Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability (MSc)

Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability (MSc)

Full time

Why study this course

Become a leader in water science and management with our interdisciplinary MSc, designed to tackle global challenges and open diverse career pathways.

Water is fundamental to life on Earth and the functioning of healthy ecosystems and societies. But the world faces significant challenges to sustainable water supplies. Limited usable freshwater, unevenly distributed across the world, in addition to climate-driven floods and droughts, impacts economies, increases conflict potential, and degrades ecosystems, making future water sustainability unpredictable. To address these urgent challenges the world needs graduates with expertise in freshwater problems.

This MSc will give you a solid understanding of water in terms of the hydrological cycle, its forcing by climate and climate change, partitioning of water between the surface and subsurface, water availability to and use by ecosystems, and the sustainable management of water-related hazards and water resources. You’ll explore the social context of water problems in terms of environmental sustainability, as well as knowledge of the climate system and the regional expressions of climate change and develop the skills to analyse and quantify sustainability of water resources and hazards, to handle and analyse large datasets that are proliferating across the globe, and to engage with numerical models.

The interdisciplinary nature of the programme will open up potential career pathways in academia, development, government, or environmental consultancy. You would be well equipped to address global challenges including those associated with sustainable development goals, as well as national and subnational environmental priorities in countries around the world.

Some module combinations are not available due to the carefully constructed programme design. All options will be managed through guided choice.

Accreditations

• Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability (MSc)

Full time

Careers and placements

This programme is designed to lead to various types of careers. Some students may choose to pursue a future PhD on a water-related topic.

Other graduates may wish to address global challenges by pursuing a specialist professional career in international development, or in environmental consulting, government, or the non-profit sector.

This program is designed to prepare you for a successful environmental career by providing you with a comprehensive set of knowledge, skills, and practical experiences that are highly valued by employers. Through a combination of rigorous academic coursework, practical training, and engagement with industry professionals, you will develop the expertise, and professional competencies needed to excel in a variety of roles within governmental and non-governmental organizations, environmental consultancies, insurance companies, and related industries.

The program aligns closely with the University's graduate attributes, ensuring that you not only acquire disciplinary knowledge but also develop transferable skills and qualities that are highly sought after by employers. Key graduate attributes incorporated into the program include critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and ethical responsibility. These attributes are cultivated through a range of learning activities, including lectures, seminars, workshops, fieldwork, and group projects, allowing students to develop and demonstrate their abilities in diverse contexts.

One distinctive feature of the program is the involvement of visiting lecturers from relevant industries or professions. These industry experts bring real-world perspectives and practical insights into the classroom, enriching your learning experiences and providing valuable networking opportunities. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to engage with relevant professionals or employers in other learning activities, such as guest lectures, panel discussions, site visits, and internships. These interactions will enable you to gain firsthand knowledge of industry trends, practices, and expectations, as well as to build professional relationships that can enhance their employment prospects.

Upon completion of the program, you will be well-equipped to pursue a wide range of career paths in disaster risk reduction and resilience-building efforts. Potential job roles include:

• Water Hazard Analyst
• Flood Manager
• Environmental Planner
• Water Resources Specialist
• Environmental Consultant
• Environmental Team Manager
• Policy Advisor/Analyst
• Community Engagement Coordinator
• Climate Adaptation Specialist
• Humanitarian Aid Worker
• Project Manager in International Development

Overall, the program provides students with a solid foundation of academic knowledge, practical skills, and industry connections that will prepare you for successful and impactful careers in addressing the complex challenges of water, climate change, and sustainability in our increasingly complex world.

Placements

We work with industrial and academic partners to support dissertation development and supervision. You will have the opportunity to develop these linkages during dissertation development in Semester 2.