The MA/MSc in Environmental Sciences and Humanities is an original, truly interdisciplinary Master's course which combines different approaches from the sciences and humanities for thinking about our relationship with the natural world. It brings together researchers in the environmental sciences, philosophy, history and literature to develop new ways of thinking about environmental change and social transitions, and to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of our different approaches. The course is strongly orientated towards developing the insights of interdisciplinary work for policy-making.
The course begins with an intensive induction week designed to support students by providing the necessary context for reflecting on interdisciplinary approaches to environmental studies. Prior knowledge of the full range of disciplines is not required. The course is then arranged around three core modules, each of which pursues an integrated approach to a key area of environmental studies.
All three of these modules are new units that are tailored specifically to the proposed degree and, with the exception of Module 1, are open only to students registered on the course. The modules explore, firstly, the understanding and measuring of environmental change, using physical and historical evidence to put contemporary changes into context; secondly, how to deal with uncertainty and risk, analysing the practical and theoretical significance of these concepts; and thirdly, competing ideas concerning the value of nature and how those values might be reconciled, ranging from economic to aesthetic and ethical evaluation.
Students will also choose one further module from a range offered by the participating schools and will undertake a supervised dissertation project over the summer period. Students can approach any willing member of staff to supervise this dissertation and negotiate an appropriate topic with him or her.
For further information, please contact Dr Rupert Read.
Dr. Rupert Read
The University of East Anglia houses a world-leading school of environmental science, together with internationally recognised expertise in the environmental social sciences and emerging environmental humanities. The Master's in Environmental Sciences and Humanities is the only course at this level that brings together this range of expertise to train the next generation of leaders, researchers, and citizens.
In a world in which environmental concern is gradually being recognised as integrally related to all human concerns, this course aims not only to initiate and foster fundamental academic inquiry, but also to encourage practical and effective action. The course instructors are keen to share their extensive experience in bringing environmental thought to life, whether it be in the form of bringing appropriate technologies into service, transitions to sustainable living, political engagement or creative and artistic projects.
The Master's in Environmental Sciences and Humanities is the ideal gateway for anyone who wants to turn a passion for the natural world and concern for the future of humanity into a career that will forge new kinds of dialogue and engagement in sectors including conservation, the media, government, non-governmental organisations, research and education. It also offers an opportunity to those already working within these areas to further develop and share their knowledge.
This module aims to equip students with a historically informed understanding of the emergence of different theories and modes of evaluation, focusing in particular on the economic, aesthetic, and moral questions arising from the evaluation of nature in particular. Is it, for example, ethically defensible to value nature as a resource? Is a genuinely ‘ecological’ or, indeed, ‘green’ economics conceivable – and, if so, what would that involve in practice? How sure are we that art in general and writing in particular are good ways to articulate the value of the natural? And is a genuinely ‘ecological’ or ‘green’ poetics conceivable? Addressing these questions will involve exploration both of the history of ideas and of contemporary understandings of natural capital, resource allocation, and moral evaluation.
This year-long module is designed to support students on the MA/MSc in Environmental Sciences and Humanities by providing the necessary context for reflecting on interdisciplinary approaches to environmental studies. It encompasses a number of key steps in the degree, covering pre-arrival preparation, an intensive induction week, reflection on interdisciplinary work throughout the year, and preparation for the dissertation.
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.
Compulsory Study (100 credits)
Students must study the following modules for 100 credits:
This module is concerned with questions about certainty and uncertainty in environmental science and about the role of environmental science for political decision-making. The module investigates epistemological questions about the possibility of gaining scientific insight into the sources and solutions of environmental problems; and it examines the relationship of such epistemic concerns to ethical and political questions about how to act in the face of environmental problems.
