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We understand that prospective students and offer-holders may have concerns about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The University is following the advice from Universities UK, Public Health England and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Science (MSc)
- Duration
- 12 months (full-time); 24 months (part-time)
- Entry requirements
-
We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.
When assessing your academic record we take into account the grades you have achieved, your academic references and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
- How to apply
-
The deadline for applications is 31 August 2021. Later applications will be processed at our discretion.
Applications for this course are very competitive. Due to the high demand we may not be able to offer places to all applicants who have the entry qualifications that we require. If you meet our entry requirements but we are unable to make you an offer you may be placed on a waiting list. Candidates on a waiting list will receive an offer only if places become available.
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 15 Geography departments in the world (Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2020).
- Critically consider the whole spectrum of approaches to regulating human use of the non-human world, learning from real-world practitioners and liaising with external organisations on live policy problems.
- Explore the connections between environmental governance and policies, and the production, distribution and consumption of resources.
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.
On this day, you will find out more about the School of Environment, Education and Development and our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.
For more information, see Open days
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2021, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MSc (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £10,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £20,000 -
MSc (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £5,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £10,000
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for international students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit postgraduate fees
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
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.
In addition, the Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class Bachelor's degree within the last three years and are progressing to a postgraduate taught Master's course.
For more information, see Fees and funding or search the University's postgraduate funding database .
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Environment, Education and Development
- Contact name
- School of Environment, Education and Development +44 (0) 161 543 4028
- Geography.admissions@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.seed.manchester.ac.uk/
- 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 bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.
When assessing your academic record we take into account the grades you have achieved, your academic references and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
English language
Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:
- IELTS (Academic) test score of 6.5 or more overall, with a minimum writing score of 6.5 and no other subsection below 6.0
- TOEFL internet-based test score of 90 or more overall, with a minimum writing score of 22 and no other subsection below 20
- Pearson Test of English score of 59 or more overall, with a minimum writing score of 59 and no other subsection below 51
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) overall score of 176 or above, with 176 in writing and no sub-section below 169 -OR- Grade C if taken before January 2015(Please note that the Cambridge First Certificate in English is not acceptable)
You are not required to submit an English language certificate at the time of application, however if you are eligible for an offer it will be subject to meeting our English language requirements.
Pre-sessional courses
We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.
To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:
10 week pre-sessional course: Minimum 5.5 overall with minimum 5.5 in each subskill
6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : Minimum 6.0 overall with minimum 6.0 in writing, no more than one subskill of 5.5 and no subskill below 5.5
If you have no yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate
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 course.
Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries
If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country (or have studied for a full bachelor¿s degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.
Other international entry requirements
Professional entry qualification
Application and selection
How to apply
The deadline for applications is 31 August 2021. Later applications will be processed at our discretion.
Applications for this course are very competitive. Due to the high demand we may not be able to offer places to all applicants who have the entry qualifications that we require. If you meet our entry requirements but we are unable to make you an offer you may be placed on a waiting list. Candidates on a waiting list will receive an offer only if places become available.
Advice to applicants
- 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;
- two written academic references on official institution letterhead, signed, dated, stamped and containing the official university email address of your referees. Alternatively, your referees can send us the reference letters directly from their official university email address. If you have had a substantial period away from any formal learning, professional references may be considered. Professional references should be written on official company letterhead, signed, dated, stamped and containing the professional email address of your referees. Alternatively, your referees can send us the reference letters directly from their professional email address.
- a personal statement (maximum 500 words) detailing why you wish to study the course, your experiences, what you can bring to the course and any other information that you see as relevant to your application;
- your CV;
- copies of English Language Certification, eg IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report.
How your application is considered
Once your application has been received, our admissions team will contact you. We may ask you to submit additional information, if necessary.
If you decide to accept your offer, when you arrive in Manchester you will be required to show to us the original documents which demonstrate your academic qualifications and your English language ability.
Applications for MSc Environmental Governance 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.
Returning to education
Return-to-learn students are those who have had a substantial period away from any formal learning. Often such learners have pursued careers or raised a family.
We understand that students come from many different backgrounds, with varying qualifications, careers and skills, but they often bring to their studies a high degree of motivation and experience.
We recognise that standard selection measures and procedures may not enable these learners to demonstrate fully their suitability for their chosen course.
Where appropriate, admissions officers will seek and consider alternative evidence in order to give such learners equivalent consideration. Where they deem this alternative evidence meets entry criteria fully, the learner will not be required to meet the standard academic entry requirements.
