Masters Degrees (Recycling)

Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Materials Engineering at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

This MRes degree includes modules covering a range of areas within the Materials discipline, which are linked to the College of Engineering’s main research strengths of aerospace materials, environmental materials and steel technology.

Key Features of MRes in Materials Engineering

Through this course in Materials Engineering, you will be provided with training and experience in a broad range of topic areas, including metallurgy and materials selection, aerospace materials, recycling techniques, and modern business management issues and techniques.

The Materials Engineering course will provide you with the depth of knowledge and breadth of abilities to meet the demands of the international materials industry.

Combination of taught modules (60 credits) and a research thesis, which presents the outcome of a significant research project (120 credits) over 12 months full-time study. An MRes (Master of Research) provides relevant training to acquire the knowledge, techniques and skills required for a career in industry or for further research.

Modules

Modules on the Materials Engineering programme can vary each year but you could expect to study:

Strategic Project Planning
Communication Skills for Research Engineers
Aerospace Materials Engineering
Materials Recycling Techniques
Environmental Analysis and Legislation
Physical Metallurgy of Steel
MSc Research Thesis

Accreditation

This degree is accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3).

This degree is accredited as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng(Hons) or an Accredited IEng (Full) BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree.

Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). An accredited degree will provide you with some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration as an Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.

Facilities

Our new home at the innovative Bay Campus provides some of the best university facilities in the UK, in an outstanding location.

Engineering at Swansea University provides state-of-the-art facilities specific to Materials Engineering.

- Comprehensive computer systems for specialist and general purposes.
- World-leading equipment for characterisation of the mechanical properties of metallic, ceramic, polymeric and composite materials.
- Extensive range of laboratories housing scanning electron microscopes with full microanalysis and electron backscatter diffraction capabilities.

Careers

Through this Materials Engineering scheme, you will be provided with the detailed technical knowledge and experience required for a successful career at a technical or management level within the modern steel industry.

At the end of the course, you will have a higher level qualification along with crucial experience of industry allowing you to more quickly enter into the world of work and contribute fully to this important sector.

Links with Industry

The internationally leading materials research conducted at Swansea is funded by prestigious organisations including:

Rolls-Royce
Airbus
Tata Steel

Rolls-Royce

The Institute of Structural Materials at Swansea is a core member of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Materials.

This venture supports a wide ranging research portfolio with a rolling value of £6.5 million per annum addressing longer term materials issues.

Airbus

Over £1m funding has been received from Airbus and the Welsh Government in the last three years to support structural composites research and development in the aerospace industry and to support composites activity across Wales.

Tata Steel

Funding of over £6 million to continue our very successful postgraduate programmes with Tata Steel.

Other companies sponsoring research projects include Akzo Nobel, Axion Recycling, BAE Systems, Bayer, Cognet, Ford, HBM nCode, Jaguar Land Rover, Novelis, QinetiQ, RWE Innogy, Timet, TWI (Wales), as well as many smaller companies across the UK.

These industrial research links provide excellent opportunities for great research and employment opportunities.

Research

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.

World-leading research

The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) quality. This has increased from 73% in the 2008 RAE.

Research pioneered at the College of Engineering harnesses the expertise of academic staff within the department. This ground-breaking multidisciplinary research informs our world-class teaching with several of our staff leaders in their fields.

Highlights of the Engineering results according to the General Engineering Unit of Assessment:

Research Environment at Swansea ranked 2nd in the UK
Research Impact ranked 10th in the UK
Research Power (3*/4* Equivalent staff) ranked 10th in the UK

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This MSc course addresses scientific, technological and legislative aspects of the diagnosis (analysis and assessment) and management (remediation and restoration) of important environmental issues concerned with contaminated land, water quality, air pollution and waste.

It has been designed with industry advice to enable good science and engineering graduates begin and advance successful careers in the environmental sector, and pursue postgraduate scientific research. The MSc is delivered in first-class teaching and research facilities by a dedicated team of internationally renowned environmental scientists, and presents considerable interaction with environmental consultancies and engineers, industry, local and regulatory authorities, and research institutes.

During 2007-2011, the course was supported by 6 NERC studentships, the most awarded annually to an environmental MSc. Students on the course have won the most EMpower research projects funded by companies within the nuclear industry, and since 2008, a Prize for Best Performance Overall has been awarded annually by Arup, a global environmental engineering and consultancy company.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/earthsciences/coursefinder/mscenvironmentaldiagnosismanagement.aspx

Why choose this course?

- The quality of teaching and learning on the course is enhanced considerably by significant professional networking and interaction with leading experts from environmental consultants and engineers, industry, local and regulatory authorities, and universities and research institutes; who present seminars, host study visits, co-supervise research projects, and act as an advisory panel.

- Graduates of the course are skilled and knowledgeable scientists with excellent employment prospects within the environmental sector, particularly as environmental consultants and engineers, in local and regulatory authorities, industry, charitable trusts, and research institutes and universities.

- In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the Department’s research was ranked equal 6th in the UK with 70% rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour.

Course content and structure

You will study seven taught modules, three case studies and complete an Independent Research Project:

- Communication & Co-operation Skills
Provides practical training in written and verbal communication media; project, team and time management; role playing in environmental impact assessment; careers advice and a mock job interview.

- Environmental Inorganic Analysis
A practical laboratory and field-work based introduction to quality assured sampling strategies, preparation processes and analytical methods for heavy metals in soils, surface waters, and vegetation.

- Diagnostic & Management Tools
Provides practical computer-based training in statistical analysis of environmental data, geographical information systems, and environmental risk assessment.

