MSc Environmental Impact Assessment & Management

University of Manchester

Course description

MSc Environmental Impact Assessment and Management will prepare you for professional practice in environmental assessment at both the project level (environmental impact assessment) and the strategic level (strategic environmental assessment).

You will gain a thorough grounding in environmental assessment procedures and practice, and an introduction to the rapidly growing environmental management field.

In addition, you will benefit from `hands-on' sessions designed to simulate the tasks and problems encountered in the workplace, and to teach you valuable skills that are directly applicable to current practice.

We also arrange site visits to give you an insight into real-life practice.

Aims

• Provide you with the opportunity to pursue particular aspects of environmental assessment or wider environmental management.
• Develop your project management skills, including team management and writing professional reports.
• Develop your analytical and communication skills, thus graduating with expertise highly valued by employers.

Teaching and learning

Part-time students complete the course over 24 months. There are no evening or weekend course units available; you should, therefore, discuss course requirements with the Programme Director and seek approval from your employer. Timetabling information is usually available from late August. You can discuss course unit choices during induction week with the Programme Director.

Coursework and assessment

Assessment methods include essays, reports and other work (eg workshop assignments), both individually and in groups. Some optional course units may involve examinations.

The taught part of the course (120 credits), is assessed by continuous assessment and formal examinations. Continuous assessment includes essays, reports, posters, oral presentations, and a major project.

A 15,000-word dissertation is prepared on an approved topic, which is discussed and chosen at the beginning of the second semester and a suitable supervisor allocated. Initial work focuses upon an overview of the chosen topic, a literature review and the design of the methodology to be adopted. During the latter part of Semester 2 and the summer vacation, you undertake the necessary research and analysis, culminating in the writing of your dissertation.

Career opportunities

Planning and Environmental Management graduates are popular with employers, particularly in consultancy, where the ability to analyse and propose strategies and implement schemes is vital. After London, Manchester hosts the largest number of planning and environmental consultancies in the UK.

Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in areas including environmental management and consultancy, urban planning and design, urban and regional development policy, central and local government, international development, energy and water, non-governmental organisations, and research.