The challenge of responding and adapting to climate change will drive trillions of dollars of new investment over the coming decades, with major changes required across the economy, in energy production and consumption, industry, buildings, transport, infrastructure, forests and agriculture. Delivering this investment will require greatly enhanced capacity in all aspects of carbon finance. In addition, following the Paris Agreement both developed and developing countries now have increased commitments for addressing climate change which is driving increased demand for skills and knowledge in carbon and climate finance.
This programme is the world's first MSc in Carbon Finance, dedicated to professionals in the climate change investment field and focussed on the business opportunities and financial flows driven by society's response to climate change (carbon finance).
The MSc in Carbon Finance will appeal to graduates with significant work experience in business, government or the NGO sector.
Typically students will not have had an opportunity to specialise in climate change but will want to move into a career in climate change investment, carbon markets, consulting or carbon accounting.
Likely future roles include carbon credit development, low carbon portfolio management, renewable energy investment, climate find management, carbon trading, carbon consulting, carbon accounting and related policy or regulatory roles (e.g. with government or NGOs).
Very few business schools in the world have a similar depth of expertise in carbon finance.
Learning will primarily be through lectures, set reading, class discussions, exercises, group-work assignments, problem solving in tutorials and case studies. Assessment methods include examinations, assignments, presentations or continuous assessment.
Students who follow this programme will gain an understanding of:
This programme is appropriate for you if are seeking to develop the skills and confidence to address the critical global challenges of energy and diminishing natural resources. Clean energy, optimal use of resources and the economics of climate change are the key issues facing society, and form the fundamental themes of this programme.
You explore the world’s dependency on hydrocarbon-based resources, together with strategies and technologies to decarbonise national economies. The course examines global best practice, government policies, industrial symbiosis and emerging risk management techniques. You also address the environmental, economic and sociological (risk and acceptability) impacts of renewable energy provision and waste exploitation as central elements.
The programme develops the problem-solvers and innovators needed to face the enormous challenges of the 21st century - those who can play key roles in driving energy and environmental policies, and in formulating forward-looking strategies on energy use and environmental sustainability at corporate, national and global scales.
What you study
For the PgDip award you must successfully complete 120 credits of taught modules. For an MSc award you must successfully complete the 120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit master's research project.
Energy, environment, risk managing projects, sustainability and integrated waste management are the main foci of the programme, but you also explore the financial aspects of energy and environmental management. Economics is integral to the development of policies and is often a key influencing factor.
This programme aims to develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the role and place of energy in the 21st century and the way the environment impinges on the types of energy used and production methods. It also aims to investigate the environment as it is perceived, and contextualise its actual importance to mankind. Specific objectives for this course are to establish the financial validity for the pursuit of alternative energy forms and management of the environment.
You are encouraged to take up opportunities of voluntary placements with local industries to conduct real-world research projects. These placements are assessed in line with the assessment criteria and learning outcomes of the Project module.
Examples of past MSc research projects
Course structure
Core modules
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
The course provides a number of contact teaching and assessment hours (through lectures, tutorials, projects, assignments), but you are also expected to spend time on your own, called 'self-study' time, to review lecture notes, prepare course work assignments, work on projects and revise for assessments. For example, each 20-credit module typically has around 200 hours of learning time.
In most cases, around 60 hours are spent in lectures, tutorials and in practical exercises. The remaining learning time is for you to gain a deeper understanding of the subject. Each year of full-time study consists of modules totalling 180 credits; hence, during one year of full-time study a student can expect to have 1,800 hours of learning and assessment.
How you are assessed
Modules are assessed by a variety of methods including examination and in-course assessment with some utilising other approaches such as group-work or verbal/poster presentations.
Work placement
There may be short-term placement opportunities for some students, particularly during the project phase of the course. This University is also in the process of seeking accreditation for the Waste Management module from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.
Career opportunities
Successful graduates from this course are well placed to find employment. As an energy and environmental manager, you might find yourself in a role responsible for overseeing the energy and environmental performance of private, public and voluntary sector organisations, as well as in a wide range of engineering industries.
Energy and environmental managers examine corporate activities to establish where improvements can be made and ensure compliance with environmental legislation across the organisation. You might be responsible for reviewing the whole operation, carrying out energy and environmental audits and assessments, identifying and resolving energy and environmental problems and acting as agents of change. Your role could include the training of the workforce to develop the ability to recognise their own contributions to improved energy and environmental performance.
