MSc Environmental Governance / Course details

MSc Environmental Governance tackles some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time, examining how governance and policy shape the way we produce, share and consume the world’s resources.

This course will equip you with the skills to critically apply cutting-edge sustainability and environmental theories across different scales and global contexts. With an interdisciplinary approach, you'll learn to understand and challenge the systems that influence our environment today.

You’ll benefit from working closely with leading researchers and internationally recognised experts in environmental governance, political ecology, Marxist political economy and urban sustainability (see the SERG Research Group ).

Alongside academic learning, you’ll engage with real-world practitioners and collaborate with external organisations on live policy challenges.

Whether you're looking to build a career in environmental regulation, policy and management, pursue further academic research, or deepen your professional expertise, this course provides a strong foundation for making a meaningful impact.

And where better to study Geography than Manchester? Once the world’s first industrial city, today it’s a thriving 21st-century hub surrounded by three National Parks.

The city, and its surroundings, provide a rich and diverse setting for hands-on fieldwork throughout your course.

• Learn from real-world practitioners and liaise with external organisations on live policy problems.
• Consider approaches to regulating human use of the non-human world, from market-based to non-market approaches.
• Tackle environmental resource questions using case studies from the 'first', 'second' and 'third' worlds.
• Study different social spheres of environmental governance - production, distribution and consumption.
• Benefit from a highly interdisciplinary course, exposing you to ideas and practices developed in a range of subject areas.

• Geography has been studied at Manchester for more than 125 years, and we're one of Europe's best-equipped universities for the subject.
• We’re home to world-class academics in Geography and other areas of the University contributing to the programme, including the Manchester Urban Insitute , and the Manchester Environmental Research Institute .
• Join the Manchester University Geographical Society (MUGS) a society run by Geography students for Geography students.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The role of SEED

• changes to the rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
• a risk assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University identifying unmanageable risk;
• changes that enhance the educational value and student experience of the activity;
• changes to the situation of a placement provider (for example, which cause them to be unable to accept students);
• the unavailability of appropriate insurance cover;
• the unavailability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs;
• where fieldwork and placements are a compulsory element of the Programme, they will be replaced with something academically similar;
• where a trip or placement is not a compulsory element of the Programme, it may not be replaced.

We will consult with affected students at the earliest possible opportunity and explore the options available to them.

The duty of students

Preparation, attendance and conduct

Attendance at preparatory classes is a compulsory pre-requisite of the fieldwork and placements to ensure safety and learning outcomes are met.

Students who do not attend the compulsory preparatory classes may be prevented from participating in the fieldwork or placement. It is the duty of students to discuss any attendance issues with the field course or placement convenor.

Students are representatives of the university during their fieldwork or placement. Behaviour deemed by the convenor to be unacceptable may result in students being sent home.

Where a student is unable to attend or complete the fieldwork or placement (e.g. due to mitigating circumstances), is prevented from attending due to absence from compulsory preparatory classes, or returned home due to poor conduct:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered (as appropriate) to ensure that the programme ILOs are met, and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Immigration, passport and visa requirements

It is the responsibility of the individual student to ensure they have:

• a valid passport to enter the destination country (including sufficient months prior to expiry);
• a valid visa (where required) and comply with its requirements.

The School cannot guarantee that visas required for fieldwork or a placement will be granted by the relevant authority. Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice.

Where a student is unable to attend fieldwork or a placement because they do not have the required visa or passport:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered to ensure that the programme ILOs are met and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Course units involve a range of formative and summative assessments, including individual and group work, oral presentations, essays, project work and reports.

Coursework is designed to allow you to pursue your particular areas of interest.

In the summer semester, you work independently to undertake dissertation work based on primary and/or secondary data, or else a more philosophical/theoretical dissertation.

We encourage you develop research in collaboration with members of the Society and Environment Research Group (SERG) and external organisations.

“The lecturers’ knowledge and passion for their subjects made every class engaging, while the mix of core and optional modules gave me the flexibility to explore my interests. Whatever your academic background, you will feel well-prepared for diverse career paths; this master’s has been a truly worthwhile experience!”

Rebecca Lewis , 2024/25 Environmental Governance Student, who joined from a legal background

We are one of Europe's best-equipped universities for geography, with numerous laboratories. These include the main teaching laboratory, microscopy laboratory, and sediments and project laboratories.

You can also learn professional skills such as coding and programming specialist, industry-standard software such as image processing, GIS, GPS and cartographic representation.

The University's Main Library is home to the University Map Collection, which comprises about 100,000 map sheets of every part of the world.

For more information visit our  Facilities webpage .