Environmental Resource Management

The MSc Environmental Resource Management is an established programme designed for those who wish to undertake advanced studies in the pursuit of a career in the environmental sciences.



Sustainable management of our environmental resources is at the heart of some of the key challenges facing humanity today; food security, climate change, biodiversity loss, and the protection of water and soil resources. During this MSc particular emphasis is placed on exploring these globally important environmental issues, in agriculture and other land use systems. Graduates will gain the knowledge necessary to address these needs through a combination of environmental science, policy and management expertise.



The programme fosters in its graduates the qualities of self-motivation and critical thinking. Core elements of the programme include: literature review and knowledge assimilation; core lab, field and IT skills including use of GIS and remote sensing software; experimental survey design, quantitative data analysis and communication skills.



Individual and group work assignments are designed to develop individual, teamwork and leadership skills. These skills will culminate and be tested further in the final semester, when students complete a supervised research project. Fieldwork is involved in many of the modules offered, including visits to leading extension, advisory and research programmes in the area of sustainable environmental resource management.



The minor thesis component offers a very broad choice of research topics that allows students to focus on a specific subject area of interest. Students are assigned an academic supervisor with research interests and expertise in the thesis subject area.esearch interests and expertise in the thesis subject area.



What Will I Learn?

• Apply learned skills and competencies in environmental consultancy, evaluation and assessment

• Appreciate the functional benefits of natural processes within managed rural ecosystems

• Combine the use of core lab, field and IT skills in scientific study and evaluation

• Devise and interpret environmental studies/evaluations involving the collection, appropriate analysis and reporting of resulting observations

• Evaluate the wider environmental issues and challenges of food production and security, and appreciate the objectives of national, EU and international policy

• Integrate scientific understanding in sustainable management and policy approaches

• Interpret the ecological processes and cycles that underpin sustainable management of natural resources

• Understand the key terrestrial ecosystem services such as climate and water regulation and nutrient cycling, and how they may be promoted by effective and sustainable land management practice.



NFQ Level: 9 (90 credits)

Level: Graduate Taught

Award: Master of Science (Agriculture)

Stage 1 Core Modules

AESC40390: Human Impact on the Environment

AESC40440: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

AESC40700: Communication for Research

FOR30430: Geographic Information Systems

GEOG30860: Environmental Assessment

AESC40180: Data Analysis for Biologists

AESC40410: Soil, Plant & Water Resources

AESC40470: Practical Research Skills

AESC40690: Ecosystem Monitoring

ENVB40290: Ecological Modelling

AESC40370: Research Project (AESC) 2



Stage 1 Options - A)1 of:

Students must choose one of the below listed 5 credit option modules in the Autumn Trimester.

AESC40150: Wildlife Conservation

AESC40360: One Health

BSEN40720: Carbon & Sustainability

Applicants must hold minimum lower second class honours Degree (NFQ Level 8), or international equivalent, in Biological Science, Environmental Science, Agricultural Science, Geography, Earth Sciences, Natural Sciences or cognate degree programme from a recognised higher education institution. Cognate degree programmes would include humanities, arts, business, law and engineering.



Mature candidates have previously been accepted on the basis of relevant experience and prospective candidates are encouraged to contact the Programme Director to discuss their eligibility.



The programme welcomes students from across the world.



Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent. Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the English language requirements, may enter the programme upon successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/



These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes.



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme.



Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page (https://tinyurl.com/2ae2ffax) for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

90

1 year full-time

Delivery: On Campus

MSc(Agr) Environmental Resource Management (X089) Full Time

EU fee per year - € 8875

nonEU fee per year - € 25600


***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.

X089: MSc Environmental Resource Management

Master of Science (Agriculture)



Full-Time: Commencing September 2025

Graduate Taught

Careers & Employability

The career prospects for graduates from the MSc Environmental Resource Management are wide ranging, with environmental management increasingly fundamental to industrial, service and public sectors. Graduates secure roles in the private and public sector across government agencies, local authorities, county councils and others.



This programme has a successful track record with the Irish Aid Fellowships.



Graduate Roles:

Environmental Consultancy

Environmental Advisory

Environmental Engineering

Regulatory Authorities

Policy

Research