The course in brief
The Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering for Risk Mitigation aims to train highly qualified professionals in the field of environmental engineering, with a particular focus on the prevention, management, and mitigation of risks of both natural and anthropogenic origin. Students will acquire multidisciplinary skills, addressing topics such as environmental risk assessment, land surveying and monitoring activities, and climate change adaptation strategies. In addition to traditional engineering disciplines, students will gain knowledge in the fields of chemical, geological, biological, and legislative sciences.
The specific topics covered at the University of Parma include:
prevention and protection of the territory from extreme natural and anthropogenic events (floods, landslides, debris flows, and pollution of water, air, and soil);
environmental land-use planning;
wastewater treatment and disposal;
remediation of contaminated groundwater and soils;
solid waste management and disposal;
environmental and territorial monitoring systems.
The Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering for Risk Mitigation is structured into two main levels of education:
Core training in Environmental and Land Engineering;
Complementary training in chemical, ecological, and legislative fields.
Some of the courses offered in the first year provide students with the theoretical and practical tools of the main disciplines in environmental engineering, territorial planning, and environmental legislation. The remaining courses build upon the acquired knowledge, focusing on different types of natural and anthropogenic risks affecting both natural and built environments. The program provides students with the skills necessary for the competent and responsible design of various types of interventions, including territorial protection, prevention of extreme events and environmental pollution, and environmental restoration. Laboratory and internship activities are also included in the curriculum.
The goal is to train engineers with advanced scientific and professional knowledge of the physical, biological, and chemical processes involved in complex environmental systems, enabling them to design:
structures for hydrogeological risk mitigation (flood and landslide protection);
wastewater and solid waste treatment and disposal systems;
contaminated site remediation projects;
environmental and territorial monitoring systems;
land-use planning interventions in urban and rural areas.
In the second year, students will dedicate themselves to the preparation of their Master’s thesis. Those interested have the opportunity to participate in a dual-degree program with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT - USA) or to spend a study or research period abroad at partner universities with which the University of Parma has active collaborations.
Graduates in Environmental Engineering for Risk Mitigation will have career opportunities primarily in the fields of design, implementation, and development of complex and/or innovative processes, including:
freelance engineering;
environmental protection agencies and institutions;
public administrations;
private companies and service providers in the waste treatment sector;
public and private research centers.
Employment prospects are excellent at both the national and European levels, as well as in the local job market.