- Environmental Organic Chemistry Pathways Toxicology
Comprises physical and chemical properties, transport, fate and distribution, and toxicology of organic compounds in the environment.

- Contaminated Land Case Study
A practical laboratory and field-work based human health risk assessment of pollutant linkages at a former gravel extraction and landfill site. It comprises desk-top study, site investigation and sampling, laboratory analysis, data interpretation, quantitative risk assessment, and remediation options.

- Water Quality: Diagnosis & Management
A practical laboratory and field-work based introduction to aquatic science, hydrogeology, treatment of water and wastewater, and chemical, biological and physical monitoring of water quality. Includes a study visit to a global manufacturer of pesticides and herbicides.

- River Thames Basin Case Study
A combination of fieldwork, laboratory work and desk-top study to diagnose water quality in chemical and ecological terms, to identify industrial and agricultural pollutant linkages, and to determine environmental, ecological and health impacts.

- Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impacts & Management
Covers: sources, sinks, dispersion, conversion, monitoring, impacts and management of air pollutants with study visits to a local authority and a government research institute.

- Royal Holloway Campus Air Quality Case Study
Involves a consultancy company-style investigation of ambient and indoor air quality within the confines of RHUL campus; and combines desk-top research with practical fieldwork and laboratory analysis.

- Waste Management & Utilisation
Considers municipal, industrial and radioactive waste management options, with study visits to a landfill site, a waste incinerator, composting facility, recycling centre and nuclear power station.

- Independent Research Project
Consists of a four-month, independent scientific investigation, usually in collaboration with environmental consultants and engineers, local and regulatory authorities, industry, research institutes, and universities. Projects may comprise a desk-top study or practical laboratory and field investigation, they may be funded, and often lead to employment or to PhD research. Final results are presented at the Research Project Symposium to an audience from within the environmental sector

On completion of the course graduates will have acquired the experience, knowledge, and critical understanding to enable them to:

- Conduct themselves as professional environmental research scientists, consultants, and managers, convey in a professional manner, scientific, technical and managerial information, and manage projects and resources efficiently

- Apply quality assured sampling strategies, preparation procedures and analytical systems to quantify health risks posed by inorganic and organic pollutant linkages in soils, waters and air

- Apply statistical analysis, geographical information systems, and environmental impact and risk assessment to the interpretation of environmental data

- Appreciate the importance and impacts of hydro-geological, and bio- and physico-chemical processes on the treatment of water and wastewater, and on the quality of groundwater and aquatic ecosystems

- Appreciate the emissions, dispersion, conversion, and monitoring of natural and man-made gaseous and particulate air pollutants, their impacts on climate change, human health and vegetation, and management on local, regional and global scales

- Appreciate the prevention, re-use, recycling, recovery, disposal and utilisation of municipal and industrial waste and the management of nuclear waste within the constraints of national and international legislation

- Manage an independent environmental science research project, often with professional collaboration, and of significant value to their career development.

Assessment

- Written examinations test understanding of the principles and concepts taught in the modules and case studies, and the ability to integrate and apply them to environmental diagnosis and management.

- Assessment of module work and practical computing, laboratory and fieldwork evaluates critical understanding of the environmental science taught, and mastery of producing quality assured data, and its analysis, interpretation, presentation and reporting.

- Assessment also reflects the ability to work independently and in teams, and to learn during study visits.

- Assessment of research projects is based on the ability to manage and report on an original piece of independent scientific work.

- All assessed work has significant confidential written and verbal feedback.

Employability & career opportunities

94% of the graduates of the MSc from 2008 to 2013 either successfully secured first-destination employment as international environmental consultants and engineers, in industry, local and regulatory authorities and charitable trusts, or are conducting postgraduate research within international research institutes and universities.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Materials Engineering at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

With our main research strengths of aerospace materials, environmental materials and steel technology, Swansea University provides an excellent base for your research as a MSc by Research student in Materials Engineering.

Key Features of MSc by Research in Materials Engineering

Swansea is one of the UK’s leading centres for Materials Engineering in teaching and research. The internationally leading materials research conducted at Swansea is funded by prestigious organisations. These industrial research links provide excellent research opportunities.

Key research areas within Materials Engineering include:

Design against failure by creep, fatigue and environmental damage
Structural metals and ceramics for gas turbine applications
Grain boundary engineering
Recycling of polymers and composites
Corrosion mechanisms in new generation magnesium alloys
Development of novel strip steel grades (IF, HSLA, Dual Phase, TRIP)
Functional coatings for energy generation, storage and release

MSc by research in Materials Engineering typically lasts one year full-time, two to three years part-time. This is an individual research project written up in a thesis of 30,000 words.

Facilities

Our new home at the innovative Bay Campus provides some of the best university facilities in the UK, in an outstanding location.

Within Engineering at Swansea University there are state-of-the-art facilities specific to Materials Engineering.

- Comprehensive computer systems for specialist and general purposes.
- World-leading equipment for characterisation of the mechanical properties of metallic, ceramic, polymeric and composite materials.
- Extensive range of laboratories housing scanning electron microscopes with full microanalysis and electron backscatter diffraction capabilities.

Links with industry

The internationally leading materials research conducted at Swansea is funded by prestigious organisations including:

Rolls-Royce
Airbus
Tata Steel

Rolls-Royce

The Institute of Structural Materials at Swansea is a core member of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Materials.

This venture supports a wide ranging research portfolio with a rolling value of £6.5 million per annum addressing longer term materials issues.

Airbus

Over £1m funding has been received from Airbus and the Welsh Government in the last three years to support structural composites research and development in the aerospace industry and to support composites activity across Wales.

