Programme Specifications
Environmental Change, Impact and Adaptation
1 : Awarding Institution / Body
Aberystwyth University
2a : Teaching Institution / University
Aberystwyth University
2b : Work-based learning (where appropriate)
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
N/A
3a : Programme accredited by
Aberystwyth University
3b : Programme approved by
Aberystwyth University
4 : Final Award
Master of Science
5 : Programme title
Environmental Change, Impact and Adaptation
6 : UCAS code
F998
7 : QAA Subject Benchmark
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
None available
8 : Date of publication
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
September 2023
9 : Educational aims of the programme
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
The aim of “Environmental Change, Impact and Adaptation”is to develop a critical knowledge of the challenges posed by environmental change, including climatic change. The programme draws on expertise from both the environmental and social sciences and reflects some of the most exciting and innovative contemporary research in geography, earth and environmental science. Topics are wide ranging and include: records of palaeo-environmental change; desertification; flooding; environmental hazards; impacts of sea-level rise; and the impacts of warming and changing rainfall on ecosystem processes. The relative importance of human and natural processes in environmental change and the impact of climatic variability on past civilisations is also examined. Students will explore how we evaluate the risks posed by current and future environmental changes and the adaptation or mitigation strategies in place.How we plan for and manage future environmental change requires rigorous critical examination and the issue may be explored in depth as part of the research dissertation and links with external organisations, potentially including Natural Resources Wales and the Centre for Alternative Technology. The scheme is suitable for students from a variety of backgrounds who wish to pursue an interest in these topics beyond undergraduate study, including those who may intend to continue to doctoral research or find employment in this diverse and growing area. The aims of the programme are to:
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Critically assess the evidence for environmental change in a range of geographical settings and across different temporal scales
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Evaluate the evidence for the effects of environmental change on a range of ecosystems
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Provide experience of, and training in,field techniques used to generate evidence for past environmental changes and the climatic sensitivity of ecosystem processes
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Evaluate the risks posed by environmental change to human societies in the past, at present and in the future, including an examination of the contested notions of resilience
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Critically evaluate solutionsproposed to address challenges arising from environmental and climatic change affecting a range of stakeholders
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Develop advanced transferable skills and increase employability in fields related to risk management, development, disaster relief, environmental management and consultancy or alternatively, prepare for future PhD research
10 : Intended learning outcomes
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
10.1 : Knowledge and understanding
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
1. Describe the range of environmental variability that has affected the Earth in recent geological time
2. Critically evaluate the evidence for different natural processes that have caused changes in the environment
3. Discuss the complexity of the relationship between climatic and broader environmental change, including the differing sensitivity of various components of the Earth system, and their response times
4. Evaluate the risks posed by environmental change to human societies in the past, and how such societies have responded 5. Summarise the predicted changes in temperature, precipitation and other hydro-climatic parameters for different regions using the latest IPCC document.
6. Critically assessthe different ways in which the IPCC findings are portrayed by different media outlets, pressure groups and organisations.
7. Evaluate the field, laboratory and modeling methods that are used to predict the effects of changing climate on a range of environmental processes.
8. Utilise climate change predictions to deduce likely future changes in environmental processes.
9. Communicate the IPCC consensus on climate science, and critically evaluate the sceptical arguments against this consensus through film, oral presentations and written reports
10. Critically evaluate solutions proposed to address challenges arising from environmental and climatic change affecting a range of stakeholders
11. Implement and evaluate different research methodologies to address real-world issues and generate viable solutions
12. Describe the principles of preparedness, mitigation, adaptationand resilience
13. Identify and evaluate the historical and geographic factors that contributed to the incorporation of resilience thinking into emergency management
14. Critically assess the different ways resilience shapes contemporary practices in emergency management
15. Discuss and evaluate, using specific examples, the advantages and limitations of different techniques used to build resilience
10.2 : Skills and other attributes
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
1. Identify and articulate research questions or hypotheses derived from a combination of academic literature and site visits 2. Demonstrate an informed understanding of the basic principles of research design and objective investigation.
3. Design and present an appropriate field-based research strategy to collect data to test hypotheses and/or research questions
4. Effectively plan, design and execute a significant independent research project related to environmental change, demonstrating linkages between research design, data collection and data analysis, within an appropriate timetable and schedule of work.
5. Recognise the ethical and legal issues involved in research practice.
6. Collect field data using a variety of techniques and construct data bases for subsequent analysis
7. Utilise appropriate analytical and statistical techniques to construct and interrogate numerical databases
8. Manage, present, analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative primary data
9. Conceive, planand produce a short film to articulate the scientific consensus on climatic and environmental change and critically examine alternative viewpoints
10. Work in groups and alone to synthesise, articulate and present complex ideas relating to climatic and environmental change
11. Produce professional field project and research reports
10.3 : Transferable/Key skills
Information provided by Department of Geography and Earth Sciences:
1. Deploy a range of dissemination strategies, including writing, oral presentation, internet and other media communication 2. Evaluate alternative approaches to research
3. Work independently
4. Work effectivelyas part of a team
5. Listen to and engage with other speakers
6. Discuss and present orally academic material in a range of settings through group discussions and debates and formal individual presentations
7. Produce written submissions in a variety of formats
8. Use information technology to process, store, present and communicate information
9. Identify, retrieve, sort and handle information from conventional library, archival and electronic sources
10. Undertake self-regulation of work regimes and time management
11. Collate,process, interpret and present a wide-range of numerical and non-numerical data
11 : Program Structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
MSC Environmental Change, Impact and Adaptation [F998]
Academic Year: 2023/2024 scheme - available from 2012/2013
Duration (studying Full-Time): 1 years12 : Support for students and their learning
Every student is allocated a Personal Tutor. Personal Tutors have an
important role within the overall framework for supporting students and
their personal development at the University. The role is crucial in
helping students to identify where they might find support, how and where
to seek advice and how to approach support to maximise their student
experience. Further support for students and their learning is provided by
Information Services and Student Support and Careers Services.
13 : Entry Requirements
Details of entry requirements for the scheme can be found at http://courses.aber.ac.uk
14 : Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of teaching and learning
All taught study schemes are subject to annual monitoring and periodic
review, which provide the University with assurance that schemes are
meeting their aims, and also identify areas of good practice and
disseminate this information in order to enhance the provision.
15 : Regulation of Assessment
Academic Regulations are published as Appendix 2 of the Academic Quality
Handbook: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/aqro/handbook/app-2/.
15.1 : External Examiners
External Examiners fulfill an essential part of the University’s Quality
Assurance. Annual reports by External Examiners are considered by
Faculties and Academic Board at university level.
16 : Indicators of quality and standards
The Department Quality Audit questionnaire serves as a checklist about the
current requirements of the University’s Academic Quality Handbook. The
periodic Department Reviews provide an opportunity to evaluate the
effectiveness of quality assurance processes and for the University to
assure itself that management of quality and standards which are the
responsibility of the University as a whole are being delivered
successfully.