MSc Green Infrastructure

Year of entry: 2025

Overview

Degree awarded
Master of Science (MSc)
Duration
1 year
Entry requirements

We require a UK Honours degree with a First or Upper Second (2.1) classification or the overseas equivalent.

Degrees in Planning, Geography, Earth Sciences and Environmental Sciences are desirable, but not essential.

Full entry requirements

How to apply
Apply online
Sustainable Development Goals

Find out how this course aligns to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including learning which relates to:

  • Goal 1: No poverty

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MSc Y Y N N

Course overview

  • We're one of the top ten Geography departments in the UK (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021).
  • Work across a range of interrelated disciplines, including planning, hydrology, urban forestry, community engagement, development and infrastructure provision, environmental/ecological management, and local/national government.

Open days

The University holds regular open days , where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and courses. 

You will find out more about the School of Environment, Education and Development, our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2025, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £14,500
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £30,000
  • MSc (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £7,250
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £15,000

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and merit awards to outstanding applicants and international students, such as the Manchester Humanities International Excellence Scholarship .

For more information,visit our Funding opportunities pageor explore the University's postgraduate funding database .

Manchester Alumni Loyalty Discount is available to the graduates of the University of Manchester progressing to a postgraduate taughtmaster'scourse.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world's call to action on the most pressing challenges facing humanity. At The University of Manchester, we address the SDGs through our research and particularly in partnership with our students.

Led by our innovative research, our teaching ensures that all our graduates are empowered, inspired and equipped to address the key socio-political and environmental challenges facing the world.

To illustrate how our teaching will empower you as a change maker, we've highlighted the key SDGs that our courses address.

  • Goal 1: No poverty

    End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Environment, Education and Development
Contact name
School of Environment, Education and Development +44 (0) 161 275 2814
Telephone
+44 (0)161 275 2814
Email
Website
https://www.seed.manchester.ac.uk/geography/
School/Faculty
See: The School .

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

We require a UK Honours degree with a First or Upper Second (2.1) classification or the overseas equivalent.

Degrees in Planning, Geography, Earth Sciences and Environmental Sciences are desirable, but not essential.

English language

For the latest information on demonstrating your English proficiency for those whose first language is not English, please see our language requirements .

This programme accepts successful completion of the 6- and 10-week pre-sessional English Language course. We accept the following qualifications which must be valid on the start date of the Master's course.

Pre-sessional 6-week course requirement:

IELTS UKVI or Academic 6.0 Overall with 6.0 in Writing, no more than one sub-skill at 5.5 and no other subskill below 5.5

TOEFL iBT 80 Overall with 20 in Writing, 20 in Speaking and no other sub-skill below 18

Pearson PTE Academic UKVI or Academic 65 Overall with 65 in Writing, no more than one sub-skill at 59 and no other sub-skill below 59.

Pre-sessional 10-week course requirement:

IELTS UKVI or Academic 5.5 Overall with no sub-skill below 5.5

TOEFL iBT 72 Overall with 20 in Speaking and no other sub-skill below 18

Pearson PTE Academic UKVI or Academic 59 Overall with no sub-skill below 59

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the Master's course.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our country-specific information page for guidance on the academic qualifications which may be accepted from your country.

Application and selection

How to apply

Advice to applicants

Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

  • copies of English Language Certification, such as IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report. Applications without an English language qualification may initially be placed on a waiting list;
  • copies of official degree certificates and transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. If these documents are in languages other than English, please provide official translations;
  • your CV.

Ensure that you enclose all the necessary documents to avoid any delays.

How your application is considered

Applications for this course are very competitive. Due to the high demand for the programme we may not be able to offer places to all applicants who have the entry qualifications that we require. If we are unable to consider you for an offer you may be placed on a waiting list. Candidates on a waiting list will only be considered for an offer if places become available.     

Once your application has been received, our admissions team will contact you. We may ask you to submit additional information, if necessary.

Please note, the course may reach capacity before the official closing date of 31st of August, so all students are advised to apply as soon as possible. 

Deferrals

Deferrals are accepted.

Course details

Course description

MSc Green Infrastructure aligns expertise from geography with that from landscape and environmental planning.

The course is the first of its kind to bring together the theory, practice and evaluation of green infrastructure.

The MSc provides the foundations to understand why we need green infrastructure, alongside an understanding of how we transition from design to implementation.

It is taught by nationally and internationally recognised experts in green infrastructure who will deliver a course that trains graduates with the conceptual, practice-based, and evaluative skills needed to develop green infrastructure in real-world scenarios.

