Postgraduate Courses

The course provides an introduction to the fundamental features of environmental microorganisms and an understanding of their roles in the functioning of our ecosystems and their importance to mankind.

The course is designed to introduce students to key contemporary concepts in environmental economics and equip them with the approaches in economics that are generally applied to analyze environmental problems and policies.

This course focuses both on how to make and how to study environmental policy and management. It will review major theories related to the formulation of environmental policies, including government regulation and economic incentives, and discuss the types of policy measures implemented in various public and business sectors. The discussion of environmental problems and policies will focus on examples that are relevant for Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, but will also include the experience of other countries and the debate surrounding global environmental issues.

This course prepares graduate students for the development of interdisciplinary research on environmental science, policy and management through a detailed investigation of climate change issues. Based on a review of the scientific research and models that have been developed through international cooperation, students will discuss relevant approaches of atmospheric and oceanographic science and the likely consequences in terms of climate change. In addition, the various technologies of mitigation and adaptation will be surveyed, leading to a discussion of appropriate policies for managing climate change at the global or national level.

A fundamental introduction to the physical and chemical processes determining the composition of the atmosphere and its implications for climate, ecosystems, and human welfare. Atmospheric transport and transformation. Stratospheric ozone. Oxidizing power of the atmosphere. Regional air pollution: aerosols, smog, and acid rain. Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, sulfur geochemical cycles. Climate and the greenhouse effect.

Advanced seminar series presented by postgraduate students, faculty and guest speakers on selected topics in atmospheric environmental science or marine environmental science. This course is offered once a year. Graded P or F.

Offerings are announced each term, if deemed necessary, to cover emerging topics of environmental concerns not covered in the present curriculum. Typical topics are carbon audit and management, integrated environmental management systems, air-sea interactions, Life cycle analysis: a system perspective, etc.

An introduction to the fundamentals of physical, chemical, geological, geochemical, and biological oceanography. It unveils the mystery of the oceans including the formation of the continents, oceanic circulation, and formation of precious minerals in the deep oceans; discovers ocean resources from phytoplankton to fish. The course will lay the foundation for sustainable use of the oceans and discuss human threats such as global warming, overfishing, and coastal pollution.

This course is designed to give students an interdisciplinary understanding on the concepts of sustainability, and its contemporary trend of development. The course will cover component concepts on sustainability, its implications from resource (renewable and non-renewable) exploitation; the strength of sustainability with respect to human made or natural capitals; the assessment for sustainability; and the inter-relationships between sustainability and business, governmental policy and human communities.

Study on selected topics in environmental science under the supervision of a faculty member. The course may be repeated once for credits if the topic is different. Graded P or F.

This one-credit course aims at providing research postgraduate students basic training in teaching skills, research management, career development, and related professional skills. This course consists of a number of division-specific workshops. Graded PP, P or F.

Master's thesis research supervised by a faculty member. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.

Original and independent doctoral thesis research. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.