MSc Environmental Sciences

Key details

MSC ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Start Year

2023

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Master of Science

Duration (years)

What are the links between the effects of climate change and pollution and the mismanagement and overexploitation of resources? How can we solve the environmental challenges we face today? What role can you play in making change happen?

If these questions fascinate you, this course is for you. You’re passionate about studying the Earth’s natural processes and human impacts – and you want to prepare for a rewarding career in environmental sciences.

Take the MSc Environmental Sciences and develop your advanced scientific knowledge in your field along with essential transferable skills in data analysis, tools such as geographic information systems (GIS) and decision-making.

About

Environmental sciences is the interdisciplinary study of atmospheric, oceanic, freshwater and terrestrial environments, coupled with an assessment of the interactions with human society.

This MSc programme will give you a rigorous understanding of the Earth’s natural processes, the impacts of human activities on the global environment and the strategies required for the sustainable management of natural resources.

It will offer you a range of subjects to choose from and a wide array of career options, both in vocational employment and postgraduate research. Whether you’re an environmental sciences graduate seeking additional training, or you’ve studied a related subject and wish to widen your environmental knowledge and skills, this flexible course is ideal.

You’ll explore the science of climate change and human adaptive response to increasing global temperatures and sea-level rise. Your training will also develop skills in the collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of diverse datasets and the application of analytical tools such as numerical models and geographic information systems (GIS) to aid complex decision-making.

These transferable skills are invaluable for the jobs market, and will support you to move into a rewarding career.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

Depending on the modules you choose, we’ll use different methods of assessment to test your intellectual skills. These include essays, seminar presentations, position papers, short reports, problem sheets, mini-projects and an independent project report. You’ll perfect your ability to present arguments in a concise and coherent manner – a transferable skill that will prepare you for either vocational or research-oriented careers.

We’ll assess your practical skills mainly through your coursework. In essays and reports we’ll look for the skill with which bibliographic material has been obtained and discussed within the context of the assignment. You’ll also complete problem-solving and project-based work, which allows us to assess your numerical and practical skills.

We’ll assess your transferable skills mainly based on your research project proposal, which you’ll submit in support of your independent project. Your independent project and accompanying dissertation will give us an assessment of your overall skills and ability as an environmental scientist.

Structure

The MSc Environmental Sciences is a one-year full-time course with both taught components and an independent research project.

The course is made up of 180 credits – with 100 credits gained from the taught components (usually five 20 credit modules) and 80 credits from your independent research project.

Through your choice of taught modules, you can carve your own curriculum pathway – you could focus on a specific area of environmental sciences or include a range of interdisciplinary subjects. You’ll work with your advisors and course director to choose your 100 credits of modules from our wide selection. You can even choose modules from other Schools if they contribute to a clear programme of study in the field of environmental sciences. You’ll complete your taught modules over two semesters.

Of the 80 credits for your research project, 20 credits are for the Research Skills Module coursework (includes your project proposal) while the remaining 60 credits are for your final project report. You’ll start planning your independent research project in the autumn semester, submit your project proposal in the Spring Semester, and hand in your final project report in early August. This means that you’ll be working on your research project from the spring semester onwards through the summer. You’ll be marked on successfully completing the assessment for each module and reaching the learning outcomes.

In addition to our core MSc Environmental Sciences course, we also offer two environmental sciences pathways focusing specifically on sustainability.

You can also choose to take this MSc part time – take a look at MSc Environmental Sciences Part Time to find out more.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

You’ll be taught through a combination of lecture and seminar classes, practical classes and field visits. Naturally, as an MSc student you’ll be encouraged to extend your knowledge and understanding through directed reading and assessed coursework assignments. Your independent project is a major activity that permits the in-depth acquisition of knowledge and the opportunity to integrate understanding of your chosen topic.

Independent study

In the Research Skills module, you’ll further develop your transferable skills – such as the use of IT facilities to find bibliographic material and techniques for data analysis and interpretation.

You will also learn how to prepare a research proposal for the independent project with a statement of the hypothesis you’ll test, the data and methods you’ll use, and a plan of work that includes a list of deadlines and deliverables.

