Masters Degrees in Hydrology

MSc in Hydrology and Water Resources Management

MSc in Hydrology and Business Management

MSc in Hydrology and Sustainable Development

Hydrology is concerned with assessment of the natural distribution of water in time and space, and with evaluating the impact of manmade changes on the distribution and quality of this water.

Applied hydrology has been traditionally concerned with floods and water resources.

However, hydrologists are focusing increasingly on the problems of pollutant transport in surface water, soils and groundwaters, and wider issues such as the effects of land use and climate change.

Hydrology is strongly multidisciplinary, and the course includes a basic treatment of relevant physical and life sciences, mathematical sciences, and systems analysis.

All of our MSc courses are career-orientated and cover both theoretical background and practical design considerations.

Lectures are given mainly by full-time staff but important contributions are made by visiting professors and guest lecturers who are eminent industrialists.

Many of our students continue their studies to undertake research towards a PhD.

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PLEASE NOTE: This course is not currently open for new applications. If you'd like to be kept up to date, let us know using the Register Interest button.

Water is a key resource globally, nationally and regionally. As the world's population increases governments are increasingly forced to act to protect and manage water resources more effectively, creating demand for scientists and managers to understand, monitor and manage natural and regulated water systems.

Why study Catchment Hydrology and Management at Dundee?

We offer an authoritative source of training for national and international students seeking to pursue careers within environmental and regulatory industries. Through a mixture of theory and practice this programme will provide you with training in aspects of applied hydrology, catchment management, environmental modelling (including risks such as flooding and water scarcity) and water law.

Facilities

The School of the Environment has recently completed a major investment in upgrading its hydrometric field equipment for use by SCM students. In addition to our already strong resource base in flow measurement equipment, covering ADCP, ADV, radar and more traditional impeller based instruments, we have now expanded our water level monitoring equipment to 25 instruments.

Fieldwork and problem-solving aspects of the course are being extended in 2012, with students being responsible for selecting, installing and operating their own sites and analysing the data from them. We have three experimental catchment facilites in Scotland, in the Cairngorms and the Scottish Borders, and students will gain valuable insights and experience through becoming directly involved in these projects.

Research-led teaching

Our experienced team of staff all engage in contemporary research and have considerable expertise in the science and regulatory frameworks affecting water management. Many of the academic staff on the programme are involved in the UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science - the UK's only UNESCO Centre, based at the University of Dundee. The Centre is an exciting interdisciplinary centre providing many opportunities for water-related research in projects worldwide.

Field trips

We also provide you with many opportunities to put theory into practice with field trips to local catchments.

Aims of the Programme

This postgraduate degree programme will provide you with understanding and hands-on training in applied hydrology and catchment management. You will develop skills appropriate to a career within the water and environmental sectors, including technical skills in the use of hydrological and environmental modelling software, field skills in acquiring and subsequent analysis of hydrological data. You will also gain an awareness of the linkages between hydrology, ecology, legal and planning practice.

The programme will encourage you to think critically about the ways in which river catchments are managed. You will be trained in legal and regulatory aspects and management approaches balancing multiple stakeholders using case studies from around the world, part of a global network of basins built up by the IHP-UNESCO Centre for Water law, Policy and Science HELP programme. This management knowledge will be underpinned by an understanding of catchment hydrology, monitoring and modelling.

The course starts in September each year. The MSc lasts for 12 months on a full time basis and the PGDip for 9 months on a full time basis.

How you will be taught

Teaching on the course is delivered through a combination of lecture material and informal seminar-style discussion, which will encourage you to explore taught materials and interpret ideas individually.

Field classes are held in order to study monitoring and management strategies in realistic situations, with opportunities to meet the people involved in these activities.

What you will study

There are core modules (all 20 credits) in:

Research Training (Semesters 1 and 2)
Hydrological Monitoring and Modelling (Semester 1)
Catchment Management principlies (Semester 1)
Hydrological applications (Semester 2)


Plus you can choose two of the following option modules (20 credits):

Research in Practice (work placement) (Semester 2)
Applied GIS and Geospatial Data Analysis (Semester 2)
Fieldcourse (Semester 2)


Students enrolled on the MSc programme also complete a Dissertation (worth 60 credits) over the summer period. The research project may be completed in partnership with external environmental agencies.


All modules aim to provide you with as much application and hands-on practice as possible, both within the field and laboratory environments, as well as encouraging you to develop a wider range of research methods and skills.

How you will be assessed

Learning is assessed through a mixture of oral and written presentations, problem-solving assignments, feedback and a major research based project or dissertation.

