Birmingham City University : Environmental Sustainability - PgCert / PgDip / MSc

This is the course for people wishing to develop their skills and knowledge to become the environmental leaders of tomorrow. ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Sustainable Development’ are widely used terms with various interpretations and applications across different industrial, commercial, charitable and governmental organisations. Even at the simplest level, a balance between economic profit, social benefit and environmental protection can be difficult to achieve. There are often no easy answers to the problems faced and conflicts of interest between parties are common.

The environmental decision-makers, managers and consultants of today and the designers, technologists and policy makers of the future need to understand and assess the ‘big picture’ if they are to provide effective, holistic and sustainable solutions. The course is designed to support and stimulate the skills needed for inter-disciplinary working amongst graduates and professionals from a variety of backgrounds employed, or seeking employment, in the environmental sector. If they wish, students may also structure their course around a “mountains to city” theme, by studying modules that draw upon the world-renowned expertise of the University of the Highlands and Islands

Key Facts

• This course is particularly suitable for qualified professionals. You may who need to add sustainability to your portfolio of skills or wish to move your careers into the environmental sector.
• The course is suitable for graduates from a wide variety of subject disciplines and career pathways who wish to specialise in sustainable development and the environment.
• The course examines the environment and sustainability from local and global perspectives with case study examples drawn from the UK, Europe and the rest of the world making it suitable for an international audience.
• The course provides a genuine multi-disciplinary learning environment by taking an interactive, student-centered, problem-based approach to learning. Student-led workshops are backed up by tutorial support, with aspiring environmentalists working closely with construction / planning students studying MSc Construction Project Management or MA Environmental and Spatial Planning.
• The final research project allows the flexibility of tailoring the course content to meet your own particular interests and develop specialisms of your choice.

Mountains to City theme

• Students may choose a mountains to city theme within this MSc, delivered in collaboration with the Centre for Mountain Studies at Perth College, University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). You will study two modules from UHI via distance learning, and will participate in a field course delivered by the world renowned team from UHI, led by the UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Mountain Development.
• This theme enables you to study both upland and urban settings, and understand their linkages. You will learn principles that can be applied to the management of multi-functional landscapes around the world.
• This theme gives you an opportunity to study with world-leading experts in environmental management, spatial planning and mountain studies from two of the leading-edge practice-based Universities in the UK. You will be able to learn about the latest research from UNEP UK National Ecosystem Assessment, the award-winning Sustainable Uplands project, and many other research initiatives based in BSBE.

Get more information about MSc Environmental Sustainability teaching staff

Download the Course Programme Specification

Entry Requirements

Candidates with a first degree will be accepted, subject to having achieved the standards laid out in the table below. Candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds will be considered but they must be numerate and IT literate. The range of suitable first degrees includes subjects such as planning, geography, construction, business, management, economics, engineering and the physical sciences. Candidates with other qualifications and suitable work-based experience will be considered on a case by case basis.

Overseas candidates must have an equivalent qualification and have a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent, with a minimum score of 5.5 in all four skills.

Application Details

Full and Part Time: Please make your application directly to us by using our downloadable application form

Fees and Finance

The University reserves the right to increase fees broadly in line with increases in inflation, or to reflect changes in government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.

Financial Support

Postgraduate students must find ways of funding their tuition fees and living costs rather than relying on government grants and loans. We offer further information on possible financial support.

University Approach to Employability

Our close links with business and the professions mean that our courses are always relevant, up-to-date and meet the exact needs of the current marketplace. Wherever possible, we involve employers in planning the curriculum, while many of our lecturers come from and maintain their links with industry, ensuring they are up to speed with the latest developments.

Employability will be an integral outcome of your studies.

Employment Opportunities

There are a wide range of employment opportunities available within industrial, commercial, charitable and governmental organisations. Many of these now employ environmental or sustainability specialists to work as part of larger project teams engaged in core activities.

This course is aimed at professionals in the public or private sectors who wish to update and expand their knowledge of sustainable development, and also at graduates who are looking to develop their careers along these lines. Students will learn core legal, business, management and decision making skills together with the skills needed to formulate and enact policy decisions and to instigate, develop and undertake sustainable environmental solutions.

Knowledge of a broad range of issues and the ability to communicate with professionals in other specialisms, non-specialists and the general public are essential skills required by practitioners in this field.

Further Studies

The University has a range of research (MPhil and PhD) postgraduate programmes.

Course Structure

This course is designed to encourage and foster the skills needed for inter-disciplinary working among graduates and professionals from a variety of backgrounds employed within the environmental sector.

The theme currently offered is:

• Design and Construction

Course Modules

Module Descriptions

Semester 1

Dynamic Natural Environments
This module is based upon the belief that it is essential to understand the ‘big-scale’ picture of dynamic earth processes in order to know how to make a difference on the ‘small-scale’ of everyday environmental management and sustainable development. This module equips students with a broad foundation of knowledge and skills in environmental science and covers areas including the philosophy of science; the geological record of climate and environmental change and evidence of a dynamic planet as a context for understanding future scenarios; the nature of change, complexity and paradox; the meaning of statistics; population factors; and habitats and ecology.

