MSc Environmental Consultancy

• Embark on an eight week work placement in the environmental sector which will give you an invaluable insight into the environmental business sector and, in many cases, has led to permanent positions being offered by employers. See the organisations we partner with to provide student placements.
• Work towards achieving chartered environmentalist status through your masters. The award has also received considerable support and recognition from employers and professional bodies such as the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). 
• Benefit from our expertise in areas including species and habitat restoration, evaluation of contaminated water and terrestrial environments, environmental law, geographical information systems, waste management and marine surveys.
• Take the opportunity to carry out your own environmental impact assessment, from data acquisition to production of a full environmental statement.
• Investigate through fieldwork how environmental issues and constraints have been managed in the South West and further afield.
• Use the University’s high specification analytical equipment for environmental monitoring and the research vessel, Falcon Spirit, for marine sampling.
• Undertake a research-based project – you’ll be encouraged to develop a solution to a problem-based research question, working where possible in association with industry and your academic advisor.
• All modules are assessed 100% by coursework, designed to reflect the outputs of the industry, readying you for what you are likely to be asked to do in your job.

• Programme overview
• Learn from our environmental management expertise in areas including ecological impact assessment, protected species and habitat survey, pollution prevention, evaluation of contaminated environments, water resource management, geographical information systems, waste minimisation and marine ecological survey. The programme consists of a 12 week and 7 week period of taught modules with an 8 week environmental sector work placement and 18 week dissertation period. Modules are assessed 100% by coursework and designed to mirror professional practice. You’ll be provided with subject-specific knowledge and training in research methods. You’ll carry out an environmental impact assessment, from data acquisition to public inquiry, and develop your field survey skills over the equivalent of two weeks. Practising consultants give you an insight into opportunities within the environmental sector and you’ll hear how environmental management can help protect the environment and save money.

  Core modules

  • ENVS5004 Work Placement Project

    This module is concerned with the acquisition of professional practice knowledge and skills through work experience with a professional consultancy organisation. It will allow students to apply their knowledge and training to real projects and gain an insight into potential careers within the environmental sector.

  • GEES515 Professional Practice in the Environmental Sector

    This module examines the place of sustainability and environmental management in modern business practice, and prepares students for professional work experience in semester 2. It also provides students with a critical understanding of the principles, ethics and methods of environmental law and regulation, and examines the role of economics in characterising and addressing human interaction with the environment

  • GEES517 Environmental Assessment

    This module examines current legislation and guidance on, and methods of, environmental assessment, focussing on strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and environmental impact assessment (EIA). Through critical investigation of case studies, students will learn how to use methodologies to evaluate impacts on environmental receptors and communicate outcomes, including impact statements, to professional standards.

  • GEES519 Environmental Knowledge: From Field to Stakeholder

    This module reviews qualitative and quantitative research methods relevant to professional and academic investigations in the field of policy-making, planning, management and consultancy in the built and natural environments. It encompasses the complete lifecycle of research (design, planning, data collection, knowledge dissemination and application), including stakeholder engagement across these stages.

  • GEES520 MSc Dissertation

    The student will complete an independent research project that they have designed in semester 1 as part of their research skills development. The record of the research will communicate the project aims, research problem, methodology, data analysis, interpretation, discussion/synthesis and conclusions in the format specified and to a professional standard.

  Optional modules

  • CHM5002 Analytical Chemistry Principles

    This module introduces the fundamental theoretical concepts in analytical chemistry. It also provides training in problem solving and teamwork.

  • ENVS5002 Investigation and Assessment of Contaminated Environments

    Students are introduced to the scientific principles underpinning pollutant behaviour in the environment including the use of modelling and the process of site investigation and risk assessments. Students undertake a risk assessment of a contaminated site using literature and field investigation. Case study examples are used to highlight environmental consultancy approaches to site investigation and evaluation.

