Environmental Management (Energy) MSc

Kingston University

This final module provides students with the opportunity to design and execute an original research ‘capstone' project related to their own discipline specific interests, which synthesises their learning. They will develop a theoretically informed body of work that integrates both theory and practice. It may take the form of a dissertation, practice project, or experiment-based project. Following submission students present their findings at a Masters Students Conference.

The module will explore the environmental, economic, and social implications of our decisions and attempts to find sustainable solutions to environmental problems. Focusing on the 21st-century environmental and climate change challenges, you will learn, and explore the following aspects of Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM).

This is the key module for the Energy pathway in the MSc Environmental Management. Against the background of international commitments on atmospheric emissions, diminishing fossil fuel resources and the liberalisation of energy markets, this module examines sustainable options for energy production, supply, and consumption. Specifically, the module will equip the students with a set of skills and abilities to identify classify and critically describe energy sources, and energy usage using analytical methods.

Participatory approaches have become increasingly widespread in recent years, and they recognise the publics and other stakeholders' right to be involved in environmental decision making, but also expects them to take on a variety of responsibilities.

Environmental management decision-making should be evidence-based. Problems are often multifaceted and ‘wicked' in that they require the collection, synthesis, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data on physical phenomena, human attitude and behaviour, and the regulatory and policy framework. This module is concerned with the practical aspects of data collection, analysis, and visualisation of qualitative and quantitative information and analytical results within an environmental management context.

The module examines global water resource challenges, the relationship between water, energy and land, and sustainable management solutions. Students will develop a critical evaluation of these challenges at a variety of scales through the systematic investigation of the component challenges, the interface between the components and their relationship to sustainable development, including resource assessment and resource use; water scarcity and security and water management decision-making.

This module is concerned with the theoretical, practical, and ethical aspects of good academic, research and professional practice. The module begins by developing students' knowledge and skills of academic practice: finding, assessing, and collating information; academic writing, citation and referencing; and academic integrity.