Subject to the provisions of the General Academic Regulations and the Faculty of Science Special Regulations, the following Departmental Regulations shall apply:
The Department of Environmental Science offers Postgraduate Programmes leading to the award of the following degrees:
• A Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science for students enrolled in the Master of Science Programme as per Departmental Regulation 5.0
• A Master of Philosophy Degree in Environmental Science for students enrolled in the MPhil and PhD Programmes as per Departmental Regulation 6.0
• A Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Environmental Science for qualifying students in the MPhil and PhD Programmes as per Departmental Regulation 6.0.
The objectives of the Master of Science Degree Programme in Environmental Science are as follows:
a) To stimulate in students a critical appreciation of the integrated nature of environmental problems and to present opportunities for them to understand the complex interactions between biophysical and socioeconomic environments;
b) To impart specialised knowledge and skills to students in particular areas of the national or regional environment within the context set by the above.
The management of the environment has become an important undertaking in the last 20 years. This is an area where environmental scientists have a major contribution to make as specialists with a critical appreciation of the integrated nature of the environment. The Master of Science Programme is justified in trying to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to carry out research on the complex relationships in the environment and to relate humans to their physical and cultural environment.
Career opportunities for Master of Science graduates are widespread in all the ministries, parastatals and NGOs working with environ- mental issues in Botswana. In addition, the academic profession has programmes at all levels that are expanding, requiring environmental scientists with analytical abilities at the Master of Science level.
2.4 Departmental Regulations for the Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science
Applicants intending to study for the Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science should have a first degree from the University of Botswana or any other equivalent institution, with at least a good Second Class (Lower Division) or its equivalent in Environmental Science or any other cognate subject (e.g. Geography, Wildlife Management, Natural Resources Management, Forestry) approved by the Board of the Department of Environmental Science as a major subject.
Application and registration procedures for this Programme shall be in accordance with the provisions of General Regulation 41.0.
2.7.1 The Master of Science Degree Programme shall be offered on a full-time basis over a period of 4 semesters of study and on a part-time basis normally covering 6 semesters of study. The Programme consists of coursework and a Dissertation.
2.7.2 For full-time students, the coursework shall extend over the first 2 semesters, the vacation period, and the first half of the third semester of the period of study. The Dissertation shall be done over the rest of the third semester and the fourth semester. For part-time students, coursework shall be done during the first 4 semesters; directed readings will also be taken during the fourth semester, and the Dissertation will be done in Semesters 5 and 6 of the period of study.
2.7.3 For full-time students, the coursework in the first 2 semesters of study shall consist of 4 compulsory courses: ENV 610, ENV 611, ENV 612, and ENV 613, and 4 optional courses. For part-time students, ENV 610, ENV 611, and EN V612 shall be taken together with 1 optional course during the first 2 semesters of the period of study. During the third and fourth semesters the other compulsory course, ENV 613 and 3 optional courses shall be taken. During the 5th and 6th semesters ENV 700 and ENV 701 shall be taken.
2.7.4 The Dissertation shall be based on a supervised original research project and shall normally be presented at the end of the fourth semester for full-time students and at the end of the sixth semester for part-time students. Extensions beyond this time can only be made on the recommendation of the Departmental Board with the approval of the Board of Graduate Studies
2.7.5 Full-time students who have successfully completed all Level 600 courses at the end of the second semester of study shall enrol in the Level 700 courses.
Supervision shall be as prescribed in General Regulation 41.9.
The full-time Master of Science Programme will normally take 4 semesters, while the part-time Programme will normally take 6 semesters.
All Master of Science courses carry 3 credits except for ENV 700: Research Proposal and ENV 701: Dissertation, which carry 9 and 15 credits respectively.
