Environmental Science (MEnvSci)

An understanding of the physical, chemical and biological processes involved during contamination of air, water and soil is essential if society is going to effectively monitor and control the effects of pollution using modern technology and engineering p...

The module will introduce the basic concepts and techniques underpinning geographic information systems.

This module prepares you for your dissertation project in year 3. The first part of the module requires you to conduct a literature review in a topic underpinning your individual project. You will work with your dissertation supervisor to define the s...

What is ‘sustainability’ and who decides? This module will challenge you to develop your own definition of sustainability while considering how it is actioned by the many different actors (from private citizens to governments, NGOs and businesses) who pla...

This module provides an introduction to the study of animal behaviour taking an integrative approach that addresses animal behaviour from ethological, ecological and evolutionary angles and to review the basic concepts of behaviour as a science.

Coastal zones represent a small fraction of physical space on the Earth, but they are exceptionally important places to study physical and ecological dynamics of environmental change – in natural and anthropogenic systems, alike. This module examines n...

The module takes a problem-based approach in which students are exposed to a real world environmental management challenge and are taught the skills necessary to understand and quantify the key physical parts of the landscape system that contribute to the...

Freshwater Ecosystems initially considers the interplay between the physics, chemistry and biology of freshwater ecosystems. A comparative approach is adopted, in which upland streams, lowland rivers, lakes and other standing freshwater environments are c...

The topic is addressed from three perspectives: the science of climate change, impact and adaptation, and policy towards adaptation and mitigation. One of the pre-requisites for GEOG3057

Water has played a key role in shaping the way humans have evolved and how we have in turn shaped our environment. This module will focus on how water resources enables and constrains our activities and wellbeing, and those of natural ecosystems. We will ...

The Quaternary period is the last 2.6 million years of changes on Earth, and includes multiple ice ages. The syllabus can be divided into three main parts, and includes a number of lectures, practicals and seminars: Section 1 Section one provides an i...

This module provides an understanding of plant function and development at a molecular, cellular and whole organism level.

This module aims to introduce you to the variety of demographic experiences in low and middle-income countries across the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and, Asia. We will explore the patterns of historical and...

The module studies key population issues specific to high income countries, such as international migration, population ageing and low fertility. The module examines the causes, consequences and policy implications of the current population processes. Th...

This module builds on the basic principles of population ecology introduced in year 1, to achieve a broad appreciation of current theory and practice in population and community ecology. Lectures and practicals will explore the processes involved in the d...

The module will look at the basic theory and practical application of remote sensing for monitoring the terrestrial environment. Pre-requisite for GEOG3065

This module will enable students to apply their understanding of environmental problems and assess potential solutions through the application of law, policy, and management. The lecture sessions will introduce and analyse the theoretical development and ...

The Individual Project is a learning experience that enables you to carry out research and bring together many of the concepts that you have learnt over the first two years of the course as well as the knowledge and skills learnt during part III. You w...

GEOG3057 is a multidisciplinary unit designed for students with an interest in how individuals and societies understand and respond to environmental shocks and stresses, and their different capacities for adaptation. The focus of the module is on climate ...

The module has been designed to impart the scientific knowledge required to tackle the many problems associated with air and other types of environmental pollution, including how to identify and assess the nature, sources and effects of pollutants, how to...

This module provides a broad introduction to the applied use of plants in the modern world. The module will cover the production of transgenic (GM) plants and their applications in a variety of areas including medical biotechnology, nutrition, phytoremedi...

Behavioural ecology considers the evolutionary pressures that shape behaviour. This module will explore animal behaviours from evolutionary biology and population ecological perspectives. Each week, lectures will consider a different behavioural ecology t...

This module concerns global biodiversity, what we understand by it and why it is in crisis, and current efforts to conserve and manage it. We begin with an appraisal of different values of diversity at scales from genetic to species, communities and ecosy...

Biogeography aims to understand the origin and distribution of species and the processes that cause them to change over time. During the lectures we will discuss classic biogeographical theory and current research topics such as biological invasions and s...

The coastal zone supports the livelihood and well-being of hundreds of millions of people, valuable ecosystems and vital industry, trade links and energy networks. The movement of coastal sediments by natural processes and human interventions continually ...

Some of the biggest uncertainties in climate change predictions come from our lack of understanding of the impact of some of the smallest airborne dust particles. These dust particles are transported between continents from some of the hottest and most u...

Health and the provision of health care are important issues in our everyday lives. Many of the debates surrounding health are inherently spatial in nature and as such geographers are well placed to play an important role in informing research and providi...

This course seeks to make use of innovative and cutting edge technologies in the field of Earth surface process monitoring to address the real world challenges encountered by commercial and/or governmental organisations. Students on this module will ta...

Evolution typically happens over long time periods, with organisms being selected based on their environments. But climate change and human factors can also increase the rate of evolution. In this module we show how organisms evolve in terms of their envi...

To investigate the modern research into glacial processes, to investigate analytical approaches to test contemporary controversial problems and to show how these processes formed the present day landscape

This module will consider human-caused global challenges and their impact on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. We will discuss the main causes of global change, including greenhouse gases, changes in temperature and rainfall, and human land use, as well ...