Careers

Career prospects are good, due to a current shortage reported by environmental recruiters. A rising workload has been noted within Europe stemming from increased regulation in the water sector.

Globally, catchment hydrological management for meeting food security and water quality needs in the face of climate change is a major and growing issue. These drivers will increase substantially increase employment opportunities both nationally and internationally.

This course builds upon a previous course (MSc in Sustainable Catchment Management), which had an excellent record of students entering work in environmental agencies, consultancies and policy related areas upon graduation. The course also provides an excellent platform for further postgraduate study.

Contacts with employers

Dissertations may be organised using contacts within organisations employing graduate water specialists, and participants will have other opportunities during the year to make direct contact with employers. Staff are able to provide advice on many organisations within which graduates of other Dundee programmes are already employed, in conjunction with the University's Careers Service.

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Through theoretical, practical and computational (informatics) training, the Hydrology and Climate Change MSc will enhance your knowledge of the water environment and its management in the context of climate change.

The impact of climate change and past hydrological behaviour means that hydrological and water resource issues have to be looked at in a new way.

This course will encourage you to rethink hydrological problems and solutions in new and innovative ways. This training is quantitative and relevant to the needs of today's water industry.

Accreditation

The course is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) (comprising ICE, IStructE, CIHT and IHIE), as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for students with an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng Honours degree or Accredited IEng (Full) BEng/BSc Honours degree.

The course is also accredited by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

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Overview

This programme is delivered in close collaboration with our advisory board of representatives from the water industry, and provides fundamental and applied training in the science and management of freshwater environments. Combining hydrology, geomorphology, biogeochemistry and ecology, the degree is designed to produce outstanding scientists capable of developing interdisciplinary environmental solutions to priority water resource and catchment issues. It involves fieldwork at our research sites including the near-natural Tagliamento River, Italy, and heavily impacted rivers within London and the south-east of England.

This programme:

- facilitates networking within the water and environmental sectors
- lets you develop core understanding of freshwater environmental systems and the key policy and legal frameworks that underpin their management
- provides hands-on training in flood estimation and inundation modelling using industry-standard software
- allows you to broaden your skills and knowledge in the monitoring and management of pollutants, nutrient levels and greenhouse gas emissions in aquatic systems
- provides training in river assessment methods
- develops your skills and knowledge in the theory and practice of river restoration
- learn transferable skills in field and lab methods, project management, statistical analysis, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and the use of remotely sensed data, report writing, problem solving and presenting
- follow in the footsteps of our graduates who have secured positions in the water and environmental sectors including Jacobs, Halcrow Group, JBA Consulting, River Trusts, Thames Water, Environment Agency, Parish Geomorphic and ESIS Inc.

Why study at QMUL Geography?

- Professional and friendly environment: We are recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Our work is at the forefront of human geography, shaping debates and providing significant new insight and understanding. We are also known for our friendly, collegial and welcoming ethos and are home to many of contemporary human geography's best known scholars.
- Research excellence: Almost 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) placing us 5th in the UK for this measure. Our research scores increased across all areas in the latest UK score of research excellence (REF 2014) and we're ranked joint 11th for geography in the UK overall. We're also proud to feature in the top 100 departments in the world to study geography (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016)
- Employability: 94% of respondents from our postgraduates were in work or further study six month after graduation; 91% at graduate level (DLHE 2015).
- You will develop knowledge and understanding relevant to employment in organisations such as Environment Agency, Defra, Natural England, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, British Geological Survey and environmental consultancies.

Funding:

A bursary of up to £4,000 is available from the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators for this programme. Contact Dr Gemma Harvey at [email protected] to find out more.

Fieldwork

Students visit our researchers' site at the near-natural Tagliamento River in Italy as well as heavily-impacted rivers in London and the south east of England.

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MSc Earth and Environment

Are you interested in working on solutions for these and other environmental issues? The Wageningen University Master Earth & Environment was born from the necessity of helping the next generations of scientists find solutions for the issues confronting the way we look after our planet, now and in the future. Within the programme you can specialise in Hydrology and Water Resources, Meteorology and Air Quality, Biology and Chemistry of Soil and Water or Soil Geography and Earth Surface Dynamics.

Programme summary

Planet Earth is a complex, interactive and fascinating system. Protected by a thin layer of atmosphere, it provides all the essentials needed to sustain life and support living organisms. Natural processes and human needs often clash, leading to a wide range of environmental issues. Water scarcity and quality, soil degradation , food supply , loss of biodiversity, vulnerability to severe weather, and climate change are just a few examples of key issues that need to be addressed urgently.

