Introduction

This vocationally relevant Master's provides you with an in-depth critical understanding of today’s major environmental challenges.

You can keep your learning broad or you can specialise in one of four areas: Water, Energy, Food Security or Pollution. There are specific core modules for each specialist area:

Food Security	Energy	Pollution	Water
Food Security	Low-Carbon Energy Use	Chemical Risk Assessment	Lake Ecology
Agriculture and Climate Change	Environmental Aspects of Renewable Energy	Contaminated Land and Remediation	Dissertation Project
Crop Protection	Dissertation Project	The Behaviour of Pollutants in the Environment
Sustainable Soil Management		Dissertation Project
Dissertation Project

Students on a part-time programme will need to commit at least one day a week to attending taught modules. This may be a whole day or could be two or three half-days. Having slight flexibility may be beneficial and will increase your module choice. Students also need to set aside around 15 hours a week for independent studies such as reading, coursework, and exam preparation.

Assessment

Coursework, presentations, examinations and dissertation. All options include a dissertation project, which will enhance your practical and analytical skills and give you the chance to apply your learning to a real-world challenge. Our many research projects and partners across the globe provide exciting possibilities when you are choosing your dissertation subject. Alternatively, you can do a six-month research placement with a private sector company, government body or voluntary sector organisation instead of a traditional dissertation.

Examples of previous dissertations include:

• Using acoustic surveys to assess rainforest mammal communities
• Plant productivity and nutrient use efficiency under diffuse solar radiation
• The geopolitics of deep-sea mining
• Urban deprivation and flood exposure in the Brazilian Amazon
• Go Wild–How much carbon could we gain by re-wilding the uplands?
• More crop per drop: does “little and often” improve crop water use efficiency

Extra consideration needs to be given to planning dissertations, which account for 50% of the marks. Some applicants may be able to undertake a project within their workplace with the agreement of an academic supervisor. For others, blocks of time may be needed to carryout the research, for example, in the field or laboratory.

Community

The Graduate School for the Environment is a community of high-achieving students, world-class environmental researchers, government scientists and enterprises working together to address today’s biggest environmental challenges. We harness the power of three of the world’s foremost research organisations to give students the best possible chance of enjoying productive, impactful and influential careers. Background reading and learning resources will be provided to allow you to complete pre and post-course learning in your own time.