Academic courses
July 30, 2024 2025-07-29 13:16Academic courses
Academic courses – Ecology, Protection and Remediation of the Environment
Abiotic Monitoring
Purpose and objectives of the course: The course consists of five modules – Module “Non renewable natural resources” – focusing on non-renewable mineral resources. Module “Air” – deepened knowledge about methods of emission and emission control of atmospheric pollutants; evaluation of emissions of harmful substances; methods to assess the distribution of harmful substances; assessment of air quality; forecasting changes in air quality. Module “Water” – provides basic knowledge about the methods of emission and emission control of water; methods for control of water quality; assessment of water quality; choice of methods for purifying water; monitoring and evaluation of water and water systems; forecasting changes in water quality. Module “Waste” – provides basic knowledge about the methods of evaluation and analysis of solid waste; modern methods for monitoring, evaluation and control of waste generated; assessment of the main approaches for waste treatment and selecting the appropriate ones; approaches to develop reliable systems for waste minimization; approaches to develop programs for waste management. Module “Land and soil” – gives knowledge about the indicator characteristics of soil indicators and national and European systems for soil monitoring.
Course content: The course is developed on the knowledge gained from the bachelor degree in Ecology and environmental protection with respect to current regulations, methods of analysis, evaluation and forecast the state of the relevant components of the environment, sources of information and ways of documenting the monitoring of individual components.
Lecturers:
Agrometeorology
Goal and objectives of the course: The aim of the course is to introduce students to the study of the main atmospheric processes and the analysis of meteorological and climatic factors that determine ecosystems’ development. Students acquire knowledge about climate formation, climatic resources diversity in our country, microclimatic features, unfavorable for agricultural crops meteorological phenomena, as well as the climate change impact on the national economy.
Course content: Within the course, the meteorological processes occurring in the Earth’s atmosphere and their distribution in space and time, are studied. Regularities and features of meteorological phenomena unfavorable to agriculture are examined and fighting measures are substantiated. Great attention is paid to the study of agroclimatic conditions and to the agroclimatic resources formation in our country. Attention is paid to the study of agrometeorological forecasts. Recent trends in agricultural crops development in a view of climate changes are taken into account. Agrometeorology exercises include laboratory work with meteorological instruments and meteorological elements influence assessment on agricultural crops. A course project related to the preparation of an agroclimatic characteristic of a certain region of the country, based on available climate and agrometeorological reference books and atlases, is being developed. Projects are discussed and defended.
Lecturers:
Air Pollution and Impact on Environments – EQD Bachelor
The curriculum aims to provide theoretical and practical training for the primary atmospheric air pollutants, their physicochemical properties and behaviour in the atmosphere, the mechanism of formation in industrial and natural processes, control methods, the primary anthropogenic sources of emissions of harmful substances – transport, energy, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical industry, silicate industry, etc.; the impact of atmospheric pollutants on various components of the environment – atmosphere, atmospheric air, soils, waters, vegetation, animals; on different materials; the criteria for the assessment of air pollution in populated areas, working environment and for natural ecosystems; international and national regulatory documents related to air pollution and quality.
The discipline is structured into three sections – Atmosphere, atmospheric air and atmospheric pollutants – the structure of the atmosphere, composition of atmospheric air, air pollution – emissions, imissions, maximum permissible norms, primary atmospheric pollutants – sulfur-containing, nitrogen-containing, carbon-containing inorganic gases, aerosols, major organic pollutants, persistent organic pollutants; Sources of air pollution – natural and anthropogenic (energy, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical industry, etc., transport, household), qualitative and quantitative characteristics of emissions; Impact of atmospheric pollutants on various components of the environment – atmospheric air quality, smog, acid precipitation, impact on multiple materials, soils, plants and animals; global problems – the destruction of the ozone layer, greenhouse effect – nature, causes, impact on the environment, measures.
Lecturers:
Air Quality Management
Purpose and objectives of the course: deepening students’ knowledge regarding: microclimate conditions in settlements; type and conversion of pollutants in areas with varying degrees of urbanization; Modelling the spread of pollutants from point and linear emitters; analysis and assessment of air pollution.
Course contents distributed in two modules:
- Mikroklimatichni conditions.
