MSc Environmental Assessment and Management

Course Code DNT1F851102
Duration 1 Year
Attendance Full Time
Award Degree of Master of Science

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Overview

There has been a rapid growth in Environmental Assessment (EA) requirements around the world, at both project and strategic levels, which has generated a need for additional personnel. In Europe thousands of environmental assessments are carried out annually, and new legislation has placed obligations on many organisations to carry out strategic environmental assessments of their plans and programmes without the trained personnel to do so.

EA places demands upon those involved in both planning and authorising development proposals. Scientists must use their technical expertise to provide inputs into EAs; lawyers must establish and operate the procedures; developers must formulate their proposals within the legislative framework; agencies must review the adequacy of EAs; and decision makers must learn how to respond to the increased breadth and depth of information on potential impacts.

The focus of environmental assessment has shifted from the project level, where the implications of individual project proposals are assessed, to the strategic level, where the implications of policies, plans and programmes are assessed. Strategic EA Practice varies around the world and at different levels of decision making. Some jurisdictions focus on environmental aspects only, whereas others undertake sustainability appraisal which balances the environmental impacts alongside social and economic (including health) impacts. Whatever the focus, there is a need to establish groundrules for the scope of the assessment, and a need to apply suitable assessment methods to fully understand the potential outcomes of policy, plan or programme development.

To meet the demand for skilled personnel in these areas, this is a vocational course designed to provide a rigorous and professional training in the broad range of skills required. It combines theory, much of which has been developed by internationally renowned staff based in the School, with practice through collaboration with local businesses.

Recent Dissertation Titles

Waste management in offices: a case study of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
An evaluation of perceptions of barriers to the utilisation of crop biomass as a source of renewable energy
Determining significance in environmental impact assessment: A review of impacts upon the socio-economic and water environments

“My MSc was recognised as a big advantage when I was applying for my first job in Environmental Consultancy. Being taught in a specialist department meant I gained directly relevant knowledge and skills which are invaluable in my working life.”

Frances Kirwan Former Student

Related Courses
MSc Water Security and International Development (DNT1FL87103)

Course Organiser

Dr Alan Bond

Year 1

Year 1

Compulsory Study (120 credits)

Students will select 120 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Dissertation The dissertation is an individual research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor either within one of the research groups in the School or, as some project placement opportunities with outside organisations are facilitated, with an outside collaborator. Research undertaken normally involves the analysis and interpretation of data collected in the field, from measurements of a sample in the laboratory or from data gathered from other sources including the media, questionnaire surveys, interviews, etc. This module is reserved for MSc students and all students must have taken ENV-MB3Y. more...	ENV-MB4X	60	Semester 2
Environmental Assessment Effectiveness Environmental Assessment is considered to be more effective when conducted at strategic levels of decision making, and is usually perceived to have a goal of achieving sustainable development. This module provides experience of conducting a particular form of strategic assessment, Sustainability Appraisal (SA), which incorporates environmental, social and economic considerations into plan making. Through practice of SA, a field course involving hands-on application of environmental assessment techniques, and consideration of effectiveness theory, this module will examine what makes assessment effective. more...	ENV-MA64K	20	Semester 2
Research Skills Semester 1 teaching is compulsory for all MSc students, while semester 2 is for students to attend the classes they need. The primary purpose of this module is to provide support and training for the dissertation to ensure that the necessary research is well planned in advance. To get the best possible start for the dissertation, advice is given on how to make the best use of UEA library resources, and how to undertake a literature review and the ethics procedures. There is also a discussion about the assessment for this module, which is the dissertation proposal. A substantial part of semester 1 is devoted to how to use statistics for the analysis of different types of projects. For students who are undertaking social science dissertations, supporting lctures and practicals are provided in semester 2. These include: social science research design to ensure there is a sound understanding of the fundamental concept and requirements of good research; questionnaire survey design; interviewing techniques; focus groups methods; and techniqies analysing qualitative data. This module must be taken before the ENV-MB4X Dissertation. more...	ENV-MB3Y	20	Year Period
Theory of Environmental Assessment Environmental assessment is a term used to describe procedures for evaluating the potential environmental consequences of policies, programmes, plans and projects. It is a well established tool for environmental policy integration, being routinely employed in more than 100 nations and by many international aid and funding agencies. This multidisciplinary module focuses on the theory and methods of environmental assessment and the decision-making contexts in which they are employed. It explains the procedural stages of, and selected methodologies for, environmental assessment and provides practical experience in applying them. Co-taught with ENV-3A63. Students are recommended to take ENV-MA64K. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A63 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA63	20	Semester 1