As a Wageningen University geoscientist, you study Planet Earth and its ability to sustain life. Using tools from physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, you build a quantitative understanding of the composition, structures and processes of the Earth and its atmosphere; as well as its resources and the influence of human activity. Thus, you have an important role to play in improving natural resource management and in removing obstacles to sustainable development.

Your study of the Earth system largely focuses on gaining an understanding of the interdependent physical, chemical and biological processes, and developing models that describe these processes on relevant scales. You develop scenarios that describe expected local, regional and/or global changes and the time scale on which they will occur. The Wageningen MEE focuses on the Earth’s ‘Critical Zone’ -including the atmospheric boundary layer, where flows of energy and matter determine the conditions for sustaining life; hence its name: Earth and Environment.

Specialisations

• Hydrology and Water Resources
The focus of this specialisation is to study the effects of climate change and other influences on the water balance of catchments to support optimal land management when dealing with hydrological extremes.

• Meteorology and Air Quality
Would you like to contribute to further understanding of atmospheric processes and their relevance for weather and climate? In this specialisation you learn about physical-chemical processes, the composition of the atmosphere and the exchange between the atmosphere and earth's surface and meteorology.

• Biology and Chemistry of Soil and Water
This specialisation allows you to develop an in-depth understanding of chemical and biological processes and their interactions in soils and natural waters, and their role in the functioning of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in a world that faces increasing anthropogenic pressures. You learn how these insights can contribute to develop effective strategies for the preservation and restoration of soil and water quality, biodiversity, and the functioning of natural ecosystems and the services they provide.

• Soil Geography and Earth Surface Dynamics
This specialisation allows you to explore the spatial and temporal processes that are active in soils, landscapes and the wider earth system. It uses an integrative approach that combines biophysical and human elements to gain insight in past, present and future system dynamics.

The combination of specific discipline training and the Earth System approach prepares you for working on the scientific and societal questions of the future. You can also choose from a selection of elective courses, and we also offer a special variant in preparation for a PhD.

Your future career

The MSc Earth and Environment programme offers our graduate scientists excellent opportunities to develop their career in research or as a science professional at universities, research institutes and consultancies. Our graduates can be found all over the world, working as meteorologists, hydrologists, water quality scientists or soil scientists, to name but a few disciplines.

Are you interested in working on solutions for these and other environmental issues? The master programme was born from the necessity of helping the next generations of scientists find solutions for the issues confronting the way we look after our planet, now and in the future.

Alumnus Nick Gorski.
NIck Gorski came from Canada to Wageningen because of the excellent reputation the Netherlands has in the field of water. He conducted two thesis research projects during his time here. The first dealt with the fluxes of sediment-bound contaminants in a river basin in southwestern Turkey. The second involved the development of a new modelling methodology for heterogeneous flow and solute transport in unsaturated soils. “I had the opportunity to take classes, do field work and research in other countries. It was an excellent way to put theory into practice.” After graduating Nick went on to work for the KWR Watercycle Research Institute in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.

Related programmes:
MSc Biology
MSc Climate Studies
MSc Environmental Sciences
MSc International Land and Water Management
MSc Plant Sciences.

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River systems are under ever increasing pressure through the growing demands of water abstraction and hydroelectric power generation, and suffer recurrent disturbance through diffuse and point source pollutants, drought, flooding and channel modification.

The environmental management of rivers is required to mitigate the effects of these pressures. This requires a holistic understanding of how river systems are structured and function, and of how these systems have been altered by anthropogenic activities. To this end, the course will examine the interactions between climate, hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, biogeochemical cycling, water and habitat quality and biodiversity.

An important aspect of the training will be an understanding of how these interactions act at different spatial and temporal scales to influence the structure and function of ecosystems in running waters. This scientific and technical corpus will allow you to understand and quantify the consequences of natural and anthropogenic disturbance on river systems.

Using a combination of lectures, fieldwork, tutorials, laboratory classes, group projects and an individual research-based thesis, you will be provided with the necessary training and skills for a career in the successful environmental management of rivers, including techniques on assessing their status and approaches to rehabilitate and restore the condition of these globally threatened environments.

You will also gain training in legislation that drives the environmental management of rivers worldwide. In particular the EU Water Framework Directive provided an exceptionally strong driver in that all European member states were required draw up river basin management plans to achieve 'good ecological status' by 2015. This is certain to create many career opportunities in the future.

This degree will provide direct postgraduate training for students interested in this career direction, as well as providing advanced-level training suitable for further PhD studies in water science.