  • ENVS5003 Ecological Survey Evaluation and Mitigation

    This module will examine UK and European nature conservation policy, species and habitat protection, ecological survey techniques and habitat mapping. Taught survey methodologies will follow statutory and developer guidelines for both protected species and habitat survey. Case study examples will be used to highlight environmental consultancy approaches to compensation and mitigation.

  • GEES505 Sustainable Management of Freshwater Ecosystems

    Sustainable environmental planning of land and water resources in the EU requires an ecosystem approach to river basin management. We explore the inherent challenges to this approach including the environmental legacy of earlier management approaches, how to work with natural catchment processes and flood regimes, and how to integrate diverse stakeholder viewpoints into a performance-based management framework.

  • GEES506 Climate Change: Science and Policy

    This module explores the science and policy of climatic change, including lessons from the past and the relevance of past climates to the global warming debate. We question climate change detection and attribution, feedbacks and uncertainty in climate change. We explore political actions through international political agreements and national policies and adaptation strategies and management of change in the UK

  • MATH513 Big Data and Social Network Visualization

    Sophisticated analytics techniques are needed to visualize today's increasing quantities of Big Data. Up-to-date R tools including dplyr for data manipulation, ggplot2 for visualization, and knitr/LaTeX for document presentation are studied. These are applied to database interrogation, social network visualization and sentiment analysis. The module provides considerable experience of writing professionally documented R code using RStudio.

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest programme structure and may be subject to change:

MSc Environmental Consultancy Programme Specification September 2019 3607

UK/EU

You will normally be a graduate with an upper second class (2:1) degree or higher from an environmental, geographical, chemistry, marine, geology or biological subject discipline who is looking for environmental sector training. If you apply with a 2:2 and relevant environmental management experience, this would also be acceptable.

Equally, you could be a graduate from related disciplines who have worked within the environmental sector and is looking to gain a specialist qualification. If you apply without recent formal qualifications you may still be accepted.

INTERNATIONAL

If you are an overseas applicant you can check the comparability of your qualifications with the UK equivalent through the UK National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC), who provide an advisory service.

English language requirements.

If your first language is not English then evidence of English proficiency is required. The level of proficiency that is required can vary with the type of programme for which you are applying. For further advice on the appropriateness of overseas qualification and proficiency in the use of English, please contact our International Office.

The minimum IELTS score for acceptable English proficiency for entry is normally 6.5.

When to apply

Most of our taught programmes begin in September, with some January starts also available. Applications can usually be made throughout the year, and are considered until programmes are full. 

Before you apply

• evidence of qualifications (degree certificates or transcripts), with translations if not in English, to show that you meet, or expect to meet the entry requirements
  
• evidence of English language proficiency, if English is not your first language
  
• a personal statement of approximately 250-400 words about the reasons for your interest in the course and outlining the nature of previous and current related experience. You can write this into the online application form, or include it as a separate document
  
• your curriculum vitae or résumé, including details of relevant professional/voluntary experience, professional registration/s and visa status for overseas workers
  
• proof of sponsorship, if applicable.
  

Disability services

If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by University of Plymouth, please visit our Disability Services website. 

International students

Support is also available to overseas students applying to the University from our International Office via our how to apply webpage or email international-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Submitting an application

Once you are happy that you have all of the information required you can apply using our online postgraduate application form (the blue 'Apply now' icon on this page).

What happens after I apply?

You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information; two academic/professional references, confirming your suitability for the course; or to take part in an interview (which in the case of overseas students may be by telephone or video conference) and you will be sent a decision by letter or email.

We aim to make the application procedure as simple and efficient as possible. Our Admissions and Course Enquiries team is on hand to offer help and can put you in touch with the appropriate faculty if you wish to discuss any programme in detail.

If you would like any further information please contact the Admissions and Course Enquiries team:

Telephone: +44 (0)1752 585858
Email: admissions@plymouth.ac.uk 

Admissions policy

More information and advice for applicants can be referenced by downloading our Student Admissions Policy Prospective students are advised to read the policy before making an application to the University.