Master of Science in Environmental Protection and Management
Kraków, Poland
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Oct 2026
TUITION FEES
PLN 15,000 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
The Environmental Protection and Management studies are addressed to English-speaking students who seek specialist education in contemporary environmental conservation and natural resource management. Our experienced staff and external high-class experts, possessing well-entrenched scientific achievements, impart deepened and always updated knowledge with a focus on teamwork plus planning and conducting valorization or monitoring works. The interdisciplinary study program provides a large number of practical activities in well-equipped, modern laboratories as well as during field classes.
The Faculty of Biology (until 2017—the Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences ) was established in 1951. It has the A scientific category in the rating of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, study programs conducted at the Faculty lead in rankings prepared by the Education Foundation 'Perspect' and talented students win the prestigious Diamond Grant program. The Faculty of Biology allows students to develop their interests regarding various aspects of biology, neurobiology, and environment sciences in well-equipped laboratories and during field trips. It gives the possibility to choose a profile of educational path, implement individual research projects, and choose subjects taught by experts from the Institute of Botany, the Institute of Environmental Sciences, the Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, and the Botanical Garden.
The premises of the Faculty are located on the territory of the Campus of the 600th Anniversary of the JU Revival. Environmental Protection and Management study program is conducted at the Institute of Environmental Sciences, which is a part of the Faculty of Biology. Students may use the well-equipped environmental sciences library and reading room, as well as Internet databases with full access to articles regarding biological and medical sciences.
In the program curriculum, you may find information about the subjects you will attend while studying this program. The program indicates which subjects are scheduled for each semester of the studies, which are obligatory, which belong to the group of elective subjects (so-called optional subjects). To complete the programme of studies, it is necessary to earn at least 17 ECTS [14 ECTS in the 1st year, and 3 ECTS in the 2nd year] for passing elective courses. Each subject in such a program curriculum has its syllabus, which is a description of what students learn within the scope of that subject.
Obligatory courses
Semester 1
- Evolutionary principles in environmental protection
- Experimental design, data analysis and presentation - part 1
- Practical aspects of environmental conservation - part 1
- Introduction to R
- Seminar
- BHK, Health and Safety
- Foreign language
Semester 2
- Ecosystem ecology
- Ecosystem ecology – practice
- Experimental design, data analysis and presentation -part 2
- Practical aspects of environmental conservation - part 2
- Tools for environmental decision-making
- Seminar
- Master project in environmental protection and management
- Foreign language
Semester 3
- Applications of GIS
- Ecotoxicology and ecological risk assessment
- Governance of natural resources
- Sustainable Development and its Main Challenges
- Seminar
- Master project in environmental protection and management
Semester 4
- Aquatic ecosystems – structure and function
- Conservation genetics
- Ecological assessment and evaluation
- Environmentally friendly agriculture
- Social and economic aspects of nature conservation
- Seminar
- Master project in environmental protection and management
Elective courses
·Avian Ecology and Conservation - part 1
·Diversity and evolution of plants
·Ecology of fungi
·Ecophysiology of insects
·Grant writing in environmental studies
·Host-parasite interaction – ecology and application in biological control
·Island biogeography
·Molecular Ecology
·Practical Protozoology
·Solid waste management
·The Baltic Sea Region – Nature and Man
·Ecology and conservation of Carnivora
·Tropical ecology
·Animal energy budgets in conservation biology
·Avian Ecology and Conservation - part 2
·Biology of amphibians and reptiles
·Biotechnological methods of fuels production
·Climate Change
·Ecology of Invertebrates
·Effective research communication
·Ethical aspects of genetic and cell manipulations
·Fundamentals of Environmental Catalysis
·Practice in Environmental Sciences
·Species monitoring methods
·Tropical ecology-field course
·Vector borne tropical diseases - global problems exemplified practically
Rankings, Distinctions, Accreditations
Scientific Category A in the discipline of Biological Sciences was awarded to the Jagiellonian University in Kraków by the decision of the Minister of Education and Science.
The program Environmental Protection and Management participant acquires a profound understanding of contemporary determinants of and challenges to environmental conservation and understands the legal complexity and principles of management of the common resources. Graduates can plan and execute actions toward effective monitoring, protection, and sustainable use of natural resources. They recognize current threats to the environment and can devise preventive and repair actions. They obtain interpersonal skills to successfully apply such competencies in real-world environmental management. Graduates are able to raise funding and apply for grants. Completion of studies allows employment in public or private sectors worldwide: the administration of protected areas, environmental agencies, various research units as well as non-governmental organizations and private enterprises.