Environmental Science Syllabus 2024: Subjects, Semester-wise Syllabus PDF, Top Colleges, Books

Atmosphere and Global Climate Change

The subject focuses on the Earth’s atmosphere and its properties. It also covers topics like climate change and the impact of human activities on the same.

As a result, students will get to learn about the following topics:

• Introduction to Earth Systems

• Linkage of atmosphere and climate

• Global energy balance

Soil Biology

The subject entails the study of soil fundamentals, weathering, formation, and classification. Soil biology also plays an important role in determining many soil characteristics.

The topics covered here include:

• Soil genesis and organic matter

• Taxonomy and biology of soil organisms

• Environmental problems related to soils in India

Eco-toxicology and Environmental Health

The subject determines how the environment's health is affected by various toxic materials and focuses on detecting, assessing, and mitigating the pollutants.

The topics covered are:

• Goals and relevance of Eco-toxicology

• Types of Environmental Pollutants

• Effect of toxicants on environment

Environmental Chemistry

Environmental chemistry studies chemical processes in water, air, and land environments. It focuses on understanding the chemistry of various pollutants and ways to mitigate them.

The topics covered are:

• Fundamentals of Chemistry

• Chemistry of water and waste substances

• Techniques for analysing chemicals

Environmental Hazards

The subject focuses on different environmental hazards that cause an imbalance in the ecological system and methods of disaster management.

The topics you’ll learn here are:

• Concept, classification, types and causes of hazards

• Natural, man-made and technological hazards

• Disaster and hazard management

2

Environment Impact & Risk Assessment

Environment Impact & Risk Assessment

The subject introduces the concept of Environment Impact & Risk Assessment (EIA), a systematic process that considers the impact on the environment of the development actions in advance.

The topics covered in this subject include:

• Defining environmental risk

• Nature, purpose and characteristics of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

• Process and Methods of EIA

2

Pollution

Pollution and Health

The subject studies the impact of pollution on people’s health, which further causes various diseases. The decline in environmental quality is a consequence of pollution and adversely affects public health.

You’ll learn about the following topics:

• Types of Pollution: Qualities, Standards and Protective measures

• Ways to monitor and mitigate pollution

• Pollution control in India

3

Geology

Environmental Geology

The subject gives you basic knowledge of geology for effective utilisation of natural resources while minimising their degradation for a healthy biosphere.

The topics covered in this subject include:

• Planet Earth and its differentiation into core, mantle, crust, hydrosphere and atmosphere.

• Processes on Earth - plate-tectonic , rock-forming and ore-forming, hydrologic, weathering and erosional processes.

• Natural hazards like cyclones, floods, landslides, earthquakes and tsunamis.

3

Hydrology

Hydrology and Water Resources

The subject studies the occurrence, movement and distribution of water i.e., the hydrological cycle and basic characteristics of surface and groundwater resources. It also aims to know diverse methods of collecting hydrological information.

The topics covered here are:

• Concept of hydrological cycle and hydrology of India, distribution of water - local, regional and global

• Resources of surface and groundwater

• Water resource management - flood management, water harvesting, watershed management

3/4

Biodiversity

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

The subject covers the study of biodiversity which includes natural landscape, species and ecosystem and helps understand the essential ecological and biological processes. It also focuses on sustainable development, safeguarding the interests of future generations.

The topics covered here are:

• Concept of biological components and levels of biodiversity

• Species and Genetic diversity

• Direct and indirect benefits from biodiversity

• Threats to biodiversity, human intervention and loss of biodiversity

• Methods and benefits of conservation

Soil Ecology

• Introduction to Soil

• Soil formation

• Biodegradation and Bioremediation

• Chemistry of soil constituents

If you are keen on studying soil and its attributes, it is the most suitable specialisation for you.

This course focuses on the soil's classification, formation, texture, and properties.

Earth Systems

• Introduction to Earth Systems

• Origin of the Earth

• Earth’s geological history

• Development and evolution of the atmosphere

If you are desirous of learning about the elements of our planet Earth, then this course is the perfect match for you as it introduces the Earth System and Geology.

It also covers the history, development and evolution of the Earth.

Water Resource Management

• Environmental Hydrology

• Evaluation and Development of Groundwater

• Fundamentals of Hydrology

The course involves an in-depth understanding of the hydrologic cycle and various surface and groundwater resource characteristics.

If you want to pursue a career as a Hydrologist, specialisation in this course is appropriate for you.

Marine Biology

• Fundamentals of the marine environment

• Marine resources

• Biology of Marine Organisms

• Marine pollution

Marine Biology involves studying the life processes of organisms inhabiting the marine environment and covers ways to mitigate marine pollution.

It is an ideal specialisation for students who want to pursue a career as a marine biologist.

Natural Resources and their Conservation

Natural Resource Conservation

Oliver S Owen & Chiras

The book offers a survey of natural resources and issues prevailing in the environment, emphasising practical, sustainable solutions that meet human needs without disrupting the ecological balance.

Environmental Chemistry

Environmental Chemistry

Manahan

The book emphasises the elements essential to the practice of environmental science, technology and chemistry.

It focuses upon the relationship of environmental chemistry to the fundamental concepts of sustainability, industrial ecology and green chemistry.

Environmental Geology

Introduction to Environmental Geology

Edward A.Keller

The book helps understand how geology interacts with major ecological problems and focuses on five fundamental concepts of environmental geology: population, growth and sustainability,

Environmental Impact Assessment

Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment

John Glasson

The book offers updated, yet scattered information from different sources on Environmental Impact Assessment reflecting many significant changes in EIA procedures, process, practice and prospects over the last decade.

Environmental Hazards

Environmental Hazards and Human Health

R.B. Phillip

The book examines how chemical toxins and biological hazards can impact the environment and the people who live in it and the need to re-consider the human activities which cause detrimental damage to the environment.