MSc Sustainable Land Management under Global Change

The course is designed for those people with a strong motivation to influence the future of our environment and to ensure that resources are managed sustainably. This course is for students who have achieved an Honours degree at 2.2 or above in conservation, horticulture, agricultural, environmental science, landscape design or management, biology, ecology, geography, or a related discipline in an environmental subject. Consideration will be given to applicants with qualifications outside the stipulated guidelines if they are able to demonstrate significant industrial experience.

English language requirements
If you do not have English as a first language, you will normally be required to demonstrate an IELTS overall score (or equivalent) of:

• 5.5 with a minimum of 5.0 in all elements for a Further Education course
• 5.5 with a minimum of 5.0 in all elements for a Foundation degree, Higher Certificate or Higher Diploma
• 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all elements for a degree
• 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in all elements for a postgraduate degree

If you have lower scores, you may be accepted onto a Pre-sessional English Language course, which can lead to entry to the appropriate programme of study.

• Research Methods (Postgraduate) - This module begins with personal development planning (PDP) in which students will identify an appropriate research approach in the context of their individual aspirations and, where applicable, their professional role. The module introduces students to research and research methods from the perspectives of the researcher, research manager or managerial user. The module will discuss the research process of: identifying issues and problems; specifying research; collecting and processing primary and secondary data and information; analysing findings and producing conclusions, recommendations and suggestions for further investigation. Emphasis will be placed on methods that are objective, systematic, reliable, valid, ethical, effective and efficient. Guidance will also be given on the preparation of research papers and reports. This module will prepare students for dealing with research in all modules and in particular the Dissertation module. Taught postgraduates from all disciplines will initially share a generic overview that is appropriate for a postgraduate understanding of research and the methods that underpin it. Thereafter, the students will devolve to tutors in their discipline to deal with the curriculum content in greater, contextualised detail. The greater part of the assessment will be applied to learning from this second part of the module.
• Environmental Policy and Leadership Skills - International conventions and legislative agreements currently shape environmental policy and practice in many of the World’s countries. Specific to Europe, a sophisticated environmental policy structure that includes the Birds and Habitats Directives, Water Framework Directive and EIA Directive is designed to provide measures and tools for implementing internationally-binding agreements across the region. The European structure and process has gained world-wide recognition and is adopted by many other countries as a suitable model for embedding international initiatives into their own national policy for the environment. The rapid increase in globalization coupled with diminishing resources and decline in biodiversity has forced change in the way global societies view the environment, and in some countries, political and societal behaviour. For instance, strategies that include stakeholder engagement, partnerships, coalition building and community – based initiatives are promoted as mainstream practices to meeting international objectives to halting biodiversity decline and loss of ecosystem services. In this module students are encouraged to critically analyse schools of thought in environmental philosophy, and to appreciate how some of the founding theories have come to shape modern policy. A focus on the main European Union political drivers and environmental directives will provide the baseline for understanding global initiatives. At a more practical level, students will have the opportunity to examine in detail the structure and mechanisms of implementing wider environmental objectives at national and local levels through working with sector-based case studies. Much of local environmental policy is implemented through community action, which often includes the engagement of stakeholders and wider society. The kinds of skills and understanding needed in leadership and negotiation is often lacking in the sector and can be one of the main reasons for failure in driving home environmental policy.
