2022/23 MEnv Environment, Ecology and Economics Programme Design Document

	A	C	F	G	I	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z	AA	AB	AC	AD	AE	AF	AG	AH	AI	AJ	AK	AL	AM	AN
1	Programme Information & PLOs
2	Title of the new programme – including any year abroad/ in industry variants
3	MEnv Environment, Ecology and Economics
4	Level of qualification
5	Please select:				Level 7
6	Please indicate if the programme is offered with any year abroad / in industry variants																				Year in Industry Please select Y/N								No
7																					Year AbroadPlease select Y/N								Yes
8	Department(s): Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department
9	Lead Department		Department of Environment and Geography
10	Other contributing Departments:		N/A
11	Programme Leader
12	Dr Marco Sakai
13	Purpose and learning outcomes of the programme
14	Statement of purpose for applicants to the programme
15	The degree in Environment, Economics and Ecology will equip you with the knowledge and skills to understand and address the most pressing sustainability challenges of our time. We teach students to find synergies between multiple disciplines, linking knowledge, techniques and methods from natural and social sciences. As a student in this degree, you will learn that underlying every cause of environmental degradation there are complex interactions of many socioeconomic factors, and how individuals, firms or nations can be induced to make more responsible decisions. You will be taught from lecturers in their own field including and include ecologists, economists, geographers, biologists and environmental scientists; all experts working on the front line with business, cities, national and international policymaking agencies and non-profit organisations in the complex areas of climate change, energy policy, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and food and water security. By your final year of study you are well equipped to undertake an independent research project in an environmental sustainability topic of your choice. You will be trained in the use and application of digital learning technologies such as statistical packages and geographical information systems (GIS) to enhance your employability. You will develop strong teamworking skills through training and extensive opportunities for groupwork during class discussions, seminars and fieldwork. Graduates from this degree are solution-oriented and inter-disciplinary thinkers who are capable to develop practical environmental management solutions to the most pressing sustainability challenges, and can communicate effectively verbally and in writing to a range of audiences. Graduates from this degree programme have gone on to successful careers in a wide range of areas including environmental consultancy, corporate sustainability, energy/water management, nature conservation, economic development consultancy, and environmental policy in international NGOs, and local and national government departments. Our MEnv programme is designed to provide a more vocational experience than the 3 year BSc, and is particularly useful for those who wish to move into a career in the environmental sector, or for those preparing for a PhD. During the additional year of study you will be exposed to real world problems and policies through studying links between business and the environment. The programme also offers you the opportunity to design and undertake an advanced research project leading up to the preparation of a research publication-style dissertation. Through studying for MEnv you will become more aware of how our environment is managed, become proficient in research design and implementation, and further develop key skills in communication, team work and data analysis to increase your employability.
16	Programme Learning OutcomesPlease provide six to eight statements of what a graduate of the programme can be expected to do. Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
17	PLO	On successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
18	1	Debate, interpret and explain the ecological principles and human interactions which underlie environmental management at a range of scales using appropriate methods and norms, and engage critically with theory, knowledge and emerging issues in environmental economics, ecology and environmental studies [Knowledgeable and aware]
19	2	Obtain, synthesise and critically evaluate information from a wide range of reliable sources, and collate this information to establish current understanding and independently identify key research questions in specialised areas of ecology, economics and environmental studies[Independent learner]
20	3	Cut across disciplinary boundaries to link knowledge and experience from a wide range of research, areas to understand the relationship between economic, business and social pressures and their impacts on the ecology of our complex global environment [Interdisciplinary thinker]
21	4	Identify knowledge gaps, plan, design and execute advanced research in ecology, economics and environmental studies as an individual or as part of a team using critically-selected qualitative, quantitative and field-based methods [Creator of new knowledge]
22	5	Design and undertake critical analyses of qualitative and quantitative data using appropriate tools such as GIS and statistical packages to draw meaningful conclusions from research on the ecological and economic implications of human interactions with the environment [Analytical]
23	6	Effectively communicate knowledge, complex ideas and persuasive arguments to professional and non-specialist audiences using verbal, written, visual and digital media and research publications [Effective communicator]
24	7	Recommend sustainable solutions to environment and development problems that consider broader social, political, economic and environmental contexts, and the ethical implications of their application by applying knowledge, theories and approaches from ecology, economics and policy studies [Problem solver]
25	8	Work responsibly as part of a team or as a team-leader, including in an applied setting, to set challenging yet attainable goals and make an important contribution to understanding and reducing the pressures that economic development, population growth, poverty, and globalisation place on the natural environment and its resources [Team player]
26	Programme Learning Outcome for year in industry (where applicable) For programmes which lead to the title ‘with a Year in Industry’ – typically involving an additional year – please provide either a) amended versions of some (at least one, but not necessarily all) of the standard PLOs listed above, showing how these are changed and enhanced by the additional year in industry b) an additional PLO, if and only if it is not possible to capture a key ability developed by the year in industry by alteration of the standard PLOs.
