Water and Environmental Management

About the School

Geography has been taught at Queen Mary since 1894, making us one of the longest-established schools of geography in the UK. Today, we are one of the leading centres for geographical scholarship. We were ranked 11th overall for our excellence in the latest UK research rankings and fifth for the quality of our staff’s research publications (Research Excellence Framework 2014).

Set in the heart of one of London’s most vibrant and diverse areas, the School is ideally placed for studying the capital’s people, places, cultures and environment, as well as being a global hub for geographical expertise. We have a culturally diverse and inclusive postgraduate community.

We pride ourselves on our close links with external partners including the Environment Agency, the Geffrye Museum of the Home, Citizens UK and Natural England.

The School of Geography received the Athena SWAN bronze award in September 2016.

Programme

This programme provides fundamental and applied training in environmental science and management, with a focus on water. Be a part of developing interdisciplinary solutions to priority water resource and catchment issues, working in close collaboration with our advisory board of representatives from the water industry.

• Combine hydrology, geomorphology, biogeochemistry and ecology in this interdisciplinary programme
• Develop a core understanding of environmental systems and the key policy and legal frameworks that underpin their management
• Engage in fieldwork at our research sites ranging from globally rare chalk streams to heavily impacted rivers within London and southern England

What you will study

You will have the opportunity to network within the water and environmental sectors, meeting experts with experience of working in a wide variety of public- and private-sector organisations such as AECOM, Atkins Global, Defra, Environment Agency, Natural England and National Trust.

You will be able to develop transferable skills in field and lab methods, project management, statistical analysis, geographical information systems (GIS) and the use of remotely sensed data, report writing, problem solving and presenting. We offer hands-on training in flood estimation and inundation modelling using industry-standard software, as well as river assessment methods.

You will be able to develop skills and knowledge in the monitoring and management of pollutants, nutrient levels and greenhouse gas emissions in aquatic systems and in the theory and practice of river restoration.

You will receive tailored research supervision and training suitable to your individual research interests in order to complete your individual research project. This will usually be completed in collaboration with a partner organisation.

Facilities

• Geospatial analysis, remote sensing and environmental modelling software and computing facilities
• Analysis of environmental smaples including water and sediment chemistry
• River Laboratory incorporating sediment transport demonstration channel, river simulator and digital camera equipment and software to capture river morphology in 3D
• Use dedicated Masters study and computing spaces within the School of Geography
• Access an unparalleled range of learning resources, special collections, and world-leading libraries within QMUL and the University of London, such as the QMUL Library, Senate House Library. Other specialist collections are accessible nearby, for example at the British Library

Fees and Funding

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/coursefinder/courses/water-and-environmental-management-msc/

Career paths

The programme will provide you with knowledge and understanding relevant to employment in organisations in the water sector including government agencies, water companies, environmental consultancies and conservation organisations. Our previous graduates have secured positions at a range of organisations including:

• Affinity Water
• Environment Agency
• ESIS Inc
• Jacobs
• JBA Consulting
• Parish Geomorphic
• South West Rivers Trust
• Thames Water
• Thames21Wood Group
• WSP

Some of our graduates have also secured PhD positions (e.g. Newcastle University, QMUL, University of Reading)