Core modules

• Global Climate Change
  This module is delivered by Professor Suzanne Leroy (IfE) in term 1 to students on the CCIS and Environmental Science:Legislation and Management programmes. The module is designed to provide a deep and detailed understanding of the processes that influence earths climate, how environmental change can be measured (eg through proxies), and how future environmental change can modelled to support better understanding of human-environment interactions. More
• Ecosystem Function
  This module is delivered in term 1 by Dr. Edwin Routledge and Professor John Sumpter (IfE) to all students taking the CCIS and Environmental Science: Pollution and Monitoring programmes. The module provides a broad overview of the fundamental ecological principles that underpin the science and rationale for environmental protection, and explores the likely responses of the biosphere to current and predicted climate change. More
• Sustainable Development in Practice
  This is a problem based learning module that will encourage you to use your own creativity and initiative. Over the course of the module you will be given 4 case study team briefs (based on expertise across Brunel University) and allowed the freedom to direct your team where you believe the best solution lies. The cases are designed so that there is no "right" answer: you have to research and plan a solution that is positive or acceptable to as many of the people the issue affects as possible. The solution must consider environmental, economic and societal impacts. This is a core module for all IfE MSc programs and runs through term 2. More
• Environmental Hazards and Risk
  This is a core module for all IfE MSc programs, delivered in term 1 by Dr. Dan Pickford (IfE), and covers basic concepts in environmental risk assessment (hazard, exposure, risk, source-pathway-receptor). The module then explores various arenas in which risk assessment methods are used for environmental protection (eg environmental impact assessment, risk assessment for human and environmental health protection in chemical safety assessment). The module also addresses risk management issues, public perception of risk and how risk is incorporated into science-based policy making. More
• International Business Ethics: Sustainability and Corporate Governance
  This module is delivered in term 2 by the Brunel Business School (Professor Fred Steward and Dr. Angela Ayios), and provides an exploration of business ethics, corporate social responsibility and corporate governance in the international context. These issues will be addressed from both the ‘business’ side and the ‘society’ side, and for both large corporations and small firms, using a combination of empirical studies and the theoretical resources of moral philosophy. More
• Politics of Climate Change
  This module is delivered in module 2 by Professor Alex Warleigh-Lack, Head of Department of Politics and History in the School of Social Sciences. The module aims to explore the development of environmental issues since the 1960’s, with particular reference to climate change, identify the challenges that climate change poses to the neoliberal paradigm, and to evaluate key strategies to combat climate change, such as the Kyoto Protocol and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, along with more radical responses to climate change from the perspective of green theory. More
• Research and Critical Skills in Environmental Sciences
  This is a core module for all IfE MSc programs and is intended to support our PG taught students learning through their MSc programs. The module benefits from contributions from all IfE teaching staff, and provides a forum for discussion, encouragement of scientific argumentation and critical thinking, and development of transferrable skills such as basic experimental design and statistics, literature searching and scientific writing. The module features a synoptic assessment based on a research proposal, which encourages development of research ideas, in support of the dissertation process. More
• Climate and Health
  This module is delivered as a seminar series in term 2 by Dr. Ariana Zeka (IfE), and is designed to develop a broad understanding of the variety of ways in which climate affects human health. This is followed by an exploration of current thinking on the potential for human health to be impacted by a warming of the global climate, and the potential for public health interventions to alleviate these impacts. More
• Dissertation
  For the Award of MSc, students will need to satisfactorily complete a research dissertation, supervised by staff in the Institute for the Environment, potentially in collaboration with partner schools or external organisations. The dissertation will be conducted in term 3 (May-September) for full-time students, and throughout a third ‘dissertation year’ for part time students. We aim to prepare students for the dissertation process throughout the year, through tutorial support and more formally through the research proposal exercise which provides the synoptic assessment in the Research and Critical Skills module. The dissertation is a critical part of the graduate training process in which knowledge and understanding gained through the taught element of the program is embedded in a meaningful piece of research. This activity can add value and distinction to the student’s individual learning experience and demonstrate relevance of the qualification to potential employers. More