Program Overview

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Why Study Environmental Toxicology & Pollution Monitoring?

This subject has origins in development processes such as resource extraction and product manufacture, and this creates impacts that are seen in all parts of our global systems; on land and in air and water. In recent years the need for professionals with a clear understanding of pollution issues has grown steadily across a wide range of sectors.

The majority of students who register on this course are already working in the environmental field. We therefore aim to be as flexible as possible in terms of the topics studied and will give you the opportunity to focus on areas of particular interest to you and/or the organisation for which you work.

Our students enrol for this course to develop their professional knowledge and to acquire new skills. They do this to improve their career and promotion prospects, change their career, or, if they are recently graduated, to specialise in a new subject area to enhance their job prospects.

Why Study with Us?

Established course with excellent reputation and feedback. Ulster University has been at the forefront of online learning and The School of Geography & Environmental Sciences accounts for more than 5% of all part-time postgraduate students studying the Physical Science in the United Kingdom.

Flexibility of location – As a fully online distance learning student, you can study from almost anywhere, as long as you have a computer and internet access. The flexibility of e-learning also means that you can continue with the course even if you move to a new location or need to travel as part of your job.

Aimed for people in full-time employment - choose the times you study each week to suit your lifestyle demands.

Support and advice from experienced lecturers, librarians, e-learning and IT staff. We also employ past course graduates as mentors for further support.

Access a wide range of online resources such as e-books, scientific papers, digital lectures and discussion boards all within a dedicated e-learning platform (Blackboard Learn).

Two start dates per year (September and January).

Entirely assessed by coursework – no formal examinations.

Relevant work experience may be accepted in place of standard entry requirements.

Competitive fees can be paid by instalments.

Study for individual modules, a Postgraduate Diploma or a Master’s degree – whatever your circumstances dictate. You can do the full MSc in stages as suits you.

Additional Benefits

The latest version of Microsoft Office is available to download for current students, free of charge. You can run Office on up to five desktop Mac or Windows workstations. You can also run Office Mobile on up to 5 mobile devices (on supported operating systems).

A range of free downloads and links to products at discount prices is available to all students at the University,

Esri's ArcGIS and/or Erdas Imagine provided free of charge to students using GIS or remote sensing as part of their Masters projects.

McAfee Anti-virus software: Ensure your PC is protected against the latest threats by having anti-virus software installed. Students can download and install McAfee for free.

SPSS statistical software: Students can download SPSS which is a powerful statistical analysis program used for doing advanced statistical analysis of data for research and other projects.

Apple Educational Discount: Students qualify for special discounted pricing on Apple computers, software and select third party products.

Nvivo: NVivo is software that supports qualitative and mixed methods research. It lets you collect, organise and analyse content from interviews, focus group discussions, survey, audio - and now in NVivo10, social media data, YouTube videos and web pages.

Software4Students: Information is available from Software4Students on purchasing Adobe products, Kaspersky Anti-Virus & other security software. Microsoft Operating Systems and other software is also available.

StudentStore: Laptops can be purchased under the University Colleges and Information Systems Association (UCISA) National Laptop Agreement.

Dell Products: DELL offer a computer initiative to students at the University.

DreamSpark: As a University student you can download professional Microsoft developer, designer, and gaming software through DreamSpark at no charge.

Free Student Membership of the Institution of Environmental Sciences

Student backgrounds

Students come from a variety of backgrounds and have included employees from areas such as: The Pharmaceutical Industry; Oil, Gas and Nuclear Industries; Government Environmental Protection Agencies; Engineering and Mining Companies; Environmental Consultants; Laboratory Technicians and people from unrelated areas who may be thinking of a career change. The geographical spread of our students has been global, with students from many areas of the European Union and also further afield such as Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and the United States. You do not need to visit Ulster at any stage to successfully complete this course.

Quality Assurance

The course is validated every five years as is a requirement of the United Kingdom Quality Assurance Agency. At the last validation, the teaching team were commended on the following aspects of the provision:

• The innovative nature of the programme

• The relevance of the programme to the subject area

• The excellent structure of the research project module

• The ways in which the programme addressed wider community interests and made students aware of the independencies and social implications of their fields of study

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How does a distance learning course work?

Most of the course materials, student support and general study guidance and resources are provided via a teaching platform called Blackboard. Students download digital versions of their teaching materials (e.g. illustrated documents, podcasts, practical instructions) at the start of each week and work through them at their own convenience. Coursework (e.g. projects, tests etc.) is also submitted via Blackboard. Unlike a traditional classroom environment, students studying online use communication mechanisms such as discussion boards, chat rooms or video-conference tools to interact with staff and other students, and are not required to attend the campus at any time during the course (though they are welcome to visit the university to use its facilities or meet with staff if they wish).