We are fortunate at Birmingham in having a wide variety of staff within the Water Sciences Research Group with interests in rivers, particularly in the arena of hydroecology, and it is this expertise that will inform the teaching of the modules in River Environments and their Management.

This course will examine the interactions between climate, hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, biogeochemical cycling, water and habitat quality and biodiversity.

Using a combination of lectures, fieldwork, tutorials, laboratory classes, group projects and an individual research-based thesis, you will be provided with the necessary training and skills for a career in the successful environmental management of rivers.

About the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences has a renowned history for international excellence in research and teaching.
Our postgraduate programmes are shaped by research that addresses global grand challenges across the fields of geography, planning, earth sciences, environmental science, occupational health and safety, and environmental and public health. With policy- and practice-focused teaching, all our programmes have high employability outcomes.
We offer excellent facilities for postgraduate study including extensive map and archive facilities, earth imaging laboratory, stable-isotope laboratory (SILLA), environmental library, fully digital drawing office, and state-of-the-art laboratories for environmental chemistry, sedimentology, ecology, groundwater and palaeobiology. Our diverse range of programmes will provide you with a thorough understanding of the discipline, high-quality training and skills development, and access to our expert staff and extensive facilities.
Our graduates go on to forge careers in areas that matter – from environmental consultancies and the hydrocarbon industries, to urban planning, policy roles in NGOs and government regulatory services – and make a real contribution to global challenges. Many graduates also go on to study for PhDs.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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Why take this course?

The UK has a significant legacy of contaminants as a consequence of a long history of industrial activity. These pollutants can pose a major risk to human health and the environment.

This course is designed to provide you with the particular expertise required for dealing with contaminated sites. Such expertise is essential to ensuring we maintain habitable, safe and sustainable communities.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Use our state-of-the-art geological and geotechnic labs for practical work
Get hands-on experience of using instruments such as GPS, Total Stations and 3D laser scanners
Be taught by recognised experts with extensive knowledge in groundwater hydrology, environmental geology and contaminated land

What opportunities might it lead to?

We will give you the knowledge and practical skills to ensure an interesting and rewarding career in the specialist area of contaminated land consultancy, regulation and remediation, both in the UK and overseas.

Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:

Environmental organisations
Geotechnical consultancies
Mining companies
Local authorities
Government agencies

Module Details

You can opt to take this course in full-time or part-time mode. The course is divided into three parts. The first two comprise the taught units of the course covering the key conceptual, institutional and applied bases of the subject. The third focuses on your dissertation.

This course covers a mixture of topics including: groundwater hydrology, geochemistry, site investigation, geotechnics and contaminated land assessment.

Here are the units you will study:

Soil Mechanics: This unit is fundamental to understanding how contaminants behave and migrate in the ground. You will gain an advanced understanding of the geo-mechanical behaviour of soils, including the description and testing of soils to UK and international standards.

Desk Studies and Ground Models: These are an integral part of any contaminated land assessment. You will have training in the development of geological ground models and geomorphological terrain models through desk studies, walk-over surveys and site investigation.

Ground Investigation Techniques: You will gain advanced knowledge of ground investigation using invasive techniques, in-situ tests and geophysical methods.

Contaminated Land Risk Assessments: You will learn key techniques for site assessment, analytical testing and risk assessment.

Field Reconnaissance and Walk-Over Survey: This unit covers techniques which are integral to the course and an essential skill for any graduate wishing to work in this area. You will have fieldwork training in techniques such as walk-over surveys combined with interpretation of remote sensing and aerial photography imagery.

Spatial Analysis and Remote Sensing: You will learn integration and analysis of spatial datasets using GIS and interpretation of aerial photography and satellite imagery - key tools for terrain evaluation.

Independent Research Project: This provides an opportunity for you to undertake an original piece of research to academic or industrial standards, typically in collaboration with research staff in the department or external industry partners. In addition to submission of a thesis report, you also present the results of your project at the annual postgraduate conference held at the end of September.

Programme Assessment

The course provides a balanced structure of lectures, workshops and practical laboratory work. You will generally be taught in small classes, providing an informal, friendly and supportive atmosphere for your studies.

Assessment is varied, aimed at developing skills relevant to a range of working environments. Here’s how we assess your work:

Poster and oral presentations
Project reports
Essays
Laboratory reports

Student Destinations

Contaminated land is listed as one of the key areas in which the UK has a skills shortage. This fact, combined with the vocational nature of this course, means that you will be in high demand from employers looking for newly qualified contaminated land specialists. You will find the majority of such roles in the environmental consultancy sector.

