BSc Environmental Management with Professional Placement / Course details

BSc Environmental Management with Professional Placement is a four-year degree studying the Earth's natural resources, the way in which human societies interact with them, and ways in which they can be sustainably managed.

Understanding both scientific principles and relevant policy frameworks is essential if we are to address global environmental challenges including climate change and sustainable development.

The course has a strong focus on practice, and you will study environmental processes and their management by combining small group, classroom-based learning with fieldwork.

By the time you graduate, you will have an advanced understanding of environmental systems and processes, and the policies and practices involved in their management.

You will also have gained a wide range of practice-based skills, which enhance your employability including the design and implementation of ecological surveys, conservation management, environmental appraisal and audit, environmental impact assessment, project management, and professional report writing.

Manchester is a great place to study environmental management; it is a major UK city undergoing rapid urban change, which provides an ideal base for experiencing the challenge of balancing urban development pressures with their environmental impacts.

Manchester is also ideally placed for you to learn about a wide variety of rural environments, including three spectacular National Parks, areas of intensive farming, and impressive coastlines.

The city and its surrounding environments are important resources for field teaching across your four years of study.

International fieldwork 

This course has normally included a field trip to a European country during your second year, where you can put what you have learnt so far into practice. 

Study abroad 

Apply to spend one semester studying abroad at one of our exchange partners in Europe, the US, South East Asia and Australia. 

Year in practice 

Normally spend 12 months working within the dynamic world of environmental management, putting into practice the skills you learn on the degree helping you to gain your professional accreditation.

We combine traditional lecture-based teaching with tutorials, seminars and workshop sessions.  

Practical subjects, such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Photoshop and SketchUp - as well as general computer skills - are taught in university computer suites.   

This work is accompanied by group work and the occasional lecture session, giving you an overall hands-on learning experience.  

Important notice 

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork. 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 ability of fieldwork and travel to proceed, and whether any changes to proposed fieldwork and travel might be necessary, will remain subject to factors such as the:

• rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
• outcome of any risk assessments conducted by the University;
• educational value and student experience of the fieldwork, if significant changes to the proposed fieldwork would be necessary;
• availability of appropriate insurance cover;
• availability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs.

All fieldwork and travel will be subject to a rigorous risk assessment process and the implementation of any protective measures identified by the risk assessment to ensure the health and safety of all our students and staff.

In some circumstances, it may become necessary to make changes to fieldwork or programme related travel. The University will notify you of those changes at the earliest opportunity. If any fieldwork does not go ahead as planned, then the School's focus will be on seeking to offer a suitable alternative and ensure that the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) of the programme are met.

Please note that Countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice. The School cannot guarantee that where visas are required for fieldwork, they will be granted but we will take steps so that if a visa is refused, affected students are not academically disadvantaged.

We place strong emphasis on coursework and continuous assessment. 

Coursework takes a variety of forms - from essays and reports, to posters, oral presentations, team promotions, and project demonstrations (sometimes to practising professionals).   

Your dissertation, which takes place in the fourth year, will draw together the different strands of the course and allow you to study a subject that really interests you.   

You will work with an individual supervisor to conceive, plan, execute and write up an independent and novel piece of research.

Read more about Noor's experience in her student profile.

You can develop your practical skills in our project studio/class, model-making workshop, specialist laboratories for fieldwork analysis, and computer suites with specialist design and spatial analysis software.

See facilities  for more information.