The course aims to provide students with knowledge about the main natural and anthropogenic factors capable of influencing environmental balances in a context of climate change and sustainable development. The course will delve into the environmental dynamics that define the natural balances between soil, water, and air, as well as the indicators used to assess their quality.

Knowledge and understanding
The course aims to develop students' knowledge and understanding, particularly regarding environmental quality monitoring. This includes understanding the techniques for monitoring environmental quality by first deepening their knowledge of the quality characteristics of soil, air, and water systems. A fundamental aspect is understanding the limits of application or interpretation of various quality indicators in relation to the reference system or environmental situation in which they are applied. The course also intends to provide adequate knowledge of the nutrient dynamics in the soil (nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles) and the organic matter cycle. Additionally, the course will explore the effects of significant pollutants, such as heavy metals, the environmental issues related to their presence in the environment, and remediation strategies.

Applied knowledge and understanding
The course enables the application of knowledge by developing practical laboratory skills and the ability to derive information from laboratory activities to support and integrate theoretical lessons.

Making judgements
The course fosters the development of students’ autonomy in assessing soil, water, and air quality, and integrating various systems to define environmental quality. This is achieved through understanding the fundamental chemical and physical characteristics of soil, air, and water, as well as the natural and anthropogenic factors that have caused imbalances in these characteristics, leading to environmental degradation and quality loss.

Communication skills
The course provides the ability to present acquired knowledge using appropriate language and technical terms.

Learning skills
To improve their learning abilities, it is essential for students to attend lessons and independently utilize the provided materials. This approach supports continuous knowledge updating, allowing students to identify the most effective strategies for gathering information. Furthermore, it is crucial to develop the ability to independently update one's knowledge by conducting keyword searches and consulting texts, bibliographic databases, and significant scientific publications at both national and international levels.