27	N/A
28	Programme Learning Outcome for year abroad programmes (where applicable) For programmes which lead to the title ‘with a Year Abroad’ – typically involving an additional year – please provide either a) amended versions of some (at least one, but not necessarily all) of the standard PLOs listed above, showing how these are changed and enhanced by the additional year abroad or b) an additional PLO, if and only if it is not possible to capture a key ability developed by the year abroad by alteration of the standard PLOs.
29	N/A
30	Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning OutcomesPlease explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
31	i) Why the PLOs are considered ambitious or stretching?
32	Through achieving our programme outcomes you will be equipped with the abilities and confidence to improve our understanding of the world around us and work towards developing sustainable solutions to today’s environmental problems. Our outcomes require you to be critical in terms of the information you use and the research tools you employ, persuasive and clear in the ways in which you communicate and interdisciplinary in your approaches towards understanding the environment and recommending solutions to problems. These are all characteristics that we will help you to develop through our MEnv in Environment, Economics and Ecology and will enable you to be successful in your future career.
33	ii) The ways in which these outcomes are distinctive or particularly advantageous to the student:
34	The programme outcomes capture the key employability skills that graduates of an Environment, Economics and Ecology integrated masters will be asked to demonstrate when applying for successful and rewarding careers in this field of work. By providing you with a clear pathway towards achieving these learning outcomes through Key Points Training (KPT) and plentiful opportunities to use and practice these skills you will be able to draw on specific examples of work that you have undertaken to evidence your accomplishments to potential future employers. Through interactions with external environmental and industrial organisations you will see how the skills embedded in our programme outcomes can be used in the workplace.
35	iii) How the programme learning outcomes develop students’ digital literacy and will make appropriate use of technology-enhanced learning (such as lecture recordings, online resources, simulations, online assessment, ‘flipped classrooms’ etc)?
36	a. Digital literacy - Through our MEnv in Environment, Economics and Ecology you will develop the key digital skills needed for effective communication, finding and using reliable sources, and analysing quantitative and qualitative datasets. You will receive training in the use of the relevant digital tools at key points throughout your studies and be provided with opportunities to use them in a range of applications. This will ensure that when you graduate you are ready to effectively apply these tools in a work-based setting; b. Technology-enhanced learning - We have developed an online site (the KPT Skills Hub) that you can use to develop key skills, and improve and progress throughout your degree. The online Skills Hub complements the teaching you will receive during contact hours and gives you the tools and flexibility to work on key skills development in your own time.
37	iv) How the PLOs support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)? The programme's employablity objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
38	http://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/support-and-admin/careers/staff/
39	The programme outcomes capture the key employability skills that graduates of an Environment Economics and Ecology degree will be asked to demonstrate when applying for successful and rewarding careers in this field of work. By providing you with a clear pathway towards achieving these learning outcomes through Key Points Training (KPT) and plentiful opportunities to use and practice these skills you will be able to draw on specific examples of work that you have undertaken to evidence your accomplishments to potential future employers. Through interactions with external environmental and industrial organisations you will see how the skills emedded in our programme outcomes can be used in the workplace. (note same text as in box ii as I think the link to employability is the major benefit to students)
40	vi) How will students who need additional support for academic and transferable skills be identified and supported by the Department?