Re-applications
If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.
In your new application, you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.
Course details
Course description
MSc Environmental Governance addresses some of the key environmental challenges of our time, exploring the connections between environmental governance and policies and the production, distribution and consumption of resources.
It will develop your ability to apply sophisticated, critical and interdisciplinary sustainability and environmental theories at multiple scales and in different geographical contexts.
As part of the course, you'll have the unique opportunity to collaborate and engage with cutting-edge researchers and world-leading experts on environmental governance, political ecology, Marxist political economy and urban sustainability. You will learn from real-world practitioners, and liaise with external organisations on live policy problems.
The course is ideal for pursuing a career in environmental regulation and management, those wishing to conduct further research on these topics, and environmental professionals wishing to deepen their knowledge.
Manchester is the ideal place to study Geography. The world's first industrial city, now a vibrant twenty-first century metropolis set between three National Parks, Manchester and its environment are an important resource for field teaching throughout your course.
Aims
- 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.
Special features
- 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 and the new Manchester Urban Institute (MUI).
- Benefit from worldwide fieldwork opportunities and strong industry links.
- 90% of our Geography research is rated as `world-leading' or `internationally excellent' in terms of impact (Research Excellence Framework 2014).
- Join the Manchester University Geographical Society (MUGS) , a society run by Geography students for Geography Students.
Teaching and learning
Eight taught units comprise two-thirds of the course. The remainder of the programme consists of a 12,000-word dissertation on an approved topic.
Typical course units comprise two hours a week of seminar or small-group work.
Part-time students complete the course over 24 months. There are no evening or weekend course units available; you should, therefore, discuss course requirements with the Programme Director and seek approval from your employer. Timetabling information is usually available from late August. You can discuss course unit choices during induction week with the Programme Director.
Coursework and assessment
Course units involve a range of formative and summative assessments, including individual and group work, oral presentations and long 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.
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.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doing Environmental Research | GEOG70472 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Issues in Environmental Policy | GEOG70912 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Key Debates in Environmental Governance | GEOG70921 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Political Ecologies | GEOG70951 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Energy, Society and Space | GEOG70201 | 15 | Optional |
| Applied Study Unit | GEOG70560 | 15 | Optional |
| Nature Society & Social Power | GEOG71211 | 15 | Optional |
| Global Political Economy | MGDI60072 | 15 | Optional |
| Gender Inequality: Theory and Evidence | MGDI60202 | 15 | Optional |
| The Politics and Governance of Development | MGDI60391 | 15 | Optional |
| Displaying 10 of 24 course units | |||
| Display all 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 the largest university library system in the UK apart from the copyright libraries and has a number of different working spaces. It is home to the University Map Collection, which comprises about 100,000 map sheets of every part of the world.
We also have our very own Kantorowich Library, which contains many of the teaching and learning materials that you will need, from books and journals to DVDs and past dissertations.
For more information, see Facilities
Disability support
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service.
For more information, email dass@manchester.ac.uk
Careers
Career opportunities
MSc Environmental Governance responds to a growing need for social, economic and political experts in the environmental field, and our graduates are highly employable in what is an expanding sector.
Graduates of this course possess theoretical knowledge, political understanding and practical research skills, preparing you for careers in either the public, private or voluntary environmental sectors, or for further research on environmental governance within a university or think-tank environment.
You will be equipped to work for organisations like the Environment Agency, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Soil Association, and the Department of Environment Food and Agriculture, among many others. Our students have been particularly successful in obtaining funded PhD places and gaining employment with private consultancies and international NGOs.
Geography graduates in general have particularly great employment prospects, and go on to shape environmental policy through positions in the public and private sectors.
Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in areas including consultancy, research, non-governmental organisations, project management, environmental management, agriculture and forestry, environmental sciences, energy, oil and gas, marketing, finance, and water.
Top employers of our graduates include:
- DEFRA;
- the Environment Agency;
- Natural England;
- the Organic Soil Association;
- the UK Atomic Energy Authority;
- UNEP.
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 .
Careers Support for International Students
The Careers Service provide specialist resources, advice and events for international students to help with career planning and making the most of your time while studying in Manchester.
- Working in the UK after study
- Working during study
- Professional and alumni networks for international students
Global Networks
The University of Manchester is proud to have the largest global alumni community of any campus based university in the UK. International alumni groups are a great way to keep in touch with fellow Manchester graduates in your country. It is an opportunity to build professional and social networks.
You can view the alumni networks already operating across the globe, here .