Explore our Environment Bioscience in a Changing Climate taught Master's degree.

P-D4A1

MSc

1 year full-time;
2 years part-time

2 October 2023

Life Sciences

University of Warwick

Our Environmental Bioscience in a Changing Climate MSc provides a timely and integrated perspective on sustainability of food production, energy and ecosystems. With 90% of our research rated as 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the REF 2021 assessment, study at the University of Warwick's School of Life Sciences.

Escalating rates of environmental and climate change are forcing us to re-evaluate our management of agricultural and natural habitats. The competing demands on agricultural land for food production and for bioenergy provision must be reconciled with environmental stewardship and mitigation of climate change.

This master’s course provides a timely and integrated perspective on environmental bioscience, management, societal matters and regulation as these relate to issues such as sustainable production of food and provision of ecosystem services.

Skills from this degree

You will gain:

• The ability to evaluate the impacts of climate change locally and globally
• The ability to understand and evaluate the factors contributing to soil, air and water quality and recognise their roles in food production and society values
• Understanding of the roles different land management practices have on local, regional and global ecosystems
• Transferable skills including team working, communicating with peers and sector specialists, organising, planning and oral presentation
• Research skills including scientific report writing, evaluation of environmental accounts, problem solving, data analysis and project work

You'll be taught by expert scientists who undertake research in solving major global challenges in areas such as food security, disease control, bioenergy, systems biology, neurobiology and climate change. Also, external professional experts teach on selected modules giving a vital extra dimension to your teaching experience.

Teaching is via facilitated sessions, including interactive lectures, short question and answer sessions and interactive workshops/tutorials and field visits. Individual and team learning will be used for case study analysis.

Class sizes for this course vary between 5 to 90 students.

Depending on the module contact hours vary between 15-25 per week.

Assessment is continuous and varies between modules. It typically includes essays, seminar presentations, practical reports, oral evaluation and assessed group work.

You will undertake an individual project during the third term and there is an option to undertake a work-based placement as part of your project. Your project/placement will be assessed by a seminar presentation and either a 15,000 word thesis or a 6,000 word journal article.

Reading lists

Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page.

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.

2:ii undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.

• Band A
• IELTS overall score of 6.5, minimum component scores not below 6.0.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

• Environmental Protection, Risk Assessment and Safety
• Soil, Sustainability and the Environment
• Biosciences, Politics and Social Acceptability
• Project/Work Placement/Dissertation
• Environmental Accounting
• Climate Change
• Organic and Low Input Systems
• Biological Invasions in Changing Environments
• Biodiversity, Conversation and Ecosystem Services
• Microbiomics and Metagenomics
• Challenges of Global Food Security

Read more about our core modules on our Life Sciences website.

• Marketing Management
• Business Strategy
• Habitability in the Universe
• Climate Change and Development (Law)
• Thinking Water (IATL)

Our optional module lists are subject to change each year to keep the student learning experience current and up-to-date. You can find the most up to date list on the Life Sciences websiteLink opens in a new window.

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