HARIRI CANADIAN UNIVERSITY

Environmental CHEMISTRY (3 credits)

COURSE SYLLABUS
Spring 2011
Instructor: Dr. Jamil HOUHOU

E_mail: houhoujk@hcu.edu.lb // Office: B101G

Lecture: TTH from 8:00 to 9:15 am

Office Hours: TTH from 13:30 to 15:30 or by appointment.

Pr-requisites: None

Course Objectives::
The title of this course is a good description of its content and purpose! This class
provides an opportunity for you to develop an understanding of several basic
environmental functions, the physical and social causes of some of our major
environmental problems, their impacts, and some strategies for their management.
• You will develop the ability to use the principles of environmental science to
better appreciate the way nature works.
• You will better understand several current environmental problems.
• You will learn to analyze the separate roles of structured consumption and
human
• Population growth in your understanding of environmental problems
• In addition, you will learn about the environmental field as a profession, perhaps
through.

Text Book:

Environmental Chemistry, A Global Perspective. Second Edition

Gary W. Vanloon and Stephen J. Duffy Oxford University Press, Inc., New York,200

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EVALUATION PROFILE:

Attendance 10%
Exam 1 20%
Exam 2 20%
Research 20%
Final 30 %
100%

GRADING PROFILE:

A+ 95 – 100 A 90 – 94
B+ 86 – 89 B 80 – 85
C+ 77 – 79 C 73 – 76
C- 70 – 72 D+ 65 – 69
D 60 – 64 F 0 – 59

ASSIGNMENTS:

You will demonstrate your mastery of the course objectives through participation, tests,
and optional service learning activities. Lectures, reading, and study guides. You are
responsible for material in lecture, text, films, and other supplementary materials. My
lectures and guided discussions will mainly-but not only- based on the text.

Tests, Exams and Quizzes

I write tests with the expectations that you will have
1- Taken clear and complete notes in class, kept them organized, and reviewed them
2- Reviewed the notes
3- Developed the ability to utilize information from text, lecture, etc. To make arguments
and express informed opinions
4- Studied by quizzing yourself with your own notes and with any study guides I provide
(Passive reading and reviewing notes is not an effective study strategy for most people)

Successful Learning requires your personal investment in being physically present and
mentally attentive in class, thus I reserve the right to mark a tardy, sleeping, newspaper-
reading etc. student absent, even if physically present in class. Stellar attendance and –
or in-class participation will raise your grade one step, for example from B to B+. Poor
attendance and/or sustained lack of attention may decrease your final grade by one
step.

Missed Exams:
No exam will be given after the scheduled date/time without appropriate medical
documents. Missed exams will be graded (0) unless PRIOR arrangements are made
with the instructor. Passing grades must be attained in both exams to pass the course.

Computer Courses:

Any student found either making copies of our diskettes or network files, or using an
unauthorized copy of our programs will be asked to withdraw from this course.

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Professionalism:
You should be able to demonstrate a professional attitude and behavior towards your
work, your fellow-students and your instructor: this includes reliability, respect for and
cooperation with colleagues, willingness to work calmly and courteously under difficult
conditions, determination to achieve first-class work while meeting deadlines, respect
for equipments and systems, and constructive response to criticism.

Cheating and Plagiarism:

All forms of cheating, including plagiarism are a serious offense. The instructor has the
right to assign a grade “0” on the examination or assignment, or, at the instructor’s
discretion, as letter grade “F” on the course.

A second offense in any course may result in an automatic expulsion from the program.

COURSE CONTENT:

1: Introduction to Environmental Science

2: The atmosphere; Air Pollution
3: Ozone Depletion
4: Acid Rainfall, Global Warming
5: The hydrosphere; water pollution
6: Water Quantity & Quality — Drinking Water
7: Water pollution and wastewater treatment
8: The lithosphere; soil and the soil Ecosystem
9: The Biosphere, Biological resources and biogeochemical cycles
10: Solid waste chemistry