- Manage air quality.
Alternative Energy Sources – EQD Master
The course aims to give students a basic knowledge of alternative energy sources, the potential and opportunities for development, their socio-economic effect and impact on the environment. The focus is on the existing technologies, their application, scale and development opportunities. Attention is paid to innovative technologies using alternative energy sources that have the potential for development but have yet to find widespread use. Policies promoting alternative energy sources and transitioning to a carbon-free economy are considered.
The course provides theoretical training in the following areas such as the main types of renewable energy – solar energy, wind energy, water energy, geothermal energy, biomass and other alternative sources of renewable energy; the technologies for their utilisation and the installed capacity on a global and national scale; technologies at an experimental stage; distribution of renewable energy resources in Bulgaria and around the world; combined and complex use of technologies for utilisation of energy from renewable sources; legislation and other normative documents concerning the production of electricity from renewable sources.
Lecturers:
Application of remote methods for air quality monitoring – EQD Master
The use of satellite observations to determine levels of atmospheric pollutants is increasingly used in environmental and human health decision-making and related policies.
The course aims to give students basic knowledge about the application of remote methods in monitoring ambient air quality.
They will learn about the observed pollutants, the measurement methods, and the sensors and devices used. With the access and application of satellite data, their processing and visualisation, as well as the capabilities of satellite images for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of atmospheric pollutants and considerations when dealing with them.
The course gives students knowledge about the origin, development and modern aspects of the application of remote methods for monitoring the environment, in particular, the quality of atmospheric air, the monitored pollutants, the applied methods for their measurement and the devices that perform the monitoring; available databases and working with them; processing and analysis of satellite images.
Lecturers:
Assessment of Anti-Erosion Activities
Purpose and objectives of the course: Understanding the general principles and methods for integrated management of torrential watersheds and evaluation of protective measures.
Course content: The course analyzes the activities of protection against erosion and floods, including events of all groups. current regulations and criteria for evaluation of the activities within the torrential watershed are discussed as well.
In the exercises a project for rational regulation of torrential watershed and evaluation of the effectiveness of planned events is prepared.
Biodiversity Conservation and Ecological Network
Purpose and objectives of the course: The aim is to cover all aspects of biodiversity conservation. Main tasks are: studying the basic principles, approaches and legal framework for biodiversity protection; conservation of floristic and faunistic diversity, establishment and maintainance of the National Ecological Network.
Contents of the course modules:
1. Basic concepts, principles, approaches and legal framework for the protection of biodiversity.
2. Conservation of flora and vegetation and their diversity.
3. Conservation of fauna and zoocenotic diversity.
4. Conservation of ecosystem diversity and establishing an ecological network.
Biomonitoring
- National Biodiversity Monitoring System (NBMS).
- Zoomonitoring.
- Phytomonitoring – in 2 parts:
- Observations on the response of plants to population-species level;
- Observations on plant community level.
Biostatistics
Objective: The objective of the course is to acquaint students with contemporary environmental methods and algorithms widely used in the analysis of biological data. This work is done by a software platform, freely accessible language R, which allows for statistical analysis and graphical presentation of results and data.
Course contents:
1. Features and capabilities of R as a medium of environmental analysis.
2. Entering data in R.
3. Descriptive statistics.
4. Basic information of probability theory.
5. Estimation of statistical parameters.
6. Linear models.
Chemicals and Environmental Risk
Aim and objectives of the course: The discipline provides knowledge of the legislation and good practices at the European level for the management of chemical substances and mixtures related to the testing and notification of the properties, risk and behavior of chemical substances and mixtures towards humans and environmental components.
The requirements placed on industrial enterprises – manufacturers, importers and distributors of chemical substances and mixtures, in the territory where emergency situations with severe consequences for people and the environment are likely to occur, are constantly increasing.
Environmentalists have their responsibility in the management of chemical substances and mixtures. In response to the Seveso accident in 1976, the European Community developed a common approach to prevent and/or limit damage to the environment and human health caused by industry.