Tata Steel

Funding of over £6 million to continue our very successful postgraduate programmes with Tata Steel.

Other companies sponsoring research projects include Akzo Nobel, Axion Recycling, BAE Systems, Bayer, Cognet, Ford, HBM nCode, Jaguar Land Rover, Novelis, QinetiQ, RWE Innogy, Timet, TWI (Wales), as well as many smaller companies across the UK.

These industrial research links provide excellent opportunities for great research and employment opportunities.

Research

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.

World-leading research

The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) quality. This has increased from 73% in the 2008 RAE.

Research pioneered at the College of Engineering harnesses the expertise of academic staff within the department. This ground-breaking multidisciplinary research informs our world-class teaching with several of our staff leaders in their fields.

Highlights of the Engineering results according to the General Engineering Unit of Assessment:

Research Environment at Swansea ranked 2nd in the UK
Research Impact ranked 10th in the UK
Research Power (3*/4* Equivalent staff) ranked 10th in the UK

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The Masters in Civil Engineering & Management introduces you to contemporary business and management issues while increasing your depth of knowledge in your chosen civil engineering speciality.

Why this programme

◾Civil engineering at the University of Glasgow is ranked 4th in the UK and 1st in Scotland (Guardian University Guide 2017).
◾With a 93% overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2016, Civil Engineering at Glasgow continues to meet student expectations combining both teaching excellence and a supportive learning environment.
◾The University has a long history of research in Civil Engineering. The UK's first Chair of Civil Engineering was established at the University in 1840 and early occupants such as William J. M. Rankine set a research ethos that has endured.
◾You will be taught jointly by staff from the School of Engineering and the Adam Smith Business School. You will benefit from their combined resources and expertise and from an industry-focused curriculum.
◾If you are a graduate engineer looking to broaden your knowledge of management while also furthering your knowledge of civil engineering, this innovative programme is designed for you.
◾You will gain first-hand experience of managing an engineering project through the integrated systems design project, allowing development of skills in project management, quality management and costing.
◾You will be able to apply management to engineering projects, allowing you to gain an advantage in today’s competitive job market and advance to the most senior positions within an engineering organisation.
◾This programme has a September and January intake.

Programme structure

There are two semesters of taught material and a summer session during which you will work on an individual supervised project and write a dissertation on its outcomes. Students entering the programme in January are restricted to civil engineering (i.e. excluding management) topics only.

Semester 1

You will be based in the Adam Smith Business School, developing knowledge and skills in management principles and techniques. We offer an applied approach, with an emphasis on an informed critical evaluation of information, and the subsequent application of concepts and tools to the core areas of business and management.
◾Contemporary issues in human resource management
◾Managing creativity and innovation
◾Managing innovative change
◾Marketing management
◾Operations management
◾Project management.

Semester 2

You will study engineering courses, which aim to enhance your group working and project management capability at the same time as improving your depth of knowledge in chosen civil engineering subjects.
◾Integrated systems design project.

Optional courses

Select a total of 4 courses from Lists A and B, at least 1 must be from List A:

List A

◾Advanced soil mechanics 5
◾Advanced structural analysis and dynamics 5
◾Computational modelling of non-linear problems 5
◾Introduction to wind engineering
◾Principles of GIS.

List B

◾Geotechnical engineering 3
◾Ground engineering 4
◾Recycling urban land
◾Structural analysis 4
◾Transportation systems engineering 4.

Project or dissertation

You will undertake an individual project or dissertation work in the summer period (May–August). This will give you an opportunity to apply and consolidate the course material and enhance your ability to do independent work, as well as present results in the most appropriate format. Project and dissertation options are closely linked to staff research interests. September entry students have a choice of management dissertation topics in addition to civil engineering projects, and January entry students have a choice of civil engineering projects.

Projects

There are two semesters of taught material and a summer session during which you will work on an individual supervised project and write a dissertation on its outcomes. Students entering the programme in January are restricted to civil engineering (i.e. excluding management) topics only.

Semester 1

You will be based in the Adam Smith Business School, developing knowledge and skills in management principles and techniques. We offer an applied approach, with an emphasis on an informed critical evaluation of information, and the subsequent application of concepts and tools to the core areas of business and management.
◾Contemporary issues in human resource management
◾Managing creativity and innovation
◾Managing innovative change
◾Marketing management
◾Operations management
◾Project management.

Semester 2

You will study engineering courses, which aim to enhance your group working and project management capability at the same time as improving your depth of knowledge in chosen civil engineering subjects.
◾Integrated systems design project.

Optional courses

Select a total of 4 courses from Lists A and B, at least 1 must be from List A:

List A
◾Advanced soil mechanics 5
◾Advanced structural analysis and dynamics 5
◾Computational modelling of non-linear problems 5
◾Introduction to wind engineering
◾Principles of GIS.

List B
◾Geotechnical engineering 3
◾Ground engineering 4
◾Recycling urban land
◾Structural analysis 4
◾Transportation systems engineering 4.

Project or dissertation

You will undertake an individual project or dissertation work in the summer period (May–August). This will give you an opportunity to apply and consolidate the course material and enhance your ability to do independent work, as well as present results in the most appropriate format. Project and dissertation options are closely linked to staff research interests. September entry students have a choice of management dissertation topics in addition to civil engineering projects, and January entry students have a choice of civil engineering projects.