Option A Study (60 credits)

Students will select 60 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change Atmospheric chemistry is in the news: stratospheric ozone depletion, acid rain, greenhouse gases, and global scale air pollution are seen as some of the most significant environmental problems of our age. Chemical composition and transformations underlie these issues, and drive many important atmospheric processes. This module covers the fundamental chemical principles and underlying physical processes in the atmosphere from the stratosphere to the surface, and considers the role of chemistry in current issues of atmospheric chemical change through a series of lectures, seminars, laboratory sessions and some field work. A secure background in maths and chemistry (e.g. AS-level or equivalent) is recommended. The module is co-taught with ENV-2A37. ENV-MA80 is a natural follow-on module, and builds on some of the concepts introduced here. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-2A37. more...	ENV-MA37	20	Semester 1
Atmospheric Composition: Measurement and Modelling Emissions of gases and other pollutants from human activities are critical drivers of phenomena such as climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, degradation of air quality in urban and rural areas, long-range transport of air pollution, and changes in aerosol and cloud physical properties. To understand these impacts it is necessary to make atmospheric measurements of chemical composition and physical parameters, and to interpret these observations with a range of statistical, conceptual, and computer-based models. In this module you will be introduced to a range of modern atmospheric measurements techniques, both those used in the field and in the laboratory. Consideration will be given to the relevant chemical and physical processes that are required to understand these observations. You will also learn about a range of interpretive techniques including numerical models, and you will put some of these in to practice. Co-taught with ENV-3A80. It is recommended that students have previously taken ENV-MA37. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A80 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA80	20	Semester 2
Biodiversity Conservation and Human Society This is an inter-disciplinary module focusing on the inter-relationship between biodiversity and human societies. It examines the human drivers of biodiversity loss, the importance of biodiversity to human society, conflicts between human society and conservation and how these can be resolved, and institutions for biodiversity conservation and environmental management. It is designed for Masters students on programmes in Applied Ecology and Conversation, Environmental Science, and Development Studies. The module does not require previous detailed knowledge of ecological mechanisms: where some understanding of key ecological processes is important, this will be reviewed and taught in class. Assessed coursework has been designed to develop transferable skills of critical evidence-based scientific appraisal, and the presentation of research results in poster form. more...	ENV-MA17	20	Semester 1
Catchment Water Resources This module will adopt an integrated approach to studying surface water and groundwater resources in river basins. Approaches to catchment management will be considered in the context of improving water-dependent terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Topics of climate change impacts on water resources in terms of droughts and floods, as well as water quality issues arising from changing land-use patterns will be considered, together with the engineering and socio-economic methods necessary to adapt to future pressures on water resources. Co-taught with ENV-3A60. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A60 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA60	20	Semester 2
Climate Change: Physical Science Basis Climate change and variability have played a major role in shaping human history and the prospect of a warming world as a result of human activities (global warming) presents society with an increasing challenge over the coming decades. This module covers the science of climate change and our current understanding of anthropogenic effects on climate. It provides details about the approaches, methods and techniques for understanding the history of climate change and for developing climate projections for the next 100 years, supporting further study of the scientific or policy aspects of the subject in either an academic or applied context. Co-taught with ENV-3A49. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A48, ENV-3A49 OR EQUIVALENT. more...	ENV-MA49	20	Semester 1
Earth and Life This module introduces Earth system science, taking a top-down approach to the Earth as a whole system, and tracing its development since its formation 4.5 billion years ago. The main focus is on the coupled evolution of life and its environment through a series of revolutions. Theoretical approaches are introduced, including Gaia, feedback mechanisms and systems theory, and practical sessions use models to build up conceptual understanding. The subject is inherently inter-disciplinary, including aspects of biology, chemistry and physics, and unifying the study of climate and global biogeochemical cycles. Co-taught with ENV-3A38. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A38 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA38	20	Semester 2