This course will provide you with a variety of transferable skills such as project planning, literature and data reviewing, report writing, along with the more general skills of presentation, communication and so on. It also has strong research and analytical components, ideal if you wish to pursue further research to PhD level.

We aim to provide you with as much support as possible in finding employment through close industrial contacts, careers events, recruitment fairs and individual advice.

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The University of British Columbia Geological Engineering programme is a postgraduate course awarding a research-based Master of Applied Science or a taught Master of Engineering.

Students complete training and research projects according to their qualification pathway.

Program Overview

The Geological Engineering Program is intended for students interested in the application of earth sciences principles to engineering problems. While most geological engineering degree programs are based in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, students may also base their studies in allied Applied Science departments such as Civil or Mining Engineering. The program is highly interdisciplinary and draws upon courses, laboratories, and faculty members from the departments of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Civil Engineering, Mining Engineering, Forestry, Geography, and others. Graduate students are often co-supervised by faculty members from different departments.

Geological engineering faculty members in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences have research interests in the following general areas:

- landslides, debris flows, engineering geology, slope stability

- groundwater hydrology, groundwater contamination and remediation, reactive transport modeling, environmental geochemistry

- rock engineering, rock slopes, and tunneling

Other research areas include geotechnical engineering, environmental geology, engineering geology, economic geology, and applied geophysics. The specific fields of study may involve geomorphology and terrain analysis, groundwater hydrology, natural hazards, slope stability, petroleum and coal geology, coalbed methane, mineral prospecting and valuation, and other similar subjects. Students are encouraged to consult individual faculty members for information about current research areas.

Admission to graduate studies in geological engineering is open only to students with an undergraduate degree in engineering or, at the discretion of the program director, to students with sufficient engineering work experience.

Quick Facts

- Degree: Master of Applied Science (research-based), Master of Engineering (course-based, 1 year)

- Specialization: Geological Engineering

- Subject: Engineering

- Mode of delivery: On campus

- Faculty: Faculty of Science

Funding

The following postgraduate funding may be available to study Geological Engineering at the University of British Columbia.

Canadian postgraduate funding

• Our guide to Masters funding in Canada explains options for Canadian and international students.

Funding from FindAMasters:

• FindAMasters Scholarships – Offering up to £5,000 to new UK, EU and international postgraduates. 

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This practical, industry-focused course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you will need to improve water quality and supply in Australian and international communities.

Access to safe water is critical for economic growth, agriculture and food production, sustainable development and poverty reduction. However, many communities and governments now struggle to supply safe water and effectively manage their water resources.

If you are a recent graduate looking to launch your water quality career, or you are a practising water scientist or engineer, this course can position you as an expert in water chemistry. It is especially relevant to those who have studied chemistry, hydrology, water-related engineering courses, agriculture, environmental science or other related fields.

There is a growing need for water scientists who understand the chemistry of water. In this course, you can build advanced chemistry skills and specialised knowledge in water biology, microbiology, ecotoxicology, engineering, hydrogeology and environmental geoscience. Your studies will focus on water treatment, sanitation, water recycling and the sustainable supply of safe drinking water.

Career opportunities

If you are a recent graduate looking to enter a career in water quality, or a practising water scientist or engineer, this course can help you to develop your career as a specialist in water chemistry. It is especially relevant if you have studied chemistry, hydrology, water-related engineering courses, agriculture, environmental science or other related fields.

Graduates of this course may be employed in a wide range of industrial, commercial and government organisations involved in sourcing, treating and distributing water.

List of potential careers:

Chemist
Chemical engineer
Environmental scientist
Hydrologist
Water chemist
Water engineer
Water scientist.
Credit for previous study
Students entering with an honours degree or postgraduate diploma may receive credits for recognised learning.

Learn about Credit for Recognised Learning (CRL).
How this course will make you industry ready
This practical, industry-focused course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you will need to improve water quality and supply in Australian and international communities.

You will have access to high-tech science labs, modern equipment and collaborative learning spaces across the campus and within the purpose-built Resources and Chemistry Precinct.

You will also benefit from Curtin’s high reputation in water quality research, which has led to led to millions of dollars in funding, local and global research alliances and the recruitment of high calibre industry experts.

2016 Curtin International Scholarships: Merit Scholarship

Curtin University is an inspiring, vibrant, international organisation, committed to making tomorrow better. It is a beacon for innovation, driving advances in technology through high-impact research and offering more than 100 practical, industry-aligned courses connecting to workplaces of tomorrow.