• Managing for Sustainable Environments - The concept of sustainable environmental management has figured in mainstream planning and development for more than a quarter of a century. Notwithstanding, rapidly changing environmental conditions and biodiversity loss brought on by the effects of climate change and accelerated human development have forced the global society to develop new strategies to deal with rising uncertainty and the increase in complex problems. In science recent efforts to apply complex systems theory and more interdisciplinary models to problems encountered in many aspects of environmental management has set new demands on industry to employ professional staff with the appropriate skills to be able to operate in a more multi-functional capacity. The module “Managing for Sustainable Environments” presents the scientific principles and applications of ecosystem theory and complex systems theory in the context of sustainable development with particular reference to ‘eco-mimicry’ and adaptive management. The modern view of the nested anthroposystem within the larger natural ecosystem is a central tenant to the philosophy of both this module and the masters programme. The aim of this module is to provide students with a comprehensive theoretical understanding of the scientific concepts underpinning sustainable environmental management, and to give them the opportunity to demonstrate an ability to effectively apply this knowledge to a range of sector-related case studies.
• Adaptive Land Use and Human Well-being - Over the last century humans have changed the World’s ecosystems more profoundly than at any time in earlier history. A rapidly expanding human population coupled with demands for a better quality of life have contributed to a substantial and largely irreversible loss in biodiversity and ecosystem function. The changes to ecosystems brought about through the development and harnessing of technology have contributed to significant net gains in human wellbeing, but this growth has come at a high cost to the state of much of the world’s ecosystems. Many are now classified as degraded; some are destroyed beyond any hope of restoration. Much of this change brings with it risks of unpredictable, non-linear changes to the environment, which can only impact on human wellbeing. Unless these problems are addressed urgently there will be substantial loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services leading to a sharp down-turn in quality of life for many around the world. Direct human-induced impacts to global ecosystems have been escalated by problems relating to climate change. The challenge of reversing human-induced degradation of ecosystems, and of operating in a world of increasing complexity and uncertainty will require significant shifts in global policies, institutions and practices. Strategies at all levels of socio-economic operations will need to apply adaptive measures of management that demonstrate flexibility, risk-aversion and risk-robust practices. Management strategies that demonstrate adaptive and resilient traits are recognised as being sustainable. Common features include working within the carrying capacity of the system; acknowledging that nature has finite energy; that efficiency is measured differently in natural systems and includes buffers and energy storage capacity; and that all systems are dynamic, subject to change and ruled more often by principles of chaos. This module will require students to apply scientific theories and principles underpinning adaptive management to a variety of problems encountered in different land management practices. It will require students to critically analyse current management practices, evaluate existing land management strategies against adaptive management criteria, and construct alternative sustainable strategies that are resilient, risk-robust and adaptive to change.
• Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Services - Landscape ecology is an interdisciplinary area of study emerging from the best principles of environmental biology, and deals with the spatial variation in landscapes at a variety of scales. At its core landscape ecology links natural sciences with related societal, cultural and design disciplines. This module will examine the spatial pattern or structure of a range of landscapes from wilderness to cities, particularly in relation to conservation biology. It will analyse the relationship between pattern, process and change. It will evaluate landscape fragmentation and examine how landscape components can be vulnerable or robust. The module will also be concerned with the relationship of human activity and landscape, in particular the services derived from ecosystems and how humans affect the provision ecosystem goods and services. It will deal with societal drivers of change and the effects of human activity on landscape pattern. It will help planners, designers, and managers deal with fragmented landscapes to establish priorities within a more sustainable framework. It will provide the holistic and interdisciplinary approach needed to make informed judgments about strategies for conservation/preservation, enhancement, re-creation and recovering and new landscapes.

