilience, adaptation and collapse of social and ecosystems; case studies of sustainability research; emerging issues in sustainability science

837-512Global Environmental Change, Impact Mitigation, 3(3-0-6)

and Adaptation Planning

Global environmental change and its impacts at the local and regional scales; technique for impact and vulnerability assessment, mitigation and adaptation strategies among different sectors and region; planning process and related tools and resources; adaptation in practice; and involved case studies

837-513Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation3(3-0-6)

The principal and evolution of climate change vulnerability and adaptation from

scientific and policy aspect; review and examine the case studies among different regions and sectors; evaluate the consequences of changing climate on ecosystem and human; analysis of the possible strategies of socioeconomic system to cope and adapt with changing and uncertainty of future climatic and global condition; Identification of key finding, approaches and developments; limits to adaptation and maladaptation

837-514Atmospheric Air Pollution3(3-0-6)

Principle of the exploration, study and discussion of the outstanding issues in atmospheric air pollution; examine sources, atmospheric transport, transformation and dispersion, local, regional and global impacts; measurement, source-to-receptor relationship of major air pollutants as well as controls of air pollution

837-515Climate and Global Warming3(3-0-6)

An array of contemporary issues in climatology as global warming and climate change, including the past climates, natural climate variations, greenhouse gases, greenhouse effects as well as observed and projected climate changes and impacts, discussion of latest scientific findings relevant to global warming and climate change

837-516Advanced Weather and Climate Analysis and Forecasting3(2-2-5)

The detailed study of weather and climate forecasting along with various analysis techniques for different regions around the world; knowledge application of atmospheric dynamics, thermodynamics and computer-data analysis to forecast the movement and development of multi-scale weather and climate systems through assigned readings, map analysis, forecast and synoptic discussions on severe weather and climate outlook for the forecast region

837-517Atmospheric Boundaries Layer Science3(3-0-6)

The atmospheric structure; atmospheric thermodynamics, radiation processes in the lower atmosphere; energy and mass balances; boundary layer micro-meteorology; boundary layer processes and surface interactions; modeling of the boundary layer; environmental effects on the boundary layer; boundary layer measurements

837-518Tsunami and Storm Surge Analysis3(3-0-6)

Tsunamis investigation; discovery of the impacts of earth's systems on humans; the relationship of waves and other natural disasters and science concepts such as plate tectonics, acceleration and speed, force and motion, energy transfer and the physics of waves; preparedness of many households, schools, communities and business on tsunami hazard encounter; safe instruction from these destructive waves and storm

837-519Geohazards and Adaptation3(3-0-6)

Plate tectonics: a unifying paradigm in geoscience; geodetic monitoring tools and techniques; plate motions: Euler poles and reference frames; plate boundaries; strain and tilt: theory; the earthquake cycle; seismic hazard assessment; strain and seismic hazard; time series analysis; tidal motion of the earth; ocean tides and loading; non-tidal loading and the water cycle; tropospheric water vapour; glacio-isostatic adjustment; sea-level change; terrestrial measurements; satellite altimetry; glacier and ice sheet movements; landslides and other smaller-scale geohazards; volcano deformation monitoring

837-520 Advanced Modeling for Earth System Environment3(2-2-5)

Advanced techniques to the development of earth and environmental system model; analysis and interpretation of the result for earth system and its component model; model application as ecosystem dynamic model; global carbon cycle model; hydrological model; global energy balance; radiation model, etc

837-521Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics for Global Change3(2-2-5)

Principles and techniques of exploring and analyzing the change of environmental earth system from the local to global scales using remote sensing; application of remote sensing with advanced spatial analytical techniques; remote sensing with energy and mass balance modeling for each components of the global system; geographic information system and geoinformatics for the study and research into the changing earth system

837-522Sustainable Equator Environment 3(3-0-6)

Introduction to the equator environment for sustainability: challenges the substantial impacts of global change on equator ecosystem, evolution, adaptation including the critical tension between the enormous global demand for increased human well-being and the positive-negative consequences of global change for equator environment especially focusing on natural disaster aspects

837-523Biodiversity, Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation3(3-0-6)

Resilience in the ecological system; adapting mechanisms of various taxa in different environment system; evolution of organisms; integrated management of invasive species; ecological restoration; conservation and restoration policies and governance relating to improve ecosystems resilience; integrated ecological model, ecosystem adaptation and biodiversity; emerging case studies

837-524International Environmental Law3(3-0-6)

Foundations and evolution of international environmental law; contemporary international issues assessment as global warming, ozone depletion, climate change, biodiversity loss, transboundary movement of hazardous waste and substances; other cross-cutting issues, etc

837-525Green Growth and Sufficiency Economy3(3-0-6)

Economic foundations of green growth; philosophy of sufficiency economy; greening of industries; green technologies; policy and structural development for green and sufficiency economy; sustainable living and self-sufficiency lifestyle

837-526Basin Evolution, Process and Analysis3(2-1-6)

Processes of water movement through the basin; soil formation and evolution; governing processes that shape the basin; sediment yields and its transport processes; hydrological and geomorphological processes: identification and measurement; basin stratigraphy; geophysical methods for basin analysis; field study in Songkhla Lake Basin

837-527Coastal Environmental Change3(3-0-6) Oceanographic, geological and climatological processes, and human intervention affecting coastal configuration and stability; tectonics, sea-level fluctuations, sediment supply, climate variation, and human activity affecting coastal evolution; coastal processes modelling; geomorphological and sedimentological techniques for coastal evolution; coastal protection; techniques and methods for field study; field study in coastal zone around Songkhla Lake basin.

837-528Flood Risk Management3(3-0-6)

Flood risk management strategy; interaction of governance and socio-economic forces; related legislation; catchment management: the role, perspective and evolution of institutions, governance, stakeholder; economic aspects; losses and measurements; flood management planning; land use planning for flood risk reduction

837-541Special Topics in Environment Earth System I3(3-0-6)

(Current interests concerning earth system environment)

837-542Special Topics in Environment Earth System II3(3-0-6)

(Current interests concerning earth system environment)

837-606The Earth and Ecosystem Management3(3-0-6)

The earth and ecosystem, biosphere and ecosphere, interaction between the livings and the non-living, the role of ecosystem diversity, drivers for homeostasis and sustainability, evolution and trends of the earth’s ecosystems, emerging threats and the needs for intervention, from techno-centric to eco-centric approach, common challenges for global efforts, and the need for systems integration

4.3 Thesis

Plan A:A2

837-800Thesis 18(0-54-0)

Research into new bodies of knowledge in earth system environment and for management; planning, writing and reporting research findings, all under supervision of thesis advisers

Plan A: A1

837-801Thesis 36(0-108-0)

Research into new bodies of knowledge in earth system environment for management; planning, writing and reporting research findings, all under supervision of thesis advisers and possibility in creating the new body of knowledge

Contact Information

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Danupon Tonnayopas :Chairperson of Earth System Environment

Master Program

E-mail :

Dr. Chaiwat Rongsayamanont

E-mail :