Environmental Assessment and Management (PGDip)

Course Structure

1. Principles of Environmental Assessment and Management (20 credits) considers the context within which EAM is carried out: the principles of sustainability, international and national policy, approaches to valuing the environment, attitudes to conservation and the role of the public in environmental decision-making.
2. Procedures and Methods of EIA (double module, 40 credits) examines the processes and procedures in carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and provides a practical introduction to methods for assessing, predicting and mitigating a wide range of ecological and socio-economic impacts. The module emphasises fieldwork and case studies.
3. Research Methods (half module, 10 credits), which develops the skills needed to research environmental issues, including the formulation of research problems and methodology, data collection and analysis.
4. Dissertation (50 credits), which is an individual research study on a topic relevant to EAM chosen by the student.
5. Ecosystem Degradation and Management reviews the nature and extent of ecosystem degradation resulting from human activities, and considers possible methods for avoiding degradation and managing, conserving and restoring ecosystems.
6. Environmental Management Systems introduces environmental management, the systems and approaches which are being increasingly used in industry and commerce to meet the challenge of sustainable development and to monitor and improve environmental performance.
7. GIS and Environmental Modelling is concerned with the practical application of geographical information systems (GIS) and environmental models as tools to assist in environmental management and decision-making.
8. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) examines SEA principles and SEA\x92s status worldwide, links between SEA, environmental impact assessment and strategic decision making, a wide range of SEA tools and techniques, and their advantages and disadvantages in various settings.
9. Spatial Planning in Action presents an analysis of the structure, objectives and responsibilities underlying the practice of spatial planning from a UK perspective. It introduces the legal basis, administrative aspects and current issues in planning decision-making, including development plan-making, development control and the appeal process.