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Universities United Kingdom Cardiff University Courses Environment and Development (MSc)

Environment and Development (MSc)
at Cardiff University

Cardiff, United Kingdom

Tuition Fee £ 20,700
Country Rank-
Duration12 Months
Score IELTS: 6.5

Program Overview

This MSc in Environment and Development aims to investigate, question and explore alternatives to the prevailing tensions and interdependencies between development and socio-ecological systems.

Current agenda

Consider the politicised interconnections between socio-economic demands and environmental degradation.

Breadth and depth

Cover the breadth of environment and development issues or focus on select fields (such as economic sectors, natural resources, public services).

Expert-led

Learn from and engage with research-active staff who are working at the forefront of the discipline.

Multi-scale exploration

Examine lived experience of development and socio-ecological change across different levels and time periods.

Environmental challenges and development concerns are high on the international policy agenda. Our MSc Environment and Development programme encourages you to consider the politicised interconnections between socio-economic demands (the search for growth) and environmental degradation, as well as the tensions between the state and society’s outlooks.

We cover a wide range of environment and development challenges or but you can also choose to focus on certain substantive fields (such as economic sectors, natural resources, public services, governance issues, environmental management or urban and rural regions). You’ll develop your critical thinking skills and ability to examine the justification, trends and limitations of conventional responses to prevailing tensions and mounting challenges.

You’ll consider the lived experience of development and socio-ecological change at different levels – local, regional, national and global – and across different time periods. With a focus on the Global North and the Global South, you’ll study past legacies and socio-cultural influences, the allocation of resources, and the challenges to contain environmental degradation and foster environmental justice.

The programme allows you to: understand the ideological positions that influence development policies and the failures of environmental management; review tendencies to convert nature into resources and private property; the formulation and implementation of environmental regulation; the commitments and failures of the apparatus of the state; the interaction between socio-economic sectors, groups and communities; the social and cultural basis of development and environmental change; and, the political reactions, grassroots mobilisation and alliances across different geographical scales, countries and locations.

Consideration is also given to why and how the development appeal continues to influence governments, social groups and international relations while generating uneven, short-term gains and long-lasting impacts. The limitations of policies influenced by environmentalism and narrow sustainability agendas, which commonly fail to address wider social, political and economic expectations, will be a key component of this discussion.

Course Content
You will take taught modules to the value of 120 credits over two semesters between October and May, taking 60 credits each semester. You will complete a dissertation worth 60 credits between June and September. The classification of your degree is based on two-thirds of the average grade of the taught modules and one-third of the grade of your dissertation.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2022/23 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2022.

You will take six taught modules worth 20 credits each. Four of these modules will be core modules. The remaining two will be optional modules from a choice of ten.

You will compete a dissertation based on original research. You will be able to specialise in different areas by choosing specific combinations of option modules and by your dissertation topic, if you wish. You will be advised at the start of the Programme on the different specialist areas.
Entry Requirement
Academic requirements:

Typically, you will need to have either:
- a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject area such as geography, sociology, politics or economics, environmental engineering/science/design, or an equivalent international degree
- a university-recognised equivalent academic qualification
- or relevant professional experience evidenced by a reference. The reference must be from your employer to evidence that you currently work in an area relevant to the programme. This should be signed, dated and less than six months old at the time you submit your application.
English Language requirements:

IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or an accepted equivalent.

Application deadline:

We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible.

Selection process:

We will review your application and if you meet the entry requirements, we will make you an offer.
Fees & Scholarships
Fees for home status

Tution Fees - £9,450
Deposit - £

Fees for overseas status

Tution Fees - £20,700
Deposit-£1,000
Career Prospect
After the completion of the programme, you will be able to work in a wide range of development and environmental management careers, including jobs in public, private and Third Sector organisations. This can involve policy-making (for instance, on natural resources, energy, transport, urban and rural planning, agri-food or environmental conservation), consultancy on local and international development, or environmental regulation, project management.

You will also be well-positioned to undertake further study towards an academic career in development and environmental studies.

Placements

During the programme, you will have the opportunity to base your dissertation research around workplace activities – for example, it could be developed in consultancy organisations, public authorities or international development agencies.

This is an optional element and the placement would need to be self-sourced (often an internship you have arranged).

Placements are sometimes advertised through the School and these would be open for application on a competitive basis. The placement itself will not be assessed although work deriving from the placement may be linked to coursework (e.g. the dissertation).

Cost Of Studying At Cardiff University

Interest rates as low as 8.9% ^*

250K+

Students Assisted

800Cr+

Loan Amount Disbursed

5000+

Loans Sanctioned

Check Loan Eligibility

Environment and Development (MSc) at Cardiff University