Sustainable Resource Management: Policy & Practice MSc

Program Overview

This one-year MSc program focuses on actionable solutions to environmental and sustainability challenges. Students from diverse backgrounds study rural and urban sustainability, including ecosystem management, urban planning, and industrial waste reduction. Through research projects and expert instruction, graduates develop skills for careers in conservation, industry, government, and consulting.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This one-year MSc program is distinctive in several ways. While it acknowledges the significant environmental and sustainability challenges, the primary focus is not on the challenges themselves but rather on actions that can be taken to reduce threats and enhance resilience. Students come from diverse countries and disciplines but share a common interest in learning about what has been done and what might be done to address these challenges. All modules are taught by active researchers and experienced practitioners. The second semester, offered by the University of Limerick, focuses on urban areas, sustainable transport, industrial waste management, and quantitative methods of assessing sustainability. In the third semester, students select a research topic based on either campus. Upon completion, graduates receive a parchment jointly awarded by both universities. Graduates find relevant and interesting employment in various arenas, including conservation, business and industry, local authorities, and consultancy companies.

Outline:

Autumn (NUI Galway)

• Ecosystem Assessment
• Biodiversity and Conservation
• Environmental Problems and Solutions

Spring (University of Limerick)

• Material and Energy Flows
• Urban Form and Transport
• Urban Household Sustainability
• Sustainable Life-cycle Engineering

Summer

Careers:

Graduates find relevant employment in various arenas, including conservation, business and industry, local authorities, and consultancy companies. Specific career opportunities exist within government agencies, public bodies, NGOs, environmental planning and engineering consultancies, and corporate companies on a national and international scale. Opportunities also exist within the "Green" economy as governments, NGOs, and large corporations work to meet environmental targets set within international obligations. Graduates acquire translational and multidisciplinary skills in environmental entrepreneurship and sustainability, enabling them to take on managerial roles within an industrial/corporate setting, a regulatory body, or a consultancy firm.

Other:

• The course is structured around research in both NUI Galway and the University of Limerick, which is strongly linked to decision-makers in industry and government organizations.
• Graduates develop necessary skills in identifying and evaluating solutions for real-world problems.
• Graduates acquire technical fluency in selected environmental science theory, policy development, implementation, and best practices.
• Students develop a technical and scientific understanding of sustainability issues and problems associated with resource use and management in urban and rural settings.
• Students comprehend a range of policy responses related to sustainability enhancement in Irish urban and rural settings and selected international case studies.

EU - €8,180 Non- EU - €15,700