MSc Environmental Health

Abertay University

Increasingly many organisations have recognised that the environment is a management issue and not just a matter of legislative compliance. This module presents a series of practical management tools with which environmental issues can be managed, within both the public and private sector. This module enables those interested in the role of project management to examine the policy, legal & ethical framework in which projects operate and to develop the necessary skills to manage diverse teams in a sustainable manner. Indicative Content - Sustainable Development: You’ll explore what sustainable development really means, the different approaches to achieving it, and the frameworks used to assess and improve sustainability. You’ll also look at the policies, legal requirements, and ethical considerations that shape this field, comparing EU environmental legislation with other regions such as Asia, the USA, and Africa. - Management Systems: Learn about the key systems and tools used to manage environmental impact, including Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). You’ll also examine carbon management strategies and the role of carbon sequestration in reducing emissions. - The Future of Transportation: Discover how transport is evolving with shared, electric, and automated solutions. You’ll explore the growing shared mobility ecosystem, which includes services like carsharing, micro-transit, for-hire options, and shared micro-mobility, and consider what this means for sustainability. - Carbon Capture and Storage: Understand the science and practice of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO') before or after it enters the atmosphere. You’ll learn about different storage methods—gas, liquid, and solid—and their role in tackling climate change. - Project Leadership: Develop the skills to lead projects effectively, from making strong decisions and solving complex problems to building teams and leading people. You’ll learn what makes a great project leader and how to make a real difference in this role. - Health and Safety: Explore the responsibilities of employers and employees when it comes to health and safety. You’ll learn about risk assessments, method statements, and the ethical issues involved in managing health and safety in the workplace. - Project and On-Going Management: Gain insight into managing projects and maintaining efficiency over time. You’ll look at business efficiency projects such as PPC Permitting and ISO14001, giving you practical knowledge that’s highly valued in the industry.

In this module, you’ll explore how non-communicable diseases can be prevented and the challenges faced by today’s food systems. You’ll learn about the methods used in nutritional epidemiology—understanding both their strengths and limitations—and gain insight into how researchers design, carry out, and analyse studies that investigate diet and nutritional status. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of how evidence is built in this field and how it can be applied to real-world health challenges. Indicative Content - Nutritional and Physical Activity Assessment Methods: You’ll review the different methods used to assess nutrition and physical activity, exploring both their strengths and limitations. This will help you understand how researchers and practitioners measure lifestyle behaviours and apply these findings in real-world contexts. - Nutrition Epidemiology: You’ll learn about the key tools and approaches used in nutritional epidemiology, including study designs, biomarkers, and methods for linking diet to chronic diseases. You’ll also develop skills in measuring dietary exposure and outcomes, and apply biostatistics to interpret findings in this field. - Significance of the Evaluation of Nutrition and Physical Activity in Public Health: You’ll examine how evaluating nutrition and physical activity contributes to shaping public health agendas. This includes considering the risk factors for non-communicable diseases, with a particular focus on the role of diet and physical activity in preventing obesity. - Food System Challenges: You’ll explore how food connects to wider social, economic, and environmental issues. Topics include the environmental impact of food systems, food security, sustainability, reducing food waste, and promoting healthy and sustainable eating patterns. You’ll also consider the future of food and whether shared solutions can address multiple global challenges.

This module explores how food safety and hygiene are managed across the entire food supply chain. You’ll learn how industry systems and standards are applied to protect public health and ensure food quality, while also understanding the role of global regulations and environmental challenges. Indicative Content - Contamination of Foods and Its Prevention: You'll explore how food can become contaminated – whether physically, chemically, or microbiologically – and learn how to prevent it. You'll carry out risk analysis, identify hazards, and suggest suitable controls to keep food safe. - Safety Management: You'll assess existing HACCP plans and learn how to design and implement new ones. This includes building effective food safety management systems that meet industry standards. - Legislation and Other Requirements: You'll get to know key food safety laws and regulations, including the Food Safety Act 1990, EC and Scottish regulations, and the role of organisations like the FSA and European Food Safety Authority. You'll also explore industry standards such as BRC and ISO, and learn about the hygienic design of food premises.