Your role may also include the development, implementation and monitoring of energy and environmental strategies, policies and programmes that promote sustainable development at corporate, national or global levels.
This MSc Energy and Environmental Management (with Advanced Practice) course is ideal if are seeking to develop your skills and confidence to address the critical global challenges of energy and diminishing natural resources. Clean energy, optimal use of resources and the economics of climate change are the key issues facing society, and form the fundamental themes of this programme.
You explore the world’s dependency on hydrocarbon-based resources, together with strategies and technologies to decarbonise national economies. This course examines global best practice, government policies, industrial symbiosis and emerging risk management techniques. You also address the environmental, economic and sociological (risk and acceptability) impacts of renewable energy provision and waste exploitation as central elements.There are three routes you can select from to gain a postgraduate Master’s award:
The one-year programme is a great option if you want to gain a traditional MSc qualification – you can find out more here. This two-year master’s degree with advanced practice enhances your qualification by adding to the one-year master’s programme an internship, research or study abroad experience.The MSc Energy and Environmental Management (with Advanced Practice) offers you the chance to enhance your qualification by completing an internship, research or study abroad experience in addition to the content of the one-year MSc. This two-year programme is an opportunity to enhance your qualification by spending one semester completing a vocational internship, research internship or by studying abroad. Although we can’t guarantee an internship, we can provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own internship position. A vocational internship is a great way to gain work experience and give your CV a competitive edge. Alternatively, a research internship develops your research and academic skills as you work as part of a research team in an academic setting – ideal if you are interested in a career in research or academia. A third option is to study abroad in an academic exchange with one of our partner universities. This option does incur additional costs such as travel and accommodation. You must also take responsibility for ensuring you have the appropriate visa to study outside the UK, where relevant.
For the MSc with advanced practice, you complete 120 credits of taught modules, a 60-credit master’s research project and 60 credits of advanced practice.
Energy, environment, risk managing projects, sustainability and integrated waste management are emphasised on the programme, but you also explore the financial aspects of energy and environmental management. Economics is integral to developing policies and is often a key influencing factor.
You develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the role and place of energy in the 21st century, and how the environment impinges on the types of energy used and the way they are produced. You investigate the environment as it is perceived, and contextualise its actual importance to mankind. Specific objectives for this course are to establish the financial validity of pursing alternative energy forms and managing the environment.
Examples of past MSc research projects
Course structure
Core modules
Advanced Practice options
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
You learn through a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, projects and assignments. You are also expected to participate in self-directed study, to review lecture notes, prepare assignments, work on projects and revise for assessments. Each 20-credit module typically has around 200 hours of learning time.
You usually spend around 60 hours in lectures, tutorials and in practical exercises over the duration of the course. The remaining learning time is for you to gain a deeper understanding of the subject. Each year of full-time study consists of modules totalling 180 credits. During one year of full-time study you can expect to have 1,800 hours of learning and assessment.
How you are assessed
Modules are assessed by a variety of methods including exams and in-course assessment with some using other approaches such as group work, or verbal or poster presentations.
Your Advanced Practice module is assessed by an individual written reflective report (3,000 words) together with a study or workplace log, where appropriate, and through a poster presentation.
Career opportunities
Successful graduates from this course are well-placed to find employment. As an energy and environmental manager, you might find yourself responsible for overseeing the energy and environmental performance of a private, public or voluntary sector organisation, or in one of a wide range of engineering industries.
Work placement
There may be short-term placement opportunities for some students, particularly during the project phase of the course. This University is also in the process of seeking accreditation for the Waste Management module from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.
Our Climate Change: Environment, Science & Policy MSc course is an opportunity for graduates of geography, physical sciences, engineering and computer sciences to explore specific issues relating to climate and environmental change at an advanced level. You will explore a wide range of critical topics focusing on human-originated influences on the terrestrial, hydrological and atmospheric environments, and their biological, physical and societal consequences.
The Climate Change: Environment, Science & Policy MSc is a flexible course allowing you to study either a Policy or a Science pathway. Our course will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the processes and the nature of environmental changes occurring in the Earth’s terrestrial, hydrological and atmospheric environments. You will also develop essential research, analysis and critical-thinking skills that will help you to understand and interpret scientific evidence and also respond to the problems associated with global and regional environmental changes in the Earth’s system.
The study course is made up of optional and required modules and you must take the minimum of 180 credits for the course. If you are studying full-time, you will complete the course in one year, from September to September. If you are studying part-time, your course will take two years to complete. You will take the required combination of required and optional modules over this period of time, with the dissertation in your second year.
