MSc Environmental Policy and Management

Prepare for a career that allows you to shape policy on environmental change. Develop the practical skills and conceptual tools needed to tackle issues ranging from biodiversity conservation, to water management, to local air pollution. The MSc in Environmental Policy and Management welcomes a diverse array of students from different subject backgrounds seeking to enhance their expertise and develop skills relevant to the fields of environmental policy, management, protection and advocacy. You will join the School of Geographical Sciences, ranked first in the UK for 'Geography and Environmental Studies' research (Times Higher Education analysis of REF 2021) and a highly regarded centre for research and teaching in environmental processes, systems and the social sciences. Staff in the school are directly involved in advising the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and regularly engage with policymakers, industry and non-profit organisations at local, national and international levels. Taught by experts from the social, physical, and natural sciences, you will examine how environmental problems are understood, how policy relates to politics, and the context for governmental responses to environmental challenges. The programme is closely affiliated with the University's Cabot Institute, which promotes multidisciplinary research around global environmental change and benefits from our location in the city of Bristol, the UK's first ever European Green Capital and a vibrant hub of environmental activism and technological innovation. Through a demanding academic curriculum and practice-based learning opportunities, you will develop the skills and knowledge needed for employment in the public, private and non-profit sectors. You will have the opportunity to gain practical experience working on a project with an external partner. Previous student projects have included collaborations with international, national and local corporations, charities and NGOs, consulting on youth climate action, reconciling rewilding and net zero, and sustainability within health services. As a student on our MSc programmes, you’ll join a lively School and University community. We host invited speakers in regular seminars organised by our School’s academic research groups. These events offer you the opportunity to meet other students and leading specialists in a range of subjects. Research groups may also host events, run specialist workshops and organise reading groups you are welcome to join. Our postgraduate social calendar is busy, with get-togethers for our students throughout the year to mark the major milestones in your programme and celebrate your success.

You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or international equivalent in Anthropology, History, Literature, Philosophy, Biology/Natural Sciences, Chemistry, Ecology, Engineering (any type), Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics, Zoology, Business Studies, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Human Geography, Politics/Political Science or Sociology. We will also consider applicants with other degree subjects on a case-by-case basis if they have at least one year's work experience in a policy facing role, a government department or agency (especially working in roles focused on environment, climate change or energy), environmental consultancy, corporate social responsibility or sustainability, environmental, social and governance roles in the private sector, or in an NGO in a high-level position. Applicants with a degree in a Physical Science or a non-standard degree subject must also demonstrate competency in essay writing skills, with at least 60% or international equivalent achieved in one essay-based module, this can include final research project/dissertation. We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree. Specific module requirements would still apply. We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.