Industry links and employability

◾The programme makes use of the combined resources and complementary expertise of the civil engineering and business school staff to deliver a curriculum which is relevant to the needs of industry.
◾You, as a graduate of this programme, will be capable of applying the extremely important aspect of management to engineering projects allowing you to gain an advantage in today’s competitive job market and advance to the most senior positions within an engineering organisation.
◾The School of Engineering has extensive contacts with industrial partners who contribute to several of their taught courses, through active teaching, curriculum development, and panel discussion. Recent contributions in Civil Engineering include: Arup and Mott MacDonald.
◾During the programme students have an opportunity to develop and practice relevant professional and transferable skills, and to meet and learn from employers about working in the civil engineering industry.

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Content

The increasing demand for raw materials, their price volatility, the production concentration and the market distortions imposed by some countries, confront Europe and other world regions with a number of challenges along the entire value chain. To tackle this supply risk challenge and to deal with environmental problems arising from too large emissions of waste (such as CO2), technological innovation is required with respect to exploration of new resources and sustainable primary mining, sustainable use of resources in specific products and production processes (e.g. substitution of critical metals in materials), prevention of waste generation, valorisation of secondary (alternative) resources and recovery/recycling of resources from end-of-life products.

The International Master of Science in Sustainable and Innovative Natural Resource Management (SINReM) aims at educating a new range of professionals with a holistic overview on resource management and up-to-date processing technologies, who are familiar with sustainability concepts and possess an innovative mind-set to boost the economic importance of this sector.

Students will be acquainted with the different (technological) options for optimizing flows of natural resources in the different parts of the chain, ranging from resource exploration over sustainable materials use and use of resources in production processes to recovery/recycling of resources from end-of-life products. The focus is on developing ground-breaking technologies, engineering and re-inventing the value chain to make it more sustainable. Students will get a broad view on the entire value chain in its different aspects.

Networking and exchange of knowledge and experience between different nationalities, between academic and non-academic partners and between scholars and students will be promoted.

SINReM is offered by a consortium consisting of 3 Institutes of Higher Education:

Universiteit Gent / Ghent University (UGent, Gent, Belgium);
Uppsala University (UU, Uppsala, Sweden);
TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TUFreiberg, Freiberg, Germany).

The SINReM programme is (co)financed by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology within the EIT Raw Materials programme and aims at achieving an EIT label. EIT-labelled educational programmes foster students to become more creative, innovative and entrepreneurs.

Career Perspectives

Graduates are qualified for a professional career in the private (supporting companies in making processes, products and services more sustainable), research (applied research at universities, research institutes or companies) or public sector (consulting in local, regional and (inter)national administrations, defining and implementing sustainable development policies).
Graduates have an entrepreneurial mindset, a multidisciplinary view and creative innovative problem-based technology development skills

Structure

This 2-year programme contains 120 ECTS credit units and leads to the joint diploma of International Master of Science in Sustainable and Innovative Natural Resource Management.

In order to expose all students to different institutional settings, student mobility within Europe is an integral part of the programme.

General Entrance Module - Semester I 30 ECTS - Ghent University
Advanced Module - Semester II 30 ECTS - Uppsala University
Field trip - Summer School - University of Freiburg
Advanced Module II - Semester III 60 ECTS - choose a one of the following majors containing (elective) courses in combination with master dissertation research:
geo-resource exploration (Uppsala)
sustainable processes (Freiberg)
sustainable materials and resource recovery (Ghent)

All students will be moving as a cohort to Gent, Freiberg and Uppsala in the first year, which approach has significant networking and social cohesion advantages.

During this first year, students are introduced to the value chain, management of natural resources, the circular economy, its economic, policy and legal aspects, inventory techniques, the clean technology concept and life cycle assessment tools to assess sustainability of products, services and processes. Moreover, students are exposed to a basic training in the different technological tools that can be used to intervene in different parts of the value chain (geo-resource exploration, sustainable (chemical) extraction processes, sustainable materials and resource recovery technology).

In the second year students have the option to further specialize by selecting a major and conducting thesis research. They interact with the professional sector through cooperation in thesis research, internships, lectures and seminars.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted, candidates must have at least a bachelor degree (minimum 180 ECTS credits) in engineering or science (physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, earth science, materials science) including 15 ECTS in mathematics and/or physics and 10 ECTS pure or applied chemistry or an equivalent level from a recognised university or Engineering College.

In terms of language requirements the following is currently applied in or acceptable by the partner institutes. Changes to these requirements are however admissible (upon approval by the MB).

Nationals of Australia, Botswana, Canada, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, USA, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, need to send proof of at least one year - 60 ECTS (finished successfully) - of comprehensive English-based instruction at a HEI do not need to present a language certificate but a mode of instruction.

Candidates from any other nationality need to present test results of one of the following tests (validity of 5 years; TOEFL/IELTS predictive tests and TOEIC will not be accepted):

TOEFL IBT 86
TOEFL PBT 570
ACADEMIC IELTS 6,5 overall score with a min. of 6 for writing

Candidates apply online through a standard online application form. All candidates fulfilling the above-mentioned minimum admission requirements receive and an official letter of admission signed by the legal representative of Ghent University (the Rector), in name of the consortium. Any applicant will need to be granted academic admission by Ghent University, advised by the SINReM Management Board, before starting the program. To this aim, candidates have to prove through their application file that they meet the admission requirements.

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Programme description

In this programme, leading academics encourage students to think across different disciplines to blend scientific, socioeconomic and policy perspectives for a stronger understanding of sustainability and how it can be achieved. This wider perspective is attractive to organisations which promote sustainable development or seek to reduce humanity’s effect on the environment.

Ensuring the environmental sustainability of society is one of the major challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. How can the needs of the world’s growing population be met without threatening the ecological processes that support human wellbeing?