Your project planning will see you develop additional skills such as costing the research plan and liaising with staff over practical issues such as safety and general working practices. We'll be on hand to support you during your independent project – particularly around training in diagram production, report presentation and writing.

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Assessment for Year 1

Compulsory Modules

RESEARCH SKILLS

Code ENV-7119Y

Credits 20

This module provides support and training for the dissertation to ensure that the necessary research is well planned in advance. Advice is given on how to make the best use of UEA library resources, how to undertake a literature review, ethics procedures and how to write a dissertation proposal. A substantial part of semester one is devoted to how to use statistics for the analysis of different types of projects. Supporting lectures and practicals in social science research skills are provided in semester two. These include: social science research design; questionnaire survey design; interviewing techniques; focus groups methods; and techniques analysing qualitative data. This module must be taken before the Dissertation Module.

DISSERTATION

Code ENV-7120X

Credits 60

The dissertation is an individual research project which you will complete independently under the guidance of an academic supervisor within one of the research groups in the School. In addition, you may also choose to undertake a project placement with an outside organisation, with the possible guidance from 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 requires you to have completed the Research Skills Module (ENV-7119Y) as a prerequisite.

Optional A Modules

(40-60 credits)

ECOLOGICAL SURVEY METHODS

Code BIO-7028Y

Credits 20

This is a practical module that provides training for anyone who intends to carry out ecological research or who needs to interpret and evaluate the results of ecological surveys carried out by a third party. It offers vocational training for work with conservation agencies and ecological consultancies. It also gives preparatory training for students who will do ecological fieldwork for their MSc dissertation, or subsequent PhD. The module includes lectures, workshops, practical classes and field trips. It covers the key considerations underpinning effective ecological survey design and implementation. Following initial lectures on research planning and study design, you will explore and gain first-hand experience in a variety of methods for surveying plants, animals and habitats. This also includes the use of remote census techniques such as radio-tracking and trail cameras.

MODELLING ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES

Code ENV-7003A

Credits 20

Our aim is to show how environmental problems may be solved from the initial problem, to mathematical formulation and numerical solution. Problems will be described conceptually, then defined mathematically, then solved numerically via computer programming. The module consists of lectures on numerical methods and computing practical's; the practical's being designed to illustrate the solution of problems using the methods covered in lectures. We will guide students through the solution of a model of an environmental process of their own choosing. The skills developed in this module are highly valued by prospective employers.

CLIMATE CHANGE: PHYSICAL SCIENCE BASIS

Code ENV-7014A

Credits 20

Climate change and variability have played major roles in shaping human history, and the prospect of human-caused global warming is a pressing challenge for society. But how and why has climate changed, how do we predict future climate and how do our choices affect future climate? Throughout this module, you will learn how climate science can answer these questions. Discover the approaches, methods and techniques for understanding the history of climate change and for developing climate projections for the next 100 years. You'll also explore the scientific evidence about climate change and where the uncertainties lie. Starting with an introduction to the changing climate and the main themes in current climate research, your study will be structured around three topics. (1) Fundamentals of the changing climate including the Earth’s energy balance, causes of climate change and the greenhouse effect. (2) Research methods, consisting of empirical approaches to climate reconstruction (such as tree-ring research), analysis of observational data (focusing on the global temperature record and causes of recent climate change), and an introduction to energy balance models and general circulation models. (3) Climate change and causal mechanisms, concentrating on the period from 1000 CE to the present and climate projections out to 2100 CE. Studying the physical science basis of climate change will enable you to understand what controls our climate, to explain the causes of the changes we have observed, and to interpret projections of future climate change.

RESEARCH TOPICS IN EARTH SCIENCE

Code ENV-7018A

Credits 20

In this module you will engage in Earth Science topics at an advanced level and develop advanced study skills. The module will be strongly research led and based around your own learning. It will involve engagement with appropriate research seminars in the School of Environmental Sciences and directed research on key topics with follow up in-class discussions and presentations. The topics included vary from year to year, but likely include research in sedimentology, palaeoclimatology, geological hazards, Earth history, catchment science, and the Earth system.

THEORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Code ENV-7020A

Credits 20

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.

