What will I study?
2026 Entry
Pathways
Mitigation of Flood and Coastal Risk
Core Modules
River Hydraulics accordion
An introduction to estimation and the computational techniques used to calculate extreme sea level and wave heights, and to produce tidal graphs for flood inundation modelling. During this module, you will cover coastal asset management, design and planning considerations in the context of applying these technical approaches and concepts to decision-making faced by coastal asset owners, planners, and developers. You will explore the concept of predicting climate change impacts and uncertainty, and how to incorporate these into flood risk management.
By reviewing case studies and examples of river restoration projects, you will explore the contexts for developing legislative and policy drivers, for example, the Water Framework Directive (WFD). You will explore the impact of land use and land management practices on rivers and how to incorporate flood risk management considerations into successful catchment and river restoration.
As part of this, you will take a field trip to visit a restored river system, demonstrating assessment techniques and providing case study material to support the design of a river restoration scheme as part of the assessment.
Develop the knowledge needed to select the most appropriate model for particular applications in flood risk management, from flood warning and flood risk mapping for spatial and emergency planning, to broad-scale screening studies, detailed feasibility and design of flood mitigation measures. You will be introduced to commercially available 1D, 2D and integrated models, along with their data requirements, capabilities and applications, including flood studies, sediment transport and tidal/coastal modelling.
Throughout, you will utilise case studies and undertake hands-on modelling. No previous experience is required. You will also touch on hydraulic principles relating to good river weir and culvert design, which will be demonstrated using a hydraulic flume. You will focus on the practical application of skills and industry standard techniques in the context of the latest legislation, guidance and policy.
Optional Modules
Optional Modules accordion
Catchments are increasingly understood as complex and highly interconnected systems. This presents significant challenges for those who manage land and water resources within catchments, but also a range of novel and timely research opportunities. In this context, you will gain an understanding, through practical experience, of key research and management challenges that may face catchments in the future. You will draw on the latest land and water management frameworks used in catchments across the UK and Europe as a basis.
After analysing these frameworks and identifying significant challenges, you will use a combination of field, laboratory and data analysis techniques to investigate research questions focused on the condition of land and water resources within catchments. Case studies will be drawn from the English Lake District, including work within Windermere’s catchment at the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Groundwater is the largest freshwater reservoir on the planet; in many parts of the world it is the main (or only) source of freshwater. Groundwater is not only a major source of drinking water, it sustains river flow, plays a critical role in food security and can also influence the structural properties of the ground. In this module you will learn how we can access this water reservoir and how natural and human-influenced disturbances can impact on the availability of groundwater and its quality. You will also be given in-field training on groundwater investigation techniques and gain hands-on experience of using groundwater models to tackle practical problems. You will also learn about some topical issues related to groundwater resources, globally.
Management of Water Resources – Water Supply and Environmental Restoration
Core Modules
Management core modules accordion
Catchments are increasingly understood as complex and highly interconnected systems. This presents significant challenges for those who manage land and water resources within catchments, but also a range of novel and timely research opportunities. In this context, you will gain an understanding, through practical experience, of key research and management challenges that may face catchments in the future. You will draw on the latest land and water management frameworks used in catchments across the UK and Europe as a basis.
After analysing these frameworks and identifying significant challenges, you will use a combination of field, laboratory and data analysis techniques to investigate research questions focused on the condition of land and water resources within catchments. Case studies will be drawn from the English Lake District, including work within Windermere’s catchment at the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Groundwater is the largest freshwater reservoir on the planet; in many parts of the world it is the main (or only) source of freshwater. Groundwater is not only a major source of drinking water, it sustains river flow, plays a critical role in food security and can also influence the structural properties of the ground. In this module you will learn how we can access this water reservoir and how natural and human-influenced disturbances can impact on the availability of groundwater and its quality. You will also be given in-field training on groundwater investigation techniques and gain hands-on experience of using groundwater models to tackle practical problems. You will also learn about some topical issues related to groundwater resources, globally.
Optional Modules
Management Option Modules accordion
An introduction to estimation and the computational techniques used to calculate extreme sea level and wave heights, and to produce tidal graphs for flood inundation modelling. During this module, you will cover coastal asset management, design and planning considerations, in the context of applying these technical approaches and concepts to decision-making faced by coastal asset owners, planners, and developers. You will explore the concept of predicting climate change impacts and uncertainty and how to incorporate these into flood risk management.
By reviewing case studies and examples of river restoration projects, you will explore the contexts for developing legislative and policy drivers, for example, the Water Framework Directive (WFD). You will explore the impact of land use and land management practices on rivers and how to incorporate flood risk management considerations into successful catchment and river restoration.
As part of this, you will take a field trip to visit a restored river system, demonstrating assessment techniques and providing case study material to support the design of a river restoration scheme as part of the assessment.
Develop the knowledge needed to select the most appropriate model for particular applications in flood risk management, from flood warning and flood risk mapping for spatial and emergency planning, to broad scale screening studies, detailed feasibility and design of flood mitigation measures. You will be introduced to commercially available 1D, 2D and integrated models, along with their data requirements, capabilities and applications, including flood studies, sediment transport and tidal/coastal modelling.
Throughout, you will utilise case studies and undertake hands-on modelling. No previous experience is required. You will also touch on hydraulic principles relating to good river weir and culvert design, which will be demonstrated using a hydraulic flume. You will focus on the practical application of skills and industry standard techniques in the context of the latest legislation, guidance and policy.