Awards

Target Award

Award Description:Master of Science - MS
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit

Programme Offerings

Full-Time

F2F-JMU-SEP

Educational Aims of the Course

The overall aims of the programme are to produce postgraduates with advanced knowledge and understanding of 1) climate change impacts and innovative and positive strategies for monitoring and managing them and 2) the concept of living sustainability. There is increasing concern over the Climate Emergency and how we tackle this in a sustainable way. Addressing climate change is an opportunity to address the way we live in ways which could be extremely positive for the environment, biodiversity, human health and the economy and we hope to highlight that in this degree. The specific aims of the programme are: 1) To develop advanced knowledge and critical understanding of climate change and sustainability with a particular focus on infrastructure, energy and environmental management. 2) To develop advanced theoretical knowledge and practical expertise required to collate, analyse and interpret spatial environmental science/climate change data from remote sensing platforms 3) To develop a high level of expertise using a variety of ICT, GIS, and remote sensing software packages 4) To develop programming skills in industry leading (Matlab) and/or open source (Python) software and an understanding of their use in environmental/climate change science. 5) To develop powers of critical and analytical thinking, problem solving and logical argument through the process of independent research enquiry. 6) To enhance employment prospects by developing a wide range of transferable skills.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The programme has been designed to develop student skills (academic, professional and transferable) through an integrated approach between academic taught and student led activities. It is designed with a focus on student engagement in activities to empower them to understand, assimilate, interpret, and reflect on the learning rather than repeating facts verbatim. Intellectual skills are developed throughout the teaching and learning programme. Critical analysis and problem solving skills are embedded in all modules and are taught, developed and practised through lectures, workshops, tutorials, case studies, formative work, practicals and all forms of dissertation work. Experimental research and design skills are further developed and practised through a broad range of coursework activities, practical and dissertation work. Transferable and professional skills are embedded throughout the programme. Skills are learned through completion of oral and written assignments, participating in group discussions, in-class presentations, collecting and analysing geospatial data (including GIS/remote sensing specific software and programming languages),and through the dissertation. Formative feedback is provided in practical, workshop and tutorial sessions and individual summative feedback is given on all submitted work. Assessment is designed to test achievement of learning outcomes (LOs) for individual modules (which align with the overall LOs of the programme). A wide variety of assessment types are used to engage and challenge students and highlight their achievement of the LOs. These include:- case study, GIS/remote sensing practical, executive and data analysis reports; informal written science communication tasks and scientific research posters; portfolios including informal video science communication task, a scientific research project proposal, oral and video presentations, programming code; and more traditional essays and exams. Experimental research and design skills are assessed particularly in the dissertation write-up but also in some of the portfolio work.

Opportunities for work related learning

The programme includes guest lectures/workshops, an employer workshop and employment-driven exercises and assignments using real-world examples and industry leading software and techniques. The offsite visits will also introduce students to people employed in the subject area and engaged in real-world case studies. Academic content is supported by training in legislative regulatory frameworks which is directly relevant to climate change and sustainability/environmental science work.

Programme Structure

Programme Structure Description

An alternative exit award of PgCert may be awarded to any student who achieves at least 60 credits from the taught modules on this programme. A student successfully completing the taught element of this programme (120 credits) will be eligible for a PgDip.

Entry Requirements

IELTS
Other international requirements
Undergraduate degree

Extra Entry Requirements

You will need to:

  • demonstrate sufficient knowledge to embark on the programme
  • display the potential to develop high level research skills
  • demonstrate the ability and commitment to work at postgraduate level

HECoS Code(s)

(CAH26-01) geography, earth and environmental studies