OPTIONAL MODULES

• Experiential Learning 15 credits - This module is designed to help students review or improve their professional practice. Students will operate with a high level of autonomy to work upon a work-based problem, and to apply knowledge and techniques at the forefront of their discipline in an area of professional practice. They will be required to evaluate critically current scholarship and work-based practices and to use their knowledge to either: a) provide a critical review of a work-based problem and suggest possible ways forward, or b) implement and investigate novel and creative solutions to a problem. Students will identify suitable projects and problems within their sector. Writtle College may be able to guide students towards suitable projects, depending on availability. There may be opportunities to base this module at a Higher Education Institution or research organisation abroad, subject to agreement on quality assurance. The work carried out in this module can be linked to research to be conducted for the Dissertation.
• Landscape Theory and Philosophy - This module will critically examine the development of modern and contemporary theory of landscape and landscape architecture primarily developed in the last fifty years to the experiential models that are now current in professional practice and academia. In addition, it will evaluate how landscape is perceived: how these perceptions are formed, filtered and focused. It will allow students to evaluate these theories and their role in design, planning, and decision making, particularly at the strategic and policy levels in industry and for scholarly and academic research. The module will use issues and topics derived from art, architecture, and landscape disciplines, with a relationship to professional practice and investigative programs and projects. Students will analyse issues in relation to landscape design and environmental planning, design, and management in order to test and extend theory. In the MA Garden Design course, garden design theory parallels much of landscape theory. However, readings over several weeks of the module become more distinct and specific to garden design.
• Landscape and Environmental Impact Assessments - Landscape and environmental impact assessments can form a basis of our intrinsic understanding and appreciation of the environment in which we live, and the landscapes we plan, design and manage. For development planning, they are often required to produce information that helps in the resolution of alternatives, production of mitigation strategies, and in generating baseline information essential to planners and project managers. Landscape assessments can also be used in the designation of protected landscape areas and defining character areas, as well as in the formulation of management plans. This module enables students to comprehensively understand the processes of landscape and environmental impact assessments, their application to a range of situations and coupling to the planning system (with a particularly focus on a UK context), and their potential in supporting sustainable development.
• Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture - Climate change and continuing population growth are the two most important drivers of ecosystem degradation that threatens human wellbeing. The planet’s capacity to provide food and fresh water to sustain human population growth and development is reaching a tipping point. Without radical solutions to the way we exploit Earth’s ecosystems for food and water nature’s capacity to support mankind will collapse leading to dramatic declines in human wellbeing. Sustainable land management and food security requires innovative, risk-robust strategies to meet growing demands in the future and to ensure ecosystems remain fully functional and resilient to uncertain changes. This module presents current scientific theory in sustainable farm land management and competitive food production with a specific reference to agricultural ecology and ecosystem resilience. Students will be able to analyse and critically evaluate current policy and strategies practiced in the UK and the wider global sphere through a review of case studies. Applications of new scientific thinking and technology will be observed in the field. The aim of the module is to provide students with the latest applied scientific theory in sustainable farming practices, agricultural ecology and food production
• Reading the Landscape - Historic landscapes evolve overtime so creating a complex mix of layers and features, which need to be understood before making further change or taking management decisions. The module aims to develop and extend the skills required to assess and understand the development of historic sites overtime. This will include identifying and assessing site features and associated documentation to ascertain past activity and the resulting historic layers, followed by analysis and evaluation. Local historic sites such as Easton Lodge, Hatfield Forest, Hylands Park, Ingatestone Hall and the Writtle College grounds and wider estate will be used for workshop activities.
• Special Topics (Postgraduate Independent Study) - The Special Topics Module aims to provide additional project and research opportunities for students in Landscape Architecture, Garden Design, Environmental Design and Management Courses, and other postgraduate courses. Students will work with designated faculty where mutual interests and expertise are available. Examples include a research paper shared with a faculty member, pursuing a branch of research in addition to and complimentary with the students’ research, an internal project proposed by one of the centres, or further and more specialised study as a continuation of a module. Independent study is optional, and will be possible where special interests of the student parallel the interests of faculty, School of Design and/or the Centres of Innovation. Special Topics may also take the form of a seminar or taught module where students interact and present selected topics in addition the written submission. Students are accepted for Special Topics (seminar or independent study) by permission of their advisor and from the designated lecturer, School, or Centre. In some cases, dependent upon permission of a students advisor, the Special Topics Module may be substituted for professional practice or other core module.
• Theory and History of Landscape and Garden Design - The module aims to develop in the student a better understanding of Landscape Architecture through concepts from a continuum of historical perspectives. The module will examine both the development of landscape and garden design over time, to the present day, assessing design concepts and theories, and the evolution of Landscape Architecture as a profession. The impact and interaction of social, cultural, political, economic, environmental and technical forces on the development of landscape design styles will be considered. The history and theory of these forces will be studied, which will develop an awareness of the cultural continuum in which current design takes place. Outstanding works, significant personalities and events will be considered. Landscape design vocabulary and significant literature will be highlighted.
• Landscape Conservation Issues - The conservation of historic designed landscapes is a relatively young discipline compared to the conservation of other heritage assets such as buildings and structures. Even so conservation philosophies and approaches are well-developed; these will be evaluated and their application at different sites assessed. Visits will be made to local and regional historic sites such as the Gibberd Garden and Valentines Park in Essex, and Painshill Park, Surrey, where the challenges facing these sites will be examined. This will include issues such as enabling development, climate change and economic pressures, and the impact of these upon the conservation of historic sites. The range and effectiveness of heritage protection measures will be discussed as will the role of relevant organisations such as English Heritage and its counterparts.