Multi-Disciplinarity for Greater Impact

Recently IIT Hyderabad has launched a course on Development Studies, coordinating faculty from disciplines of Anthropology, Development Studies, Economics, Psychology and the Humanities. IIT Gandhinagar has introduced Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and IIT Kharagpur has initiated curriculum to bridge biological sciences and engineering. Many institutions are welcoming and incorporating multi-disciplinarity in their pedagogy to create a greater impact. Brainfeed spoke to a few universities that have joined the bandwagon.

Environmental Science as Interdisciplinary

The whole world is concerned about the change in weather pattern or climate change. The natural environment has degraded and new challenges have arisen in front of us. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical, biological and information sciences (including ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, oceanography, soil science, geology and physical geography, atmospheric science and others). Environmental science emerged from the fields of natural history and medicine during the Enlightenment era. Today, it provides an integrated, quantitative, and an interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.

Several institutes and colleges in India, these days offer both Undergraduate and Post-graduate programs in Environmental Science. Some Environmental Science Institutes in India are:

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), School of Environmental Sciences
• University of Delhi
• GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology
• University of Mysore
• University of Pune
• Gauhati University
• TERI SAS

There are deemed universities and research institutes in India and abroad which offer diplomas and advance diploma and certificate programme. All those who are interested to become environmental educator may join short term courses.

Career Pathway

• Aspirants may join government sectors like different government research institutes, policy-making organisations like ministries, etc.
• Many join teaching and become teachers and professors and schools and colleges. Some join media houses as there are focuses on environmental journalism in all over the world.
• One of the best career options which have been explored by many students studying environmental sciences is joining different non-governmental organisations which are focussed on conservation and environmental activities.
• Few international organisations which take people from environmental sciences include Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), etc.
• Student may also participate in youth activities organised by international organisations like UNEP every year or every alternate year.

Courses

TERI School of Advanced Studies offers:

1. MSc programme in Climate Science & Policy
2. MSc programme in Environmental Studies & Resource Management
3. MSc programme in Geoinformatics
4. MSc programme in Plant Biotechnology
5. MSc programme in Water Science & Governance
6. MA programme in Sustainable Development Practice
7. MA programme in Public Policy & Sustainable Development
8. MTech programme in Renewable Energy Engineering & Management
9. MTech programme in Water Resource Engineering & Management
10. LLM programmes in Environment & Natural Resources Law; & Infrastructure & Business Law