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Introduction

Location

Headington, Distance learning

Course Length

Start dates: January 2023 / September 2023
Full time: 12 months

Why choose this course?

Overview

All sorts of industries such as offshore wind, mineral extraction and construction depend on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). Although many are struggling to find people with the right technical knowledge.

The master’s at Oxford Brookes is a gateway to many potential careers consulting, project managing, developing regulations, or championing sustainability.

Your future is a top priority for us. We designed the course alongside industry partners to make sure you’re equipped with the skills they’re looking for. You’ll work on projects and submit reports. You’ll collaborate with students on other courses to get a feel for how their disciplines work. And you’ll have opportunities to network, and develop your confidence in reaching out to employers.

You also have the option to join us part time through distance learning. You can study alongside work or other commitments, joining our live-streamed classes or catching up on the recordings.

Course structure

To gain the full MSc, you’ll complete 4 core modules, the Research Methods module, and a dissertation. You can choose to finish with a PGCert or PGDip instead or take individual modules for professional development.

We designed the course by consulting with our industry partners to make sure the content is relevant to your future career. You’ll understand challenges in the industry, get to know best practice, and hear the latest developments directly from our researchers.

The content applies to EIA all over the world. Our students are from a diverse range of backgrounds and have diverse perspectives. It’s a rewarding environment to study in. You’ll come away with inspiring ideas to apply in your own career.

If you’re joining us through distance learning, we’ve made the course as flexible as possible. You can join face-to-face sessions and meet the students on campus. You can join live lectures and seminars through video call. Or you can catch up on the recordings if you have previous commitments. You’ll study 1 module each semester, with classes taking place 1 day each week.

Learning and teaching

We use an 'applied' approach to learning, sometimes called 'problem based learning' or PBL. You will work in groups and learn by actively puzzling through problems. These are adapted from complex real situations and case studies.
Full time students

Our teaching methods include:

 lectures
 seminars
 tutorials
 workshops.

Study time during the semester usually consists of:

 two x 2 hourly sessions per week for each of the two core modules
 a weekly 2 hour session for research methods (reducing to approximately two class sessions in the semester 2)
 independent learning and work on coursework assignments.

Open (distance) learning mode

Online learning material is provided via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Teaching methods include:

 webinars
 recorded lectures
 discussion forums
 Question and Answer sessions.

You will have the opportunity for face-to-face contact within the Intensive Study Periods.

Modules

Compulsory modules

Effective and Proportionate Environmental Impact Assessment (30 credits)

Notions of ‘effectiveness’ are central to the EIA / ESIA debate across both the research and practice communities, leading to calls for more proportionate assessment that better reflects the significance of development project impacts. This module explores the systematic process of EIA / ESIA and the conceptual foundations of effectiveness to promote understanding of the development planning and design cycles where EIA / ESIA has greatest potential to shape sustainable outcomes.

Collaborative Working and Knowledge Co-Creation (30 credits)

The importance of collaborative working and the challenges and skills-gap associated with communication and knowledge management have been widely recognised within the context of multidisciplinary EIA / ESIA. In this module you will develop the conceptual understanding and practical insights required to work collaboratively and effectively with diverse stakeholders to harness knowledge to promote informed decision-making.

Environmental and Social Risk Management: New Frontiers of Decision Making (30 credits)

This module examines new concepts in environmental and social risk management that are demonstrating evidence of traction in terms of research, policy development, and ‘state of the art’ practice. This includes approaches that seek to embed the full costs of development projects and on-going operations (e.g. the concept of ecosystem services, the natural capital approach, and the circular economy) and issues such as carbon management, climate resilience and ‘future-proofing’. The module critically examines the potential incorporation of these new concepts into the assessment and management processes associated with major development projects.