41	In every case Key Points Training is linked to a key piece of assessment. The result of this assessment will signpost to you and to the department how you are progressing towards the programme outcomes as you move through your programme. We have developed an online resource (the KPT Skills Hub) that you can use outside of contact hours to support your effective development of the skills needed to be successful in your chosen degree programme. Our programmes are also designed so that you have a wide range of opportunities to use and practice key skills developed in KPT training in a number of other core and optional modules.
42	vii) How is teaching informed and led by research in the department/ centre/ University?
43	We are a research-active department and share our latest research findings and methods with you through our teaching. Throughout your studies you will be actively involved in designing and performing research projects aimed at both understanding the world around us and solving environmental problems. All of our courses include fieldtrips that allow you to see how the theory and knowledge you have been taught in lectures apply in a range of national and international settings. Through tutorials and seminars you will gain experience in discussing cutting-edge research and develop key communication skills. Lectures are supplemented by guest speakers from the environmental think-tank the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), and a range of external environmental and industrial organisations, exposing you to potential areas of future employment throughout your studies.
44	Stage-level progression Please complete the table below, to summarise students’ progressive development towards the achievement of PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of each year. This summary may be particularly helpful to students and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules. Note: it is not expected that a position statement is written for each PLO, but this can be done if preferred (please add information in the 'individual statement' boxes). For a statement that applies across all PLOs in the stage fill in the 'Global statement' box.
45	Stage 0 (if your programme has a Foundation year, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
46	On progression from the first year (Stage 0), students will be able to:											N/A
47	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
48	N/A		N/A			N/A					N/A					N/A					N/A					N/A					N/A
49	Stage 1
50	On progression from the first year (Stage 1), students will be able to:											Engage with theory, knowledge and emerging issues in environmental studies, economics and ecology and be able to undertake research as part of a group
51	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
52	Demonstrate core knowledge of economic and ecological principles relevant for understanding environmental management challenges, and the concept of sustainable development		Obtain and use relevant sources using database tools such as Web of Science to support information needs			Demonstrate awareness of the complexity of global environmental problems, and be able to describe them with reference to the three core disciplines of economics, ecology and environmental studies					Confidently collect primary and secondary data and design some aspects of a basic research project as part of a group					Organise and present summaries of datasets and use basic statistical methods and programmes to analyse quantitative and qualitative data with guidance					Communicate effectively both verbally in small group discussions and group presentations, and in writing via essays and reports, and be confident in using a range of computer-based programmes to present and submit work					Demonstrate an awareness of real world environmental problems and the ways in which they can be avoided and mitigated					Work in groups to gather data in the laboratory and fleld, solve problems and present findings and ideas
53	Stage 2
54	On progression from the second year (Stage 2), students will be able to:											Use theoretical and practical knowledge to design and undertake research as part of a group, and critically evaluate sustainable solutions to environmental problems
55	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
56	Apply increasingly advanced knowledge of economic and ecological principles to critically evaluate policy instruments designed to solve environmental problems and environmental management issues at a range of scales		Synthesise and critically evaluate information from relevant sources to develop persuasive arguments			Engage with literature and data from across the three core disciplines of economics, ecology and environmental studies to formulate ideas and arguments					Design and implement a research project as part of a group, including identifying relevant research questions and developing research proposals					Start to independently design approaches for data analysis using increasingly complex statistical methods and employ a wider range of computer based programmes,such as ARCGIS, for data analysis					Articulate and visualise persuasive arguments, ideas, data and theories effectively and fluently via essays, reports, exams, discussions, and verbal presentations					Critically evaluate existing solutions to environmental policy problems using a multi-scalar perspective					Work effectively as part of a work or as a group leader in field, laboratory and classroom contexts, confidently expressing views whilst also respecting the opinions of others
