Undergraduate Courses 2017-18
ENVS
Environmental Science
Courses marked with a [C] in the course description are not taught in Chinese but may require students to read materials in Chinese. Students who have difficulty reading materials in Chinese should consult the instructor concerned prior to enrolling in these courses. For undergraduate courses, alternative English reading materials may be provided.
- ENVS 2001Environmental Conservation and Sustainability in Practice1 Credit(s)DescriptionStudents will visit various field sites of Hong Kong (for example, Mai Po Nature Reserve, marine parks, research laboratories under our Environmental Science Programs, government facilities). Through this course, students are expected to gain more ideas and enhanced appreciation on local conservation/sustainability efforts, and be inspired about how to apply academic knowledge in practice. Graded P or F. Cantonese may be used in field trips, in some situations. Instructor’s approval is required for enrolling in the course. Priority will be given to ENVS students.
- ENVS 2002Environmental Internship2-4 Credit(s)DescriptionThis course aims to provide students with hands-on experience in the environmental field. Students will undertake training and supervised internships with our potential collaborators (including government departments, environmental consultants, conservation groups, and research laboratories; either in or outside Hong Kong). Course assessment will be based on students’ reports (written and/or oral) and supervisors’ evaluation. Graded P or F. Maybe graded PP. Cantonese may be used in off-campus trainings and internships, in some situations. Instructor’s approval is required for enrolling in the course. Priority will be given to ENVS students.
- ENVS 2003Introduction to Atmospheric Science3 Credit(s)Previous Course Code(s)ENVS 3002Prerequisite(s)MATH 1003 OR MATH 1012 OR MATH 1013 OR MATH 1018 (prior to 2013-14) OR MATH 1020 OR MATH 1023DescriptionThis course will provide students with a wide range of knowledge related to atmospheric science, including atmosphere and weather, analysis of climate and weather observations in both regional and global scales. Lecture topics include the evolution of the earth's atmosphere; the structure and composition of the atmosphere; radiation and thermodynamic processes; water in the atmosphere and cloud processes; pressure, winds and force in the atmosphere; weather patterns and the storms; ozone formation and loss; biogeochemical circulations; air pollution and techniques; climate system and climate change. Students will be trained upon completion of the course with ability to understand and examine the atmospheric structure, physical process and dynamics that focus on the composition and dynamics of the earth atmosphere and their role in the distribution of heat and energy and other aspects of atmosphere related to the Earth's climate and weather.
- ENVS 2004Introduction to Ocean Science3 Credit(s)Previous Course Code(s)ENVS 3003Prerequisite(s)LIFS 1030 OR PHYS 1003DescriptionThe ocean defines the features of our planet. The ultimate goal of the course is to promote and enhance ocean literacy, which means the awareness and understanding of fundamental concepts of the history, functioning, and utilization of the ocean. By the end of this course students will understand the ocean's influence on individuals and their influence on the ocean. The course will cover a wide range of topics including ocean physics, marine chemistry, marine geology, and biological oceanography.
- ENVS 3001Pollution Monitoring and Measurement3 Credit(s)Prerequisite(s)CHEM 1030 OR CHEM 2311DescriptionStudents will learn the science background and monitoring techniques of environmental pollutants, which include the behavior of contaminants in water, sample collection, biological and chemical analyses, experimental design, and data analysis. Students will also be introduced to the advanced research infrastructure on campus. Through the course, students will gain essential background and skills for conducting environmental research or pursuing a career in the environmental field. Students are required to have sufficient background of life science and chemistry. For ENVS students only.
- ENVS 3004Global Climate Change3 Credit(s)Prerequisite(s)ENVS 2003 AND ENVS 2004DescriptionClimate change is considered the greatest threat to biodiversity and the ecosystem functions due to significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. This course aims to provide students with a solid foundation in physical climate system, with which to understand global warming, natural climate variations and climate models. We will also consider regional climate anomalies, unusual sequences of recent climate change, impacts of climate change in ecosystems and technologies to slow and stabilize climate change.