Ranked in the top two per cent of universities worldwide in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2015, the University is also ranked 25th in the world for universities under the age of 50 in the QS World University Rankings 2015 Curtin also received an overall five-star excellence rating in the QS stars rating.

Curtin University strives to give high achieving international students the opportunity to gain an internationally recognised education through offering the Merit Scholarship. The Merit Scholarship will give you up to 25 per cent of your first year tuition fees and if you enrol in an ELB program at Curtin English before studying at Curtin, you will also receive a 10 per cent discount on your Curtin English fees.

For full details and terms and conditions of this scholarship, please visit: curtin.edu/int-scholarships and click on Merit.

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This scheme combines modules in hydrology, water quality and ecology with a research project tailored towards developing skills relevant to a career in the UK or international water sector. You will be taught by world experts in the field, including staff from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (within LEC) and industry leader JBA Consulting. Your specialised project (including placements) benefits from our strong research links with organisations such as Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, United Utilities, JBA Consulting, Environment Agency, Defra and Government Research Councils.

Core modules

Lake Ecology
Groundwater Resources and Protection
Integrated Systems for Sustainable Surface Water Management
Catchment Protection (field course)
Modelling Environmental Processes
Forecasting and Extreme Event Response
Environmental Management
Dissertation Project

Optional modules

Contaminated Land and Remediation
Perspectives on Environment and Development
Data assimilation and integration
Geoinformatics
Behaviour of Pollutants in the Environment
Environmental Sampling and Analysis for Trace Organics
Pollution Microbiology
Environmental Auditing

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.

Open Days

Our upcoming Open Days will take place on:
Saturday 8th April 2017
Saturday 15th July 2017
You can find out more and register at: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/graduate-school/masters/open-days/

We also have a Virtual Open Day on Friday 17th March. For further information and to register please go to: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/graduate-school/masters/open-days/

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This Environmental Water Management postgraduate course provides students with essential skills and knowledge required to solve complex problems involving vulnerable wildlife and their habitats, water supply, irrigated agriculture, industry, recreation and the natural environment. It addresses issues related to water resources, hydrology, flooding and water quality management, habitat creation and management, and the economic policy and legal environment in which water manager's work. The course is suitable for graduates wishing to develop the expertise needed to solve environmental water management problems through integrated understanding of the major issues and the factors affecting them, at different scales.

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Water and Environmental Management aims to provide students with a multi-disciplinary understanding of water resources and environmental issues through the development of knowledge and skills necessary for the planning and management of these resources to meet the needs of society and the environment within the context of climate change.

About the programme

On-campus (full-time/part-time) students study eight courses from a range of optional courses. Independent Distance Learning (IDL) students can also choose courses from a range of options in both Semester 1 and 2.

The programme is delivered by experts in the field of water and environmental management, covering a wide range of relevant disciplines.

Topics covered:
=============
• Environmental Hydrology and Water Resources
• Computational Simulation of River Flows
• Water Supply and Drainage for Buildings
• Water Conservation
• Environmental Geotechnics
• Urban Drainage and Water Supply
• Water and Wastewater Treatment
• Marine Waste Water Disposal
• Environmental Statistics
• Innovative Technologies and Global Water Challenges
• Environmental Planning (on-campus only);
• Flood Inundation Modelling (on-campus only);
• Irrigation Water Management.

Career opportunities

Training is provided in water resources engineering, environmental engineering, flood risk management, integrated water resources management, environmental implications of water engineering schemes, and industrial software packages. On completion, graduates will be able to offer employers a broad range of skills and advanced knowledge in a number of important areas of water engineering.

Primary employment destinations include:
- Leading UK and international consultants (e.g. Jacobs, HR Wallingford, JBA, Halcrow, Hyder Consulting and Fairhursts)
- Local and National Government (in the UK and elsewhere)
- Environmental regulators (e.g. SEPA & EA)
- Academic institutions (including PhD study and research associate posts)
- Non-Governmental Organisations

Professional recognition

This MSc 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. See http://www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

Part-time and Distance Learning study options

This programme can be studied full-time, part-time or via Independent Distance Learning (IDL), ideal for those in employment or with other commitments, providing flexible study options that fit around work or family. As an IDL student you will not be required to attend any lectures, tutorials or other events at any of Heriot-Watt University’s campuses.

Industry Links

Where possible MSc dissertation projects are set up in collaboration with industry, the aim being to encourage contact between the student and industry, and to underpin the industrial relevance of the projects.

