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Environmental Management in Practice - ENV00105M

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  • Department: Environment and Geography
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Colin Brown
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

Environmental Management in Practice is a solutions-focused module that provides students with knowledge and practical understanding of the application of environmental management tools to solve environmental problems.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

Environmental Management in Practice is a solutions-focused module that aims to provide students with knowledge and practical understanding of the application of environmental management tools to solve environmental problems. Teaching of environmental management is set within a broad sustainability framework. Students will gain experience of environmental management approaches through groupwork addressing real-world problems, and seminars delivered by an external environmental consultant and other practitioners and taught on a case study basis. Lectures will underpin these solutions-focused activities by developing understanding of environmental management processes and procedures.

The module aims to develop within students a set of generic and employability skills including skills in some key methodologies of environmental management used in a wide range of sectors such as environmental (social) impact assessment, strategic environmental assessment and life cycle analysis. Seminars by external speakers are case-study based, providing wide perspectives on environmental management and also introducing associated career paths.

The practical component of the course is based on problem-solving within groups, helping to develop a range of generic skills in students including: group participation and management, problem analysis and task prioritisation, time management and people skills.

The summative assessment involves producing a case report which will: discuss the rationale for the work and provide comprehensive background; objectively report the methodology; discuss the results using tables and figures as appropriate; use and accurately cite relevant evidence. Producing the report draws on a range of skills and areas of knowledge gained throughout the module.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to:

  • Outline and discuss the principal factors influencing environmental management decisions and their impact on sustainable change.

  • Demonstrate understanding of the legal context for environmental management actions, and appreciate the multidisciplinary and trans-boundary nature of environmental management issues.

  • Outline and discuss the application of major environmental management tools, techniques, systems and practices, and be able to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.

  • Apply knowledge to carry out environmental assessments through groupwork exercises and case studies.

  • Judge survey and monitoring plans, their limitations, and the need to strike a balance between what is suitable, feasible, cost effective etc.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Case study report		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Case study report		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Feedback on summative assessment will be provided individually to students according to the standard turnaround time. The seminars and practicals will be highly discursive in nature so students will get continuous real-time feedback as they explore the topic.

Indicative reading

Lame, M and Marcantonio, R. (2022) Environmental Management: Concepts and Practical Skills. Cambridge University Press

Morgan, R. K. (1999) Environmental impact assessment : a methodological perspective. Springer Science & Business Media

Therivel, R. (2010) Strategic environmental assessment in action. Earthscan

Claude, J. (2011) Marine protected areas : a multidisciplinary approach. Cambridge University Press


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.