How can the economy and energy systems be restructured to combat climate change? What policies foster sustainability? How can the necessary changes in the behaviour of organisations and individuals be promoted? This MSc programme explores these and related, topical questions.

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Environment & Society Academy.

Programme structure

This programme consists of six taught courses, studied over two semesters. Students will also undertake a research project leading to a dissertation of up to 20,000 words.

Compulsory courses typically include:

Principles of Environmental Sustainability

Case Studies in Sustainable Development

Dissertation

Option courses:

In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses*. We particularly recommend:

Atmospheric Quality and Global Change

Ecosystem Services 1: Ecosystem Dynamics and Functions

Foundations in Ecological Economics

Human Dimensions of Environmental Change and Sustainability

Integrated Resource Management

Project Appraisal

Marine Systems and Policies

Development: Principles and Practices

Understanding Environment and Development

Energy Policy and Politics

Environmental Impact Assessment

Forests and Environment

Global Environmental Politics

Participation in Policy and Planning

Political Ecology

Sustainability of Food Production

Waste Reduction and Recycling

Water Resource Management

Climate Change and Corporate Strategy

*Please note: courses are offered subject to timetabling and availablity and are subject to change each year.

Learning outcomes

Students will be equipped to:

assess the sustainability of policies, programmes and projects at scales ranging from the local to the global

analyse environmental problems using knowledge from different disciplines, leading to well-founded and effective solutions

advocate sustainable development and engage in informed debate on current environmental controversies

Career opportunities

This programme prepares students for a wide range of roles within environmental consultancy, national and local government, non-profit organisations, education or research. The choice of option courses and dissertation projects can be tailored towards your chosen career path.

Student experience

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Programme description

The MSc in Environment and Development (E&D) is an interdisciplinary programme exploring the inter-dependencies between pressing environmental concerns and development pressures. It explores these themes, the disputes around it and practical issues from an informed theoretical perspective, with an abiding concern for social justice claims. Conventional academic approaches focus on development or the environment as separate categories, while this programme looks at socioeconomic development as a socio-ecological and politicoecological process.

In particular this E&D programme focuses on:

- grounding students in an awareness of the contested development paradigm;
- inculcating an awareness of economic, political and cultural links between environmental change and social inclusion.

Those issues will be studied at the local and national level, but also taking into account the global scale of environmental and development agendas. In many cases the root causes of inequality and poverty, both in the Global South and in the Global North, are driven by regional or global economics far beyond the borders of a particular country, village or region.

The programme will teach you to critically evaluate the multiple dimensions of the relationship between development and the environment. Teaching, fieldwork, group and practical exercises will use examples of relevance to Northern and Southern countries.

The breadth and depth of the School of GeoSciences enables students to explore a variety of environment and development issues relevant to the programme: e.g. biophysical dynamics, food insecurity, environmental governance, river basin management, cultural studies, climate change, multiple scarcities and inequalities, gender and development,etc. Students are challenged to cultivate research thinking that is cross-cutting and globally relevant, but also grounded in cases that focus on particular issues, places or systems, providing insights to effective solutions.

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Development Academy.

Programme structure

This MSc consists of two semesters of taught courses. Students take two compulsory and four option courses, each a balance of lectures, seminars, workshops and visits, followed by an individual dissertation.

Compulsory courses typically will be:

Understanding Environment and Development
Development: Principles and Practices
Dissertation

Option courses:

In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses. We particularly recommend:

Applications in Ecological Economics
Atmospheric Quality and Global Change
Case Studies in Sustainable Development
Ecosystem Services 1: Ecosystem Dynamics and Functions
Energy & Society
Energy Policy and Politics
Environmental Impact Assessment
Forests and Environment
Foundations in Ecological Economics
Gender and Development
Global Environment and Society
Global Environmental Politics
Governing Mineral Extraction in Africa
Human Dimensions of Environmental Change and Sustainability
Integrated Resource Planning
International Political Economy
Interpreting Development: Institutions and Practices
Interrelationships in Food Systems
Land Use/Environmental Interactions
Marine Infrastructure and Environmental Change
Marine Systems and Policies
Participation in Policy and Planning
Political Ecology
Principles of Environmental Sustainability
Principles of Geographical Information Science
Research Design in Human Geography
Soil Protection and Management
South Asia: Roots of Poverty and Development
The International Politics of Money
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Water Resource Management

Courses are offered subject to timetabling and availability and are subject to change.

Career opportunities

This programme is suitable for students seeking roles within international and national development agencies, thinktanks, NGOs, environmental consultancies or the private sector, or those going on to PhD research.

Student experience

Would you like to know what it’s really like to study at the School of GeoSciences?

Visit our student experience blog where you can find articles, advice, videos and ask current students your questions.
https://edingeoscistudents.wordpress.com/

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Programme description

This programme will give you a fundamental understanding of the issues affecting the Earth enabling you to play a vital role in devising and enacting strategies to protect and conserve the environment, both in Europe and beyond.

Human activities are recognised as having an increasingly significant effect on the Earth’s biosphere. Our use of natural resources, deforestation, soil erosion, the release of potentially toxic compounds and pathogens, and the increase in greenhouse gases are all examples of pressures that have potentially serious consequences for humanity and other life on Earth.

On this programme you will learn about the issues that face the Earth and gain an in-depth understanding of natural resource management and the processes that give rise to environmental degradation and pollution problems.

It will allow you to play a vital role in planning and putting into action strategies to protect and conserve the environment.

This programme is run in collaboration with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Environment & Society Academy.

Programme structure

This programme involves two semesters of taught courses, which are a balance of lectures, seminars, workshops and visits, plus a research dissertation project of about 16,000 words.