The course benefits from an integration of cutting-edge research by The University of Manchester researchers who are working at the forefront of investment, design and management of urban greening, sustainable drainage, health and well-being, economic prosperity, policymaking and nature-based solutions to urban problems.

Manchester, and the north west of England, also offers an excellent real-world 'laboratory' to test alternative approaches to green infrastructure.

You will engage with policy, practice and communities to gain an appreciation of the range of added benefits that green infrastructure can deliver and develop an understanding of the innovation solutions that it offers.

Working with, and being taught by, green infrastructure practitioners, also provides the course with a clear link between academic thinking and real-world application.

This course has normally included a field trip to explore state-of-the-art green infrastructure schemes and engage practitioners and policy makers.

Aims

  • Introduce the concept and principles of green infrastructure.
  • Develop a critical awareness of the values, benefits and functions of different types of green infrastructure.
  • Understand key policies relevant to formation and implementation of green infrastructure.
  • Understand the methods and approaches used to assess the performance of green infrastructure.
  • Gain practical experience in the monitoring and evaluation of green infrastructure.
  • Learn from real-world examples and practitioners of green infrastructure.
  • Benefit from a highly interdisciplinary and applied course.

Special features

Teaching and learning

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.

Coursework and assessment

You must accrue 180 course credits to achieve the required standard for recommendation to the degree of MSc.

The dissertation, based on an original research project of your own design, accounts for 60 credits.

The remaining 120 credits are based on five compulsory and three optional 15 credit course units.

All assessment for the compulsory course units is coursework-based, with no unseen written exams.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Dissertation Support GEOG60662 15 Mandatory
Green Infrastructure: Principles, Policies and Practice 2 - Field class GEOG64002 15 Mandatory
Green Infrastructure: Performance, Evaluation and Monitoring GEOG64011 15 Mandatory
MSc Green Infrastructure Dissertation GEOG74000 60 Mandatory
Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Cities PLAN60852 15 Mandatory
Green Infrastructure: Principles, Policies and Practice 1 PLAN64001 15 Mandatory
Environmental Remote Sensing GEOG60941 15 Optional
GIS and Environmental Applications GEOG60951 15 Optional
Environmental Monitoring and Modelling Practice GEOG70552 15 Optional
Applied Study Unit GEOG70560 15 Optional
Environmental Monitoring and Modelling Concepts GEOG70581 15 Optional
Spatial Risks and Responses in the Urban Environment GEOG70812 15 Optional
Issues in Environmental Policy GEOG70912 15 Optional
Key Debates in Environmental Governance GEOG70921 15 Optional
Climate Emergency, Technology and Society GEOG70931 15 Optional
Political Ecologies GEOG70952 15 Optional
Sustainable Urban Mobilities GEOG70971 15 Optional
Spatial Ecology GEOG71922 15 Optional
Climate Change and Development MGDI60552 15 Optional
Planning and Managing Development MGDI70992 15 Optional
Professional Placement PLAN60070 15 Optional
Design for Healthy Places PLAN60111 15 Optional
Environmental Impact Assessment PLAN60411 15 Optional
Concepts in Environmental Law PLAN60441 15 Optional
Planning for Environmental Change PLAN60771 15 Optional
Future Cities PLAN62011 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 26 course units

Facilities

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 .

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

CPD opportunities

The Planning and Environmental Management Placement course unit will be offered as an optional course unit.

You will also be engaging with practitioners to gain experience of Green Infrastructure practice, which may lead to CPD opportunities.

The course will also work with careers staff to provide advice/guidance and opportunities to engage with practice via open days and other career development programmes.

Careers

Career opportunities

Studying MSc Green Infrastructure provides opportunities to work across a range of interrelated disciplines.

These include planning, hydrology, urban forestry, community engagement, development and infrastructure provision, environmental/ecological management, and local/national government.

Graduates will be well placed to enter the job market due to the integration of planning, design, management and policy evaluation embedded within the course. In addition, the soft skills gained on the course include:

  • interpersonal communication; 
  • negotiation; 
  • problem-solving; 
  • field work; 
  • interaction with practitioners/communities; 
  • project management.

Careers support

The University has its own dedicated  Careers Service  that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.

At Manchester you will have access to a number of  opportunities to help boost your employability .

Associated organisations

The course draws upon working relationships with local/regional bodies working on Green Infrastructure, and those who have relationships with The University of Manchester. This will include potential engagement with:

  • City of Trees - Manchester;
  • Mersey Forest;
  • Manchester City Council;
  • Greater Manchester Combined Authority;
  • Environment Agency;
  • Natural England, TEP;
  • Arup;
  • NHS England;
  • Forestry Commission.