Ecological Modelling Modelling is a crucial methodology for answering many kinds of ecological questions and complement experimentation and field observations. The aim of this module is to introduce the use of modelling techniques to answer ecological questions. This module will provide an introduction to building ecological models using a combination of taught classes and project work. After completion of this module students will: understand the basic principles and approaches to ecological modelling and its potential applications; acquire the numerical skills required to develop quantitative ecological models; be able to develop basic quantitative models to answer ecological questions; learn to formulate hypotheses, write a project proposal and develop verbal and written communication and team working skills. This module is primarily reserved for those students studying on the European MSc in Applied Ecology but can also accommodate limited number of students from other programmes. more...	ENV-MA72	10	Semester 2
Ecological Responses to Climate Change The aim of this module is to examine biological responses to climate change over a range of levels from species to ecosystems. In this module students will examine the most recent literature on the effects of global environmental change on biological systems and will become familiar with different approaches and methods used for modelling biological responses to climate change. Students are recommended to take ENV-MA49 and ENV-MA74. more...	ENV-MA46	10	Semester 2
Energy and Climate Change The module will critically assess the assumptions and projections of social and technological change represented in climate change mitigation scenarios, with an emphasis on energy systems. This will include a review of the drivers and dynamics of historical energy transitions. more...	ENV-MA66	10	Semester 2
Fossil Fuels CO-TAUGHT WITH ENV-2A33. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-2A33 OR EQUIVALENT. This module explains the formation and accumulation of fossil fuel (oil, natural gas and coal). Geological, economic and political aspects of fossil fuel exploration and production are introduced and used to discuss environmental concerns arising from the use of fossil fuels, and the potentially profound implications of future fuel scarcity. more...	ENV-MA33	20	Semester 1
Fundamentals of Meteorology This module is designed to give a general introduction to meteorology and its relation to climate and climate change, concentrating on the physical processes in the atmosphere and how these influence our weather. The course contains both descriptions and mathematical treatments of meteorological topics and the assessment is designed to allow those with either mathematical or descriptive abilities to do well; however, a reasonable mathematical competence is essential, especially in rearranging equations, and a familiarity with basic calculus is helpful. Co-taught with ENV-2A23. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-2A23 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA23	20	Semester 1
Gis for Ecology & Environmental Management Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are computer programs for the capture, management, analysis and display of spatially referenced data. They are now increasingly widely used in ecology and environmental management, both in the organisation and analysis of pre-existing data sets and for analysis of data collected during fieldwork. This module aims to introduce their basic principles, capabilities, applications and limitations. Only basic familiarity with a PC is required and there will be weekly practical classes using the ArcGIS software. The main emphasis will be on imparting an understanding of what a GIS is, the strengths and weaknesses of such systems, and their practical use in research contexts (including MSc dissertations). more...	ENV-MA94	10	Semester 2
Modelling Environmental Processes The aim of this course is to show how physical environmental problems may be solved from the initial problem, to mathematical formulation and numerical solution. There is a focus on examples within meteorology, oceanography and the solid earth. The course consists of lectures on numerical methods and computing practicals. These concentrate on the solution of ordinary and partial differential equations. The computing practicals will be run in Matlab. The module will guide students through the solution of a geophysical problem of their own choosing. The problem will be discussed and placed into context through an essay, and then solved and written up in a project report. Co-taught with ENV-3A11. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A11 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA11	20	Semester 1
Narratives of Environmental Change The aim of this Module is to introduce students to a range of different narratives of environmental change which have been influential in Western thought and action over the last 200 years and especially the last 50 years. It also aims to show how different narratives of past changes can be used to shape different environmental policy futures. The Module draws upon the sub-disciplines of environmental history, cultural geography, futures studies and systems theory and is taught by three experts in these fields. The Module is divided into three parts. In Part 1, through lectures and seminars we introduce students to seven different narratives of environmental change: for example, limits to growth, planetary boundaries, social-ecological resilience. In Part 2, through lectures we introduce four different arenas where environmental policy-making is currently active and show how different narratives of environmental change shape, constrain or inflect the development of environmental policy and the engagement of citizens. In Part 3, the students working in pairs lead a series of assessed seminars on allocated topics which bring together the historical narratives with areas of live policy debate. more...	ENV-MA75	20	Semester 1
