Air Pollution Management and Control MSc/Diploma

Program Overview

The MSc in Air Pollution Management and Control at the University of Birmingham is the only program of its kind in the UK. It is built upon successful air pollution control practices in the UK and underpinned by world-leading research in air pollution science and management. The program provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to manage and control air pollution, and to develop and implement policies to improve air quality. Graduates are in high demand due to increasing air quality and climate change legislation, increasing awareness of the impacts of atmospheric pollution and climate change, and increasing government policy towards sustainable futures.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MSc in Air Pollution Management and Control is the only programme of its kind in the UK, built upon successful air pollution control practices in the UK and underpinned by world-leading research in air pollution science and management at the University of Birmingham including:

• The Atmospheric Pollution and Human Health in a Chinese Megacity (APHH-China).
We are leading a major collaborative programme (£12m) involving over 150 UK and Chinese scientists to study the sources, processes and impacts of air pollution in propose solutions for the serious air pollution problems in Beijing.
• The ASAP programme, finding and solving air pollution problems in East Africa and South Asia.
Studies of gas flaring in West Africa and around the world. Urban air pollution in South-East Asia.
• The West Midlands Air Quality Improvement programme (WM-Air).
WM-Air is a new initiative to support the improvement of air quality, and associated health, environmental and economic benefits, in the West Midlands.
• The Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) is one third of the world’s largest experimental facility for investigating the effects of a high carbon dioxide future on forest ecosystems.

Outline:

The full-time MSc course runs over a 12-month period, starting in October. The taught modules are delivered in the Autumn and Spring terms, while the summer months focus on the major research project. The full-time Postgraduate Diploma (taught modules only) lasts nine months, from October through to June of the following year. Both courses are also available on a part-time basis, running over two years. Taught Modules The course represents 120 credits in total : Causes and Effects of Air Pollution The sources, behaviour and fates of air pollutants, and their impact on human health, the built environment, ecosystems and global climate are described in this module. The module also addresses the use of emission inventories, methods and procedures for air pollutant measurement, and integration of these to give effective monitoring networks. Current and future developments in road vehicle technologies are covered, and the process of defining emission standards is studied. Theoretical Meteorology: Atmospheric Physics and Composition This course reviews the basic nature of the atmosphere in terms of its overall physical properties and chemical composition; introduces a range of physical laws relevant in meteorology such as the first law of thermodynamics and the equation of state; reviews cloud microphysics and cloud formation processes as they relate to atmospheric thermodynamics; and introduces the basic radiation laws and radiative transfer processes in the atmosphere. Small-scale and Air Pollution Meteorology This course explains how the temperature structure and motion of the atmosphere determines the dispersion of air pollutants. Air pollution modelling techniques are also introduced. Air Pollution Chemistry The basic principles that determine the composition of the atmosphere are introduced and the processes leading to the formation and removal of atmospheric pollutants are described. There is a focus on the chemistry of air pollution phenomena such as urban air pollution (including photochemical smog and ozone formation), acid rain and stratospheric ozone depletion, in the context of changing climate. Air Pollution Management and Control Technology Students will study the policy and institutional framework for the management of air quality, and the monitoring of air pollutants for compliance and the role of air pollutant emission reduction strategies. External experienced consultants will be invited to teach how to use air quality management models for resolving real-world management issues. This module will also introduce the basic principles and design criteria for the engineering control of air pollutant emissions, from sources ranging from power plants to individual vehicles. Removal technologies of both particulate and gaseous contaminants are included. This module is taught in the context of the Clean Air Strategy. Carbon Management Carbon Management is an increasingly important consideration for individual organisations through to national governments, with recognition that responsible management and sustainable development require minimising carbon emissions where feasible. This module provides an introduction to all aspects of carbon management. Topics covered include the overall scientific context of the global carbon cycle, global policy aspects (Kyoto, Copenhagen and current UK / EU targets), carbon offsetting and emissions trading, the impact of changing energy sources (biofuels and renewable energy resources, including impacts on air quality) and local carbon management, with a focus on the techniques used by local authorities and individual organisations. The module concludes with a realistic review of the likely near-future global emissions trajectory, considering economic trends in the BRIC nations, and the scope for renewable energy on a national level. Air Quality Data Analysis and Interpretation This module aims to provide students with skills necessary for the collection, processing and analysis of air quality data sets. The statistical software packages R will be taught in this module. The OpenAir software package will be taught for advanced air quality data analysis and interpretation. Research Component The research component of the course comprises an individual research project into an area of the students’ choice (60 credits). Research project The Research Project allows you to explore an area of air pollution of your choosing to develop an in-depth understanding. Projects may involve laboratory experiments, field measurements of atmospheric composition, computer-based modelling studies or analysis of existing atmospheric data. You will have access to the School’s research and laboratory facilities and atmospheric measurement instrumentation, and also frequently draw upon external links and data sources (for example, through local authority air quality monitoring). You are able to select your own research project topic, and will be supervised on a one-to-one basis by a member of staff with relevant expertise and/or research interests. Projects usually involve a design and planning phase (Jan – March) followed by the main research phase during spring / summer. The project is assessed through a written dissertation and an informal viva (oral examination). Examples of recent projects include: A preliminary investigation into how the introduction of the London low emission zone has affected PM10 levels as measured along the Marylebone Road Assessment of ozone levels and meteorological effects in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia Characterisation of vehicle exhaust emissions using remote sensing technology An ADMS-based investigation into particulate dispersal in the vicinity of the Scunthorpe steelworks Changes to levels of particulate air pollution in hospitality premises across Birmingham following the introduction of the smoke-free England legislation An analysis of the May 2008 ozone pollution episode in the West Midlands An investigation of airborne ammonia concentrations at two contrasting locations in the West Midlands conurbation The atmospheric role of methyl iodide in the continental boundary layer The chemistry of HOx radicals and HONO within a street canyon – A modelling study Evaluation of ADMS-roads in rural street canyons Spatial and temporal variation of ozone in Hong Kong and its effect on the surrounding human population Is air quality measured to best effect in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham? The effect of ambient particulate matter levels in the UK on visibility