GEOENGINEERING THE CLIMATE: SCIENCE AND POLICY

Code ENV-7031A

Credits 20

This module studies a set of different proposed techniques, called geoengineering, that seek to modify the Earth’s climate by reducing the degree of anthropogenic radiative forcing, either by reflecting more sunlight back to space or by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is a complex, controversial and highly uncertain area of science that requires a strongly interdisciplinary approach. The potential role of geoengineering techniques as a complement to mitigation and adaptation in tackling future climate change raises a number of important questions, not least for international policy making.

GIS AND ITS APPLICATIONS FOR MODELLING ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Code ENV-7034A

Credits 20

This module will provide essential GIS tools and principles that will be applied to modelling ecological and environmental change. This module includes two parts, the first part delivers core GIS skills. The second part examines recent ecological and environmental changes with particular emphasis to climate change. Students will learn to identify, extract and analyse data from national and global databases. GIS analyses will include the manipulation of such files. Particular attention will be paid to using the data to understand and model the consequences of environmental change. These skills are important in many areas of ecological and environmental research. This module is suitable for students with no or little previous knowledge of GIS and will be relevant to students from across the sciences.

EVIDENCE-BASED GLOBAL CONSERVATION

Code ENV-7041A

Credits 20

This interdisciplinary module focuses on the critical evaluation of scientific evidence as a basis for effective biodiversity conservation policy, strategy and interventions, in a world challenged by climate change, population growth and the need for socio-economic development and environmental justice. You will attend an initial block of lectures examining socio-economic drivers of biodiversity loss and motivations for conservation, challenging common assumptions and outlining conceptual frameworks for conservation interventions. A series of seminars by global conservation practitioners provide insights to implementation and employability. Coursework assessments designed to develop skills of evaluating, synthesising and communicating scientific evidence, are supported by feed-forward formative exercises.

Optional B Modules

(40-60 credits)

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT EFFECTIVENESS

Code ENV-7021K

Credits 20

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. Please note that there will be a charge for attending this field course (in the range of £250-300) to cover attendance.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Code ENV-7029B

Credits 20

The majority of greenhouse gas emissions are the result of how we supply and use energy. In this module you will explore climate change from an energy perspective. You will learn about key relationships between energy, the economy, and society. The module draws on historical analyses to understand how energy systems have evolved in the past, as well as examining the role that scenarios play in understanding energy futures. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the complexities of changing energy systems, enabling you to engage critically with debates around future “energy transitions”, the role that innovation and emergent technologies might play, and the various challenges of shifting towards renewable based energy systems

STATISTICS AND MODELLING FOR SCIENTISTS USING R

Code ENV-7033B

Credits 20

How do you test a hypothesis? How do you compare biological traits between wild populations? And how do you best test and visualise differences between samples? Scientists use a wide array of methods for statistical analysis and plotting data, and increasingly, these tasks are carried out using R. R is a free programming language for statistical computing and graphics, including general and generalised linear models, time-series analysis, and community analysis, and also specialised analyses in many scientific subfields. Learning R will equip you with a flexible statistical, modelling, and graphics tool. Learning the basics of running R in the RStudio programming environment, you’ll spend most of your time on general and generalised linear models, which unify the range of statistical tests that are classically taught separately: t-test, ANOVA, regression, logistic regression, and chi-square, plus residuals analysis. Additionally, you’ll learn how to use R to write simple programs and carry out community analyses such as principal components analysis. Finally, throughout the class, you’ll learn R methods for data formatting, graphics, and documentation. On successful completion of this module you’ll be able to use R to carry out and present results from the most widely used statistical tests in current scientific practice, giving you sufficient knowledge to continue learning statistical analysis on your own. A pre-requisite of first and/or second year statistical modules is required.

