Short course on the Fundamentals of Environmental Management | Short Courses | NWU

Short Course

the Fundamentals of Environmental Management

It has become essential for both the private and the public sectors to understand the principles of sustainability and the tools for environmental management. Integrating sound environmental management with day-to-day business activities is now commonplace and as a result managers and employees experience a growing need to be exposed to the theoretical and the technological fields underpinning environmental management practices. This course is essential for those with little background in environmental management and particularly for those who wish to be introduced to some of the more complex issues addressed in other CEM courses. This course, which is something of a foundation for our other courses, has been updated recently in order to reflect the latest developments in the field of environmental management and to include an outcomes-based practical exercise.

Purpose of the course:

The purpose of this short course is to enhance participants understanding of the basic principles of environmental management and the concept of sustainability, to provide an overview of the tools used for integrated environmental management, to explain the basics of environmental law, and to introduce the approaches used in environmental management to address environmental issues and concerns. The course will enhance participants’ overall capacity to grasp the technical and practical aspects of managing activities and responsibilities in an environmentally acceptable manner.

Admission requirements:

A Grade 12 certificate as a minimum

Learning assumed to be in place:

Grade 12 or NQF level 4 competencies

Course outcomes and assessment criteria :

Course outcomes and the associated assessment criteria:

Study Unit	Outcomes	Assessment Criteria
	After completion of this course, participants will:	Participant will be assessed on the following criteria:
1. Scope of knowledge and knowledge literacy	Knowledge and informed understanding of - Key terminologies, concepts, principles, requirements and tools related to Environmental Management; and Different sources of tools and basic legislation relevant to the field of Environmental Management;	Demonstrated ability to: Use and explain key terminologies, concepts, principles, requirements and tools correctly; and Identify the different sources of tools and basic legislation relevant to the field of Environmental Management.
2. Method and procedure	The ability to correctly select, evaluate and effectively implement and apply Environmental Management requirements, with recommended methodologies and approaches;	Demonstrated ability to actively design, develop and/or use instruments, registers, templates, methods, techniques or approaches to the principles of Environmental Management.
3. Problem solving	The ability to distinguish and determine environmental issues and related environmental aspects and impacts in familiar contexts to apply the solutions to support the principles of Environmental Management;	Demonstrated ability to, within a familiar context: Solve the problem caused by environmental aspects and impacts; and Distil environmental issues related to waste, water and air, and then use tools to find solutions towards such issues.
4. Ethics and professional practice	An understanding of the ethical implications of decisions, actions and practices specifically relevant to Environmental Management, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development;	Demonstrated ability to formulate their own ethical perspectives on selected environmental scenarios.
5. Accessing, processing and managing information	The basic research skills, such as gathering and verifying information from various sources provided, analysing and summarising key aspects and using the information to implement recommended methodologies and approaches;	Demonstrated ability to utilise the resources provided to extract, analyse, summarise and/or apply the relevant information to solve the problems posed in the practical exercises
6. Producing and communicating information	The ability to develop and present accurate and coherent written and verbal information as a portfolio of evidence;	Demonstrated ability to effectively record and present diverse information generated as part of practical exercises in a written and verbal format.
7. Context and systems/ processes	The ability to understand how the learning material offered in this course relate to similar contexts, and constituent parts of the same systems and/or processes, to make decisions and act appropriately in familiar and new contexts;	Demonstrated ability to indicate how Environmental Management relates to sustainability; and Demonstrated understanding of how environmental aspects and impacts fit into environmental issues within the principles of environmental management (within the same system/process).
8. Management of learning	The ability to act as group member and/or a group leader to successfully complete the practical exercises and taking co-responsibility for learning progress and outcome realisation of the group; and	Demonstrated ability to actively participate in group work and contribute to successfully completing practical exercises.
9. Accountability	The ability to monitor own learning progress, and apply relevant learning strategies and resources to successfully realise all outcomes of this course.	Demonstrated ability to achieve the learning objectives in an effective and expeditious manner.

Assessment:

To be awarded a certificate of successful completion, participants require: • a final participant assessment score of at least 60%; and • an examination score of at least 50%; and • course attendance of at least 80%; and • to have made payment in full. Participants who do not qualify for a certificate of successful completion may be awarded a letter of attendance should all requirements be met. To be awarded a letter of attendance participants require: • a final participant assessment score of at least 50%; and • a sub-minimum Examination Score of at least 40%; and • course attendance of at least 80%, and • to have made payment in full.

Method of assessment:

Continuous Assessment; Structured Practical Work; Peer Evaluation & Examination