Teaching
We will teach you through a combination of lectures and seminars, and you will typically have 20 hours of this per module. We also expect you to undertake 180 hours of independent study for each module. For your 12,000 word dissertation, we will provide four workshops and five hours of one-to-one supervision to complement your 587 hours of independent study.
As part of a two-year schedule, part-time students typically take the required 40-credit taught module and 40 credits of optional module in year 1. They will then take a 60 credit dissertation module and 40 credit optional modules in year 2. Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Assessment
Performance on taught modules in the Geography Department is normally assessed through essays and other written assignments, oral presentations, lab work and occasionally by examination, depending on the modules selected. All students also undertake a research-based dissertation of 12,000 words.
Our MSc is designed to prepare you for a career in environmental change research, consultancy and/or policy development. It provides interdisciplinary research training for those going onto a PhD in environmental and/or Earth system science within King's or elsewhere, and students entering the job market immediately after graduation are expected to be highly marketable in three main areas: local and national governmental and non-governmental agencies (eg Environment Agency, County Councils, Nature Conservancies); environmental consultancies and businesses (eg environmental informatics providers; environmental businesses - including carbon trading; insurance; waste management and energy industries), and policy development organisations (eg such government departments as Defra). The Seminars in Environmental Research, Management and Policy module offers you the chance to hear and meet practitioners in many of these key areas.
This scheme aims to facilitate knowledge exchange between academia and industry. Students must complete three taught modules including research methods and a 120 credit work-based dissertation / research thesis (approximately 20,000 words in length).
While the primary academic focus is on the completion of an advanced piece of research, the collaborative route provided by a work-based research project provides an ideal opportunity to embed new knowledge in the work place and ensure that research is relevant to industry. As such, it is crucial that a student’s employer is supportive of both their research aims and the time commitment that the proposed research will involve. Self-employed students should aim to undertake research which will be closely aligned to their business.
Students may build on the MRes to work towards a Professional Doctorate.
An MRes can be completed in 2-5 years but we would expect most students to spend 1 year on their taught modules and 2 years on their work based dissertation. 12 or 14 weeks for one module by distance learning. Three intakes per year (January, May, September).
Students will be eligible for a UK Student loan if their course is completed within 3 years.
Core modules:
MRes Research Project
Optional modules:
The MRes comprises three taught modules (including Research Methodologies and Advances in Bioscience) followed by a 120 credit work-based dissertation (20,000 words).
We have designed our training to be as accessible as possible, particularly for those in full time employment. Each taught module comprises a 12 or 14 week distance learning module worth 20 credits which can be taken for your own continuing professional development or interest; or built towards a postgraduate qualification. The research elements of our qualifications are carried out in your work place with regular academic supervision. The training is web-based which means that as long as you have access to a reasonable broadband connection (i.e. are able to stream videos such as on YouTube), you can study where and when best suits you. Learning material includes podcast lectures, e-group projects, guided reading, interactive workbooks and discussion forums, as well as assignments and e-tutorials. By signing a re-registration form each year you will have access to e-journals and library resources for the duration of your registration.
There are no exams within this programme. Taught modules are assessed via course work and forum discussion. Research is monitored and assessed.
This fresh, new programme for 2017 is a collaboration between the School of GeoSciences and the School of Social and Political Sciences.
The world is facing an ‘energy trilemma’; how to achieve energy security, energy equity and environmental sustainability. Whilst equipping students with an active understanding of low carbon technologies, policies and markets, this new MSc programme is focused squarely on analysing the social, societal and environmental dimensions of energy transitions. You will examine how citizens are involved in and are affected by changes in energy systems.
On a more theoretical level, the programme will enable you to relate supply-side issues to geo-politics and political economy, whilst energy demand will be studied in relation to broader challenges of sustainable consumption.
On a more practical level you will explore the potential of ‘smart’ ICT to affect consumption and inform strategic choices in sustainable living at household and community level. With Scotland being a world leader in renewable electricity generation (especially wind and marine), but also being economically dependent on declining North Sea oil and gas and suffering from high levels of energy poverty, this interdisciplinary MSc. benefits from close access to a high number of insightful case studies, which will serve to examine links between global and local issues, explore international best practices and identify locally suited pathways to more sustainable energy management.
