Form of study

- 1,5 years full-time
- 2 years part-time

MSc course may be realised also in English, on the Restoration and Management of Environment specialization at WULS-SGGW or at universities abroad (Cranfield University in the UK, Wageningen University in the Netherlands) within the double-degree programme, which allows obtaining two diplomas – from WULS-SGGW and the foreign university.

After completion of the course graduates obtain Masters degree in environmental protection.

Entry requirements (details and dates available on WULS-SGGW main page)

Candidates must possess BSc or Eng degree and pass a competence test consisting of questions from the main subjects indicated in the teaching standards for Environmental Protection course.

After admittance to the course student has to choose one of the following specializations:

- Technologies in environmental protection
- Natural environment functioning and protection
- Environmental protection systems
- Environment-food
- Restoration and management of environment – in English

Potential work places:

- local and national government,
- national and international environmental protection and design institutions,
- municipal engineering companies,
- environmental departments in companies,
- design and consulting companies,
- education and research institutions.

Aims of specializations

Technologies in environmental protection

Technologies and techniques of water and earth surface protection are being presented with relation to functioning of different systems in the natural environment. Graduate of Environmental protection technologies specialization possesses knowledge and skills enabling him/her to solve environmental protection problems, with special regard to technological issues. The in-depth process and technological knowledge consists of wide range of cleansing and treatment issues, with special attention paid to preventive strategy – avoidance and reduction of pollution and waste. Technological knowledge comprises both technologies of protection and reclamation of natural resources, with regard also to their multifunctional application and natural ability of ecosystems to utilize contaminants. The graduate is prepared to decide on choosing the best available environmental protection technologies in specified local conditions. He/she possesses the ability to plan and prioritize in environmental protection strategy. Apart from technical knowledge he/she has modelling and forecasting skills with regard to changes observed in the environment. The alumnus is prepared to undertake research and development tasks. Gained knowledge will enable him/her to undertake research work and continue education on PhD programmes. The graduate’s skills enable him/her to manage teams and solve environmental problems of different scales, with respect to legal, economic and ethical rules.

Head of specialization: dr hab. Piotr Hewelke, professor of WULS-SGGW

Natural environment functioning and protection

Graduate of this specialization is comprehensively prepared to take any position in administration and local government institutions, and also in non-government organisations dealing with conservation and active nature protection. He/she has gained skills of research planning and expertise making, statistical analysis and interpretation of results of experiments and analyses. The graduate knows national flora and fauna to an extent sufficient to make field inventories on his/her own. He/she knows the organisation of nature protection in Poland, national policy with regard to this issue and problems of ecological education. The graduate knows the methods of active protection of species, plant and animal communities, and ecosystems. While planning the protection activities he/she takes into account requirements of biology and ecology of plants and animals, knows the treatment  techniques for specific groups of organisms. In contrary to other courses related to environmental protection, this specialty stands out with a more detailed approach to protection of ecosystems of river valleys and urban areas. Graduate of this specialization is fully prepared to undertake research activities or continue education on PhD programmes.

Head of specialization: professor Jacek Goszczyński

Environmental protection systems

In the modern world decisions are based on various information, usually obtained from monitoring systems of different types. Proper decision making (apart from personal features) requires understanding the essence of data collection, processing and analysis.

The aim of this specialization is to provide students with:

- ability to make environmental decisions on different levels, e.g. municipality, regional, national,
- ability to plan monitoring of the natural environment, computer processing and analysis of information, and to use mathematic models, optimization techniques and multi-criteria analysis,
- knowledge about functioning of natural systems in a way enabling them to describe these systems using mathematical and numerical models.

For completion of tasks students use a large number of computer tools, including databases, geo-information systems, optimization methods. Graduates are able to adapt existing models to their needs and to build own computer models of selected processes. The graduate will be able to continue his/her education on PhD programmes in almost every discipline of natural sciences, having possessed the required theoretical background and skills of using computer tools.

Head of specialization: dr hab. Tomasz Okruszko, professor of WULS-SGGW

Environment – food

Graduate of this specialization possesses deep knowledge of evaluation of the state of the natural environment, with regard to cause-effect dependencies, and ability to forecast further changes on the basis of present use and influence of external factors.  These skills enable him/her to make required decisions relating to environmental protection and spatial planning, both on local and regional level. Decisions made are based on scientific assessment of environmental and health risks. The graduate has knowledge and skills in the field of ecological primary production technologies, food processing and food quality assessment. Gained knowledge enables the graduate to combine the issues of environmental protection with food quality, lifestyle and human health, and also regional development. Graduate is well equipped to be able to solve various environmental problems on different levels, while obeying the legal, economic and ethical rules. His/her knowledge is focused on environmental appraisal and forecasting issues, food safety and sustainable development. The graduate has planning and prioritizing skills related to environmental protection and human resources management. He/she is prepared to undertake research activity or continue education on PhD programmes.

Head of specialization: dr hab. Ewa Rembiałkowska, professor of WULS-SGGW

Restoration and management of environment

The issues of the state of the environment and the level of its degradation due to human activity have been broadly researched for the past few decades. Scientists have observed a rapid growth in people’s awareness of the risks emerging from the major changes in the environment. Many actions undertaken in order to prevent the threats and to maintain or enhance the state of the natural environment have received great support, for example in the form of new laws and regulations. So far, monitoring of the state of the environment together with pollution control and reduction were the main focus and much has been done within these areas. What should become the main goal for the future is an attempt to bring the environment to the state at which it was prior to degradation, when the biological reconstructive processes were self-sustaining. At present, schemes aiming at bringing the nature back to its previous state are known as restoration programmes, according to the definition of restoration proposed by Berger in 1987: “Restoration is a process in which a damaged resource is renewed. Biologically. Structurally. Functionally.”. Unfortunately, it has been discovered that some of the damages went so far that they are irreversible or impossible to repair due to infrastructural or economical changes in the surrounding.

However, the attempts to address the negative effects of theses changes have become increasingly demanded by the public. Management, and especially environmental management which is considered in this case, is meant to assure the state of the environment to be maintained at a good level, according to the current standards and regulations. All the actions aiming at reestablishing the general structure and functions of a disturbed ecosystem require profound knowledge of ecology, ecotoxicology, living organisms’ adaptation to environmental stresses, reproduction biology etc. Only deep understanding of biological processes supported by familiarity with management rules and legal aspects of environmental protection will give a good tool for future specialists who will be capable of securing good quality of the environment. That is why this specialization has been established. Its programme will enable students to learn about the degraded environment in a large city (Warsaw) and further to compare it with one of the cleanest areas of Poland, Biebrza National Park, known worldwide for its exceptional habitats, which hasn’t been reached by human influence. Alumni of this specialization will have the opportunity to deeply investigate the subject, which is of great importance for human wellbeing and which is a key driving force of the world economy nowadays.

Head of specialization: professor Stanisław Gawroński