MRes Environmental Management
Course Overview
Environmental managers use data about the environment, how it is changing, and predictions about how it will change in the future to make decisions about how best to manage human activities and their impacts on that environment. Throughout this course, our dedicated experts will guide you as you develop the knowledge and expertise to conduct and apply independent research during your environmental management career as you work to maximise human benefit and minimise environmental damage due to human activities.Initially, you'll focus on gaining core knowledge of environmental management principles and practice, a specialist area of your choice, and research skills and methods. You'll then develop your understanding by applying this knowledge during two work-based projects. These will include a series of site visits, laboratory experiments, guest speakers, LEAP online, statistical methods and data analysis, and participation in the online webinars and training courses, along with other relevant activities where possible. You'll be expected to investigate a defined issue, develop solutions based on your findings and communicate your ideas effectively. We'll support you as you learn to plan and implement your projects, collect data and critically analyse results.
We'll encourage you to draw on these experiences and refine your skills as you prepare your dissertation. Focusing on an agreed problem relevant to environmental management, you'll undertake an in-depth investigation, analyse your data, critically appraise your results and draw conclusions. This major project will allow you to demonstrate your skills in research, critical thinking, communication and application of knowledge to solve specific problems in contemporary environmental management. Overall, we aim to help you gain the skills to examine corporate activities, establish where improvements can be made and how to make them, and successfully communicate your arguments for making those improvements to your organisation.
Highlights
- This MRes in Environmental Management expertly combines study in our vibrant higher education environment with practical work-based learning and focused research experience.
- Subject to student demand, you'll have the opportunity to choose a specialism from environmental project management, meteorology, risk assessment, hazardous substances, and environmental media by selecting that option module and undertaking research activity in that area as part of the course.
- Sustainable development goals (UN-Agenda 2023) are incorporated throughout the course. We offer workshops that explore the interlinkages between these goals, encouraging discussion and enhancing your understanding of sustainability.
- Face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support are offered by our dedicated staff team, who possess a wide range of professional experience, industry knowledge, technical expertise and academic credentials.
- Industry experts from across the spectrum of environmental management disciplines are regularly invited to give guest lectures on contemporary practice, challenges and developments in the field.
- You'll have opportunities to conduct laboratory experiments exploring water and the environment in our well-equipped hydraulics laboratory.
- If your research is truly novel, and your work of particularly high quality, we'll support you to reformat your dissertation or project into an academic paper suitable for presentation at an international conference or in an academic journal.
Key Features
- We'll encourage you to develop a mastery of postgraduate-level research techniques and methodologies relevant to sustainable environmental management and the UN's sustainable development goals (UN-Agenda 2023).
- We'll expect you to undertake two work-based projects. Our experienced team will support you to find suitable work-based learning opportunities that enable you to achieve the learning outcomes for the MRes.
- Course materials are available online, allowing you to prepare work at home and make the most of the highly interactive in-class tuition.
- Our approach to teaching and learning is student-centred, so we'll work with you on an individual basis, providing tailored help and support throughout your studies.
- By studying alongside students and professionals from other environmental management specialisms or alternative industrial sectors, you can benefit from a broader range of knowledge and experience that supports cross-disciplinary thinking.
- This course is based at the University of Bolton’s campus in the North West of England.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- Normally, you should have successfully completed an honours degree, or an equivalent qualification, in a relevant subject; for instance, a science or engineering subject.
- You should also have appropriate work experience.
- We'll also consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
- You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Environmental managers are often responsible for overseeing the environmental performance of an organisation. You may establish where improvements can be made and ensure compliance with environmental legislation. Your remit may be broad, meaning you could review a whole operation, carry out environmental audits and assessments, identify and resolve environmental problems, and ensure necessary changes are implemented.
As a graduate of this course, you'll possess advanced skills such as research and analysis, competence in developing arguments from scientific, ethical and philosophical perspectives, planning and project management skills, and a broad understanding of local, national and global environmental issues.
What can I do with this qualification?
Research is an exciting career path that will allow you to explore at the forefront of the environmental management field. This MRes offers excellent preparation if you wish to continue to a PhD.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification to enter a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include:
- Consultancy
- Education and training
- Environmental engineering
- Marine biology
- Nature conservation
- Recycling and sustainability
- Waste management
- Water treatment and quality
- Environmental health
- Town and transport planning
- Climate change
- Sustainable environment
- Smart cities
- Project management
Professional Recognition
The University of Bolton's MRes Environmental Management is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM). Following a period of experience after graduation, you'll be eligible to apply to become a Chartered member of CIWEM and use the designatory letters C.WEM. You'll also be able to apply for external registration through CIWEM for CEng, CSci or CEnv status.
Please note: CIWEM grants accreditation for specific time periods, and programmes are regularly re-evaluated to ensure they continue to meet the standards required. CIWEM initially granted accreditation to our MRes Environmental Management for five years, so students joining the programme between September 2018 and September 2022, and who would normally graduate by September 2023, were eligible for the benefits above.
Following the success of the programme, CIWEM reaccredited the MRes in November 2023 for another five years up to 2028.
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton MRes Environmental Management - 27 January 2025
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Apply online: University of Bolton MRes Environmental Management - 19 May 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Teaching & Assessment
This Master of Research (MRes) degree combines taught modules with work-based learning and a significant amount of supervised research. You'll be expected to study three taught modules (including an option that allows you to focus on a particular specialism), undertake two work-based projects, and complete an in-depth programme of research and investigation culminating in your dissertation. Overall, we'll expect you to be relatively autonomous and self-directed in your studies, but of course, we'll offer you plenty of encouragement and support along the way.
For the taught modules, we'll use a range of teaching and learning approaches, including lectures, seminars, workshops, practical sessions and tutorials, as well as oral and group presentations. These will be supported by online discussions and activities posted on the University's virtual learning environment (VLE). The work-based project modules and dissertation will involve workshops, independent learning and tutor support, which may be face-to-face or through the VLE. Our highly experienced team will support you to find suitable work-based learning opportunities that enable you to achieve the learning outcomes for the MRes.
Our assessment strategy is designed to ensure that you achieve the overall aims and learning outcomes of the programme, as well as the learning outcomes for individual modules. The types of assessment you'll be required to complete fall into two general categories: formative and summative. For both purposes, the major forms required for this MRes are reports, presentations and portfolios.
Formative assessments are activities that don't contribute to your overall module grade but are designed to help you organise and develop your learning. Your formative assessments will be marked, and you'll receive feedback on your level of achievement. In addition, it will help you adhere to ethical standards. This feedback will support the development of your skills and your understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses. Summative assessments will evaluate your achievement, and the marks you gain will contribute to your overall module grade. You'll also receive feedback on these assessments so you'll know what you have done well and where you could improve.
We adopt a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Research Skills and Methods
- Environmental Management Principles and Practices
- Theory of Risk Assessment
- Hazardous Substances
- Environmental Media
- Meteorology
- Environmental Project Management
- Work-based Project 1
- Work-based Project 2
- Dissertation
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 74% Placement/study abroad 20% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 6% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