Natural Resources and Environmental Economics Have you ever wondered why human economic activity seems to be so bad for the environment? Does it have to be like that? Is it possible for human beings to enjoy high standards of living and a high quality environment? Through the study of the principles of Environmental Economics this course sets out to answer those questions. Addressing a wide-range of economy-environment problems including car pollution, over-fishing, climate change and declining oil stocks, the course shows that most environmental problems can be solved through the adoption of policies crafted with the careful application of economic reasoning. Co-taught with ENV-3A44. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A44 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA44	20	Semester 2
Ocean Circulation This module gives you an understanding of the physical processes occurring in the basin-scale ocean environment. We will introduce and discuss large scale global ocean circulation, including gyres, boundary currents and the overturning circulation. Major themes include the interaction between ocean and atmosphere, and the forces which drive ocean circulation. Co-taught with ENV-2A39. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-2A39 OR AN EQUIVALENT INTRODUCTORY PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY MODULE. You should be familiar with differentiation and integration, using equations and using calculators. more...	ENV-MA39	20	Semester 1
Palaeoclimatology This module investigates the geological evidence for major environmental changes through Earth history. It will explore selected topics that relate to the extent, timing and causes of past variations of climate as expressed through changes in the fossil and geological record. Lectures will draw on information from marine, ice core, terrestrial and lacustrine climate archives. Radiometric dating techniques and geochemical/quantitative methods of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction will be examined in practical classes. The module includes half-day excursions to examine key geological field sites in East Anglia. Co-taught with ENV-3A58. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A58 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA58	20	Semester 2
Participatory Environmental Decision-Making This module explores the rise of deliberative and participatory approaches to science and decision-making as one of the most significant recent developments in the environmental field. It examines: the theories, rationales and methods of participatory environmental decision-making (PEDM); their application in different institutional, social and geographical contexts; evaluation of participatory process effectiveness; and emerging critiques of participation. There is an emphasis on case studies to address these themes, developing practical as well as theoretical understandings of participatory approaches, and associated skills in facilitating environmental deliberation. Co-taught with ENV-3A54. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A54 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA54	20	Semester 2
Research Topics in Earth Science The module allows engagement in Earth science research topics at an advanced level and involves advanced study skills. The module will be strongly research lead and based around student-centred learning. The module will involve a) engagement with appropriate research seminars in the School of Environmental Sciences and b) directed research based around key topics with discussions and student seminars. The topics included will vary from year to year, depending on current research programmes, but they are likely to include topics in sedimentary geology, sedimentology, palaeoclimate, geological resources, Earth history, the Earth system, nuclear waste repository sites, carbon dioxide sequestration. more...	ENV-MA59	20	Semester 1
Sustainable Consumption This module investigates the impacts of consumption on social and environmental systems, and how these might be reduced. It presents the key theories and debates around sustainable consumption, and critically examines a range of strategies for achieving it, covering governmental, business, community and individual actors. A mainstream 'green growth' policy approach to sustainable consumption is contrasted with an alternative `new economics' 'steady state economy' model, and we examine a range of perspectives on what drives consumption patterns. Workshop exercises to apply these theories to `real world' examples will provide experiential learning opportunities. We then critically assess a selection of sustainable consumption initiatives in detail, for example local organic food, eco-housing, Transition Towns, local currencies and community-based behaviour-change campaigns. Students will be required to critically evaluate social science theories so some background in social science is stongly recommended (although not compulsory). more...	ENV-MA83	20	Semester 1
The Carbon Cycle and Climate Change Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas which has, by far, the greatest impact on climate change. Carbon dioxide is becoming even more important owing to continued, escalating use of fossil fuel energy and CO2's very long lifetime in the atmosphere. Predicting future climate or defining `dangerous' climate change is challenging, in large part because the Earth's carbon cycle is very complex and not fully understood. You will learn about the atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial components of the carbon cycle, how they interact with each other, and how they interact with climate in so-called `feedbacks'. The understanding of the carbon cycle gained from this module is an important foundation for all climate change research. Emphasis is given to the most recent, cutting-edge research in the field. Co-taught with ENV-3A31. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A31 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA31	20	Semester 1

Disclaimer

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules and regular (five-yearly) review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff or sabbatical leave. Where this is the case, the University will endeavour to inform students.

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