MSc Managing the Environment

What do you want to be doing in a year's time? Conservation ecologist? Environmental manager? Consultant? Researcher? Reserve warden?

This established internationally recognised Masters programme has been designed to meet these objectives by providing targeted vocational and professional skills for a career in these areas.
A one year programme involving a core of key management skills which you then tailor to your own needs and interests by following one of our five specialist pathways:

Environmental Sustainability:

This pathway is taught in collaboration with the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth Europe's leading Eco-Centre.

Past students work as consultants or Sustainability officers, Energy or Waste managers for companies, councils and charities.

Students complete a suite of core modules:

• Professional Skills in Managing the environment
• Data Management and Handling
• Issues & Developments in Managing the Environment
• Introduction to Environmental Law
• Critical Evaluation in Environmental Management

They then complete pathway specific modules including a four month research dissertation:

• Environmental Sustainability
• Sustainability in Practice
• Sustainability based research project
• Environmental Sustainability research dissertation -examples of past subject areas include:
• Estimating the carbon footprint of mobile phones
• Assessing the Sustainability of undergraduate research dissertations

Marine and Freshwater Systems:

This pathway involves coastal surveying and field activities in Cardigan bay and Skomer island. It is taught by internationally recognised Researchers (and qualified divers), Consultants and Professional Conservationists.

Past students work with wildlife and nature management; as Environmental officers for companies, councils and charities, some have entered research careers.

Students complete a suite of core modules:

• Professional Skills in Managing the environment
• Data Management and Handling
• Issues & Developments in Managing the Environment
• Introduction to Environmental Law
• Critical Evaluation in Environmental Management

They then complete pathway specific modules including a four month research dissertation:

• Sampling Techniques in Practice
• Management in Practice - Marine and Freshwater Systems
• Marine or Freshwater based research project

Marine and Freshwater Systems research dissertation - examples of past subject areas include:

• Bottle nose dolphin harbor survey
• A study of Lagoon biodiversity and productivity

Habitat Restoration and Conservation:

This pathway offers the exciting option of undertaking up to three months in Swedish Lapland (limited places). It is taught by internationally recognised Researchers, Consultants and Professional Conservationists.

Past students work with wildlife and nature management; as Environmental officers for companies, councils and charities. Some have entered research careers.

Students complete a suite of core modules:

• Professional Skills in Managing the environment
• Data Management and Handling
• Issues & Developments in Managing the Environment
• Introduction to Environmental Law
• Critical Evaluation in Environmental Management

They then complete pathway specific modules including a four month research dissertation:

• Sampling Techniques in Practice
• Management in Practice -Terrestrial systems (based at Abisko Scientific Research Station in Swedish Lapland - limited places available.
• Conservation or Restoration based research project

Habitat Restoration and Conservation research dissertation - examples of past subject areas include:

• Climate change impacts of sub-Arctic plant communities
• Evaluating the effectiveness of salt marsh restoration for enhancing bird biodiversity

Risk Assessment of GM Crops:

This pathway is taught by internationally recognised Researchers and Professional Conservationists working in this area.

Areas of employment include the GM sector and its regulation in developing countries.

Students complete a suite of core modules:

• Professional Skills in Managing the environment
• Data Management and Handling
• Issues & Developments in Managing the Environment
• Introduction to Environmental Law
• Critical Evaluation in Environmental Management

They then complete pathway specific modules including a four month research dissertation:

• Risk Assessment Principles and Practice
• Management in Practice - Risk Assessment of GM Crops
• Risk Assessment of GM Crops based research project

Risk Assessment of GM crops research dissertation - examples of possible subject areas include:

• Estimating the risk of GM introduction to developing countries
• Can GM technology help combat Climate Change?

Bioenergy and Environmental Change:

The Bioenergy and Environmental Change pathway was developed in direct response to the Energy sectors imminent and future need for graduates with Green energy skills. This is rapidly emerging area of employment and managing land for energy will be a significant growth area as Governments throughout the world try and meet Sustainability and Climate Change targets. At IBERS Aberystwyth we have one of the largest groupings of scientists active in biorenewables in the UK with complete coverage of the
research pipeline in a single institution. The pathway will involve industrial 'hands on'case studies where you will interact with
consultants and environmental professionals followed by a dissertation in this specialist area of environmental management.

Students complete a suite of core modules:

• Professional Skills in Managing the environment
• Data Management and Handling
• Issues & Developments in Managing the Environment
• Introduction to Environmental Law
• Critical Evaluation in Environmental Management

They then complete pathway specific modules including a four month
research dissertation:

• Environmental Sustainability
• Bioenergy and Environmental Change in practice
• Bioenergy and Environmental Change research dissertation

"IBERS is a world class research and education centre at Aberystwyth University. It is an internationally recognized centre of excellence and students' choice for the study of biological, environmental and rural sciences".