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2018/19 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

MEnv, BSc Sustainability and Environmental Management (International)

Programme code:MEBS-ENV/SM9UCAS code:F750
Duration:4 Years Method of Attendance: Full Time
Programme manager:Dr Julia Martin-Ortega Contact address:j.MartinOrtega@leeds.ac.uk

Total credits: 480

Entry requirements:

England and Wales
Normally 3 GCE A-levels at grades AAA, including two from biology, chemistry, economics, English, environmental science/studies, geography, geology, history, mathematics, law, physics, politics, and sociology. Other subjects may be considered.

Scottish Highers
Normally AAAAA, including two from biology, chemistry, economics, English, environmental science/studies, geography, geology, history, mathematics, law, physics, politics, and sociology. Other subjects may be considered.

International Baccalaureate
Normally 38 points overall, with 18 at the Higher Level, including two from biology, chemistry, economics, English, environmental science/studies, geography, geology, history, mathematics, law, physics, politics, and sociology. Other subjects may be considered.

School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme:

School of Earth and Environment

Examination board through which the programme will be considered:

School of Earth and Environment

Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups:

The relevant QAA Benchmark is Earth sciences, environmental sciences and environmental studies (2007) QAA 151 02/07, specifically in relation to environmental studies (appendix 3c)

Programme specification:

Sustainability is at the core of how governments, societies, researchers, and increasingly business, now think about the environment and our place in it. The environment is important to everyone, but our demand for natural resources and the waste that our lifestyles generate means that it is under increasing pressure. For this reason, there is demand for literate and numerate graduates who possess a thorough understanding of the environmental, economic and social implications of the decisions that we make and the strategies we use to find sustainable solutions to environmental problems.

MEnv Sustainability and Environmental Management is designed to sit at the interface between human activity and the environment. The programme draws on disciplines such as environmental science to develop knowledge and skills in the science that underpins our understanding of sustainability. At the same time, teaching in areas such as business, economics and policy means that students are able to understand and evaluate societies' role in and interaction with changes in the natural world. Teaching on the programme draws on the skills and expertise of one of the largest groups of environmental and social scientists in the country, the Sustainability Research Institute whose research is tackling some of the major sustainability challenges we face.

The programme is composed of four suggested pathways that will equip students for particular sectors, although many of the skills they will develop will also cross sector boundaries. Students should choose one pathway to pursue in the second year of their degree. Upon return from the year abroad, students are encouraged to go back to their chosen Pathway; however, deviation is possible depending on the subjects studied in year 3. The Business and Sustainability pathway will equip students for positions in the private sector, for example, in corporate social and environmental responsibility roles. The Energy and the Built Environment pathway allows students to specialise in transport and energy, equipping them to work in policy and planning departments as well as with corporations within these sectors. The Natural Resources and Biodiversity and the Earth systems pathways build ecological and environmental science skills alongside the sustainable development knowledge required for roles within the consultancy and environmental policy sectors. Students from across the programme will be well placed for jobs with Government and non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in environment and development.

Throughout the programme there are opportunities for students to develop key competencies and skills (e.g. interview skills, fieldwork and laboratory skills, presentation and writing abilities), as well as developing the ability to reflect on and appreciate the limitations of current knowledge and approaches to sustainability and environmental management. Teaching will be delivered through a variety of means, from lectures to fieldtrips. Fieldwork is an important aspect of teaching and so students will get the opportunity to put methods into practice during fieldtrips. Teaching across the modules also makes use of small group discussions/seminars to help students to engage in deep learning.

Progression criteria: Unless extenuating circumstances determine otherwise, the following conditions shall apply. Students are normally expected to maintain an average mark of at least 65 in their 1st year in order to remain on the programme. In addition students will also be expected to maintain an average mark of at least 60 in their 2nd year in order to remain on the programme. If a student fails to maintain these requirements they will be transferred to the BSc equivalent programme. Students who fail the year abroad will automatically revert to the relevant BSc programme and will take the 3rd (final) year of the BSc programme in Leeds.

Transfer arrangements: Students transferring to the MEnv Sustain ability and Environmental Management programme from the BSc programme are expected to attain a minimum 60% average in year 1 and year 2. Transfer is also conditional upon securing a study abroad place at one of the approved partner Universities.

Criteria for passing the 'Year Abroad': Marks at the overseas institution will be translated into a single Leeds mark (represented by module SOEE9001) according to a formula specific to each partner institution, and defined in the Learning Contract. To pass the year abroad the student will normally have to pass a minimum of 80% of higher level credits. If the student fails the year abroad by failing to gain a minimum of 80% of the required number of credits they will be transferred onto the equivalent BSc/BA programme and will take a 'normal' 3rd year at Leeds.

Rules for Award: At the end of the year abroad, the School receives a transcript from the exchange university showing the grades received for each module. These grades are then converted to Leeds marks using a formula specific to each partner institution and specified in the learning contract. The mark achieved during the year abroad is represented by the module SOEE9001 (120 credits).