This module introduces you to research methods and statistical analysis at postgraduate level. You’ll explore key theoretical, historical and statistical concepts in lectures, then put them into practice in hands-on lab sessions. Whether you’re working with numbers or exploring qualitative data, you’ll build the skills to carry out meaningful research and draw informed conclusions. Indicative Content - Introduction to Research: The nature and purpose of research; different types of research (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods) and their mapping within different philosophical paradigms (positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism). - Dealing with Practical Issues and Ethics: The research process; identifying a research topic and setting research objectives; developing a research strategy; characteristics of a good research project; ethical issues in conducting research. - Searching and Reviewing the Literature: The purposes and main steps of a literature review; searching, evaluating, organising and synthesising the relevant literature; and, writing a literature review and managing bibliographic records. In addition, developing research questions for qualitative and quantitative research. - Writing your Research Proposal: Identifying a research problem or issue, the research purpose and main research question(s); conceptualisation; choosing the research strategy and methods; writing a research proposal. - Data Collection and Analysis: Approaches to data collection and analysis; quantitative, qualitative research methods (including mixed-methods); triangulation; and general guidelines for empirical research. Key statistical analyses; commenting on and interpreting data. Qualitative analysis; Thematic Analysis. - Writing up, preparing and submitting the dissertation: The structure and content of an academic dissertation; ABM Dissertation format; the use of references, footnotes and quotations. In addition: discussing findings, formulating conclusions, making recommendations, and reporting; planning, executing, writing up, and submitting a dissertation.

This project module gives you the chance to turn ideas into reality by identifying and implementing innovative products and systems within organisations. You’ll reflect on the analytical, design, planning, and evaluation tools you’ve learned throughout the programme and apply them to a project that mirrors the real-world feasibility design stage of a Civil and Environmental Engineering project. You’ll also work independently and collaborate with industry advisors to bring specialist insight into your design process. Indicative Content - Innovation Practice: You’ll learn how to understand the construction market and use tools like PEST and SWOT analysis to shape business strategy. Explore business models that encourage innovation and discover what can be learned from past innovation failures. - Case Study Brief: Meet with industry practitioners and academic supervisors to review your case study brief and gather key information that will guide your project. - Development of Options: Work collaboratively to generate innovative solutions, supported by self-study and research to strengthen your ideas. - Option Appraisal: Assess and compare your options using an integrated decision-making framework that includes sustainability indicators, ensuring your solutions are practical and future-focused.

In this module, you’ll explore how environmental management works in the real world and how it connects to the global challenge of climate change. You’ll look at practical examples like waste and wastewater management, and learn how regulations, technical solutions, and environmental standards shape these systems. You’ll also dive into climate models, their implications, and the uncertainties they present – all within the context of managing and protecting the environment. Learning takes place through a mix of lectures, self-study, and hands-on practical sessions, giving you the chance to apply your knowledge and develop key skills for the future. Indicative Content - Climate Change and Climate Models: You'll explore how climate change is predicted and modelled, and what uncertainties come with those predictions. You'll look at scenario planning, greenhouse gas emissions, flood management, and sustainability models – and how waste and wastewater both affect and are affected by these systems. - Climate Change and International Agreements: You'll examine how global agreements based on climate scenarios shape environmental management today and in the future, and why these agreements matter. - Waste Management and Treatment: You'll learn about waste regulations, types and quantities of waste, and how it's collected, transported, and treated. You'll explore technologies like incineration, pyrolysis, gasification, anaerobic digestion, composting, and landfill systems – and how they support sustainability. - Contaminated Land Management and Remediation: You'll investigate how land contamination is assessed and managed, including hazard identification, risk assessment, and the techniques used to treat and remediate affected sites. - Wastewater Management and Treatment: You'll study how wastewater is regulated and treated, from characterising sewage to understanding treatment processes like sedimentation and biological methods. You'll also explore how different systems work for large, small, and decentralised populations, and how industrial effluents and treatment sludges are managed in line with environmental standards.

This module gives you the chance to carry out an in-depth investigation into a topic within your chosen specialism. You’ll work independently on a subject that interests you, applying theory to real-world practice in an industry context. This project will consolidate your learning and form the basis of a substantial dissertation, helping you develop advanced research and analytical skills. Indicative Content - Nature of Project (1): Your project can focus on any area related to technical and operational processes, management, economics, or the environmental and social impacts of engineering. - Nature of Project (2): You might choose to carry out an experimental investigation or complete a dissertation that involves surveying, collecting, and critically analysing information. - Nature of Project (3): Alternatively, your project could involve modelling or simulating data, or developing frameworks and systems designed to improve industry practice.