Basic goals

The first goal of the Master’s degree is to prepare the students so they can be initiated into scientific research and continue in the research path. This is the mission of the current Interuniversity Doctoral Programme in Local Development and Territory. It is expected that in a few months a specific Doctoral Programme in Water Economy and Natural Resources Management will be valid.

Another essential goal is to train professionals specialised in water resources management. It is about giving a multidisciplinary training that allow them to develop their function in any field within the water cycle. An appropriate combination of technical, economic and environmental knowledge that will guarantee the good performance of any charge in the field of water management.

The students holding the Master’s degree will be empowered to work in public administrations or private companies related to water, territory and the environment. They will be competent professionals to develop efficient management proposals both in urban water collection and distribution and in the treatment, regeneration and reuse of sewage water. They will also be appropriately trained for analysing the viability of any investment project in the field of water cycle.

In addition to the two major general goals aforementioned, during the development of the Master’s degree it is expected that the students acquire the following specific skills:

Be aware of the main problems that affect the water resources and our responsibility in the search for practical solutions.
Ability in using the legislation on water resources.
Knowledge of the possibilities for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/CE) in Spain and the European Union through the different programmes of measures.
To know the different planning, management and control techniques of the water networks at different scales.
To understand the importance of the unconventional resources in the comprehensive management of water, in order to propose guidelines for the rational use of these resources within the margins imposed by environmental sustainability.
To be able to plan a strategy for water quality control: design of the control network, data analysis, actions proposal for pollution minimisation and prevention.
To acquire the theoretical and practical knowledge to assess the problem that affects the aquatic ecosystems relating to water pollution.
To be able to evaluate the importance of the elements that compose the facilities related to the transport and distribution in the comprehensive water management.
To know the different processes that there are for superficial water purification and be able to determine its advantages and disadvantages.
To know the main processes for sewage water treatment and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
To know the bases, advantages and disadvantages of the membrane technologies applied to sewage water purification and regeneration, thus they are able to select the most appropriate technology for each case.
To know and evaluate the different processes for the most appropriate management of the mud derived from water purification.
To understand the functioning of a desalination plant and be able to select the most appropriate process depending on the ultimate use of that water.
To know the basic scientific research tools in the field of water cycle.
To know and assess the use of indicators of economic efficiency in water management.
To assess the usefulness of quantifying the environmental benefits derived from the sewage water treatment and regeneration projects.
To evaluate the importance of the costs in water management and be able to model them.
To be able to analyse the economic and environmental viability of projects related to the integral water cycle.
To assess the different methods for measuring the efficiency in water distribution networks.
To know and assess the different methods for limiting the uncertainty in the processes of water management.
To understand the importance of using environmental canons, taxes and fees relating to the management of water resources.
To be able to assess the different methods of pricing the water and its use as a tool for the management of the demand.
To assess the possibilities for cross-sectoral transfer in the use of conventional and unconventional resources.
To provide the methodological skills and foundations that are necessary to identify the physical and the socio-economic factors that cause inefficiencies in water management.
To apply the knowledge acquired to solve problems related to water and the environment in the framework of research projects or technical studies.