Flood and Coastal Risk Management PgCert

Program Overview

This part-time, CIWEM-accredited program in flood and coastal risk management provides professionals in the water and environmental sectors with practical skills and best practices. Offered in partnership with JBA Consulting, the program includes four modules, taught jointly with industry experts, covering fundamental and innovative topics. Students benefit from access to cutting-edge facilities, case studies, field trips, and career development opportunities in the growing sector of flood and coastal risk management.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This part-time program is designed for professionals in the water and environmental sectors. It focuses on the practical application of technical skills and best practices in flood and coastal risk management. Developed in partnership with JBA Consulting, a specialist water environment and flood risk management consultancy, the program aims to enhance career development prospects in this growing sector. The program is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), a leading professional body in the field. The program offers four taught modules (60 credits) covering fundamental and innovative topics related to flood and coastal risk management. Modules are delivered jointly with JBA Consulting, providing access to industry expertise, the latest ideas, and practices in the UK and international flood and coastal risk management sector. Students can study the modules over a two to three-year period, allowing flexibility for those with employment commitments. Fees are paid annually for the modules undertaken in that academic year.

Outline:

The program is structured around four core modules. Each module is offered in alternate years, with the specific delivery date available on the program website.

Core Modules:

• Catchment Hydrology and Assessment: This module provides a foundation in hydrology, hydrometrics, and basic hydrological processes at a catchment scale.
It emphasizes practical applications, focusing on industry-standard techniques and the latest legislation, guidance, and policy. The module introduces commercially available models and allows students to apply these models in case studies.
• Coastal Erosion and Flood Risk Management: This module focuses on the processes leading to coastal erosion and flood risk, including tides, storm surges, and waves.
Students learn estimation and computational techniques for calculating extreme sea levels and wave heights. The module explores the application of technical approaches to decision-making, including climate change impacts, adaptation, resilience, and uncertainty in flood risk management.
• Forecasting and Extreme Event Response: This module provides an introduction to hydrological and meteorological forecasting methods and the concepts and processes involved in flow forecasting.
It introduces commercially available models for real-time flood forecasting and warning systems, considering variability, uncertainty, and accuracy in short-term forecasting. It also covers longer-term climate prediction and the concepts and principles of uncertainty.
• Integrated Systems for Sustainable Surface Water Management: This module focuses on flood risk management within the context of UK policies, legislation, and spatial planning.
It provides a grounding in flood risk-related responsibilities and teaches students the key concepts of urban hydrology and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). The module covers SuDS system design, from outline concepts to performance assessment and flow estimation. Students learn how to select appropriate models for flood risk management applications, such as flood warning, flood risk mapping, and the design of flood mitigation measures. It explores the use of commercially available 1D, 2D, and integrated models and involves learning to identify and quantify uncertainties in data and modeling.
• Sustainable Floodplain Management and Restoration: This module covers the concepts and theory involved in river restoration techniques and introduces a geomorphological approach to sustainable river management.
It is based on case studies and examples of river restoration projects, delivered within the context of legislative and policy drivers, such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD). It includes a field trip to the River Lune to demonstrate assessment techniques, identify sustainable solutions, and provide case study material.

Careers:

The program aims to enhance career development prospects in the growing flood and coastal risk management sector. It provides students with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers in:

• Flood and Coastal Risk Management Consultancy
• Water Resource Management
• Environmental Engineering
• Local Government
• Research and Academia

Other:

• The program offers a residential school element.
• The program is only available to UK applicants.
• The program includes access to laboratories, research facilities, field sites, cutting-edge technologies, and rich data resources.
• The University provides limited financial support to students who lack the required IT equipment or broadband support.

The 2024/25 fee for each standard module is £1,510 and the fee for the whole programme if the modules were all taken in one year would be £6,040. This programme is only available to UK applicants.