Course content: The discipline includes theoretical and practical training of students in the following areas: legislative requirements (European and National) for the management of chemical substances and mixtures; the preventive activity for environmentally friendly use of chemical substances and mixtures; proper storage of chemical substances and mixtures; analysis and assessment of the risk of chemical substances for humans and the environment; analysis and assessment of environmental consequences of accidents and incidents, etc.
During the exercises, cases related to risk assessment of chemical substances and mixtures for the environment and humans are solved.
Lecturers:
Climatic and Bioclimatic Changes in the Urban Environment
Faculty of Ecology and Landscape Architecture, Landscape Architecture degree program
Purpose and objectives of the course: The program seeks to integrate advanced research methods in education and development of students’ ability to process and analyze specific information about abiotic environmental factors and their relationship with the urban green system. The main objective of the program is to improve the quality of lifelong learning.
Course contents: The course includes theoretical training that provides knowledge on: formation of urban climate and distribution of basic climatic elements; formation of the heat island ; impact of urban infrastructure on the wind direction and wind speed ; impact of the city on the distribution of rainfall and humidity; biometeorologichni basic indicators and their change under urban areas.
Lecturers:
Climatology
Purpose and objectives of the course: Introduction of students to the nature and the importance of the climate.In the course is discussed the climate of Bulgaria, factors that determine it and the distribution of different climatic elements. The biometeorological and bioclimatic conditions, their types and their impact on the productivity of biological systems is discussed.
Course contents: The application of scientific knowledge about weather and climate conditions on Earth as major environment factors is studied. Students are introduced to the basics of meteorology and climatology both nationally and on a planetary scale. The course includes knowledge of Earth’s atmosphere, the basic meteorological elements and their distribution in space and time, certain knowledge about the influence of atmospheric processes and his prediction. Students get knowledge about the basic meteorological equipment and prepare coursework on climate conditions in a given territory.
Ecology
Aim and Tasks of the Course: To provide knowledge about the biosphere, the major biomes of the globe, diversity and ecosystem structure, the flow of energy and circulation of nutrients, food chain and food web, ecological pyramid and productivity. To gain knowledge about the main directions and methods in modern environmental research.
Content of the Course:
- Structure of the ecosystem – producers consumers, detritivores and reducers, food and non-food links, relationships between them. Abiotic factors such as emphasis on optimal, stress zones and boundaries of sustainability. Included are also the Law of minimum established by Liebig and the Law of tolerance discovered by Shelford.
- The functioning of ecosystems – flow of energy and the cycle of nutrients. Three basic principles are considered for functioning of ecosystems associated with the circulation of nutrients, energy flow and productivity.
- Development and sustainability of ecosystems – equilibrium in populations and related growth curves and growth strategy, biotic potential and resistance of the medium, the mechanisms for population balance, habitats and ecological niches, competition, predation. Types of communities. Described are the types of succession, climax and features in the development and sustainability of ecosystems.
Lecturers:
Environmental Monitoring
Purpose and objectives of the course: To acquire theoretical and practical skills in the implementation of environmental monitoring system.
Course contents: Essence, structure and tasks of the monitoring system. Types – global, regional, local, background, biological, abiotic. Bioindicators. Threshold doses for impact. Critical levels. International Cooperative Program for Monitoring of Forest Ecosystems. National Environmental Monitoring System.
Lecturers:
Environmental Management Systems
Purpose and objectives of the course: To acquire theoretical and practical skills in the implementation of environmental monitoring system.
Course contents: Essence, structure and tasks of the monitoring system. Types – global, regional, local, background, biological, abiotic. Bioindicators. Threshold doses for impact. Critical levels. International Cooperative Program for Monitoring of Forest Ecosystems. National Environmental Monitoring System.
Lecturers:
Erosion and Torrent Control
Faculty of Forestry, Sivliculture degree program
Aim and tasks of the course: Introduction to the basics of erosion and torrents, the main factors which they depend on and the activities for their limitation.
Course content: In the lecture course the students are introduced to the conditions which define the erosion risk and the torrential regime of watercourses, hydrology of torrents and acts of other denudation process – sliding, collapse, avalanches and deflation. The idea of implementing a system of preventive methods for protection against erosion and floods is developed. Individual course projects are developed in the exercises including the main hydro constructions used for the defense of hydrographic system from torrents. During the practice students get acquainted with the results of the events in representative torrential watersheds.
