Modules

Modules for Sustainability Planning & Environmental Policy MSc part-time

1. Year 1
   1. Autumn 2025
      • 1. Principles and Practices of Environmental Governance
      • 2. Urban and Regional Economies‡
   2. Spring 2026
      • 3. Sustainable Food Systems‡
2. Year 2
   1. Autumn 2026
      • 4. Environmental Policy and Climate Change
      • 5. Sustainable Transport Policies‡
   2. Spring 2027
      • 6. Research Methods
      • 7. Dissertation

1. Principles and Practices of Environmental Governance

This module will provide students with in-depth knowledge of the diverse forms of, and rationales for, modern environmental governance. It will draw on conceptual and empirical material from a wide range of case studies, to help students understand the contemporary management of the environment, broadly defined.

The module’s main components include an exploration of the rise of environmental governance, examining why and in what ways ‘the environment’ has become an important sphere of policy and practice intervention around the world, including some of the different conceptual lenses through which it can be examined.

A further component explores the differing scales of environmental governance, covering international and transnational processes and institutions, as well as the part that we all as individuals now play in acting on and for the environment. The main topic, cover in a series of lectures and seminars, is anthropogenic climate change and the evolution of climate change governance.

Finally, the module examines various tools of governance, providing detailed insight into the ways that particular mechanisms of and for environmental governance are put into practice and experienced ‘on the ground’, drawing on international case studies.

On completion of the module a student should be able to:

1. Describe and understand the origins and drivers of key environmental problems, intersectoral disputes and uneven responsibilities across governments, social groups and generations;
2. Recognise and critically analyse key theories and ‘schools’ of environmental governance theory and practice;
3. Understand and evaluate key approaches to environmental governance, including international conventions (as the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), national policies, private sector responses and personal behaviour change;
4. Understand the ways that scale and context impact on how environmental governance is understood and enacted; and
5. Critically discuss and evaluate key tools and mechanisms of environmental governance, drawing on empirical case studies and, in particular, human-induced climatic changes.

2. Urban and Regional Economies

‡This module explores the key concepts, thinkers and theories of uneven spatial development. The module addresses some of the most urgent questions in urban and regional economic development today. Why are some firms and places more creative, more dynamic and more innovative than others? Does globalization spell the “death of distance” and the “end of geography” as some theorist claim? Alternatively, is the clustering of economic activity a sign that geographical proximity (face-to-face contact) remains an important feature of knowledge exchange and trust-building despite the growth of distance-shrinking technologies like the internet? How are urban and regional areas tied into the global economy? What is the relationship between urban and regional development and the environment? Why are social inequalities intrinsic to urban economies? Drawing on these concepts and theories, the module examines the strategies of actual cities, regions and city-regions in the world economy to assess if these ideas help us to better understand why some places are more dynamic than others.

On completion of the module a student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of theoretical debates on contemporary urban and regional economic development processes, and geographical patterns of uneven economic development.
2. Understand and show the extent to which economic development is embedded in urban and regional social and cultural contexts.
3. Critically evaluate the role of public policy in either fostering or frustrating urban and regional economic development. Appreciate the scope for/barriers to urban and regional state action in fostering economic development and addressing economic decline.

3. Sustainable Food Systems

‡This module explores the opportunities and challenges for environmental justice and sustainability through critically examining the constitutive relationships, practices, politics and ideals of global food systems. Food offers a shared and critical lens through which to analyse key questions on resilience, resource distribution and availability, environmental pressures and development.

Drawing on the perspectives of diverse actors throughout food systems from producers to distributors, retailers, consumers, regulators and campaigners, the module explores the scope for, and limits to, developing and maintaining sustainable and just food systems in a context of multiple connected socio-ecological crises. In addition to understanding the complexities of food systems, these offer insights to more general challenges in seeking to shape sustainable futures.

The module draws on perspectives from academia and practice, including empirical examples of action seeking to transform food systems, investigating both conceptual and practical limitations.

On completion of the module a student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of how and why complex socio-ecological systems are relevant in food production, consumption and waste.
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of why food origins, production methods and consumption patterns are at the forefront of debates on sustainable development and climate emergency.
3. Appreciate the role of different actors in transforming food systems, and critically consider the impact of varied pathways and actions working towards food sustainability.
4. Evaluate the potential impact of changes in contemporary food systems on academic debate and assess the prospects of sustainable food systems in practice.

4. Environmental Policy and Climate Change

‡ This module explores debates on global environmental problems, with a particular view to anthropogenic climate change, and how various dimensions of policy are theorised, designed and implemented with a view to address these problems. This is a module that explores environmental politics rather than environmental science.

During the module, we explore the relationship between environmental problems (including climate change) and their policy formulation and solutions through the analysis of critical environmental questions and the role of politics and power in shaping such solutions; we examine the tensions between citizen science and participatory and expert driven modes of environmental policy; we examine political and policy constraints and opportunities for sustainable development and climate change; we consider the implications of climate change in different countries; and we also explore the relationship between local and global issues in the context of environment, climate change and development.  

Contemporary environmental problems are used to illustrate global environmental policy dilemmas. The module addresses key environmental policy debates at a variety of spatial scales and critically analyses the role of different institutions and actors in addressing environmental issues and climate change, thinking about why some approaches are more successful than others.

