Is the Course Right for Me?
Breadth of Programme
The Land Use and Environmental Management degree touches on many different topics. The programme aims to enable students to develop a holistic understanding and evaluation of the often complex relationship between land use in the rural, peri-urban and urban environments and the requirement for their sustainable environmental management.
In their first year, students study spatial planning and social science research methods with optional modules in topics such as accounting, economics, physical geography, statistical methods, biological diversity, environmental biology and issues relating to urban and rural planning. In their second year, students study environmental management and policy and then have a wide range of fascinating modules to choose from including sustaining the biosphere, microeconomics, European politics, invertebrate biology and farm production and waste management. The final year includes study of environmental assessment, environmental sustainability, an individual project and a choice of modules on waste management, environmental economics, conservation, EU law, public sector economics and climate - society interactions. Site visits to study environmental and land use problems at first hand are integrated throughout the course as are management games and experiments where students can engage in real world environmental decision making in situations such as carbon trading markets.
Career Opportunities
An array of career pathways is open to graduates of the course. Career options include private and public sector environmental management, environmental consultancy and conservation. The course will also enable graduate entry onto postgraduate courses leading to professional qualifications in areas such as chartered surveying and town and country planning.
The 3 year programme, Land Use and Environmental Management, includes a 16 week work placement as an integral component of Stage 2, equivalent to one module (1/6 of year) and counts as 4.16% towards the final degree award. It is intended that students will start their placement during second semester on a part-time basis. These students will do a project module in Stage 3, their final year, which may be started whilst on placement.
The 4 year programme, Land Use and Environmental Management with Professional Studies, includes a year long work placement with an integral project to be agreed between the placement provider, the School and the student. This placement will be assessed as the Stage 3 module ‘Professional Studies (LUEM)’ and counts as a module in final year (1/6 of year) 12.5% of final degree award. Students will not take a separate project module within their final year.
Students are responsible for attaining their own work placement. Those unsuccessful in attaining a 46 week placement may transfer to the BSc (Hons) Land Use and Environmental Management, 3 year programme.
Opportunities are available for students to undertake placement in companies and businesses within NI, ROI, and the UK but students will also be encouraged to undertake overseas placements. Current students are students undertaking environmental work for quarries and waste management companies. Other students are working for the National Trust, DARD - Countryside Management Branch and property development companies.
The Careers Development Programme is designed to give students a clearer picture of the industry and of the diversity of career paths open to them. It explores the comprehensiveness of the industry will better prepare and empower them for the future job market where they will be working in a wide range of roles, for large multinationals, for small local companies and everything in between.
The Careers Development Programme is delivered in all three stages of the programme. In year 1 it concentrates on stimulating the student’s thoughts on what careers are available through speakers from industry and the careers office. Stage 2 activities are linked to work placement preparation, and includes CV building, interview techniques, self reflection on the value of placement and external speakers. In stage 3 students explore key career opportunities including teaching and graduate recruitment and assessment centres.