This programme is supported by the Civil Engineering Industry Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from major multi-national employers AECOM, ARUP, Balfour Beatty, Halcrow, Jacobsand WSP Group. This committee convenes regularly and advises on the programme content and structure, ensuring quality, up-to-date content and relevance to industry needs.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, or your first degree was not taught in English, we’ll need to see evidence of your English language ability. The minimum requirement for English language is IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

We offer a range of English language courses: http://www.hw.ac.uk/study/english.htm

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This master's programme focuses on the analysis of dynamic environments: past. present, and future. Concerns over human impacts on the environment have stimulated demand from governments and industry for the monitoring, analysis and modelling of natural processes in environmental systems. This is essential if we are to improve understanding of the interrelation of environmental variables in order to predict and manage their responses to anthropogenic perturbations.

You will gain:
-Advanced theoretical knowledge and practical expertise in order to collect, interpret and analyse contemporary and past environmental data.
-Modelling skills, in order to investigate the interrelationships between environmental variables, and to predict their responses to changing internal and external conditions.
-Intellectual and practical skills, in order to design and undertake field and/or laboratory experiments in contemporary environmental process-monitoring, or palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, and to design and test appropriate environmental models with the data you collect.

These skills are highly relevant if you wish to pursue a career in environmental management, or consultancy, and provide a firm grounding for research in the environmental sciences. Dr Jason Dortch directs the course, with input from other physical geographers working on a wide variety of aspects of environmental change. Current research includes:
-Measurements and predictions of climate change
-Glaciers and ice sheets (past and present)
-Biogeography
-Palaeoecology
-Environmental pollution
-Upland geomorphology (low relief, e.g. British uplands, and high relief, e.g. Himalayas)
-Remote sensing for environmental management
-Moorland erosion control
-Hydrology
-Water resource management
-Fire management
-Tectonic geomorphology

We also use the proximity of Manchester to the upland areas of the Peak District; several past MSc students completed dissertation work in close collaboration with various organisations responsible for land management in the Peak District, giving their work direct policy relevance.

Aims

Teaching focuses on training in theory, concepts and research skills in the first semester, and practical applications and research experience in the second semester.

We teach course units in small-group interactive styles with a mix of lectures, tutorials, seminars, practicals and presentations. A range of physical geographers provide training in their specialised fields, covering both content and practical research methods.
In a typical week, expect to spend some time in the library, preparing for seminars; in the laboratory, completing practicals; in the dedicated postgraduate computer laboratory, or writing reports; and in the classroom.

The second semester in particular gives you increased opportunities to go out into the field, both for practicals and to gain research experience by doing field research with members of staff. We maintain an intensively monitored catchment on the moors near the Snake Pass in the Peak District and this is the focus of several practical exercises, as well as a source of data to support dissertation work.

Field and laboratory research are essential to your learning process in environmental monitoring, and these form integrated parts of both the taught units and dissertation work.

Career opportunities

In the second semester, various speakers from environmental employers visit the department to give a flavour of their work and advice on employment.

The MSc in Environmental Monitoring, Modelling and Reconstruction has an excellent track record in providing a springboard for students to go on to careers in environmental industries, consultancies and government agencies, or to further research for higher degrees.

Recent graduates have found employment in agencies like the UK Atomic Energy Authority, The Environment Agency, Natural England and a range of environmental consultancies. Others have moved on to undertake full-time research for a PhD.

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River basins are of fundamental importance to the world’s population. Research training in water dynamics and management are demanded by both industry and academia. The University has a world-class reputation for water-related research and GIS development in an environmental context. This programme builds on that success.

Core components are river basin hydrology and basic environmental GIS. Students choosing a River Basins (RB) pathway gain advanced knowledge and skills in channel hydraulics and sediment transport, river ecology and environmental assessment. Students on a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) pathway gain advanced knowledge and skills in GIS for environment, GIS programming and digital image analysis and remote sensing.

This highly practical course advocates learning by doing and is assessed 100% by coursework. We host guest lecturers from business, industry and academia, visit work places and conduct a series of field-, laboratory- and PC-based practicals. You also have the chance to take a work placement module.

More information

The programme offers a detailed understanding of the principles of water resource management and an appreciation of the institutional and legal frameworks impacting on river basin management. You learn to formulate important research questions and design methodological approaches to answer them; and to develop quantitative analyses skills.

This programme is available part time, allowing you to combine study with other commitments. You can work to fund your studies, or gain a new qualification without giving up an existing job. We aim to be flexible in helping you to put together a part-time course structure that meets your academic goals while recognising the constraints on your study time.

The programme manager is Dr Paul Kay.