On completion of the module a student should be able to

1. Describe contemporary environmental problems and explain their drivers.
2. Understand the complexities of politics and policymaking in relation to environmental and climate issues.
3. Recognise key issues and relationships between key actors in environmental and climate policy.
4. Critically analyse environmental policy processes at global, international and national levels.
5. Explain the causes and forecasted consequences/impacts of anthropogenic climate change.
6. Critically assess the links between environmental and climate policy and development and between local and global issues;
7. Critically assess key climate change and environmental policy debates.
8. Explain the theoretical underpinnings of, and drivers behind, environmental and climate policy, and the inter-relationship between human activities, the natural environment and climate change (in the Global North and Global South).
9. Distinguish between different approaches to environmental policy and climate change and evaluate their implications, likely consequences and underlying assumptions.
10. Develop and present coherent solutions to environmental and climate change issues.

5. Sustainable Transport Policies

This module considers the complexities involved in meeting society’s mobility needs whilst minimising negative impacts associated with surface transport.          

The module has four main foci:

1. Understanding the environmental, social and economic impacts of different transport modes;
2. Identifying and evaluating the efficacy of different modes, mechanisms and methodologies to solve problems of accessibility;
3. Exploring the social, environmental and distributional consequences of different behavioural, spatial and technological solutions for achieving more sustainable transport;
4. Introducing the process of transport appraisal and scheme development.

In addressing 1,2 and 4, the module provides an overview of the UK transport policy landscape; introduces the main social and environmental externalities associated with surface transport; outlines the process of policy formation and transport project evaluation in the UK (specifically Welsh) context; and critically considers methods for engaging publics and measuring accessibility.

In addressing the third, policies adopted (both in the UK and internationally) for promoting sustainable mobility are evaluated, key challenges identified and innovative ideas to overcome the challenges discussed and explored.

On completion of the module a student should be able to:

1. Define and critically assess the main environmental, social and economic impacts of a range of surface transport modes and spatial arrangements within wider issues of economic growth and accumulation
2. Identify and implement key components of transport project appraisal in relation to achieving sustainability, liveability and accessibility.
3. Assess the social, environmental and distributional impacts of a range of sustainable transport policies and mode choices.
4. Critically examine the efficacy of contemporary solutions in a range of contexts.

6. Research Methods

The module is organised in two parts.  Part A provides an introduction and an overview of social science research methods and how research is framed, with an emphasis on planning, geography and urban studies. All students will attend the same lectures, seminars and workshops.

Part B provides a specialised examination of different social science research methods and analytical approaches. Students will critically understand how these methods and research ethics are applied and reflect on ways that these could be implemented in their own postgraduate dissertation.

Together, Parts A and B of the module give students a robust post-graduate-level understanding of the tasks involved in undertaking research in planning, geography and urban studies. The module is specifically designed to assist students in designing an effective postgraduate level dissertation.

On completion of the module a student should be able to:

Part A – in respect to research in general:

1. Critically assess alternative approaches to social research and to recognise their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Examine the empirical content and relations of ideas introduced in other modules.
3. Identify suitable methodological approaches for a given research question.
4. Understand the epistemological principles (theories of knowledge) that govern the activities of social research.
5. Gain practical guidance on how to plan, research and write a dissertation.
6. Develop a dissertation project and conceptualise and plan the research process and its component steps.

Part B – in relation to specific social science research methods and analytical approaches:

1. Critically understand how the methods taught can be used in their postgraduate dissertation.
2. Critically understand the application and challenges of different modes of data collection for research in their postgraduate dissertation.
3. Critically understand the application of different analytical techniques for research in their postgraduate dissertation.
4. Critically understand research ethics in the context of researching topics in their postgraduate dissertation.
5. Critically apply skills in selected methods relevant to a postgraduate dissertation.

7. Dissertation

The dissertation provides a student with the opportunity to independently pursue in greater depth a chosen subject or topic in the field. It provides the means for developing and expressing students’ research and analytical abilities. The dissertation follows many of the rules of an essay (for example, presenting a coherent argument that is supported by evidence and referencing the material that is used) but it is a much-extended piece of work in which the arguments and evidence will be presented in a more sophisticated manner. In a dissertation there will be a clear account and justification for the methodology that has been used to collect and analyse data and the methodology will link to a rigorous conceptual framework that shows an awareness of current theoretical debates.

The assessment of the module takes the form of one written submission. As ethical and safe research conduct is a foundational element of any research project, the university requires that all students submit and receive approval of both an ethics protocol and risk assessment, for which pro-formas will be provided. Although both submissions do not count towards the final module mark, they must be submitted and approved before undertaking any primary fieldwork, as any data collected without these approvals cannot be used in the dissertation.

In preparation for the start of this module, a series of workshops focused on the dissertation process will be offered to students during the taught academic year.

On completion of the module a student should be able to:

1. Apply complex knowledge and skills acquired throughout the programme.
2. Independently critically evaluate current scholarship and policy debates.
3. Evaluate and critique methodologies and justify an appropriate research design.
4. Evaluate and understand the ethics of the research and obtain the appropriate ethical approval to undertake the research.
5. Demonstrate originality in the collection and analysis of data and its interpretation.
6. Develop coherent, sustained and critically informed arguments leading to logical conclusions and appropriate recommendations.
7. Reach accepted standards of written and illustrative presentation.

In date order. ‡ optional modules.