GEOG3062 is a multidisciplinary unit designed for students with an interest in human migration and development and the interaction between the two. The module will emphasise the importance of place and scale in its approach to these themes, although it wi...

To develop an holistic approach to river basin management and restoration based on an understanding of physical processes and human modification of natural river systems.

This module provides you with skills that are scientifically fascinating as well as important for employability. The offshore industry is crying-out for graduates that understand seafloor surveying. In the past few years many OES students have gone on to...

If we are to address society’s waste problem we need to fully understand the environmental, occupational, public health, technical, fiscal, social, cultural, demographic and political influences on waste collection, reuse, recycling, minimisation and prev...

The Sustainability Professional is a high-level skills practical module delivered in partnership with a range of contributors from local and regional environmental and sustainability consultancies and other organisations. This module aims to provide stude...

This module will provide first-hand experience of ecology and conservation in a tropical environment and give you a foundation in a range of topics including biodiversity, community ecology, ecosystem processes, anthropogenic impacts, in-situ and ex-situ ...

This module is the delivery vehicle for the FHEQ Level 7 research project that must be carried out by each student with guidance from a supervisor.

Students undertake a period of work alongside professional environmental practitioners in a named workplace. The experience will provide insight into how the theoretical aspects of environmental science gained from courses within the University can be tra...

Almost all environmental phenomena vary over space and time. Some examples would be the spread of a pollutant from a point source, the occurrence of an infectious disease, the global threats from earthquakes, and the incidence of elephant poaching. One of...

This module concerns global biodiversity, what we understand by it and why it is in crisis, and current efforts to conserve and manage it. We begin with an appraisal of different values of diversity at scales from genetic to species, communities and ecosy...

The bioenergy industry is undergoing rapid growth due to the policy drivers underpinning the current interest in bioenergy, such as energy security and climate change. This module provides an overview of key topics on sustainable bioenergy production, inc...

This module looks at the operation of the Ocean as a biogeochemical entity within the larger Earth System. There is a strong focus on how the Earth System will respond to anthropogenic impacts and global change.

Sustainable development is a major international challenge and relates to historical, environmental and economic changes. This module focuses on the relationships between settlements, resources, climate and energy through history. It introduces students t...

This module is designed to give a fundamental understanding of the Earth's climate and use this to examine topical issues in climate change research. A hands-on approach enables you to apply your newly learned skills to real-world problems quickly.

This module examines the patterns of life in deep-sea environments & the processes that govern those patterns.

This course is intended as a beginner’s guide to marine ecological modelling. It is suitable for students across a broad range of academic backgrounds and does not assume a high level of prior mathematical knowledge or experience in coding. The course...

This module gives an overview of the policy issues, various planning aids and assessment methods available to quantify energy efficiency and sustainability in buildings. Students will be able to use different tools to investigate building energy performan...

On completion of the module, you will have developed a broad understanding of energy resources, engineering technologies for energy conversion and have an appreciation of solutions available to meet the world's power demands. You will be able to formulate...

Evolution typically happens over long time periods, with organisms being selected based on their environments. But climate change and human factors can also increase the rate of evolution. In this module we show how organisms evolve in terms of their envi...

Floods are amongst the most damaging and costly of all natural hazards. Worldwide, frequent occurrences of heavy rainfall and other drivers combine with high levels of human exposure and high-value and vulnerable assets to produce multi-billion losses eve...

Freshwater Ecosystems initially considers the interplay between the physics, chemistry and biology of freshwater ecosystems. A comparative approach is adopted, in which upland streams, lowland rivers, lakes and other standing freshwater environments are c...

This module is intended to introduce students who have already studied the principles of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) how to utilise GIS tools in environmental management. Environmental applications require specific skills on the part of the GIS...

This module will consider human-caused global challenges and their impact on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. We will discuss the main causes of global change, including greenhouse gases, changes in temperature and rainfall, and human land use, as well ...

This course aims to provide a broad introduction at Masters level to the ways in which remote sensing of the oceans, mainly from satellites but also from autonomous underwater vehicles, is applied in oceanography. Whether you have a special interest in th...

The module will look at the basic theory and practical application of remote sensing for monitoring the terrestrial environment.

This module is based on a professional training course for people working in River management and restoration. The course investigates how humans have modified River basins and river channels, and how these in turn have affected the rates and magnitudes o...

To critically examine current knowledge of the application of River Restoration techniques and their transferability to the UK and worldwide. As many river restoration projects are done to improve the status of fisheries, the costs and benefits of techniq...

Understanding changes in sea level is of the utmost importance, as it: (1) shapes the coastlines; (2) affects the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people living in the world’s coastal regions, and (3) is a key indicator of climate change. Sea-level ...

The Sustainability Professional is a high-level skills practical module delivered in partnership with a range of contributors from local and regional environmental and sustainability consultancies and other organisations. This module aims to provide stude...

The transport sector is currently heavily fossil fuel dependent and, in advanced economies, accounts for around one quarter of carbon dioxide emissions. This module will provide you with a systematic understanding of the inter-relationships between transp...

The module considers solid wastes from industry, commerce and domestic sources. The concept of a waste management hierarchy is introduced and practical ways in which it might be implemented are discussed. These include waste minimisation, reuse, recycling...