Assessment:

A variety of assessment methods are used, including written coursework, video documentary, case studies, oral presentations and standard examinations. The major research project is assessed through a written dissertation and an oral examination. Here are the examples of the two outstanding examples of the high quality courseworks (videos) generated by some of our previous cohorts of students. Both courseworks received a distinction: NO2 pollution in Birmingham NOx pollution in Birmingham

Teaching:

The MSc in Air Pollution Management and Control is taught by staff from the School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences. Teaching is delivered through lectures, workshops and problem sessions, and off-campus visits to sites with specific air pollution problems (e.g. an incinerator, landfill site, local air quality monitoring station). We also visit a £15m facility built to study the impact of climate change on terrestrial carbon cycle at the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR). In order to give our students experience of the Management and Control aspects of the course, we make visits to Birmingham City Council Air Quality Group and to the Tyseley Energy Recovery Facility. Teaching sessions are supplemented by online resources which may be accessed remotely and students own (guided) personal reading. A feature of the course is the use of external speakers to deliver an expert view through lectures and workshops on specific aspects. These range from experts such as Professor Robert Maynard (formerly Head of Air Pollution for the Department of Health) and Professor Dick Derwent (atmospheric ozone modelling and policy advice) to recent course graduates, now working in consultancy and local government, who run workshop sessions on pollutant dispersion modelling.

Careers:

Graduates in this area are in high demand due to increasing air quality and climate change legislation, increasing awareness of the impacts of atmospheric pollution and climate change, and increasing government policy towards sustainable futures. Career opportunities exist in air quality management, forecasting and regulation, in industrial emission monitoring and control, in environmental and human health impact assessment and in the transport, energy and waste and chemical industrial sectors. Students completing the course have found employment in environmental consultancy (UK and overseas), local and national government, the Environment Agency and industry, while some have continued with PhD study. Recent employment destinations of our graduates include: Mott McDonald, URS Corporation, Mouchel, Temple Group, RPS group, ARUP, WSP Group, AECOM, Enviros Consulting, Scott Wilson, Jacobs UK Ltd, Hyder Consulting, Severn Trent, AMT coffee, Panasonic, Petrobas, Saudi Aramco, Environment Agency, various local and national government departments.

Other:

The School is well supported and students have access to any equipment and facilities appropriate to their work. Computing You will have access to common software tools used to model air pollution (for example, ADMS and the DMRB as used by many local authorities). These are used in teaching sessions/workshops, and also available for research projects. We also have experience with more specialised packages such as CMAQ for research project use. Laboratories and Atmospheric Measurement Instrumentation We are well equipped for atmospheric measurements. Instrumentation available for the measurement of atmospheric particulates (aerosols) ranges from hand-held particle monitors