Management of environmental impacts is an increasingly important aspect of economic development and is conducted within a regulatory framework governed by national laws and international treaties. However, both the framing of these regulations and the practice of environmental management require reliable sources of information and a holistic but rigorous understanding of the physical, chemical and biological interactions with and within the environment.
The basis of the course is to develop an understanding of the information needs of environmental management and the practical techniques available to meet those needs, with a particular focus on the tropical environment. The course is interdisciplinary in nature, combining the integrated study of the physical environment with monitoring and investigative techniques and includes social and economic aspects of environmental management. The development of environmental research training is an integral part of the course, culminating in the completion of a dissertation for the MSc.
A first or second class honours degree (or international equivalent) in science, engineering or an environment-related subject. Applicants with substantial and relevant experience may in some circumstances be considered.
Applicants must have graduated from an approved university
IELTS: 6.5 (no elements below 6.0)
IELTS and TOEFL test results must be less than 2 years old and all IELTS must be the academic version of the test
The full master’s course comprises 180 credits, of which 60 are the research dissertation and 120 are taught, either as 10-credit or 20-credit modules.
The taught modules are:
F84153 Foundations of Environmental Management (10 credits)
This module provides a foundation for the scientific concepts and issues which underpin environmental management. Topics covered include the geological basis of environmental systems, the structure and function of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate change.
F84M07 Approaches to Environmental Management (10 credits)
This module considers the social, legal, political and economic context of environmental management and its relationship to issues of policy development and appraisal and of project implementation. Topics include sustainability, corporate social responsibility, business ethics, accountability and stewardship, environmentalist critiques, the role of NGOs and donor programmes, project cycle management, and environmental legislation.
F84M03 Environmental Monitoring (10 credits)
This module addresses the requirements for monitoring the environment for management purposes and introduces a range of approaches for monitoring atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic systems. The technical focus is primarily on surface-based techniques as remote sensing is covered in a separate module, but the integration of disparate methods is discussed.
F84M04 Environmental mapping and modelling (10 credits)
This module provides an introduction to the theories, tools and techniques of GIS, focussing on the capture, storage, analysis and visualisation of spatial environmental information in digital form. Topics include: principles of GIS, understanding of data capture and data quality, vector and raster based techniques, spatial modelling and applications, for example in human settlement development.
F84M08 Environmental Remote Sensing (10 credits)
This module is concerned with the principles behind remote sensing techniques and the practical application of those principles to a range of environmental problems, such as monitoring agriculture, changes in natural vegetation, hydrology, and disaster management.
F84M06 Tropical Ecology (10 credits)
This module addresses the ecology and conservation of terrestrial tropical systems, covering issues of biodiversity, resilience and sustainability of these environments in the face of threats. Tropical Ecology will be delivered as a field course at the Krau nature reserve. Topics covered include ecological assessment, forest structural assessment and plant-animal interactions, with associated techniques and wildlife management approaches.
F84M02 Techniques in Environmental Management Science (20 credits)
This module provides a practical introduction to a range of quantitative and qualitative techniques for environmental monitoring and management and encourages consideration of their appropriateness and reliability for particular applications. Issues covered include basic and advanced statistical methods, sample design, qualitative techniques in the social sciences, and the use of GIS, remote sensing and modelling technologies. Subject specific techniques in terrestrial, aquatic and atmospheric monitoring will also be addressed, together with field sampling approaches.
FM01 Topics in Environmental Management Science (20 credits)
This module has three key components: (1) a tutorial programme that allows students to develop critical, analytical and wider research skills in the context of a small group – topics include referencing and searching for literature, reading and note-taking, review writing skills, approaches to group working, presentation skills, and critical review of environmental paradigms; (2) a programme of seminars provided by academic researchers and external practitioners in environmental management; (3) individual guidance by specialist tutors in developing a formal dissertation proposal, to assist with the planning of the dissertation project. This part of the module will cover the following: writing a literature review, research design, formulating an appropriate Environmental Management research topic and the preparation of a dissertation proposal. Attendance at tutorials and seminars is compulsory. The dissertation proposal must contain a clear statement of aims, justification, methodology, analytical approach and resource requirements and will be used to assess the viability of the proposed work. Students must pass the dissertation proposal to be allowed to proceed to the dissertation.
F84M05 Dissertation in Environmental Monitoring and Management (60 credits)
This module will require students to research an environmental issue under the supervision of an appropriate member of staff and to report their findings in the form of a written dissertation (12,000 words). Key skills developed include those of independent study, critical analysis and report writing.
20 credits of additional taught modules will also be required. These will be selected from those available in other Schools of the University.
Source : The University of Nottingham