Course overview

This Master's degree is a unique opportunity for you to develop your knowledge, skills and professional competencies in the field of environmental and resource management.

Reflecting the needs of contemporary environmental and resource management, our course has a multidisciplinary focus, drawing on the considerable research and consultancy experience of staff from across the University (most notably the Business School and Faculty of Science). This course offers a blended active learning experience that advances applied cognitive and professional skills alongside knowledge acquisition, meaning that you will develop a range of knowledge, skills and professional competencies.

The course also allows you to study in depth an environmental or resource management issue or concern of your own choosing. The area of specialisation can either be work-place related or of personal interest, with commercial, governmental, NGO, academic, local, national or international topics among those potentially relevant.

Applications are welcome from graduates in environmental and natural sciences, social sciences, business or humanities disciplines and also from post-experience entrants with prior work experience in a relevant area, who wish to gain additional skills suitable for senior management positions or for continual professional development purposes.

For further information, please contact our Admissions Team (details above). We also hold regular postgraduate and part-time open evenings at which you can see our facilities, enjoy a guest lecture and meet the academics and current students over drinks and canapés. Applicants will be interested to know that each year Portsmouth Business School offers a number of scholarships for self-funding students.

Course content

Full-time programme

Those studying full time will undertake two campus-based taught units of study during the first teaching block (September–December):

Environment and Resource Assessment (30 credits) covering:

• ecological and environmental assessment and monitoring
• spatial and environmental modelling (incl. GIS)
• social and environmental data analysis
• stakeholder analysis
• environmental impact assessment
• resource and environmental economics
• hazard and risk analysis
• regulatory and policy context analysis
• business analysis
• research methods

 Environment and Resource Management (30 credits) covering:

• project design and management
• environmental governance and sustainability
• green business strategies
• hazard and risk management
• change management
• environmental management and audit systems
• resource and environmental management
• resource and energy planning and management
• integrated resource management
• professional practice
• consultancy, contract development and management

During the second teaching block (January–March) you will undertake two supported themed independent study units:

• Environment and Resource Assessment Applications (30 credits)
• Environment and Resource Management Applications (30 credits)

During these units you will apply the knowledge and skills already gained to your own environmental or natural resource question or issue. This independent study is supported via tutorials, workshops and interactive technologies, and is guided by the annotated reading and log-book produced during the taught units.

The dissertation/independent study project (60 credits) is completed from May to September, extending some dimension of the study undertaken in the second teaching block and supported by a programme of tutorials with a designated supervisor.

Part-time programme

In year one those studying part time will undertake one campus taught unit of study during teaching block  one – Environment and Resource Assessment (30 credits) –  and one supported themed independent study unit during teaching block two – Environment and Resource Assessment Applications (30 credits)

In your second year you will undertake the second campus taught unit of study during teaching block one – Environment and Resource Management (30 credits) –  and the related supported themed independent study unit during teaching block two – Environment and Resource Management Applications (30 credits).

The dissertation/ independent study project (60 credits) is completed during the period May to September of your second year.

Teaching and assessment

The modes of teaching and forms of assessment have been designed to be skills-based, with an active learning focus that promotes independent, thought provoking learning. Supported independent learning is offered alongside a programme of formal lectures, seminars and workshops, visiting speakers, group activities, computer and other laboratory-based sessions. You will also have the support of an individual tutor and a committed course team throughout. Professional, academic and research development skills form an integral part of all units studied.

Throughout the course assessment is developmental, formative and reflective. In teaching block one assessment includes:

• independently produced and maintained logbooks drawn from lectures, workshops and exercise materials
• annotated reading drawn from directed independent reading which is targeted at your chosen area of specialisation
• an independently produced work plan to direct the supported independent learning during teaching block two

In teaching block two assessment includes:

• formal examinations
• individual research reports
• a student conference presentation 
• assessment in respect of the independent research project/dissertation comprises an assessed research proposal along with the final project report.

Career prospects

The University has regular discussions with employers and professional bodies to help ensure that its courses are relevant to business and their recruitment needs.

The multidisciplinary transferable skills, knowledge and professional competencies you will acquire on this course will equip you for the real world challenges of subsequent employment and career advancement.

Typical career routes for graduates include strategic, tactical, operational, technical and advisory roles in a variety of organisations such as  government agencies, NGOs, local authorities, charities, commercial companies, environmental and resource management consultancies, as well as teaching and research organisations, both in the UK and internationally. This course also provides a solid foundation of knowledge and practical and cognitive skills for subsequent independent study at PhD level.

Typical careers could include:

• Environmental Impact Manager
• EIA (or topic specific) Assessor or Manager
• Environmental Performance or Compliance Manager
• Environmental Education Manager/Officer
• Environmental Assessor, Advisor, Auditor Planner or Policy Officer
• Energy and Environment Manager/Officer
• Sustainability Assessor, Advisor or Manager
• Environment (topic specific) Project Manager
• EMS Manager/ Leader
• Waste Management Officer
• Enforcement Officer
• National Parks or Conservation Officer
• Natural Resources (specific) Assessor, Advisor, Planner or Policy Officer, Manager/Project Manager
• Environmental or Resource Management Specialist or Consultant

Facilities and features

The University offers excellent facilities, with modern well-equipped teaching rooms and a well resourced library with extended hours (8am to midnight term-time) that has an extensive collection of books, journals and legal materials, many of which are available electronically and accessible from home, as well as from across the campus.

You will also have access to a dedicated Postgraduate Centre, specialist IT and science laboratories, computer drop-in and resource centres, wireless network access areas and interactive technologies and multimedia resources.

Specialist facilities you will also potentially have access to include:

• the Department of Geography and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences' specialist GIS/photogrammetry laboratories, plus a variety of primary data capture instruments, specialist scanners, GPS mapping, geotechnical and analytical facilities, as well as some of the latest image processing and digital photogrammetric facilities, all backed by full-time, highly qualified and experienced technical staff
• School of Biological Sciences' internationally-renowned marine station in nearby Langstone Harbour and the University’s Field Centre for Environmental Technology at Petersfield Sewage Works, which houses a variety of research and test facilities for microbiological work

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for MSc Sustainable Environmental Management are shown above, for more detailed information please contact:

Department: Portsmouth Business School
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 8200
Email: pbs.postgradadmissions@port.ac.uk