Universidad
Politécnica de Madrid

This Master’s Degree aims at meeting the increasing demand for specialists in the management of the water resources in the natural environment.

In the last decades, due to the rising urban, industrial and agricultural water consumption, a new social demand for the ecological quality of the ecosystems where water becomes essential has emerged. This social demand has been taken into consideration by the Water Framework Directive and the Water Law, which prescribe that the water resources can be used as long as the ecological quality of all the water bodies in the natural environment is guaranteed.

Due to the obligation, now regulated, of developing River Basin Management Plans for the sustainable management of water and the ecosystems related, it becomes necessary to have professionals for the design, implementation and monitoring of these plans. These professionals have to be trained to:

• Develop strategies consistent with ecological quality for the management of river ecosystems.
• Develop and apply diverse methods for the quantitative and qualitative optimization of the water resources.
• Restore degraded aquatic ecosystems.
• Plan cultural and recreational uses of river and marsh ecosystems.
• Create aquaculture production systems compatible with sustainable development.

The Master’s Degree is organized in two semesters which in all are equivalent to 60 ECTS.

The first semester contains 3 modules of formal face-to-face learning:

• Module 1:Basics on Ecology (6 ECTS) covering Water Quality and Characterization of Aquatic and Riparian Ecosystems.
• Module 2: Aquatic Ecosystems Management (12 ECTS)
• Module 3: Engineering for the Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems (12 ECTS)

The second semester, which has a highly practical content, includes:

• a) Module 4: Case Studies (6 ECTS). In this module, the students will work on specific river sections in order to apply the methods and protocols for the characterization of the ecological status of the aquatic ecosystems as well as the techniques and criteria for the restoration and management of these aquatic ecosystems.
• b) Module 5: The student may select one out of three optional pathways (12 ECTS):

1. Internships in companies. 
2. Specific subjects with a highly practical content aimed at enhancing knowledge on engineering practice, management, and use of river ecosystems. 
3. International Mobility.

• c) Module 6: Master’s Thesis / Final Project (12 ECTS)