Applicants receiving an offer of admission, either unconditional or conditional, will be asked to pay a tuition fee deposit of £1,500. Please see the fees and costs section for more information.
The programme has been designed to develop transdisciplinary perspectives on the energy trilemma and integrative analytical skills (qualitative and quantitative) which are in short supply in the energy sector. The full-time programme is divided into two semesters of taught courses, followed by a field trip at Easter before the dissertation period over the summer. We are happy to accommodate different working patterns for part-time students, including a half day a week schedule for three-year part time study.
The programme consists of four core modules (20 credits each, two core courses per semester), two optional modules (20 credits, one for each semester) and a 60 credit dissertation.
Compulsory courses*
Semester 1:
Semester 2:
Students will also undertake one 20 credit course per semester. The University of Edinburgh offers an unrivalled selection of relevant optional courses for the MSc in Energy, Society and Sustainability. Bearing in mind your particular background and interests, the Programme Director will assist you in your choice from a large menu of optional courses related to six potential specialisation pathways; sustainable technologies and economics, politics, development, environmental sustainability, science and technology and public policy.
Optional courses may include*:
**Please note, courses are offered subject to timetabling and availability and are subject to change.
The programme aims for students to develop transdisciplinary skills in the assessment of the transition potential of energy systems towards greater sustainability, focussing especially on the human dimension of technological change and working and experimenting with energy users to co-produce knowledge about pathways to change.
Upon successful completion of the programme, students will have gained:
UK research councils cite a major skills gap in the energy sector, one of the biggest growth sectors within the UK economy in recent years. Demand has never been higher for sound evidence on behavioural change, public engagement with energy issues, and public support for community and commercial investments in low carbon energy generation. We train our graduates to translate complex science into effective policies and new business opportunities. We have strong links with government departments, energy relevant NGOs and key industry players who want to make use of these skills. Committed to helping you meet prospective employers and network with those active in the field, we organise careers events and encourage dissertations conducted in partnership with external organisations.
This Sustainable and Efficient Food Production postgraduate course centres on increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impact within the extensive pasture-based production sector. The programme provides flexible, accessible, postgraduate level training for people employed in the agri-food sector. Training comprises distance learning modules and work-based research projects. These are accessible as CPD or as credit-bearing units, which can be built towards a range of postgraduate qualifications.
Taught by experts at both Aberystwyth University (AU) and Bangor University (BU), the Sustainable and Efficient Food Production course offers you a highly vocational option. In the most recent joint submission to the Research Excellence Framework assessment (2014), the department was placed in the top 10 universities in the UK for research intensity and 78% of our research was world-leading or internationally excellent.
To achieve an MSc students must complete five optional modules (including up to three from BU) plus Research Methods and a Dissertation.
Two to five years to complete a full MSc. 14 weeks for one module by distance learning Three intakes per year (January, May, September). Students will be eligible for a UK Student Loan if the course is completed in 3 years.
Core modules:
Dissertation
Optional modules - Choose any 5 from:
We have designed our training to be as accessible as possible, particularly for those in full time employment. Each topic comprises a 12-14 week distance learning module worth 20 credits which can be taken for your own continuing professional development or interest; or built towards a postgraduate qualification. The research elements of our qualifications are carried out in your work place with regular academic supervision. The training is web-based which means that as long as you have access to a reasonable broadband connection (i.e. are able to stream videos such as on YouTube), you can study where and when best suits you. Learning material includes podcast lectures, e-group projects, guided reading, interactive workbooks and discussion forums, as well as assignments and e-tutorials. By signing a re-registration form each year you will have access to e-journals and library resources for the full five years.
There are no exams within this programme. Taught modules are assessed via course work and forum discussion.
Borders have become a key site and central concern of global security practices and theory, from the Mexican-United States border to the Mediterranean ports of the European Union. The many facets of borders, as containers of identity, sites of power, laboratories of technology and thresholds of violence will be introduced and analysed, showing how they have never been more important. This programme will help students navigate this complex terrain by providing a firm grounding in critical security studies and critical border studies. Students will have the change to apply their academic insights within a work-based environment with borders/security processional through the Borders Internship module.
Course Details
The programme has three different components: Core modules, an Elective module, and an MA dissertation.
Core Modules: offer foundational knowledge and understanding in Global Security and Borders, practical experience and active learning within a work-based situation on the Borders Internship module, as well as teaching the key skills regarding how to design a research project.
These compulsory modules include:
Elective Modules: offer the chance to specialise in a particular area of interest, build on foundational knowledge, and develop focused expertise.