SCIENCE, SOCIETY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Code ENV-7038B

Credits 20

How can science and society work better together to solve sustainability challenges? How can society be properly engaged and accounted for in addressing pressing issues like climate change, energy transitions and natural hazards? These questions, that lie at the core of this module, have become major concerns for scientists, governments, businesses, NGOs and citizens the world over. Throughout the module you will gain a rich appreciation of key theories, approaches and practical methods for understanding and improving relations between science, technology and society in sustainability settings. You’ll explore the nature of science and how it relates to society. You’ll discover a wealth of approaches for public engagement with science, and consider how sustainability can be more effectively governed. You’ll also learn how to critically evaluate and communicate these ideas through written, oral and self-reflective means. You’ll begin the module by considering how relations between science and society have evolved over time and are viewed differently by different disciplines. The fascinating interdisciplinary field called science and technology studies (STS) will provide a key resource that you will become an expert in as you progress. The module’s three main parts will take you on a journey to develop your own critical insights. In part 1 you will consider the nature of science and its relation to society, through examining science controversies like ‘climategate’ and GM crops. In part 2 you will explore new forms of public engagement with science and technology, such as science communication, deliberative democracy, citizen science, and smart technologies in the home. In part 3 you will study pioneering new ways of governing science and sustainability in fairer and more socially responsible ways, through responsible innovation of climate geoengineering for example. You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, practical classes, in-class debates, and self-directed study. Your new knowledge and skills will be put into practice by creating a blog to communicate your ideas, as well as through written work and presentations. You’ll also benefit from the module being taught by staff in the Science, Society and Sustainability (3S) Research Group, which houses some of the world’s leading experts on societal engagement with sustainability.

GEOPHYSICAL HAZARDS

Code ENV-7042B

Credits 20

Geophysical hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and landslides have significant environmental and societal impacts. This module focuses on the physical basis and analysis of each hazard, their global range of occurrence, probability of occurrence and their local and global impact. You will address matters such as hazard monitoring, modelling and assessment, and consider approaches towards risk mitigation and the reduction of vulnerability (individual and societal), with an emphasis on their practical implementation. Scenarios and probabilities of mega-disasters are also investigated. All the teaching faculty involved have practical experience of supplying professional advice on these hazards (and related risks) in addition to their own research involvement. A basic knowledge of physical science and of mathematics is assumed e.g. use of logs, exponentials, powers, cosines, rearrangement of equations.

CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT

Code ENV-7043B

Credits 20

Based around the theme of Integrated Catchment Management (ICM), in this module you will address the fundamental requirement for an interdisciplinary catchment-based approach to protecting water and soil resources that includes an understanding of land use policy and management. Exploring land and water processes, you will cover aspects of hydrology, water pollution, aquatic ecology, soil science, flood modelling, agronomy and agri-environmental policy. This module is ideally suited for those seeking a career in catchment management working for organisations including water companies, Rivers Trusts, Natural England and the Environment Agency. Competence in numerical problem solving, data analysis and R coding would be advantageous for the coursework and practical classes.

PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY

Code ENV-7045B

Credits 20

This module examines the geological evidence for climatic change through the Quaternary Period (the last 2.6 million years) and the longer-term evolution of climate through the Cenozoic Era (the last 65 million years). You will explore the interpretation of the geological evidence and consider the causal mechanisms behind the major regional and global environmental events. This will require the use and understanding of a diverse range of indicators of past climate, e.g. isotope geochemistry, sedimentology, palaeoecology and organic geochemistry. We will largely focus on the various types of geochemical, biological and sedimentological information that can be obtained from marine sediments, ice cores, and terrestrial environments. Our primary objective is to use these palaeo-records to reconstruct the timing, the extent and the magnitude of selected climatic events in the geological record.

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

Code ENV-7116B

Credits 20

Environmental economics provides a set of tools and principles which can be useful in understanding natural resource management issues. This module introduces you to key principles and tools of environmental economics for students who have not studied the subject previously. It then explores how these principles can be applied to address a number of complex economy-environment problems including climate change, over-fishing and water resources management. In this module you will have the opportunity to practically apply cost-benefit analysis as a framework for decision-making and will gain knowledge on the key non-market valuation techniques that are used to monetarily value environmental goods and services. At the end of the module you will have gained insights into how environmental economics is used in developing natural resource management policy as well as some of the challenges in using environmental economics in policy-making.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. 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. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

Entry Requirements

Degree classification

Bachelors degree - 2.1 or equivalent

Degree subject

Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences or related disciplines. Also single-discipline degrees in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Computing, Engineering, Economics and Politics

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:

IELTS: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in two components only, with 6.0 in the other two)
PTE (Pearson): 64 (minimum 59 in only two components with 64 in the others)

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests

INTO UEA also 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.