River Environments and their ManagementMSc

This course equips you with essential skills for a career in environmental river management, addressing critical global challenges and preparing you for advanced studies or professional roles in water science.

Course Structure

While the exact course content may vary, here is what you can expect to study each semester. This is based on a full-time Masters course.

• Comprehensive Training: Combines lectures, fieldwork, and research projects for holistic environmental river management skills
• Expert-Led Teaching: Informed by Birmingham’s Water Sciences Research Group, ensuring cutting-edge, research-based education
• Career Preparation: Equips students for careers in environmental management and advanced PhD studies in water science
• Global Relevance: Addresses critical global challenges like water abstraction, pollution, and climate impacts on river systems

The expertise of Birmingham’s Water Sciences Research Group ensures cutting-edge, research-informed teaching. Students are taught by leading water scientists with industry input, featuring extensive fieldwork and excursions.

This core material is backed up by supplementary material designed to deepen the comprehension of the basic processes, to understand their application in environmental management and industry and to develop an appreciation of both the industrial and environmental management environment.

Students are taught through lectures, fieldwork, and research, gaining skills for successful river environmental management. 

The modules listed for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Any optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available, we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

The following modules must be taken:

Students have the opportunity to take the following modules in place of the dissertation module listed above:

Ideally, students will have attained good marks in modules related to hydrology during their Honours degree.

English language requirements

If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.

For this course we require IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band, which is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 80 overall with no less than 19 in Reading, 19 Listening, 21 Speaking and 19 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 64 with no less than 59 in all four skills
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 169, with no less than 162 in any component
• LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 25 in each skill

English Presessional Programmes

Improve your knowledge of spoken and written English in preparation for studying at Birmingham with our pre-sessional English courses. If you have a conditional offer, you can take one of these courses as an alternative to retaking IELTS or other similar qualifications.

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2025 entry are above.

The fees quoted are for one year only. For those studying courses that are longer than one year, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

Paying your tuition fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. You can check whether you are eligible for UK or international fees with our admissions team.

Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.

Postgraduate Masters Loan

To help with the cost of studies, this loan is available to all UK students. You can use this loan towards fees, maintenance or other costs at your own discretion. It’s available for all full-time, part-time and distance learning Masters programmes, as long as you don’t already have a Masters qualification (or equivalent).If you’re a student from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can apply for Masters loans from your country’s government.

Scholarships

To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.

Birmingham Masters Scholarships

We want to welcome the brightest talent to our postgraduate community. That’s why our Birmingham Masters Scholarships award £3,000 to more than 300 students each year.

Select whether you are a UK student or an international student for relevant application deadlines.

Graduates find employment with organisations such as Birmingham City Council, The Environment Agency, and more. Students are also equipped to pursue advanced PhD studies in water science.

We have established agreements and relationships with organisations including The Environment Agency and The Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, which has worked well in terms of student placements for dissertations. Some of these placements have led to subsequent positions with the organisation.

Careers Network

Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.

Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.

Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.