Green Economy – (M.Sc.)

Contents

For those wishing to complete the course on a part-time basis, the course is studied over two years. Students will be expected to study a minimum of three units per year, plus their dissertation (usually towards the end of their second year).

Year1/LevelM

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services

This unit will examine the scientific principles relating to the provision of ecosystem of services, their linkage with ecosystem function, and the relationships with biodiversity. Key ecosystem services that will be considered include provisioning services such as food and water; regulating services such as flood and disease control; cultural services such as spiritual, recreational, and cultural benefits; and supporting services such as nutrient cycling. The unit will examine how the production of ecosystem services can be measured and mapped; the distribution of beneficiaries; different approaches to valuation; and potential links with the green economy. Key emerging issues include potential trade-offs between different ecosystem services, and between ecosystem services and biodiversity.

Carbon Management

Increasing concern about the potential impacts of global climate change, attributable primarily to human activities, has placed the issue of carbon management at the top of the international policy agenda. This unit will examine the science underpinning the process of climate change and how this might be addressed through adaptation and mitigation measures, based on an understanding of the global carbon cycle.

Environmental Law & Social Justice

Justice In a complex world, environmental policy and law decisions have implications for the environment and the people that reside within, or rely upon it. In this unit we aim to explore not only the legal and policy dynamics but also those factors that influence environmental social justice outcomes in environmental policy debates and to identify how social justice considerations can be incorporated more effectively into environmental policy.

Frontiers of Sustainability Science

Sustainability science has emerged in recent years as a new scientific discipline, at the interface between environmental science and sustainable development. Key objectives of the discipline are to develop an understanding of the dynamics of human-environment systems; to facilitate the design, implementation, and evaluation of practical interventions that promote sustainability in particular places and contexts; and to improve linkages between research, innovation, policy and management. The unit will provide you with a detailed knowledge of the subject, as well as enabling you to develop advanced literature-based research, evaluation and reporting skills, and application of knowledge to solve problems.

Green Technology & Renewable Energy

In the context of global climate change and the consequent need to phase out use of fossil fuels, the development of renewable energy sources has become one of the main drivers of the green economy. Developments in green technology can also improve efficiency and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, while reducing the ecological footprint of human activities. However, such technologies can also have negative environmental impacts and become the focus of social concern. This unit will therefore examine the environmental and social impacts of different technologies, to evaluate critically which approaches might truly be considered ‘green’. It will consider the main environmental, political and socio-economic drivers for the development of green technology, and examine how these challenges are being met through scientific and technological innovation.

Sustainable Development in Practice

Understand how the scientific principles relating to sustainable development can be applied in practice. The unit will consider the international policy context relating to sustainable development, and will evaluate the extent to which policy targets and goals have been achieved, to identify any lessons that might be learned. This will include consideration of how sustainability can be measured, for example through the appropriate use of indicators. The practical application of the principles of sustainable development will then be explored through a series of real-world case studies, relating to a variety of different locations and focusing on different economic sectors.

Optional units: please choose 1 of the following:

Research Project

Develop your expertise in research methods, data collection, analysis, interpretation and synthesis and explore in detail core aspects of your subject area, with a view to generating new practical or theoretical insights. You will develop methodological, research, presentation skills and advanced communication skills by producing an extensive dissertation or report on your research.

Extended Professional Placement

The placement aims to provide you with a workplace experience to develop your vocational skills and apply the theory and knowledge gained from the other elements of the course. The extended placement will give you an opportunity to gain individual professional experience through implementation of a practical project in a workplace environment. The placements could potentially be with any government, non-government or commercial organization, and might typically include NGOs, government bodies, local councils, private companies, consultancies, or community or research organisations.

A key element of the course will be the use of problem-based learning approaches. This will be achieved through a series of written tasks for each unit, for which full documentation will be provided as components of a course pack. These will be provided on-line together with supporting materials such as journal articles, video clips etc. The aim of this approach is to help you develop your skills in the practical application that you have learnt in the course, to solve real-world problems. Given the breadth of the subject there is substantial flexibility in course content, providing you with an opportunity to pursue your own individual interests.

Accreditation

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), the UK government’s teaching quality watchdog, awarded us the highest category of confidence in our academic standards.

Many of our courses are accredited by professional and industry bodies, which means our courses are readily recognised by employers, and our graduates have professional membership or status when they compete on the job market.

Funding details

For fees and funding information please visit our fees and funding web pages on the website.