You can also study this subject at Postgraduate Diploma level.

We offer some of the modules on this programme as standalone Continuing Professional Development modules.

Accreditation

Our River Basin Dynamics and Management with GIS programme is accredited by Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM).

Course content

This programme delivers advanced pure and applied education and training in key modern and developing fields of catchment dynamics and management and GIS. This is achieved across the modules of study by developing research methods (15% time), communication and interpersonal skills (10%), independent working (10%), instruction in advanced techniques (10%), specialist disciplinary knowledge (15%), quantitative skills training (15%), field skills training (10%) and vocational/employability/research career awareness and training (15%). As such the programme emphasis is on practical work, is assessed by 100% coursework (no exams) and permits considerable interaction of students with industry and business.

If you study this programme part-time you will study fewer modules in each year.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• Professional Development 15 credits
• Dissertation 60 credits
• Issues and Skills for River Basin Dynamics and Management 30 credits

For more information on typical modules, read River Basin Dynamics and Management with Geographical Information Systems MSc Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read River Basin Dynamics and Management with Geographical Information Systems MSc Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

Teaching is mostly delivered through practical work, but also includes lectures, tutorials, fieldwork and seminars.

Assessment

Assessment is entirely by coursework, not examinations. You’ll need to show you can conduct independent in-depth enquiry and evaluate and criticise received opinion. You’ll apply breadth and/or depth of knowledge to a complex specialist area and will complete an independent masters-level dissertation.

Career opportunities

This programme offers a range of transferable, marketable skills required to obtain employment in river basin processes and management or to pursue a career in research and education.

Typical roles undertaken by our recent graduates are:

• Assistant Analyst
• Flood warning Engineer
• Graduate Engineer
• Graduate Water Scientist/Catchment Scientist
• Hydrologist/Hydrogeologist
• Licensing Officer
• Planning Liaison Officer
• PhD study
• Projects Co-ordinator
• Water Resource Manager.

Some of the organisations our graduates work for are:

• Arup
• Ballinderry Fish
• Black and Veatch
• Carlbro
• Consultant Engineers
• Dales Water Services Ltd
• Environment Agency
• Farrer Consulting
• Hatchery Ltd
• JBA Consulting
• Scott Wilson
• Yorkshire Water.

Careers support

The School of Geography has a very strong commitment to enhancing student employability. Read more about our employability support.

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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This is a vocational programme relevant to graduates with good Honours degrees in appropriate subjects (for example, Geosciences, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biosciences, and Environmental Sciences). It is important to have a good knowledge of mathematics.
The lecture component of the programme encompasses the full range of hydrogeology. Modules cover drilling, well design, aquifer test analysis, laboratory test analysis, groundwater flow, hydrogeophysics, inorganic chemistry of groundwaters, organic contamination of groundwater, contaminated land and remediation, groundwater modelling, contaminant transport, hydrology, and groundwater resources assessment.

These lecture modules are supported by practical field sessions, and by computing and hydrogeological modelling based on industry standard software. Integration of concepts developed in the taught programmes is facilitated through student-centred investigations of current issues linked to a diverse range of hydrogeological environments.

Examinations are held in January and April. From May onwards, you undertake a project, a report on which is submitted in September.

Projects may be field-, laboratory-, or modelling- based, and are usually of an applied nature, although a few are research-orientated. Our chemical (inorganic and organic), rock testing, computing, geophysical and borehole-logging equipment is available for you to use during this period.

Career openings include those with consulting engineering and environmental firms, government scientific services and regional water companies, both in this country and abroad. Demand for hydrogeologists is substantial and students from the course are highly regarded by employers.

About the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences has a renowned history for international excellence in research and teaching.
Our postgraduate programmes are shaped by research that addresses global grand challenges across the fields of geography, planning, earth sciences, environmental science, occupational health and safety, and environmental and public health. With policy- and practice-focused teaching, all our programmes have high employability outcomes.
We offer excellent facilities for postgraduate study including extensive map and archive facilities, earth imaging laboratory, stable-isotope laboratory (SILLA), environmental library, fully digital drawing office, and state-of-the-art laboratories for environmental chemistry, sedimentology, ecology, groundwater and palaeobiology. Our diverse range of programmes will provide you with a thorough understanding of the discipline, high-quality training and skills development, and access to our expert staff and extensive facilities.
Our graduates go on to forge careers in areas that matter – from environmental consultancies and the hydrocarbon industries, to urban planning, policy roles in NGOs and government regulatory services – and make a real contribution to global challenges. Many graduates also go on to study for PhDs.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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