Compulsory courses typically include:

•Atmospheric Quality and Global Change

•Analysing the Environment

•Land Use/Environmental Interactions

•Analysing the Environment Study Tour

•Dissertation

Option courses:

In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses*. We particularly recommend:

•Soil Protection and Management

•Integrated Resource Management

•Ecosystem Dynamics and Functions

•Marine Systems and Policies

•Archives: History, Geography, Politics

•Carbon Capture and Transport

•Culture, Ethics & Environment

•Encountering Cities

•Environmental Geochemistry

•Foundations in Ecological Economics

•Human Dimensions of Environmental Change and Sustainability

•Principles of Environmental Sustainability

•Principles of GIS

•Project Appraisal

•Understanding Environment and Development

•Values and the Environment

•Environmental Impact Assessment

•Waste Reduction and Recycling

•Sustainability of Food Production

•Participation in Policy and Planning

•Forests and Environment

•Carbonate Sequence Stratigraphy

•Climate Change and Corporate Strategy

•Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

•Integrated Resource Planning

•Introduction to Environmental Modelling

•Political Ecology

•Ecosystem Values and Management

•Soil Science Concepts and Application

•Water Resource Management

Field trip

This programme typically includes a week-long study tour in spring. Past study tours have been held in France, Greece, Portugal, Israel and Morocco.

Learning outcomes

Students will:

•develop a scientific understanding of some of the major processes which influence the quality of land, air and water resources

•acquire knowledge of the most effective methods of environmental protection

•develop expertise in the design and implementation of programmes of environmental protection

•have the opportunity to study the integrated protection and management of particular ecosystems or resources

Career opportunities

Our graduates have a solid record in finding employment in the environmental sector while some choose to further their studies through a PhD.

There are also opportunities in consultancy positions and with environmental regulators, government and NGOs.

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Programme description

Ecological Economics focuses on how to make sustainability and environmental management work in practice by applying economic principles.

This programme is run in collaboration with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). Graduates with postgraduate training in this area are in greater demand than ever before in business, industry and government.

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Environment & Society Academy.

Programme structure

You will learn through lectures, group work, informal group discussion and individual study, as well as the spring study tour. After two semesters of taught courses, you will begin work on your individual dissertations. You will be able to choose from a wide selection of option courses to suit individual interests and career goals.

Compulsory courses typically will be*:

•Foundations in Ecological Economics

•Applications in Ecological Economics

•Dissertation

Option courses:

In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses*. We particularly recommend:

•Human Dimensions of Environmental Change and Sustainability

•Principles of Environmental Sustainability

•Project Appraisal

•Ecosystem Dynamics and Functions

•Understanding Environment and Development

•Marine Systems and Policies

•Atmospheric Quality and Global Change

•Culture, Ethics & Environment

•Encountering Cities

•Frameworks to Assess Food Security

•Integrated Resource Management

•International Development in a Changing World

•Introduction To Spatial Analysis

•Principles of GIS

•Society and Development

•Soil Protection and Management

•Environmental Impact Assessment

•Climate Change and Corporate Strategy

•Participation in Policy and Planning

•Waste Reduction and Recycling

•Water Resource Management

•Political Ecology

•Case Studies in Sustainable Development

•Management of Sustainable Development

•Ecosystem Values and Management

•Forests and Environment

•Further Spatial Analysis

•Integrated Resource Planning

•Interrelationships in Food Systems

•Introduction to Environmental Modelling

•Sustainability of Food Production

•Understanding the City

*Please note: courses are offered subject to timetabling and availability and are subject to change each year.

Field trip

To experience and understand conflict between ecosystem conservation and human development needs at ground level, we typically offer a unique 7-10-day study tour, usually overseas and in the developing world (previous destinations have included South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania).

Career opportunities

Being able to identify ecological economic problems, and apply economic principles and methods to solve these problems is increasingly valued by employers.

Our graduates are working in a variety of sectors, including environmental consultancies; international and governmental agencies; NGOs; financial institutions; multinationals; environmental education and research.

Additionally around a quarter of our masters students go on to doctoral research programmes.

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Our Advanced Materials MSc is a broad-based, flexible modular programme, giving you a thorough understanding of advanced engineering materials, their manufacture, and the techniques used for their characterisation.

This programme is a springboard for career development, new employment opportunities and postgraduate research. It provides a strong platform for workplace-based continuing education with many part-time students funded by their employers.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

Full-time and part-time students study a number of one-week short-course modules comprising lectures, laboratory sessions and tutorials.

The modules cover metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, nanomaterials, bonding, surfaces, corrosion, fracture, fatigue, analytical techniques and general research methods. Each module is followed by an open book assessment of approximately 120 hours.

There is also a materials-based research project, which is made up of the Research Project Planning and the Project modules.

