The competences described below are taken from the Agreement of the Andalusian Commission of the Degree in Environmental Sciences, which uses as a reference the White Paper of the Degree in Environmental Sciences (ANECA, 2004) and the professional competences according to the professional profiles stipulated in the Agreement of the Commission of the Science Branch (15/05/2008), which takes into account the survey made to businessmen related to the environmental sector. In a more specific way, the basic competences included guarantee the provisions of the R.D. 1393/2007 (Annex I, section 3.2).
“At least the following basic competencies shall be guaranteed, in the case of the Degree, and those others that appear in the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education, MECES:
Student's possession and understanding of knowledge in an area of study that builds on the foundation of general secondary education, and is usually at a level that, while relying on advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that involve knowledge from the cutting edge of their field of study;
Student's know-how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possession of the skills usually demonstrated through the development and defense of arguments and problem solving within their area of study;
Student's ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to make judgments that include a reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues;
Student's ability to convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialized and non-specialized audiences;
Student's development of the learning skills required to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.”
- Capacity for analysis and synthesis.
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing.
- Ability to manage information.
- Knowledge of the general scientific bases and ability to relate them to the environment.
- Ability to interpret qualitative data.
- Ability to interpret quantitative data.
- Ability to integrate experimental evidence found in field and/or laboratory studies with theoretical knowledge.
- Ability to work autonomously.
- Ability to work as part of a team, valuing the ability to lead and organize work teams.
- Sensitivity to environmental issues.
- Ability to apply fundamental theoretical knowledge to problem solving.
- Critical Reasoning.
- To be able to know and interpret the environment as a complex system, its constituents and processes and their interactions.
- Understanding of the temporal and spatial dimensions of environmental processes.
- Application of the knowledge of the area of study to the tasks of the environmental professional.
- Proof of the use and command of a foreign language.
- Knowledge and improvement of user-level ICTs.
- Promotion of active job search habits and entrepreneurial skills.
- Acquisition, development and exercise of skills in basic laboratory operations.
- Ability to handle physical quantities and their units.
- Capacity for multidisciplinary analysis of qualitative and quantitative environmental data, indices and indicators.
- Ability to design, plan and execute practical investigations and evaluate the results.
- Ability to use technical procedures and languages for system interpretation, analysis and evaluation.
- Ability to apply statistical methods to data related to environmental problems.
- Ability to interpret environmental legislation.
- Capacity for the legal and economic valuation of the resources and constituents of the environment.
- Ability to interpret the structure and dynamics of populations, communities and ecosystems.
- Ability to identify the different variables that influence the environment.
- Ability to interpret the biodiversity of the natural environment, the structure, physiology and functions of living beings and the concepts of evolution, taxonomy and development.
- Ability to interpret fundamental concepts of chemistry and its relationship with the environment.
- Ability to interpret fundamental concepts of chemistry and its relationship with the environment.
- Ability to assess and prevent environmental risks
- Ability to understand, manage and optimize energy use.
- Ability to design and coordinate environmental awareness and education initiatives aimed at the general public or specific areas.
- Acquisition of an overview of the conceptual evolution of Environmental Education and current approaches.
- Ability to prepare environmental diagnoses with natural or urban situations and contexts and to propose corrective measures.
- Ability to design, implement and coordinate environmental management in public and/or private companies, as well as in public institutions, which implies the mastery of criteria, regulations, procedures and techniques of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) as well as Quality criteria.
- Ability to implement environmental quality indicators.
- Ability to implement an environmental management system: water management, integrated health management, identification and valuation of environmental costs.
- Ability to propose sustainability strategies.
- Ability to develop, manage and execute environmental plans and/or projects.
- Ability to develop and manage technological plans and projects applied to waste management and clean technologies.
- Knowledge of the Fundamentals of Waste Management, Treatment and Disposal Procedures as well as current Technology.
- Handling and interpretation of cartography at different scales.
- Ability to use G.I.S. (Geographic Information Systems) as work tools.
- Planning, management and conservation of natural resources.