Full-time Master of Science Degree Programme
Semester 1
Core Courses (6 credits)
EVN610 Integrated Environmental Analysis and Management I
EVN611 Introduction to Environmental Information Systems
Optional Courses (6 Credits)
EVN620 Land Use Planning and Land Use Dynamics
ENV621 Economic Aspects of Resource Utilisation and Management
ENV622 Climate and Resources in Semi-Arid Environments (pre: ENV 337 or equivalent; coreq: ENV 478 or equivalent)
ENV623 Hydrology and Water Resources (pre:ENV 335/441/479 or equivalent)
ENV 624 Soil Science and Land Evaluation Surveys (co-req: ENV 334/452/475)
ENV625 Population Dynamics and Human Settlements
(pre: ENV307/311/401/POP305 or equivalent)
ENV626 Range Resources and Management (pre: ENV 340 &450 & 451 or equivalent)
Semester 2
Core Courses (6 credits)
EVN 612 Integrated Environmental Analysis and Management II (pre: ENV 612)
EVN 613 Research Methodology
Optional Courses (6 Credits)
ENV627 Urban and Regional Planning
ENV628 Wildlife Management and Tourism Management (pre:ENV301 & 312
or equivalent)
ENV629 Natural Resource Use Policies (pre: ENV 301& 476 or equivalent)
ENV630 Agriculture and the Environment
ENV631 Geographical Information Systems (pre: ENV 440 or equivalent)
ENV 632 Remote Sensing (pre: ENV 611& 330/456)
ENV 633 Geomorphology
ENV 634 Waste Management and Pollution Control
Semesters 3 and 4
Core Courses (24 credits)
ENV700 MSc Proposal
ENV701 MSc Dissertation
Optional Courses
None
Part-Time Master of Science Degree Programme
Semester 1
Core Courses (6 credits)
EVN610 Integrated Environmental Analysis and Management I
EVN611 Introduction to Environmental Information Systems
Optional Courses
None
Semester 2
Core Course
EVN612 Integrated Environmental Analysis and Management II (pre: ENV610)
Optional Course
ENV620 Land Use Planning and Land Use Dynamics
ENV621 Economic Aspects of Resource Utilisation and Management
ENV622 Climate and Resources in Semi-Arid Environments
ENV623 Hydrology and Water Resources
ENV624 Soil Science and Land Evaluation Surveys
ENV625 Population Dynamics and Human Settlements
ENV626 Range Resources and Management
Semester 3
Optional Courses (6 credits)
ENV 627 Urban and Regional Planning
ENV 628 Wildlife Management and Tourism Management
ENV629 Natural Resource Use Policies
ENV 630 Agriculture and the Environment
ENV 631 Geographical Information Systems
ENV 632 Remote Sensing
ENV 633 Geomorphology
ENV634 Waste Management and Pollution Control
Semester 4
Core Course
EVN613 Research Methodology
Optional Courses
EVN620 Land Use Planning and Land Use Dynamics
ENV621 Economic Aspects of Resource Utilisation and Management
ENV622 Climate and Resources in Semi-Arid Environments
ENV623 Hydrology and Water Resources
ENV624 Soil Science and Land Evaluation Surveys
ENV 625 Population Dynamics and Human Settlements
ENV626 Range Resources and Management
Semesters 5 and 6
Core Courses (24 Credits)
ENV 700 MSc Proposal
ENV 701 MSc Dissertation
Optional Courses
None
2.11.1 Level 600 courses shall be assessed through continuous assessment alone or through a combination of continuous assessment and written examination at the end of the semester in which they are taken.
2.11.2 Continuous assessment shall be based on a combination of essay assignments, seminar presentations, tests, and practical exercises, the balance of these varying as determined and approved by the Department of Environmental Science Board.
2.11.3 The formal written examination of each course shall take the form of a paper of 3 hours’ duration. The ratio between continuous assessment and exami-nation shall be 1:1.
2.11.4 ENV 700 shall be internally assessed through seminar presentations. ENV 701 will be internally and externally assessed. The courses ENV 700 and ENV 701 may be supplemented with either minor amendments or major amendments.
2.12.1 In order to proceed to Level 700 courses, the student must have attained at least a mark of 55 percent for each of the courses taken at Level 600.
2.12.2 In order to do ENV 701: MSc Dissertation, the candidate has to pass ENV 700.
2.13.1 The Dissertation shall be as specified in General Regulation 41.9.
2.13.2 The Dissertation shall only be submitted for examination after written consent from the supervisor on the recommendation of the internal Dissertation committee.