The MSc in Advanced Materials is accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) and by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) when a Project is undertaken.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time over five academic years. It consists of eight taught modules and a compulsory Project. The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
-Introduction to Materials Science
-Research Methods
-Research Project Planning
-Project
-Introduction to Composite Materials Science
-Characterisation of Advanced Materials
-Introduction to Physical Metallurgy
-Polymers: Science, Engineering and Applications
-Structural Ceramics and Hard Coatings
-Surface Analysis: XPS, Auger and SIMS
-Materials Under Stress
-The Science and Technology of Adhesive Bonding
-Composite Materials Technology
-Corrosion Engineering
-Nanomaterials

-Advanced Materials Independent Study (part-time only)
-Advanced Materials Project (part-time only)
-Project (part-time only)

EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME

-To provide students with a broad knowledge of the manufacture, characterisation and properties of advanced materials
-To address issues of sustainability such as degradation and recycling
-To equip graduate scientists and engineers with specific expertise in the selection and use of materials for industry
-To enable students to prepare, plan, execute and report an original piece of research
-To develop a deeper understanding of a materials topic which is of particular interest (full-time students) or relevance to their work in industry (part-time students) by a project based or independent study based thesis

PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES

The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:

Knowledge and understanding
-The different major classes of advanced materials
-Routes for manufacturing and processing of advanced materials
-Characterisation techniques for analysing bonding and microstructure
-Mechanical, chemical and physical properties of advanced materials
-Processing -microstructure - property relationships of advanced materials
-Material selection and use
-Appropriate mathematical methods

Intellectual / cognitive skills
-Reason systematically about the behaviour of materials
-Select materials for an application
-Predict material properties
-Understand mathematical relationships relating to material properties
-Plan experiments, interpret experimental data and discuss experimental results in the context of present understanding in the field

Professional practical skills
-Research information to develop ideas and understanding
-Develop an understanding of, and competence, in using laboratory equipment and instrumentation
-Apply mathematical methods, as appropriate

Key / transferable skills
-Use the scientific process to reason through to a sound conclusion
-Write clear reports
-Communicate ideas clearly and in an appropriate format
-Design and carry out experimental work

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES

We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.

In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.

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Climate change, the global consumption of energy and the use of fossil fuels to provide us with heat, power and transportation are all engineering challenges which need addressing now and in the future. It is clear that solutions to these long-term problems ­– ensuring the best use of resources, and developing new more sustainable ways to produce and use energy – will require graduates who can work in an increasingly multidisciplinary environment.

This course will offer you the knowledge and expertise you will need in relation to sustainable energy and the environmental impact of energy systems.

The distinctive features of the programme include:

• The opportunity for students to learn in a research-led teaching institution serviced by staff rated in the highest possible category by independent Government assessment.

• The opportunity to work in facilities commensurate with a top-class research unit.

• The opportunity for students to undertake project work in a successful, research-based environment.

• The programme has been designed to provide technical and managerial skills needed by industry, academia and the public sector.

• The substantial industrial input to the programme through invited lecturers and where appropriate offer industrially-based projects.

• A variety of specialist modules on offer.

• An open and engaging culture between students and staff, with student representatives as full members on School committees.

Structure

The programme is presented as a two-year part-time Master's level programme, and is also available in full-time mode over one year.

The programme is presented in two stages: In Stage 1 students follow taught modules to the value of 120 credits, with a limited amount of choice between optional modules. Stage 2 consists of a Dissertation module worth 60 credits.

Core modules:

Risk and Hazard Management in the Energy Sector
Energy Management
Energy Studies
Fuels and Energy Systems
Sustainable Energy and Environment Case Study
Dissertation: Sustainable Energy and Environment

Optional modules:

Earth and Society
Low Carbon Footprint
Environmental Fluid Mechanics
Advanced Power Systems & High Voltage Technology
Condition Monitoring, Systems Modelling and Forecasting
Alternative Energy Systems
Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer 1
Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer 2
Waste Management and Recycling

Teaching

A wide range of teaching styles are used to deliver the diverse material forming the curriculum of the programme. You will be required to attend lecture-, lab- and tutorial-based study during the semesters, and later undertake an individual research project.

While a 10-credit module represents 100 hours of study in total, typically this will involve 24–36 hours of contact time with teaching staff. The remaining hours are intended to be for private study, coursework, revision and assessment. Therefore all students are expected to spend a significant amount of time (typically 20 hours each week) studying independently.

At the beginning of Stage 2, you will be allocated a project supervisor. Dissertation topics are normally chosen from a range of project titles proposed by academic staff in consultation with industrial partners, usually in areas of current research or industrial interest. You are also encouraged to put forward your own project ideas.

Learning Central, the Cardiff University virtual learning environment (VLE), will be used extensively to communicate with students, support lectures and provide general programme materials such as reading lists and module descriptions. It may also be used to provide self-testing assessment and give feedback.

Assessment

Achievement of learning outcomes in the majority of modules is assessed by a combination of coursework assignments, plus University examinations set in January or May. Examinations count for a third to a half of assessment in Stage 1 of the programme, depending on the options chosen, the remainder being largely project work and pieces of coursework.

Award of an MSc requires successful completion of Stage 2, the Dissertation, with a mark of 50% or higher. Candidates achieving 60% may be awarded a Merit and for those achieving a 70% average a Distinction may be awarded. Candidates failing to qualify for an MSc may be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma of Higher Education for 120 credits in Stage 1. Candidates failing to complete the 120 credits required for Stage 1 may still be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate of Higher Education for the achievement of at least 60 credits.

Career prospects

Graduates typically gain employment in large energy-focussed companies, the public sector, consultancies, research and development, or set up their own companies. A number also go on to undertake PhD study.

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Sustainability Engineering concerns the responsible use of natural resources in a manner which does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This course addresses the engineering technologies and practices needed to efficiently exploit energy and materials, to mitigate the environmental impact, and to apply concepts such as life-cycle analysis, disassembly and recycling within the design process.

The course provides the necessary skills to analyse and assess sustainability issues, and to formulate strategies to implement practical sustainable development solutions in business.