This module is compulsory for all students taking the course MA/MSc Environmental Sciences and Humanities. Students will be required to produce a 10,000-15,000 word dissertation over the Summer period. The dissertation may deal with any topic covered by the remit of the course as a whole. The title and scope of the dissertation will be determined by the student together with his or her supervisor. A detailed research proposal will be submitted to the proposed supervisor in early April and must be approved by the Course Director. Each student will receive 6 hours of formal supervision during the course of the module. The supervisor will normally be one of the instructors on the course, unless a more suitable member of staff is identified and agrees to act as supervisor. The topic of the dissertation and faculty location of the supervisor will determine whether the student ultimately receives an MA or MSc degree. Normally a student who is supervised by a member of staff in ENV will receive an MSc, otherwise the student will receive an MA. Co-supervision between schools is encouraged. In such a case the type of degree will be determined by the primary supervisor. The dissertation will be marked by one member of the Science faculty and one member of the Arts and Humanities faculty.
Option A Study (20 credits)
Students will select 20 credits from the following modules:
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have significant environmental and societal impacts. This module focuses on the physical basis and analysis of each hazard, their global range of occurrence and their global impact. The module also addresses approaches towards hazard mitigation and minimising vulnerability, with an emphasis on their practical implication. Scenarios and probabilities of mega-disasters are also investigated. This module is co-taught with ENV-3A04. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A04 OR EQUIVALENT
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have significant environmental and societal impacts. This module focuses on the physical basis and analysis of each hazard, their global range of occurrence and their global impact. The module also addresses approaches towards hazard mitigation and minimising vulnerability, with an emphasis on their practical implication. Scenarios and probabilities of occurrence of mega-disasters are also investigated. A one week field trip in Scotland takes place to introduce you to various aspects of natural hazards and in particular to faulting and earthquake hazards. This module is co-taught with ENV-3A04K. The total Field Course module's cap of 25 is inclusive of ENV-3A04K. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A04K OR EQUIVALENT
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
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
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
As any intellectual enterprise, natural science poses fascinating and deep problems. Think e.g. of mechanics: in order to describe observable motion it appeals to such unobservable entities as forces, and in order to talk about real bodies it refers to ideal entities like points endowed with a mass. These facts lead to challenging questions: what is the role of unobservable entities within a scientific theory? Why do we need to resort to ideal hypotheses in order to study the real world? Is there a fundamental divide between theoretical science and experimental science? We will explore these issues by looking at scientific practice from a philosophical standpoint. This module is self-contained and presupposes no previous knowledge of physics or other sciences. Students on the M Level version will attend advanced level seminars and their coursework will be marked to a higher standard. The module is offered biennially in conjunction with PHI-2A14/3A14.
This module takes place in the Spring Semester and is taught through a combination of practical group sessions and independent tasks. The main focus of the course is the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Landscape History and there is a strong emphasis on the practical application of GIS in examining Britain’s historic landscape. This 20-credit module is ONLY available to students on the Environmental Sciences and Humanities course.
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.
Entry Requirements
Degree Subject:
Humanities, Science or Social Sciences
Degree Classification:
UK BA (Hons) 2.1 or equivalent
Students for whom English is a Foreign language
We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
Other tests such as TOEIC and the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English are also accepted by the university. Please check with the Admissions Office for further details including the scores or grades required.
INTO UEA and INTO UEA London run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk (INTO UEA Norwich) or pseuealondon@into.uk.com (INTO UEA London).
Intakes
The School's annual intake is in September of each year.
Alternative Qualifications
If you have alternative qualifications that have not been mentioned above then please contact university directly for further information.
Assessment
All applications for postgraduate study are processed through the Faculty Admissions Office and then forwarded to the relevant School of Study for consideration. If you are currently completing your first degree or have not yet taken a required English language test, any offer of a place will be conditional upon you achieving this before you arrive.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees
Tuition fees for Postgraduate students for the academic year 2013/14 are £5,000 for Home/EU students and £12,500 for International Students.
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home/EU students).
Please note that all the above fees are expected to rise for the year 2014/15. We estimate living expenses at £600/650 per month.
Scholarships and Awards:
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities has a number of Scholarships and Awards. For further information relevant to the School of Philosophy, please click here.
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