The marks for 2nd, 3rd and 4th years are combined in the ratio 1:1:1 or 1:1:2 to achieve the highest average.


Year1 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules.

SOEE1112Sustainable Development10 creditsNot running until 202122
SOEE1181Ecology10 creditsNot running until 201920
SOEE1281Atmosphere10 creditsNot running until 201920
SOEE1382Skills for Environmental Social Science20 creditsNot running until 202122
SOEE1390Introduction to Business, Environment and Corporate Responsibility
Pre-requisite for: SOEE2310
20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SOEE1450Environmental Politics and Policy10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE1460Environmental Science for Environmental Management
Pre-requisite for: SOEE2170
20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
TRAN1011Challenges in Transport and Mobility10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Optional modules:

Students should select one of the following optional modules, or a 10 credit discovery module.

Students who have A level Chemistry grade A-C are not permitted to register for SOEE1135

SOEE1034Natural Hazards10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE1135Foundation Chemistry10 creditsNot running until 201920
SOEE1434Water10 creditsNot running until 201920
SOEE1481Foundation Mathematics 110 creditsNot running until 201920

Discovery modules:

In place of an optional module, you may choose up to 10 credits of Discovery modules, subject to timetabling constraints.


Year2 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

SOEE2032Personal Development for Careers in the Environmental Sector10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE2372People, Sustainability, and the Environment30 creditsNot running until 202122
SOEE2570Research in the Environmental Social Sciences30 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional modules:

Students should select 50 credits from the following list of optional modules.
Students may choose to substitute one or two optional modules with a Discovery Module subject to timetabling constraints.

GEOG2085Ecosystems: process, pattern, and change20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SLSP2932Sociology and the Climate Crisis20 creditsNot running until 202122
SOEE2160Climate Change: Science and Impacts10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE2310Tools and Techniques for Business, Environment and Corporate Responsibility
Pre-requisite for: SOEE3270
20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SOEE2610Economics and Sustainability
Pre-requisite for: SOEE3750
10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE2690Managing Biodiversity10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
TRAN2020Transport Land Use and Development10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
TRAN2041Transport, Energy and Environment10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Skills Modules:
Students are recommended, but not required, to take one of these module as one of their optional modules

SOEE2205Contaminated Environments20 creditsNot running until 202021
SOEE2650GIS for Geoscientists10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Discovery modules:

Students may select a 10 or 20 credit Discovery Modules


Year3 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

The third year of this programme is spent at one of our partner universities overseas.

Exchange universities for Sustainability and Environmental Management currently include:

- Griffith University, Australia
- University of Adelaide, Australia
- ANU, Australia
- University of California (Berkeley), USA
- Arizona State University, USA
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA
- York University, Canada
- Dalhousie University, Canada

In addition, an MEnv degree can be allowed with a year at the following foreign language partner(s) IF the language capability of the student is at a comparable level to a native speaker:

- ETH Zurich

Students are allocated to partner universities during the first semester of second year.

Student must register for the following compulsory module:

SOEE9001Study Year Abroad120 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)


Year4 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

SOEE5400MEnvironmental Research Project45 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SOEE5502MSustainable Consumption15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5775MSustainable Futures15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional modules:

Students should enrol for 45 credits of optional modules offered below. The options are organised according to the four Pathways and students are recommended to follow their chosen Pathway from year 2. However, this is not compulsory and students can combine modules from different pathways (subject to timetabling). Enrolment for the SOEE5497M field course is by application only and is subject to an additional fee.

Business and Sustainability Pathway

SOEE5051MBusiness, Environment and Sustainability15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5094MIntroduction to Ecological Economics15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5095MEnvironmental Economics and Policy15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE5223MDelivering Sustainability Through Projects15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE5582MTools and Techniques in Ecological Economics15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Energy and the Built Environment Pathway

SOEE5051MBusiness, Environment and Sustainability15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
TRAN5162MGreen Logistics15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
TRAN5171MAnalysing Transport and Society15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Natural Resources and Biodiversity

GEOG5680MHydrological Processes and Analysis15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5472MEnvironmental Policy and Governance15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5483MCritical Perspectives in Environment and Development15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE5970MTerrestrial Biosphere in the Earth System15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Earth Systems Pathway

SOEE5472MEnvironmental Policy and Governance15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5540MClimate Change: Physical Science Basis15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5550MClimate Change: Impacts and Adaptation15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE5561MClimate Change Mitigation15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE5970MTerrestrial Biosphere in the Earth System15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional Field Course

Please note that spaces on the International Field Course are limited, and that students on the MSc Environment and Development are normally given priority. Enrolment is by application only, and subject to an additional charge. Typically, we are not able to confirm places on the course until after the start of semester 1. Further details are provided in the module catalogue description.

SOEE5497MEnvironment & Development International Field Course30 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Last updated: 30/04/2018

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