In the MSc dissertation, students either conduct “in house” laboratory based projects or are placed in an industrial or commercial setting where they undertake environmental management system assessments or technical design analyses. Previous MSc student dissertations involved collaboration or placements with Alchema Ltd., Frames Separation Technologies, Caledonian Alloys, Senertec GmbH, United Wire Ltd., Scottish Whisky Research Institute, Nextek Ltd., Forestry Commission and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

About Heriot-Watt:

Heriot-Watt University is set in almost 400 acres of woodland, making it one of the most beautiful places to study and live. Less than ten miles and a 15-minute bus ride into the centre of Edinburgh, its proximity to this architecturally famous city only adds to its appeal.

Edinburgh is renowned as a centre of learning and discovery; studying and living here is a stimulating and inspirational experience. It offers a unique city environment. It's culturally diverse, historically significant, socially alive, environmentally aware, politically central and visually stunning. The centre of Edinburgh has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in recognition of its stunning urban landscape in the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town. In addition, the city encompasses some striking modern architecture including the parliament building and the Museum of Scotland.

To top it all, Edinburgh is lucky to have significant and magnificent green spaces: the impressive extinct volcano, Arthur's Seat, and its associated park, lie at the heart of the city. If that wasn't enough, Edinburgh has 112 public parks and more trees per person than any other British city.

You're also within easy striking distance of some of the world's most beautiful wild landscapes, from the Trossachs in the west and the Highlands in the north, to the Borders in the south.

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The Paper Science research degrees are part of a dynamic research area within the school. We have close links with industry and much of our research impacts directly on current industry practice. Our academic team are highly rated within the paper science sector, and are regarded as experts in their field.

The subject

The range of materials classed as paper is diverse, from bathroom tissue to cardboard; but, despite the physical differences, they have the same chemical composition, consisting primarily of natural cellulosic fibres. The difference in the type of paper arises from the choice of raw material and the influence of the manufacturing process.

Our research

Our research covers the influence of factors, such as recycling and process chemistry, on the physical properties of the sheet, and looks at ways to improve them. We also look at improving the efficiency of raw materials and energy in manufacturing processes.

Industry links

We have strong ties with industry, including collaboration with Aylesford Newsprint, Billerud, Abitibi Consolidated, and M-Real. Our research impacts directly on paper manufacturers, and their suppliers and customers, and we are consistently approached by industry to collaborate and give expert advice on research projects.

Research projects

Some of our recent research projects include:
-Analysis of factors affecting the pore size distribution of paper
-Measurement and modelling of paper shrinkage during manufacture

The influence of sheet uniformity and starch on the strength of recycled board

Facilities

To underpin the research and teaching activities, we have established state-of-the-art laboratories, which allow comprehensive characterisation and development of materials. These facilities range from synthetic/textile fibre chemistry to materials processing and materials testing.

To complement our teaching resources, there is a comprehensive range of electrochemical, electronoptical imaging and surface and bulk analytical facilities and techniques.

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Programme description

The MSc in Carbon Management is a landmark collaboration between the world-renowned Schools of Geosciences, Economics and the Business School at the University of Edinburgh. It provides students with expertise, knowledge and skills in the business, economics and science of carbon management.


Carbon management is now at the heart of tackling climate change and has rapidly become a central part of the global business environment. Edinburgh in particular has emerged as one of the most important global centres in this new discipline.

This innovative programme, taught by world-leading experts in key fields of climate change and carbon management, is for graduates who want an advanced academic qualification to launch careers in carbon and climate change management in business or government.

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Environment & Society Academy.

Programme structure

This MSc programme consists of two semesters of taught courses. Each course consists of a balance of lectures, seminars, workshops and visits. Students will then undertake individual dissertation project work.

Compulsory courses typically will be:

Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation
Business and Climate Change
Carbon Economics
Climate Change Management
Applied Carbon Methods
Dissertation

In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses. We particularly recommend:

Economics for Postgraduates
Change Management
Global Strategic Management
Issues and Perspectives
Emission Reduction Project Development
Corporate Responsibility & Governance in a Global Context
Low Carbon Investment
Applications in Ecological Economics
Environmental Impact Assessment
Forests and Environment
Water Resource Management
Integrated Resource Planning
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Energy & Society
Energy Policy and Politics
International Climate Change Law
Interrelationships in Food Systems
Novel Strategies for Carbon Storage in Soil
Marine Infrastructure and Environmental Change
Land Use/Environmental Interactions

Courses are offered subject to timetabling and availability and are subject to change.

If you are unable to commit to a full MSc at present, it is possible to study a Postgraduate Certificate by online distance learning:

Career opportunities

A key strength of our programme is the employability of our graduates.

The programme has won the PricewaterhouseCoopers award for ‘Teaching Employable Skills’ as well as providing the opportunity to conduct business carbon audits, work on placements with major industry groups such as the 2020 Climate Group, and conduct dissertation research as part of work-based projects with a wide range of external collaborators.

Our graduates are enjoying roles ranging from government advisers and NGO researchers to renewable energy project developers and commercial carbon management consultants.

Student experience

Would you like to know what it’s really like to study at the School of GeoSciences?

Visit our student experience blog where you can find articles, advice, videos and ask current students your questions.

https://edingeoscistudents.wordpress.com/

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Whether you’re from an engineering, scientific or technical background, this programme will equip you with expertise in new and traditional energy technologies, renewable energy sources, solid waste recycling, air pollution, climate change and energy management systems.

You’ll gain an understanding of the environmental impacts of energy technology choices and the technical expertise to further develop them, preparing you to handle the complex challenges created by the growing energy demands, climate change and urban growth of the 21st century.

Core modules will build your knowledge of topics like atmospheric pollution controls, as well as a range of renewable technologies. You’ll also choose from optional modules that suit your interests and career plans such as combustion theory, energy management or fuel processing.

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