Hi,
I want to do an MSc in Environmental Studies/Management and am trying to find out which unis have the best department/courses in the UK. League tables are no use as they don't seem to recognise the above as a subject. Could anyone in the know help me out/recommend any, please? Surrey offers a course which really appeals, but I'd like to know whether it is actually any good and well regarded in the field. I am restricted to Sussex, Surrey and London.

Many thanks to all

======= Date Modified 02 May 2010 15:10:55 =======
Hi

League tables are mere indicators; they can never really give you a comprehensive list of the 'best' universities simply because what counts as 'best' (or the constituents that together make-up what we call 'best') vary to a large degree from person to person, and do also depend to a large extent on your own personal preferences. E.g. Do you prefer big or small departments; out-of-city or in-the-city campus location; is location important (i.e. what do you expect the location to offer you in terms of lifestyle); is there any particular school / focus area / particular methodology within the discipline of Environmental Studies/Management that attracts you or that you are keen on, etc.?

A couple of friends did Environmental Management & Sustainable Development at a university in Scotland, and highly rated their experience & their MSc, yet you won't find this university mentioned on the league-tables, so it's really hard for league-tables, or just from someone's personal experience to recommend a department to you since it is YOU who has to decide what you want & then look at the list of all the universities that do the course, visit their websites to check out what the degree modules are (i.e. the modules that make up the degree. This will vary from department to department with some overlap), what the culture looks like, and then make a final short-list of the ones that offer what you think is the 'best' (i.e. most suitable for YOU) MSc. Then contact the post-grad administrators at each of those department and arrange to go visit those departments. That way, you get a feel of what it's like to be/study there and decide where you can see yourself spending a year studying.

Click on this link to the Guardian website that tells you - at a glance - what you can expect from studying Geography & Environmental Studies. You'll then be able to see what particular aspects of suit your aspirations best. That way, you know what you're looking for before you go looking for it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/may/01/universityguide.geographyandenvironmentstudies

Best of luck!

Hi,

Many thanks for your reply. I actually agree with everything you say; I just don't want to end up with a qualification that will have little value in the future at the time of applying for jobs in the field of Environmental Management/Sustainability.

As for The Guardian website, I have already looked into it thoroughly and, as I said, the above is not recognised nor included on their list of subjects. That why I didn't find it useful. But I appreciate your mentioning it.

I suppose that what I am really looking for is the advice of someone with personal experience of a similar course.

Many thanks again.

Hi Cbtmclean40,

There's another thing you could do (if you haven't done so already).
Is there a professor/lecturer where you are currently studying (if you are currently studying anywhere) or with whom you have contact that you could ask to assist you. My previous tutors have been very helpful in the past with regards to making recommendations, sharing pros and cons, and helping me decide which department to choose. It should (preferabbly) be some one who knows a little about the field of your MSc, and would therefore be in a position to make the best recommendation. Reputation & word-of-mouth travels fast in the academic community, and your tutors may be able to point you in the right direction.

Hope this helps.

======= Date Modified 05 May 2010 10:29:41 =======
Hi Again,

Also found these (below). You can't, of course, base your whole choice on rankings, but there are also some student reviews from people who've done the MSc you want to do. Maybe look at these and also speak to one of your tutors for further guidance:

General guidance on how to choose a course in Environmental Science:

http://www.science-engineering.net/environmental-management.htm

Courses in Environmental Sciences in the UK (including student reviews, overall university rankings, and subject ranking):

http://www.whatuni.com/degrees/courses/degree-courses/environmental-management-degree-courses-england/m/england/r/8558/page.html