In recent decades, society has witnessed an ever growing human demand for water resources due not only to the rise in population but also to changes in water consumption and hygiene resulting from increased standards of quality of life. Simultaneously, new agricultural techniques and methods plus novel industrial activities and the re-engineering of the same have sought to optimise production and reduce costs. It has, thus, become necessary to search out alternative sources in order to meet the expanding need for water whilst also developing novel uses of existing resources. In addition to the challenges regarding the extraction and use of hydraulic resources, water ecosystems are undergoing attacks of diverse intensity and origin, despite rising societal awareness of the issue and the need to institute measures to control and reduce the pernicious effects on water quality. These are some of the disequilibria acting against the self-purification of the aquatic ecosystem and the consequent challenges for water purification for human consumption.

This is the context in which the Master’s in Science in Biology and Water Quality Management is offering post-graduate training to supply the skills needed to resolve issues related to the biological quality of water and its uses. Special emphasis is give to the use of biology in evaluating water quality by focusing on those aspects related to main public health issues related to water as well as Portuguese and EC legislation in this regard. The goal is to make water available for a multiplicity of uses such as environmental protection, human consumption, recreation, fishing and agriculture. The role of live organisms in wastewater treatment is a key issue and the application of notions of ecotoxicology to the management and conservation of water resources is a priority. Students with Master’s degrees in Biology and Water Quality Management are able to hold positions in laboratories specialised in water analysis, in the service sector and companies involved in the planning and management of water quality, in local service sectors and governments, in institutions working in health and the environment, in water treatment and wastewater treatment institutions and research laboratories.

Admissions Requirements

Holders of a degree in Biology or related fields; Hold a foreign higher education degree in Biology or related fields; Hold a school, scientific or professional curriculum that the Scientific Committee of the Course recognizes as sufficient to certify the ability to undertake this cycle of studies.

For applicants not holding the degree at the date of application but able to complete it by the date of enrollment in the study cycle, evidence should be provided of the average of the grades at the date of application as well as of the course units missing to obtain the Bachelor's degree.

Other graduates may still be admitted, provided that their curriculum demonstrates adequate basic scientific preparation.

Note: All applicants who do not prove that they have completed their degree (or equivalent) by the end of the registration period will be excluded.

Criteria for Selection and Ranking

The ranking will be done according to the following criteria and sub-criteria:

• Academic curriculum (70%)
  • Subcriterion 1: Formation area (10%)
  • Subcriterion 2: normalized grade of degree (60%)
    The adjusted grade is obtained by normalising the grade to the 0-20 scale, adding the value of ln(R/r), and rounding to the nearest integer in the 0-20 scale, with ln expressing the natural logarithm and R and r being, respectively for the University of Porto and the university issuing the degree, the positions in the world ranking published in http://www.webometrics.info
• Scientific curriculum and professional experience (30%)
  • Subcriterion 1: technical and / or scientific publications and communications (50%)
  • Subcriterion 2: participation in research projects, internships in the study cycle area or other relevant professional experience (50%)

Criteria for breaking ties:

1. Measured average degree
2. Grade of the scientific curriculum and professional experience
3. Note of the internship in the scientific area of the master's degree
4. younger candidate

Information

• Application Dates 2021-2022
• Access to FCUP’s Academic Exams

Contacts

Course Director:	m.bgqa.diretor@fc.up.pt
Postgraduate Section:	pos.graduacao@fc.up.pt
Students:	m.bgqa@fc.up.pt

This information is provided strictly for informational purposes
and does not preclude consultation of the Official Gazette.

General information

Study Plan

Certificates

Predominant Scientific Areas