Global Environmental Change

Study the scientific background and approaches deployed in studying Earth’s environmental changes over the past, present and near future, together with the societal implications of our current research. Choose either a science or a policy stream to help prepare for careers in environmental change research, consultancy and/or policy development.

Watch the video here, or access the 'interactive' tab to view at a larger size and see any alternative films playOverviewVideo('/prospectus/images/home.jpg','http://podcast.ulcc.ac.uk/accounts/kings/KCL_Marketing/Geography.flv','true','details_18'); KEY BENEFITS

• To enable those with first degrees in a range of disciplines – geography, physical sciences, engineering, computer science etc - to focus on specific issues relating to environmental change in the Earth system, and in particular on anthropogenic influences on the terrestrial, hydrological and atmospheric environments, and their biological, physical and societal consequences.
• To expose students to current understanding of the processes and nature of environmental changes occurring in Earth’s terrestrial, hydrological and atmospheric environments, to understand the linkages and causes of these forcings, and to allow them to place this knowledge within the context of our understanding of both natural variability and Earth’s history of environmental changes over the period of human societies and before.
• To expose students to the methods used to examine the potential future consequences of current environmental changes, and the potential for future significant perturbations to the Earth environment, including changes to the carbon cycle, climate, to the planet’s hydrological regimes and to its land use and land cover.
• To enable students to evaluate environmental change research critically and with regard to the strengths and weaknesses and potential societal implications of the science.
• To allow students to develop research skills in the undertaking and presentation of environmental research, and to develop specialist skills in one or more of the research tools used to investigate such issues.
• To provide an understanding of the scientific evidence needed for policy makers and society to respond to the problems associated with global and regional environmental changes happening to the Earth system, and to understand the nature of the uncertainties involved in future predictions.
• To promote initiative and the exercise of independent critical judgement in identifying, analysing and providing answers to research questions at an advanced level.
• To develop relevant transferable skills embedded in the learning and assessment schemes in the programme.

PURPOSEThis MSc programme is designed to meet the need for multidisciplinary training in the study of Earth's environmental changes, both past, present and future. Focusing across the terrestrial, hydrologic and atmospheric components of the Earth system, the course covers both anthropogenic influences and natural variability and includes study of key techniques used by scientists and policymakers to investigate these issues and their potential effects. Suitable for those first degrees across a range of subjects, the programme is divided into "science" and "policy" streams, depending on student background and primary interest. The programme is designed to prepare graduating students for careers in environmental change research, consultancy and/or policy development.

DESCRIPTIONThe wide ranging, large-scale “global” environmental changes we are increasingly being made aware in the Earth system are most often a mix of natural processes enhanced or altered by human activities. To understand and investigate the magnitude and scope of these issues and their effects requires proper interdisciplinary study, including an appreciation of the degree and type of human disturbance, and of the underlying background variability upon which these disturbances are overlain.

This MSc programme is designed to meet the need for multidisciplinary training in these areas, focusing on the terrestrial, hydrologic and atmospheric environments, examining anthropogenic influence in the context of natural variability, and elucidating the biological, physical and societal consequences. The programme includes coverage of both the scientific background, some of the research methods and tools commonly applied, and the societal and policy implications of current research understanding. It is designed to prepare students for careers in environmental change research, consultancy and/or policy development, and is delivered by a multidisciplinary team with assessments based on a series of written reports and a research dissertation.