Entry requirementsThe MRes in Environmental Impact Assessment attracts students from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities. Applicants are welcome from any academic discipline, as well as those in work and seeking continuing professional development. Admission is normally open to those with a good honours degree (or equivalent), a postgraduate diploma or an equivalent professional qualification. Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate that their level of English is appropriate to study at postgraduate level. This course requires IELTS level 6 (preferably 6.5) in the academic test, with a minimum score of 6 in reading and writing. For TOEFL the required score is 550-575 (paper-based) or 213-232 (computer-based), with a score of 4.5 in the Test of Written English (TWE).
The Master of Research in Environmental Impact Assessment is primarily a research training course and is recognised for Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 1+3 funded studentships. It is designed primarily, although not exclusively, to enable students to link a course of substantive research training to the subsequent pursuit of a doctorate.
The course is modular in structure and includes training in environmental assessment and in research methods and methodology. Students will undertake a dissertation of 15,000 words and will also have the opportunity to become involved in research projects of the School's Impact Assessment Unit.
The course is based at Oxford Brookes' Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane, Oxford.
Course content
The MRes consists of five modules, an optional module, and the dissertation, representing 190 master's-level credits in total. The PGDip and PGCcert are available as exit awards only; students need to achieve 130 credits for the PGDip and 70 credits for the PGCert.
The two core substantive modules are:
* Environmental Assessment
* Environmental Law and Decision-Making.
Research methods modules are:
* The Philosophy of Research
* Qualitative Methods and Inquiry by Design
* Statistical Research Using SPSS.
The dissertation comprises the Research Design and Strategies module, and the dissertation itself.
The optional module can be chosen from a range of modules in the environmental assessment field offered within the School, such as GIS and Environmental Modelling, Strategic Environmental Assessment, and Principles of Environmental Assessment and Management.
Teaching, learning and assessment
Teaching methods reflect the wide variety of topics and techniques associated with environmental assessment and research, and include lectures, seminars, workshops, field trips and research project shadowing. The majority of the assessment is based on coursework, such as essays, seminars, presentations and the dissertation.
Quality
Oxford Brookes has offered a graduate environmental assessment course in Oxford for 15 years, and is acknowledged as a leading provider of environmental assessment education in the UK. We have over 10 teaching and research staff in the field of EIA and our students are drawn from across the British Isles and internationally. Our reputation is built on:
* our student centredness
* our teaching and research excellence
* our record of key publications in the field
* innovation and service to the community and professional organisations
* our educational philosophy, which seeks to embrace environmental assessment education in its widest sense.
Planning achieved 4 (out of 5*) in the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Research staff are drawn primarily from the Impact Assessment Unit and the Oxford Centre for Sustainable Development, but with some contributions from other schools, reflecting the multi-disciplinary nature of the subject. Visiting speakers from business and industry, regulatory bodies, and environmental consultancies and research bodies provide further input.