One module is to be chosen from:
* This list of elective modules may vary from year to year.
Dissertation: to enable students to develop their particular area of specialism, facilitate independent learning and instil a variety of skills such as project management, detailed analysis and self-motivation, students on the MA pathway must also write a dissertation of no more than 15,000 words.
Assessment and Feedback
A combination of seminar presentations, learning journals, literature reviews, portfolios, written essays, and a 60-credit, 15,000 word dissertation.
Learning and Teaching
Afternoon and Evening.
Average of six hours contact teaching hours per week for the first semester. In the second semester, as well as two hours contact on an Elective module, the Borders Internship module will involve three days of a work-based placement, as well as supervision with a member of academic staff.
Students should expect to spend 10-12 hours of independent study for every two hours in seminars and lectures, spread across the course of the semester. However, the second semester Borders Internship involves a more complex mix of work-based learning and supervision.
Career Prospects
All of the MA programmes offered in the School provide our graduates with the skills to pursue a wide range of careers in the private, public and voluntary sectors. In addition they provide an appropriate basis for those who wish to proceed to Doctoral-level study.
Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.
There is currently a severe skills shortage in the UK for quantity surveyors with expertise in mechanical and electrical installations - consequently, this course has an exceptionally high graduate employment record. Qualified mechanical and electrical quantity surveyors find employment in the building sector or in specialist fields including nuclear power.
Studying this course will provide you with the skills demanded by clients who rely on a quantity surveyor’s specialist mechanical and electrical knowledge and judgement to keep a project running smoothly. This programme will equip you with a professional understanding of procurement, financial and risk management and lifecycle cost management, as they apply to the construction industry. In addition to formalising your knowledge of traditional quantity surveying, you’ll receive a solid grounding in cutting-edge developments applying to mechanical and electrical works.
As this full masters degree is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), you will be educated to the highest industry standards and are granted exemption from RICS academic entry requirements.
This course aims to create reflective practitioners in quantity surveying who have a knowledge and understanding of procurement and financial management and recognise the significance of process, technology and people to the success of mechanical and electrical projects. Throughout the course you will critically examine existing practice through implementing process measurement and will evaluate alternative strategies for process improvement.
You will learn how to:
This course can be studied part-time by distance learning. Admission onto the course is in September or January.
The MSc award consists of four taught modules followed by a dissertation. The PgDip requires the completion of the four taught modules. All modules are delivered over a 15 week period and are mostly assessed through coursework, there are no exams. A 30 credit taught module is studied per semester. Assessment of these modules is driven by real-world problems aligned to your workplace and job role. Teaching is based around a virtual learning environment supported by interactive online sessions. In the final two semesters you will undertake a dissertation which is also delivered online and incorporates extensive tutor engagement and support.
Studying via distance learning, you’ll enjoy access to an online learning environment supported by intensive tutor support. Weekly online tutorials are led by tutors with student interaction. Our online repository of learning material enables you to undertake self-directed study at your own convenience. Learning is driven by real-world problems with application to your workplace and job role.
You will be assessed through:
As a qualified mechanical and electrical quantity surveyor, you could find employment in the building sector or in specialist fields such as the nuclear industry. There is currently a severe skills shortage in the UK for quantity surveyors with expertise in mechanics and electrics, consequently, graduate employability statistics for this course are high. Due to the increased importance of sustainability in the modern built environment, new roles are emerging for the mechanical and electrical quantity surveyors quantity surveyor in the areas of renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies and energy management. With buildings accounting for around 50% of all carbon emissions, the surveyor plays a significant role in combating climate change.
This course has been designed to help you plan and organise the procurement and financial management of mechanical and electrical projects. Our course will equip you with the skills required to critically examine existing construction practices while evaluating alternative strategies to set in motion a process for improvement in construction. You will graduate with the skills and knowledge demanded by clients who rely on a quantity surveyor's knowledge and judgement to keep a project running smoothly.
This course was developed at the request of industry to meet the training needs of aspiring mechanical and electrical specialists, and to help plug the skills gap which currently exists in the UK. Guest lecturers from industry with expertise in relevant areas regularly give lectures throughout the duration of the course.
The full masters award is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) allowing exemption from their academic entry requirements.
The School of the Built Environment has an exciting and vibrant research community engaged in advanced research in the built environment, please see www.salford.ac.uk/research/best and http://www.salford.ac.uk/research/uprise for more information.