Studying for your Master of Environment and Society (MEnvSoc) at the University of Waikato gives you the chance to build on the skills and knowledge you've already gained during your undergraduate degree. You'll learn how to critically analyse the various points of view relating to environmental challenges. You'll develop your understanding of these different perspectives, and learn how to use your insights to deal with those challenges.
During your MEnvSoc, you'll do a combination of studying essential papers and preparing a dissertation or thesis. You'll be able to complete up to 120 points worth of papers and either a 60-point dissertation or a 90-point thesis. Your dissertation or thesis will be based on your own research, and you'll choose a topic relating to environmental and societal inter-relationships.
You might also like to include some relevant papers from other areas, such as environmental science, law and management. Taking this approach to structuring your degree helps you strengthen the connection between understanding issues at a theoretical level and applying the theory in practice.
The Faculty's links with groups working in local government, education and the community provide a range of opportunities for students studying towards a MEnvSoc. You'll benefit from guest lectures, workshops and field trips that have had input from members of the community or professional contributors . The teaching staff themselves are active researchers with national or global reputations in their specialist areas. You'll have the chance to benefit from their knowledge and expertise. Working with the staff, you'll be able to take advantage of, and directly access, global research ideas and communities.
For candidates entering with a bachelors degree, the normal minimum period of enrolment for completion of the MEnvSoc is 18 months. It requires completion of 180 points at 500 level comprising at least 90 points of taught papers (List A and List B papers below) and a maximum of a 90-point research thesis. At the discretion of the programme convenors, students may also include up to 30 points in relevant papers outside of List A or List B.
Candidates must choose a minimum of 60 points from a select list of core papers (List A), including any compulsory papers. This will be complemented by 30 to 60 points from taught elective papers from a select list of papers (List A or List B), and a 60-point dissertation or a 90 point thesis in an approved topic relevant to environment and society.
For students entering with an honours degree or postgraduate diploma, the normal minimum period of enrolment for completion of the MEnvSoc is 12 months. It requires completion of 120 points at 500 level, comprising at least 30 points of taught papers from List A, including any compulsory papers, and either a 60-point dissertation or a 90-point research thesis.
List A
List B
Once you've completed your MEnvSoc, you'll be able to choose a career path that uses your skills. You might be interested in moving into policy work, whether that be at the local, regional or national level. Perhaps instead you'd prefer to work with the Waitangi Tribunal or local iwis. The MEnvSoc's interdisciplinary environmental focus provides the skills and knowledge for graduates to be able to work in those areas.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Biosciences at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
This MRes in Biosciences programme will provide you with research training in one or more of our Research Pathways and you will benefit from training in our Specialist Research Facilities. Research staff will share their expertise and assist you in developing the skills necessary to do independent research, leading to a dissertation written as a scientific paper.
All research students in Biosciences undertake taught modules followed by a major research project under the guidance of academic staff in one or more of our Research Pathways, and benefitting from training in our specialist research facilities.
The MRes Biosciences is a one-year programme. All research students undertake taught modules followed by a major research project under the guidance of academic staff in one or more of our Research Pathways , and benefiting from training in our Specialist Research Facilities.
Biosciences at Swansea has a good relationship with a wide range of external partners, including SMEs, Government Agencies, Local Government, UK and overseas research institutes and universities.
1) Behavioural and Movement Ecology
Studying adaptations, and the selective pressures in the social and ecological environment that bring them about. We specialise in the movement ecology of individuals and collectives and can provide specialist research training to understand the role of the environment in structuring the properties of animal movement and behaviour.
2) Evolutionary and Molecular Biology
Understanding the diversity of life from a molecular perspective. We use the latest genetic and genomics techniques to address key questions in ecology, behaviour and conservation from an evolutionary perspective in a range of non-model organisms, from fungi to plants and animals.
3) Marine Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture
From developing new techniques in fish husbandry and rearing of commercially important aquaculture species, to research in food and fuel security, low carbon technologies, biogeochemical cycles and climate change. Specialist research training can be provided on a diverse range of temperate to tropical aquatic organisms, from microplankton to invertebrates to fish, inhabiting marine to freshwater environments.
4) Mathematical and Statistical Ecology
Research that complements the full range of our academic expertise, from theoretical investigations of ecosystem complexity, stoichiometric ecology, pattern formation and animal movement, to practical agricultural applications and the operation of micro-algal biotechnology.
5) Population and Community Ecology
Combining experimental and theoretical approaches to develop our understanding of how species interactions with their environment (including other species) generate the spatial-temporal biodiversity patterns we observe in nature. Study systems include plankton ecosystems, coastal ecosystem functioning, disease control, conservation, and the impact of spatial-temporal environmental variation on community dynamics.
6) Whole Organism Biology
Our staff comprises world-leading experts on a range of organisms studied around the world, and welcome students who want to develop projects around such species.
7) Wildlife Diseases and Pest Control
Research focused on developing natural agents and solutions for the control of wildlife diseases and invertebrate pests that impact on food security and human and animal health. Research training provided in disease detection methods, disease management, and the socioeconomic benefits of pest control.
As a student on the MRes Biosciences programme, you will benefit from a range of facilities such as:
Our excellent facilities include a unique built Animal Movement Visualisation Suite (£1.35m), incorporating an electronic wall linked to a computer-tesla cluster for high-speed processing and visualisation of complex accelerometry and magnetometry data derived from animals. Coupled with this facility is the Electronics Lab with capacity for research, development and realisation of animal tags with new capacities (sensors, energy-harvesting systems, miniaturization, 3-D printing of housings etc.); a custom-designed 18m on coastal research vessel; a recent investment of £4.2m on a new suite of state-of-the art Science laboratories; and the £2m unique Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR) with a 750 m2 controlled environment building, with programmable recirculating aquatic systems, unique within the UK’s higher-education sector. These are tailored for research on a diverse range of organisms, ranging from temperate to tropical and marine to freshwater. Coupled with this are nutrient and biochemical analytical capabilities.
Theoretical/mathematical research uses advanced university computing facilities that includes high-end graphics workstations, high-speed network links and the Blue Ice supercomputer located at the Mike Barnsley Centre for Climatic Change Research.
Several dedicated Bioscience labs housed within our grade 2 listed Wallace Building recently benefitted from a £4.2 million renovation programme, providing world-class research facilities that includes a specialist molecular ecology lab and a dedicated arthropod facility.
We are 7th in the UK and top in Wales for research excellence (REF 2014)
93.8% of our research outputs were regarded as world-leading or internationally excellent and Swansea Biosciences had the highest percentage of publications judged ‘world-leading’ in the sector. This is a great achievement for the Department, for the College of Science and indeed for Swansea University.