Society, Economics and Environment
This module will give students an understanding of social and economic aspects of managing environments with sustainability in mind. It focuses on linking theory and practice in demonstrating how the built, natural and social environments are interlinked. Students will have the opportunity to critically review existing commonly used methods and tools, and familiarise themselves with ‘new’ approaches suitable for more holistic decision-making and project appraisal. Examples of topics to be covered include the DPSIR framework; Strategic Environmental Assessment; Sustainability Appraisal; Cost Benefit Analysis; and the Ecosystem Functions and Services concept.

Policies and Plans
This module adopts a ‘hands-on’ approach in terms of gaining an appreciation of what makes good plans and policies. Starting with students’ own ideas of plans, the module proceeds by developing a toolkit of approaches in order to understand how plans and policies are conceived and implemented in what is an increasingly complex governance environment. The module draws on cutting edge research at Birmingham City University linking the ecosystem approach, spatial planning, sustainability assessments and policy evaluation. It equips students with the skills to competently assess, critique and report on a contemporary policy which is undergoing consultation. The submitted report is then subjected to an oral cross examination.

Green Design
This module introduces students to a range of techniques and methodologies related to the design and maintenance of buildings. It emphasises the need for life-cycle thinking and stresses the fact that there is much more to ‘green’ buildings than the use of ‘bolt-on’ technologies. The module starts with a discussion of the general principles of green architecture and design methods along with an overview of the main standards and measures in use such as BREEAM, the Code for Sustainable Homes and Passivhaus. The main part of the module is concerned with specific design considerations including location and environment; types of building materials; thermal mass principles; the differing requirements of new build and refurbishment projects; insulation, glass and lighting; HVAC; and façade engineering.

Semester 2

Law and Environmental Governance
This module is centered around the detailed study and investigation of a controversial land use issue involving environmental sustainability.  Role playing a named organisation with a remit for promoting sustainable development, students are required to construct a proof of evidence for use at a public inquiry which is done in Birmingham City University law court in front of a professional inspector. Working in both individual and team roles the case study approach allows students to appreciate the realities and complexities  of contemporary land use issues.

Sustainable Development into Practice
The module is concerned with developing ideas about the direction of future change in a particular locality. It involves preparing a strategy to guide that change; identifying appropriate delivery mechanisms by which the strategy can be implemented; and addressing some of these mechanisms. It is concerned not just with physical change and improvement and the technical issues surrounding those changes, but also with the social and economic dimensions of the area chosen and the linkages and tensions between these multiple dimensions. The module adopts an inter-disciplinary problem-solving approach, which is intended to foster understanding of and respect for the views and perspectives of different professions and disciplines as well as a recognition that there is rarely one ‘best’ approach to any development task.

Sustainable Futures
This module considers the impact of sustainability and climate change on the future of planning and the environment. It explores possible adaptation and mitigation of the built, managed and natural environment and looks at the ways in which society might change in the future. Due to the changing nature and importance of issues over time, the content of this module is likely to alter on a regular basis. Examples of topics that might be covered include: future urban and rural forms; food production; transport issues; water management; and civic participation and inclusion.

Energy Technologies
Energy plays a key role in today’s society. Any discussion of sustainable development needs to consider how supply and demand will be managed in the future. This module starts by considering the fundamentals of energy and the problems associated with our current dependency on fossil fuels. It examines energy policy in terms of demand, security of supply and the potential of renewables; nuclear; clean coal; and carbon capture and sequestration. Renewable options discussed include solar energy; heat pumps; hydro-power; and wind energy. The module also emphasises the importance of energy efficiency and the possibilities offered by localised microgeneration.

Semester 3

Research Project
The Research Project is a major piece of individual work that allows students to build their understanding and expertise in a selected area of specialised study. It involves use of appropriate research approaches and skills, abilities to theorise and conceptualise, and encourages students to make connections between theory and practice in a selected specialist topic. It promotes independent and reflective learning in order to demonstrate ability to think and write at Master’s level.

Download the full module documents for this course

Assessment Methods

The course is delivered using a mix of learning and teaching styles that include lectures and small group seminars; workshops based on case studies; action learning sets based on student-centred research; and internet based forums. Much emphasis will be placed on current developments and this will be supported by extensive use of external speakers as appropriate.

A wide variety of assessment methods are employed to provide both a challenging and stimulating environment. For example:

• Individual reports 
• Individual presentations 
• Time-constrained exercises 
• Role-playing exercises 
• Development of a research proposals 
• Literature reviews 
• Research papers 
• Design portfolios 
• Reflection on learning experiences 
• Group reports 
• Group presentations

Enquiries

Prospective students from the UK or EU

• Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions for answers to a range of questions about our courses and studying here.
• If you need further help, you can contact the Course Enquiries Team online by using the Course Enquiry Form.
• Alternatively, call us on +44 (0)121 331 5595.

Prospective students from non-EU countries

• International enquirers from non-EU countries may enquire via the International Enquiry Form.
• Alternatively, call us +44 (0)121 331 6714.

Further Information

Birmingham School of the Built Environment
Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment
Birmingham City University
Millennium Point
Curzon Street
Birmingham
B4 7XG

Tel: +44 (0)121 331 5400
Email: bsbe@bcu.ac.uk or enquiries@tee.bcu.ac.uk

If you haven't already, visit Birmingham School of the Built Environment website for more information.