Lecturers:
Evaluation of Anti-Erosion Measures
The course aims to acquaint students with the principles of complex management of stormwater catchments.
To achieve it, the following main tasks are solved:
- Research and analysis of the conditions determining the danger of erosion and flash flooding;
- Land classification and mapping;
- Analysis of the protective measures taken and the need to implement new ones.
The lecture course deals with problems related to denudation processes in the separate parts of the stormwater catchments. The different types of measures implemented in the individual parts of the watershed as an administrative unit, according to the regulations, are studied.
The discipline exercises aim to develop a course project, analyze the effectiveness of the carried-out anti-erosion measures, and recommend additional ones.
Lecturers:
Management of Soil Resources in Urban System
Purpose and objectives of the course: Understanding the changes in soils in urban and suburban areas under the influence of urbanization, anthropogenic pressure and industry, as well as opportunities for improving the fertility of these soils.
Course contents: This course covers the changes, pollution and infringements on soil and turning them into one kind or another anthropogenic soils. Discussed are genetic changes in natural disturbances on soil chemical and physical impacts, resulting from the accumulation of waste products from household, agricultural and industrial activities and more. These anthropogenic influences creating a new type of relief forms, new environment for living organisms, change options for maintaining sustainable ecosystems. After absorbing this knowledge be considered technical, chemical, biological and ameliorative measures to restore soil fertility and environmentally friendly modes of use. Activities include technical, chemical and computational methods used in soil science in their data available to make assessments of fertility of anthropogenic soils of different types in chemical, physico-chemical and physical properties. At the end of the course are calculated rates of fertilization and amelioration of anthropogenic soils. The program was developed based on three interrelated and complementary modules. For it is read by three specialists and, where necessary, invite guest lecturers.
Management of Torrent Watersheds
The course aims to acquaint students with the principles of complex management of torrential watersheds.
To achieve it, the following main tasks are solved:
- Study of the conditions determining the danger of erosion and flash floods;
- Determining the condition of the lands;
- Analysis of the protective measures taken and the need to implement new ones;
- Design of additional protective measures.
The content aims to develop a course project for protective measures in torrential watersheds.
Lecturers:
Meteorology and Climatology – Forestry Degree Program
Goal and objectives of the course: The aim of the course is to introduce students to the study of the main atmospheric processes and the analysis of meteorological and climatic factors that determine ecosystems’ development. Students acquire knowledge about unfavorable for forest crops meteorological phenomena, the climate and climate resources formation in our country, forest microclimate and phytoclimate, as well as the climate change impact on forests.
Course content: Within the course, the processes occurring in the atmosphere and distribution of meteorological elements in space and time, are studied. Regularities and features of meteorological phenomena unfavorable to biosphere are examined and fighting measures are substantiated. Attention is paid to the study of climate, climate-forming factors and main researching principles and methods of the microclimate and its impact on the forest. Special attention is paid to contemporary trends in climate change. Meteorology and Climatology exercises include laboratory work with meteorological instruments. A course project related to the preparation of climatic characteristic of a certain region of the country, based on available climate reference books and atlases, is being developed.
Lecturers:
Meteorology and Climatology – Landscape Architecture, Ecology and Environmental Protection Degree Programs
Goal and objectives of the course: The aim of the course is to introduce students to the study of the main atmospheric processes and the analysis of meteorological and climatic factors that determine ecosystems’ development. Students acquire knowledge about climate formation and climatic resources in our country, microclimatic features, meteorological phenomena unfavorable for the crops, as well as the impact of climate change on ecosystems.
Course content: Within the course, the processes occurring in the atmosphere and distribution of meteorological elements in space and time, are studied. Regularities and features of meteorological phenomena unfavorable to biosphere are examined and fighting measures are substantiated. Great attention is paid to the study of climate, climate-forming factors, climatic zoning of our country and microclimate features. Special attention is paid to contemporary trends in climate change. Meteorology and Climatology exercises include laboratory work with meteorological instruments. A course project related to the preparation of climatic characteristic of a certain region of the country, based on available climate reference books and atlases, is being developed.