57	Stage 3
58	(For Integrated Masters) On progression from the third year (Stage 3), students will be able to:											Use theoretical and practical knowledge to identify knowledge gaps and design and undertake advanced independent research, and recommend sustainable solutions to environmental problems
59	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
60	Engage critically with theory and advanced knowledge of complex environmental problems and adeptly apply tools of economic valuation		Independently find and critically engage with a wide range of sources to establish current understanding of specialist topics and identify key knowledge gaps to guide research design			Confidently synthesise ideas and concepts from across the three core disciplines of economics, ecology and environmental studies and the business and management sectors in order to evaluate existing solutions to complex multi-scalar environmental problems and start to develop solutions					Undertake an independent literature review to identify key knowledge gaps in specialist areas and use this to develop, design and implement an independent research project					Independently design the statistical analysis of research data incorporating this into research project design and proficiently use advanced programmes such as R and Stata for data analysis.					Present ideas and persuasive arguments verbally and in writing using a range of styles and media (including inter alia posters, reports, policy briefs, cost beneift analyses, essays, exams and presentations) for expert and non-expert audiences					Propose appropriate sustainable solutions to environmental policy problems using a multi-scalar and inter-disciplinary persepctive					Work confidently in a group as a leader or co-worker in an academic or professional setting to produce work to a deadline
61	Programme Structure
62	Module Structure and Summative Assessment Map Please complete the summary table below which shows the module structure and the pattern of summative assessment through the programme. ‘Option module’ can be used in place of a specific named option. If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists these lists should be provided in the next section. From the drop-down select 'S' to indicate the start of the module, 'A' to indicate the timing of each distinct summative assessment point (eg. essay submission/ exam), and 'E' to indicate the end of the module (if the end of the module coincides with the summative assessment select 'EA') . It is not expected that each summative task will be listed where an overall module might be assessed cumulatively (for example weekly problem sheets). If summative assessment by exams will be scheduled in the summer Common Assessment period (weeks 5-7) a single ‘A’ can be used within the shaded cells as it is understood that you will not know in which week of the CAP the examination will take place.
63	Stage 0 (if you have modules for Stage 0, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
64	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
65		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
66	N/A	N/A		N/A
67	Stage 1
68	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
69		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
70	10	ENV00031C		Frontiers in Sustainability Research		S								A	EA
71	10	ENV00030C		Introduction to Ecological and Environmental Economics												S									EA
72	20	ENV00028C		Data Analysis for Environmental Research		S									A										EA
73	20	ENV00002C		Ecological Principles for the Environment											S											A			E	A
74	10	ENV00018C		Environment, Development and Society		S									E	A
75	10	ENV00026C		Qualitative Approaches to Social Science Research												S									E		A
76	20	ENV00009C		Economic Principles		S																	A		E					A
77	20	ENV00007C		Field Project (Huge & EEE)																			S			A			A				EA
78	Stage 2
79	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
80		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
81	20	ENV00029I		Applied Economics for the Environment												S								A	E					A
82	20	ENV00026I		Environmental Policy		S															A				E					A
83	10	ENV00001I		Ocean Management and Conservation		S									E	A
84	10	ENV00030I		Economics of Sustainable Development		S									EA
85	20	ENV00034I		Tenerife Field Course: Environment, Economics & Ecology																			S			E			A	A
86	10	ENV00036I		Ecological methodology		S									EA
87	20	ENV00013I		Energy and the Environment		S										A									E		A
88	20	ENV00024I		Ecosystem Processes		S															A				E					A
89	10	ENV00002I		Climate Change: Science, Observations and Impacts												S									EA
90	10	ENV00012I		Geographical Information Systems		S									EA
91	20	ENV00023I		Food, Space, Culture and Society		S										A									E					A
92	20	ENV00028I		Geographies of Development		S													A						E				A
93	20	ENV00021I		Megacities and Urbanisation		S											A								E					A
94	10	ENV00022I		Sustainable Tourism and Transport												S									E			A
95	10	ECO00025I		Economics II - Microeconomics		S									EA
96	Stage 3
97	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
98		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
99	20	ENV00029H		Advanced Literature Review		S																			A					EA
100	20	ENV00030H		Research Skills and Statistical Methods		S																A			E