Department of Earth, Water, and Environmental Sciences

Geosciences Track: Pollution Prevention and Treatment – GPTP

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Course Objectives

The Geosciences, Pollution Preventionand Treatment(GPTP) program is designed to provide a broad-based education in Earth Sciences, supplemented by professional training in the fields of pollution prevention and treatment—particularly water and soil pollution—and includes a 4- to 6-month internship in a professional setting or laboratory .

This program prepares students to enter the job market upon completion of their bachelor’s degree (Bac + 3) at the Technician/Assistant Engineer level (see “Career Opportunities” below) or to pursue a master’s degree ( see “Further Studies” below). Thus, the first two years are identical to those of the Earth Sciences track, with students beginning to specialize in the second year (L2) through the TU , Hydraulics, Environmental Chemistry, and Ocean, Atmosphere, and Hydrosphere. The final specialization within the program is chosen at the beginning of the third year (L3). This program benefits from the participationof faculty membersfrom the Department of Chemistry, the Department of Process Engineering, and the Polytech School of Engineering. The program team also draws on a network of local authorities and companies—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—enabling specialization in the following fields:

  • hydraulics/hydrogeology/hydrology
  • Waste and Pollution Treatment and Prevention
  • water purification and treatment
  • water and waste legislation
  • water microbiology
  • water and waste chemistry

Thisthird year centers ona 4- to 6-month internship in a company or laboratory, which is worth 20 ECTS credits. This program, created in 2004, was designed primarily to meet the demand fortechniciansin pollution prevention and treatment, a need we identified through our contacts with the public and private sectors. In addition, this career-oriented bachelor’s degree program allows students to continue on to a master’s degree.

Terms of access:

Admission to the second or third year of the bachelor’s program is possible from other academic backgrounds (other bachelor’s programs, BUT, BTS, CPGE), based on a review of the applicant’s records following a recommendation from the academic committee.

Employment placement

We have been tracking the career pathsof graduatesof the GPTP bachelor’s degree program since the 2004–2005 academic year, when the program was established. Our surveys show a very high rate of employment in engineering firms and local governments specializing in a wide variety of fields:

  • Waste and wastewater prevention and treatment
  • Rural and Urban Water Systems
  • Public Health or Local Government Technician (through a competitive examination)
  • water resource management and water quality
  • flood risks, environmental risks
  • soil and waterway remediation
  • QSE (Quality, Safety, Environment), HSE (Health, Safety, Environment).

The tracking data also shows the career progression ofsome studentswho,having been hiredatthe technicianlevel, advance to engineering-level positions after a few years (e.g.,departmentor projectmanagerthrough internal promotion). Small intakes of 15 to 20 students per year ensure that we remain aligned with the regional and national job market.

Further education

:

In the GPTP program, learning specific technical skills takes precedence over the foundational disciplinary knowledge taught primarily in the general Earth Sciences track. Each year,studentsin the GPTP track go on to pursue a master ’s degree, mainly in Environment, Water, or Pollution (at the University of Montpellier or other institutions). In addition to the Water master’s programs at the University of Montpellier and master’s programs in Environment, Water, Pollution, or QSE/HSE, here are some examples of master’s programs thatformerGPTP bachelor’sstudentshave entered (this list is not exhaustive):

  • Master's Degree in Biology and Environment, with a specialization in the Functioning and Restoration of Continental Aquatic Environments, Clermont-Ferrand
  • Master's in Sustainable Development Engineering, specializing in Industrial Process Safety, Environment, and Quality (SPIEQ), Nancy
  • Master's in Chemical Pollution and Environmental Management (PCGE), Paris-Saclay University
  • Arts et Métiers Engineering School, Industrial Risk Management and Prevention (GPR), Bourget du Lac
  • Master's in Water, Soil, and Waste Management and Treatment, Chimie ParisTech
  • Master's in Water and Soil Quality and Treatment (QuEST), Besançon
  • Master's in Hydrogeology, Soil, and Environment, Avignon
  • Master's in Environmental Management, MAEVA-STE Track (Environmental Management, Assessment, and Analysis—Environmental Sciences and Technologies), Marseille
  • Master's in Chemistry and Life Sciences (CSV), Specialization in Pollution Assessment, Management, and Treatment (EGTP), Pau
  • Master's Degree in Separative Chemistry, Materials, and Processes (CSMP), Montpellier.

Program

This program consists of 6 semesters, each worth 30 ECTS credits. Students begin to specialize in their second year (L2) with courses inhydrogeology, hydraulics, and environmental chemistry. The TU in the third year (L3) are specific to the GPTP track and involvefacultyfrom disciplines other than geosciences, as well as external experts (engineering firms and public agencies). The third year (L3) centers on a 4-month internship that providesstudentswith direct exposure to the professional world. This internship is worth 20 ECTS credits. It concludes with a report and an oral defense.

Semester 3

  • Sedimentary Geology, Tectonics, and Mapping (4 ECTS)
  • Minerals and Rocks (5 ECTS)
  • Structural Geology (2 ECTS)
  • Seismology and Data Processing (5 ECTS)
  • Hydrogeology (5 ECTS)
  • Mathematics for TEE Students (5 ECTS)
  • General Education (2 ECTS)
  • English (2 ECTS)

Semester 4

  • Fieldwork Course (Alps) (5 ECTS)
  • Cartography (4 ECTS)
  • Geology of France (4 ECTS)
  • Environmental Chemistry (5 ECTS)
  • Ocean, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere (5 ECTS)
  • English
  • Hydraulics (5 ECTS)

Semester 5 (September through October)

  • Water Purification and Treatment (5 ECTS)
  • Water Microbiology (5 ECTS)
  • Water and Waste Chemistry (5 ECTS)
  • Pedology, Soil Science (3 ECTS)
  • Tools for Professional Integration (2 ECTS)
  • Internship from November to February (10 ECTS)

Semester 6 (March through April)

  • Waste Management (5 ECTS)
  • Utilization of Byproducts (5 ECTS)
  • Water and Waste Legislation (3 ECTS)
  • Extensive Effluent Treatment Processes (3 ECTS)
  • Hydrology (4 ECTS)
  • Internship from November to February (10 ECTS)