Lecturers:
Pollution and Impact on Ecosystems
Purpose and objectives of the course: Introduction to basic pollutants in ambient air, mechanism of formation, sources of emissions and their impact on certain factors and environmental components.
Course contents:
- Major air pollutants;
- Sources of emissions of harmful substances into the air;
- Impact of pollutants on certain components and environmental factors;
- Methods of analysis and evaluation of atmospheric pollutants
Preventive Activity for Environmental Protection
Purpose and tasks of the course:
The discipline aims to ensure the necessary connection of the components and factors of the environment, as a consistently implemented preventive activity, leading to minimal impacts of the planned activities in plans, programs and investment proposals that may have an impact on the environment.
Course content: The program includes theoretical and practical training, which provides knowledge in the following areas:
- Relation of environmental assessments and environmental impact assessments to the sustainable development of society;
- Approaches, information assurance, analysis and assessment in developing reports for environmental assessments of plans, programs and EIA reports of investment proposals;
- Approaches, information security, analysis and evaluation in the development of an application for a complex permit.
Lecturers:
Protected Areas
Purpose and objectives of the course: Students are aquainted wth the theoretical principles and approaches in establishing, maintenance and management of protected areas / PA /. Representative sites from the network of protected areas in Bulgaria are discussed as well.
Course contents:
- Theoretical prerequisites for selection and creation of protected areas network.
- International criteria and requirements for the creation of protected areas.
- Conventions, programs and institutions.
- Management of protected areas.
- Research in PA.
Lecturers:
Recultivation of Disturbed Areas
The course examines the changes and violations on relief and landscape of the mining, industrial and other human activity as well as modern methods to restore these damaged and contaminated land. It’s focused on advanced technical, chemical and biological reclamation activities to restore damaged areas and sustainable return to economic turnover for the purposes of recreation, agriculture or forestry. Makes economic assessment of ongoing events and future use of reclaimed areas. Students get acquainted with practical methods for recovery of saline, swampy and damaged by oil spills soils.
Students acquire the necessary knowledge about the importance of afforestation to improve the environment and their ability to restore eroded and damaged soils and terrain. Special attention is paid to afforestation technology with its main topics – choice of species for reforestation, soil preparation, methods of planting and caring for established crops.
Lecturers:
Renewable energy sources – EQD Bachelor
The curriculum aims to give students basic knowledge of renewable energy sources, available global and national resources, regulatory framework and environmental impact.
The curriculum provides theoretical knowledge in the following areas: Types of renewable energy sources (RES) include solar, wind, biomass, water, geothermal, biogas, and other non-traditional RES; World technologies for utilisation of RES; RES resources in Bulgaria; Combined and complex use of RES; Energy legislation and other regulatory documents.
Lecturers:
Sustainable Tourism
Purpose and objectives of the course: Students are aquainted with the characteristics and types of sustainable tourism and the principles and legal basis for its organization. Other aspects of sustainable tourism are commented as well- tourism associated with cultural heritage and economic aspects of tourism activities.
Contents of the course modules:
- Sustainable tourism – principles, criteria and indicators. Types of sustainable tourism. Principles and requirements for their organization. Legislative framework.
- Cultural tourism – nature, forms of organization, legislation.
- Economic aspects of sustainable tourism – approaches, mechanisms, practices.
Lecturers:
Technologies for Fluid Purification
Lectures, laboratory exercises and practical training are included in the course. Type and properties of liquid and gaseous waste, depending on its source, are described in the lectures. Main technologies for waste fluids treatment are presented – physical, chemical and physicochemical treatment methods. Theoretical background of considered methods and the main equipment for their application are highlighted. Legal instruments and responsibilities of bodies in charge, companies and municipalities with respect to liquid and gaseous waste management are analyzed. Exercises include seminars for calculating the parameters of equipment for gaseous fluids treatment; laboratory exercises for liquid fluids treatment by flocculation, filtration, and chemical methods, etc. and drawing of block-schemes of main processes for fluids treatment.
Practical training is carried out in companies and municipalities which implement up-to-dated technologies for liquid and gaseous waste management. During the training, students prepare a diary, where describe waste condition (source and quantities) in the visited company and compare the obtained information with the requirements of the actual legal base.
