Undergraduate 

Environmental Science & Sustainability (Dumfries campus) BSc

Environmental Policy and Management DUMF4040

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Social and Environmental Sustainability
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

Environmental Policy and Management will examine the management of environments by a variety of actors, and the policies that frame management options. It will focus on such approaches as multi-lateral environmental agreements, the environmental approaches that help address sustainable development, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction, as well as tools for implementing these. In broad terms the course will strike a balance between applied and critical perspectives.

Timetable

33hrs of lectures/seminars, including field visits

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Assessment

Essay (50%).

Group work to design environmental impact chains (group report 25%)

Speed talk - timed presentation and questions (25%)

 

Reassessment

In accordance with the University's Code of Assessment reassessments are normally set for all courses which do not contribute to the honours classifications. For non honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students, and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions are listed below in this box.

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? No

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

The aims of this course are to:

1. Further develop the knowledge and understanding of how environmental management relates to the broader goal of sustainable development;

2. Enable students to make informed choices between alternative and sometimes competing ways of managing natural resources with the aim of improving outcomes;

3. Examine a variety of environmental management tools and methods which can be deployed by different actors across society;

4. Enhance the student's understanding of some of the economic, social, political and legal frameworks for environmental management;

5. Examine the conceptual background and development of the Ecosystem Approach, Nature-based Solution and related processes;

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critically discuss how the concept of sustainable development underpins environmental management systems;

2. Explain how the application of environmental management can be used to improve environmental performance and result in the production of multiple social and economic co-benefits;

3. Use the full range of environmental management tools and methods to enhance environmental performance;

4. Evaluate International, EU and UK environmental legislation and regulation and assess how they are used to improve overall environmental performance;

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.