The Digital Transformation: Towards Intelligent Impact Assessment (30 credits)

This module develops the knowledge and skills required to critically engage with the call for more ‘intelligent’ EIA/ESIA i.e. the use of ICT to harness new opportunities for stakeholder interaction and engagement with development proposals, assessment information, and the ongoing management of impacts. The module emphasises geospatial information and spatial analysis (GIS) with reference to key stages of the EIA/ESIA process; technologies and strategies for engagement in the ‘Social Age’; and the use of technical opportunities for creative collaboration e.g. via Building Information Modelling (BIM). The module concludes by raising awareness of digital citizenship and cyber-ethics, the ‘seduction of digital’, and potential digital futures.

Applied Research Methods (10 credits)

This module examines the fundamentals of research design, highlighting the difference between qualitative and quantitative approaches and exploring how data can be gathered and analysed to produce valid insights. It also provides an overview of particular research techniques that are likely to be appropriate for use within the Dissertation.





Final project

Compulsory modules

Dissertation (50 credits)

The Dissertation follows on from Applied Research Methods and aims to generate new knowledge and also to develop your capacity to undertake rigorous research, to plan and execute an extended project, and to communicate complex ideas effectively.

Research

The School of the Built Environment has an impressive list of funders and clients covering UK and EU government, research funding councils and industry.

 the European Commission
 UK Government/Agencies
 local government
 the commercial sector.

Research areas and clusters

Infrastructure and energy continue to be a key focus as they are the essential components of a rapidly urbanising world.

Research groups:

 Smart Construction and Impact Assessment (SC&IA)
 Land Design and Development (LDD)
 Planning, Policy and Governance (PPG)

We have links with universities worldwide so there are exciting opportunities for collaborative research, exchanges and study overseas.

Entry Criteria

ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.

IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.

Entry requirements

Specific entry requirements

This course is open to applicants who hold a 2.1 undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent) in any subject.

We will actively consider applications from candidates with lower degrees, who can evidence relevant experience (or an alternative qualification) that demonstrates ability to study at postgraduate level.

Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:

 the Welsh Baccalaureate
 the Access to Higher Education Diploma
 a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
 the International Baccalaureate Diploma
 the European Baccalaureate Diploma
 Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
 a recognised foundation course
 T-levels*.
 * T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English you will require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all components.

OR

An equivalent English language qualification acceptable to the University.

If English is not your first language then you will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.

The entry requirement for your course will be expressed as an IELTS level and refers to the IELTS Academic version of this test. We are now also accepting the IELTS Indicator test, you can find out more about the test on the IELTS Indication site. The University however does accept a wide range of additional English language qualifications, which can be found below.

The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:

Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.


Assessment

ASSESSMENT METHODS

1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
You will be assessed solely by coursework. There are no examinations on the programme due to the problem-solving nature of our teaching methods.

You will develop and practice different skills based on the range of assessment methods which include:

 report writing
 verbal presentations
 essays
 journal entries
 quizzes
 collaborative group assignments.

Start this course in January

You have the option to start this course in January. You will study a range of modules between January and May. Between September and December you will complete your final modules and focus on your dissertation between January and May of the following year.


Career Opportunities


Whether you’re looking to move into a new career or you’re using the course as CPD to gain new knowledge, you’ll develop plenty of practical, career-enhancing skills at Oxford Brookes. Previous students are working in companies like WSP, Ramboll, AECOM, ERM, RPS Group, and Savills.

Your new EIA talents will be useful in a range of areas such as:

 environmental and management consultancy,
 local government,
 regulatory agencies,
 statutory consultees,
 environmental NGOs,
 major development companies,
 engineering firms.

Or you might use the course as a stepping stone to a strategic or executive-level role where a strong technical background would be a huge benefit. For example, recent graduates have gone into management roles.
As the course is accredited by Royal Town Planning Institute and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, you could also work towards a specialist career like environmental surveyor.

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Get in Touch

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CONTACT

+44 777 477 5759
+44 33 3303 4135

info@study4abetterfuture.uk
admissions@study4abetterfuture.uk

Hours

Monday - Friday:

09:00 am - 06:00 pm

Saturday - Sunday: Closed

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