Lecturers:
Technologies for Reclamation and Recultivation of Disturbed Areas and Soils
The course provides students with knowledge on changes and violations on relief and landscape from mining, industrial and other activities as well as restoration of these disturbed and contaminated land for their return to ecosystems and economic turnover as agricultural areas, forests, forest parks or parks.
The course discusses the changes and distortions on the landscape, especially on terrain, soil and geologic base. Discussed are physical disturbances on Earth’s crust and chemical and physical properties of substrates resulting from the mining, the accumulation of waste products from industrial activities, etc. These industrial activities create a new type of landforms and landscapes and new environment for living organisms.
As well as the course considered technically advanced, chemical, and biological reclamation activities to restore damaged areas and sustainable return to economic turnover for the purposes of recreation, agriculture or forestry. Makes economic assessment of ongoing events and future use of reclaimed areas. Students get acquainted with practical methods for recovery of saline, swampy and damaged by oil spills soils. Active partnership of the business, giving the best possible environment for conducting practical training during provided practical training to students.
Lecturers:
Technologies for Treatment of Solid Wastes
Purpose and objectives of the course: To give basic knowledge about types of solid waste their origin and classification, advanced methods and technologies for their treatment.
Course content: The course provided lectures to characterize the type and properties of solid waste depending on their source of generation. The basic technology for treatment of industrial waste by wet methods (dissolution, leaching, acid decomposition, extraction, crystallization, flotation, etc.). Treats theoretical fundamentals of waste treatment by thermal methods (sulphated roasting, calcination, etc.). Analyze the regulations and duties of the competent authorities, businesses and municipalities in terms of waste management in Bulgaria. During the exercises are conducted laboratory studies on structural and mechanical characterization of waste treatment in wet methods eksergien analysis technology for waste treatment, etc .. The course work is developed individually and include characterization of specific waste state of the waste in Bulgaria and the world, quantitative and qualitative analysis, proposal of technology for treatment of this waste, block diagram and flowchart of the main processes. The practice takes place in companies and municipalities that apply advanced technologies for the management and treatment of waste. During the practice, students gather information to develop course work and prepare a logbook in which describe and classify waste generated in the enterprise.
Lecturers:
Urban Ecology
The course is intended for the bachelor degree students of Ecology and Environmental Protection and for the master degree students in Landscape Architecture. The curriculum includes theoretical training that provides knowledge in the following areas:
- Defining the urban area as an ecosystem, focusing on the condition and role of living organisms. The students of Landscape architecture are introduced to basic environmental concepts, laws and relationships in natural and urban environment.
- Studying basic environmental factors in urban environments and their changes in relation to the natural conditions, under the influence of urbanization, transport and manufacturing industries.
- Understanding the opportunities to reduce the spread and impact of pollution from industry, transport and entire urban metabolism on the population.
- Understanding the opportunities to reduce the impact of urban metabolism on the population by planting urban vegetation to limit anthropogenic impact (mainly from industry, transport and environmental acoustics) on organisms and in particular on humans.
During the seminars the students are taught the methods for preparing environmental performance description of settlements. They are also introduced to various good solutions to environmental problems in urban areas.
Special attention is paid to updating the curriculum, including new topics and examples of best available practices, conducting meetings with representatives of the municipal administration, experts of GIS, and experts involved in European projects to discuss major issues facing the sustainable development of urban ecosystems. The students are presented the results of successfully implemented projects in the field of urban ecology, including project monitoring and assessment of the state of the environment, projects aimed at reducing pollution and restoring the ecological status of urban areas, assessing the noise levels and investigating the possibilities of integrated geoportal settlements, etc.
Lecturers:
Waste Management
Lectures in Waste management, delivered to Master level students at the Industrial Management Faculty, supply knowledge on the waste genesis, type and classification. Methods for analysis and balancing between technology, environment protection and economics are presented. Students are informed on the economic instruments of the waste management legal basis.
Economic criteria and incentives in waste management as well as different organizational approaches for their practical realization are stressed on. The education is aimed at supplying students with knowledge on methods and approaches in the waste management in Republic of Bulgaria. The goal is to prepare rationally thinking specialists who are able to implement economics knowledge in the area of waste management.
