MSc Environmental Policy and Management
- MSc
Overview
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.
Programme structure
The programme consists of six taught units and a dissertation research project. Some units are taught by natural scientists, covering subjects like climate science and the analysis of remotely sensed data. Others are delivered by social scientists, focusing on areas like environmental governance, policy analysis and research methods and design. A policy-focused unit provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through the completion of an extended team-based project that responds directly to the needs of one of our partner organisations.
The final third of the programme involves the completion of an independent research dissertation on an environmental topic of your choosing, enabling you to further develop your research skills and make your own contribution to academic and policy debates about ongoing environmental controversies.
Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our MSc in Environmental Policy and Management.
Entry requirements
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, Sociology. Applicants with a degree in a Physical Science or other non-standard subjects 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/dissertaton.
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.
If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may be more likely to receive an offer if you have additional relevant work experience or qualifications. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing:
- evidence of relevant work experience in policy-facing roles, government departments or agencies working in roles focused on environment, climate change or energy, environmental consultancy, corporate social responsibility, sustainability or Environmental, Social and Governance roles in the private sector. Minimum one year.
- a relevant postgraduate qualification from the accepted subjects listed above.
Specific module requirements would still apply.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level C.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £14,800 per year
- Home: part-time
- £7,400 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £32,600 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
Depending on eligibility, applicants may be able to apply for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme, University of Bristol Think Big Postgraduate Scholarship, Bristol Master's Scholarship, or the School of Geographical Sciences' own Phyllis Mary Morris Bursaries.
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
An MSc from Bristol greatly enhances your employment prospects.
Our graduates go on to work for a range of employers in the UK and around the world, in government and in the charitable and corporate sectors. They find that their degree from Bristol gives them an advantage in the job market, and they move to a diverse range of jobs after they graduate, including environmental consulting, national government departments, multilateral agencies, environmental management, conservation, marketing and communications, and a range of private companies in areas such as sustainable housing, transport and energy. Some also go on to undertake further study on a PhD.
Contact us
- Contact
- Enquiries Team
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 394 1649
- choosebristol-pg@bristol.ac.uk