Module: BIO6002-20 Environmental Practice

Level: 6

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Dr Iain Thornhill

Module Tutor Contact Details: i.thornhill@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

The environmental sector is a fascinating and dynamic sector in which to work. Whether an officer in a government agency, a research scientist or an environmental consultant you have to tackle real-life environmental problems, find workable and sometimes innovative solutions and even sometimes undertake ground-breaking work that could affect human receptors and the wider environment. With increasing professional standards in the environment industry, important skills shortages have been identified generally in contract and project management, communication, digital literacy and stakeholder engagement, and specifically in environmental impact assessment (EIA), Environmental Management Systems (EMS), natural resource management, protected species surveys and conservation, pollution management, and wastes management.

This module aims to:

• equip you with a critical understanding of environmental problems and themes frequently addressed by environmental practitioners in the UK and internationally,

• provide you with experience of undertaking an environmental project in an applied context, critically evaluating the situation and developing recommendations and innovative solutions,

• enable you to gain critical insight into working in the environmental sector in a professional capacity

2. Outline syllabus

On average you will attend sessions for four hours each week. The sessions comprise a mix of lectures, workshops, site visits and project work varies from week to week but support the professional process you will follow for your assignment (from tender to project delivery). Lectures and on-line resources introduce principles that are transferable across the wide variety of roles within environmental practice. Workshops and site visits use a problem-based learning approach to develop understanding and expertise. Presentations by industry speakers, researchers and information from professional bodies will provide opportunities to network and evaluate career opportunities in this field.

Drawing upon the expertise of staff and expertise from industry, case studies will be used to illustrate a range of principles in environmental practice, including project management, legislation and policy formation and enforcement, stakeholder engagement and decision-making (multi-criterion decision analysis). A podcast series is available that considers specific aspects such as EIA, species and habitat surveys; pollution management through an ecosystems services approach; and, waste and resource management. Environmental risk, legislation, policy and regulation, decision making tools and role of drivers and persuasion will be emphasised in terms of how they underpin such work.

3. Teaching and learning activities

The project will address a ‘live’ issue and will also be group-based in terms of any fieldwork or data collection. However the output will be an individual report. The issue will be drawn from industry, either via tutors and their links with the sector, or perhaps through links you may have established via work experience.

The precise nature of the project has a degree of flexibility; depending on class size we can run several projects in parallel. Each project will be based on one of the areas of study introduced in the module, e.g. EIA, EMS, the protection and management of habitats and species, land restoration, environmental decision making, ecosystem services, or wastes management. You will agree a project proposal, undertake practical, field or review work, analyse your findings and deliver a report, written in a professional scientific style that will make recommendations to the external ‘client’. Prior to submitting your report, your group will present its work to the class in order to benefit from feedback from peers and staff. Finally, as a group, you will present your findings to the client and respond to questions. Following this exercise you will submit a brief individual reflection on the project and its presentation in light of the experience.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Individual written report on the group environmental project (4000 words)

• % Weighting: 80%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Small group presentation to the client on the findings of the project work with individual reflection (1000 words equiv)

• % Weighting: 20%