Advertorial: Brunel University

When the weather warms up in Spring, as it generally does, and the 24/7 gaze of the media has shifted away local authority gritting depots, Norfolk emails and who said what and where about melting Himalayan glaciers, we will be facing a far bigger challenge than getting to school or work in a few inches of snow. The challenge will be deciding, en mass, if and how to mitigate future risks arising from global warming and climate change. Yes, there is noise in systems as complex as those governing global climate, and yes, scientists too get things wrong. But there is such as thing as weight of evidence, and uncertainties in the science notwithstanding, we can at least be certain that the future will hold demand for professionals with a more integrated understanding of how human activities influence the environment. Without them, it’s hard to see how our existence can become more sustainable.

Brunel University has been training such professionals for many years. Since its formation in 2004, the Institute for the Environment has operated as a postgraduate training and research centre dedicated to tackling pressing environmental problems, in collaboration with both industry and public sector organisations. The staff of the Institute for the Environment provide research expertise and experience across a wide range of environmental issues, which compliment and inform our postgraduate training programmes.

The Institute for the Environment currently offers three MSc. programmes in environmental sciences:

Environmental Science: Pollution and Monitoring:

This programme provides a deep understanding of the effects of pollution, and emphasizes processes and techniques related to the reduction of emissions to air, land and water. The program incorporates a core syllabus on the fundamental principles of environmental science, supported by a practical laboratory component, and provides an effective entry route into all professions related to environmental pollution, assessment and control.

Environmental Science: Legislation and Management:

This programme provides a rigorous academic treatment of the fundamental scientific principles of assessing and controlling the extent of environmental damage by Man’s activities. Students learn to evaluate key technological, legislative and management principles, and this degree provides a valuable step for those seeking roles as environmental managers in private, public, or third sector organizations.

Climate Change Impacts and Sustainability:

This is the most recent addition to our MSc course portfolio, and represents an integrative, multi-school approach to providing a broad understanding of both processes and impacts of climate change across the spectrum of human activities. The course is designed to appeal to those with both personal and professional interests in climate change issues, and whose goal is to find employment that better reflects these interests. We accommodate students from a range of backgrounds, including ‘non-scientists’, including many who are returning to education after many years in the workplace, as part of their continuing professional development.

All three programmes feature a core syllabus of critical environmental science content, combined with specialised modules, many of which are delivered by experts from across campus, and consolidated by a research dissertation in which students knowledge and understanding is combined with critical and transferable skills developed under our guidance. Given the growing appeal of our courses to people returning to education, either while in employment or as career break/reorientation, all contact time is scheduled on two days per week. All our MSc programs can be taken in full-time (2 days per week) or part-time mode (1 day per week).

The Institute for the Environment at Brunel University has established a reputation for world-leading research in environmental sciences, combined with postgraduate training that serves the community with balanced, objective and knowledgeable graduates. So as Spring approaches and your mind wanders free from weather reports, consider the benefits of a better understanding of our environment, and a more balanced and informed basis for deciding its future.