Environmental Management

Environmental management is becoming increasingly important to everyone, whether at work, in the community or at home – from complying with environmental legislation to addressing the global challenges of climate change and energy conservation. This course addresses the everyday concerns of environmental protection, natural resource management and rapidly changing environmental legislation and policy. You will explore biophysical, social, political and economic factors from local to global level, and develop the skills you need to participate creatively in the process of improving environmental performance in your own context.

Key features of the course
• Widens your knowledge of the environment and develops your skills in making informed decisions about environmental issues

• Approaches environmental decision making from a systems viewpoint

• Considers how to assess and manage sustainability in an organisation and work towards a more sustainable future.

This certificate is the first stage of a study programme that progresses to a postgraduate diploma and finally a masters degree. You can step off at any point, or study the whole programme.

Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits as follows:

60 credits from:

Module Credits
Making environmental decisions (T891) 30
Sustainable organisations: theory and practice (T892) 30

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules T863 and T867.

You should note that the University's unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

You should normally hold a bachelors degree in a science or engineering discipline from a UK university, or the equivalent.

If you do not have a technical degree you will need to be adequately prepared for postgraduate study in this area. You will be required to write technical essays and reports at a high level, carry out calculations using logarithms and the exponential function, analyse numerical data, and understand and apply scientific principles in relation to chemical reactions, biological processes and energy conversion.

If you are unsure whether your previous study or experience will sufficiently prepare you for this qualification, please contact us for further advice.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum overall score of 6 and minimum score of 5.5 in each of the four components: reading, writing, speaking and listening under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see the IELTS website for details.

Our badged open course, Succeeding in postgraduate study, will introduce you to the nature of masters-level study. It offers essential preparation for pursuing your learning at this level – and is free.

Minimum - 1 year.

How long it takes
The minimum time to complete is 1 year. The maximum time to complete is 8 years.

Career relevance
Our environmental management programme is for people who are interested in designing, managing and participating in more effective environmental decision-making processes. For example, if you are involved in setting up or responding to environmental or integrated management systems, planning new development projects or are trying to understand or manage sustainability.

Students on our environmental management programme are drawn from industry, commerce, local government, consultancies, non-governmental organisations and communities. They include people already involved in environmental management and those who wish to be – both personally and professionally.

You can select modules that are most relevant to your interests and career aspirations as your study builds from postgraduate certificate through diploma to our MSc.

This qualification will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to work in this expanding sector.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.