- ENVS 3005Environmental Microbiology3 Credit(s)Prerequisite(s)LIFS 1030 OR LIFS 2060DescriptionThe course aims to introduce the students to (i) the fundamental features of microorganisms that live in the natural environment, (ii) the roles of the microorganisms in natural processes that drive our ecosystem, such as biogeochemical cycling, interactions with plants and animals, (iii) the use of the microorganisms in environmental technology. Key concepts are illustrated with real-life examples and case studies.
- ENVS 4001Environmental Impact and Risk Assessment3 Credit(s)Prerequisite(s)CHEM 1030 OR LIFS 1030DescriptionThis course gives an overview on the relationships between human health, environment, and sustainable development. Topics include the development and objectives of environmental impact and risk assessment; impacts of environmental quality (including air, water, wastes, ecology) and health risks; assessment and mitigation, public participation; sustainable development. Case studies and guest lectures will be included. For ENVS, LIFS and CHEM students in their third and fourth year of study only.
- ENVS 4012Special Topics in Environmental Science1-3 Credit(s)DescriptionThis special topics course will help students to gain a more in-depth knowledge and to have a better understanding on the current research topics concerned in environmental sciences. Typical topics include marine virology, freshwater/terrestrial ecology, energy and sustainability, environmental law, atmospheric modeling, air quality in Hong Kong and Geographic Information System (GIS) and its application. Key concepts are illustrated with real-life examples during field trips and case studies. May be repeated for credits if different topics are taken. For ENVS students in their third and fourth year of study only.
- ENVS 4301Environmental Conservation3 Credit(s)Prerequisite(s)LIFS 2060 AND LIFS 3160Exclusion(s)LIFS 5300 (prior to 2013-14)DescriptionThis course covers the essential topics of environmental conservation, which includes biodiversity, ecosystems, environmental ethics and economics, environmental policy, resource management, and conservation biology. Case studies from Hong Kong and other regions will be investigated. For LIFS and ENVS students in their third or fourth year of study only.
- ENVS 4905Marine Molecular Biology and Ecology3 Credit(s)Prerequisite(s)LIFS 3130DescriptionThis course covers the essential topics on how to apply modern molecular techniques to study the biological and ecological mechanisms of marine organisms and ecosystems. It will provide a comprehensive introduction of different methods, from molecular fingerprinting to next generation high-throughput sequencing, to the studies of –omics and meta-omics. It will cover a broad range of marine organisms, from bacteria and their phages to protists, and from marine invertebrates to vertebrates, and a variety of different habitats/ecosystems, such as coral reef and deep seafloor. For LIFS and ENVS students in their third or fourth year of study only.
- ENVS 4910Independent Study1-3 Credit(s)DescriptionThe course will cover review topics restricted to environmental science. Enrolled students will conduct research project or literature review exercise under the supervision of a faculty member. For ENVS students and visiting interns only. Students may take for credits up to two times. Approval of the course instructor is needed for students to enroll in this course. Subject to approval by the department, students may repeat the course once if a different topic is selected. Graded P or F.
- ENVS 4964Environmental Science Capstone Project Research3 Credit(s)Corequisite(s)LANG 4016DescriptionIndependent work in an area of environmental science under faculty supervision. The project can be delivered through the format of literature review or research. Oral presentation and project report are required. For ENVS students only. Instructor’s approval is required for enrollment in the course.
- ENVS 4974Environmental Science Project Research I3 Credit(s)DescriptionStudents will undertake a research project in an area of environmental science under faculty supervision. This course is the first course of a two-term research project. The research training includes experimental design, data analysis, and oral presentation. For ENVS students only. Instructor’s approval is required for enrollment in the course.
- ENVS 4984Environmental Science Project Research II4 Credit(s)Prerequisite(s)ENVS 4974Corequisite(s)LANG 4016DescriptionContinuation of ENVS 4974. The research training includes experimental design, data analysis, and presentation of research findings (poster presentation and project report). For ENVS students only. Instructor’s approval is required for enrollment in the course.