Many students choose to study by distance learning because they do not have the option of enrolling for an on-campus course, while others prefer the flexibility of time and location afforded by studying online over the face-to-face teaching and interaction of an on-campus course.

What help is available for people studying by distance learning?

The course is supported by the academics responsible for each module and by one or more e-tutors (who are experienced Environmental Toxicology graduates). Students are encouraged to use the Blackboard forums to discuss course-related matters with staff and other students and to seek help when required, and can also contact us via email, phone, Skype, or in person, as preferred. General information about the course, contact details for relevant staff, study skills advice and links to other resources are provided through Blackboard, and our course administrator will assist you with any non-academic issues or direct you to the appropriate person, if you need assistance with things like enrolment, access to the University's electronic journals and ebooks, technical queries etc.

How is the course assessed?

Each module is assessed entirely by coursework – there are no formal university exams. Coursework consists of a mixture of assignments such as project reports, practical write-ups, presentations and online quizzes and tests. We place strong emphasis in coursework on developing and enhancing practical and data analysis abilities, as well as academic and professional skills such as report-writing.

How many hours a week does the course take?

In addition to working through course materials, students need to spend time reading and preparing for tests and assignments. The amount of time taken up each week depends on various factors including aptitude, experience and motivation, but as a general guide, part-time students should expect to allocate anything from 6 to 20 hours per week for the 15 weeks of a module. No teaching takes place during the summer months.

The Online Environment

To take this course, you will need access to a computer with a reliable internet connection. The course uses the Blackboard Learn environment – this is one of the largest online education software providers in the world. You will automatically get access to this when you become a registered student with the Ulster University.

You will find that this course is much more flexible than traditional on-campus university courses as you can study using your own computer and the internet, at your own pace, any place and any time (within given timeframes). A lot of people mistakenly assume that they will feel isolated in an online course. To their surprise, most find that the course actually provides a high degree of personal contact as the online format facilitates communication in ways that would be impossible in other situations.

As a distance learning student with Ulster University you can:

• Submit work quickly and easily using the Blackboard internet technology.

• Email your lecturer or e-tutor with queries or problems as they arise and receive fast, useful feedback to ensure successful progression.

• Liaise with other students by email or through discussion forums and use shared ideas and information.

• Use the University’s extensive online resources of electronic journals, books and databases.

Dr Richard Douglas is Course Director and has research interests in the movement of metals in the environment. Other members include Professor Phil Jordan who specialises in nutrient management, Dr Joerg Arnscheidt involved with research in antimicrobial resistance and Professor Brian Rippey modelling organic contaminants.

Recent Papers of the team:

Mellander, P.E.,

Jordan, P.

, Bechmann, M., Fovet, O., Shore, M.M., McDonald, N.T. and Gascuel-Odoux, C. (2018). "Integrated climate-chemical indicators of diffuse pollution from land to water." Scientific Reports

8

.

Gormley-Gallagher, A.M.,

R.W. Douglas

&

B. Rippey

(2016). "Metal to phosphorus stoichiometries for freshwater phytoplankton in three remote lakes." Peerj /peerj.2749

Mellander, P.E.,

P. Jordan

, M. Shore, N.T. McDonald, D.P. Wall, G. Shortle & K. Daly (2016). "Identifying contrasting influences & surface water signals for specific groundwater phosphorus vulnerability." Science of the Total Environment

541

: 292-302.

McInerney, C.E., L. Maurice, A.L. Robertson, L. Knight

, J. Arnscheidt

, C. Venditti, J.S.G. Dooley, T. Mathers, S. Matthijs, K. Eriksson, G. S. Proudlove & B. Hanfling (2014). "The ancient Britons: groundwater fauna survived extreme climate change over tens of millions of years across NW Europe." Molecular Ecology

23

(5): 1153-1166.

Hagen, T.G. and

Douglas, R.W.

(2014). "Comparative chemical sensitivity between marine Australian and Northern Hemisphere ecosystems: Is an uncertainty factor warranted for water‐quality–guideline setting?" Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 33(5): 1187-1192.

Modules

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

The PGDip programme consists of four 30-point modules covering water management, environmental toxicology, pollution monitoring, and environmental data analysis. The modules on this course rotate so they run in alternative years. When you start the course will dictate the order in which you take the modules.

The PG Dip takes 2 years part time, studying 60 credits per year. The MSc takes a further year.

EGM822 – Water Management (30 credits)

- this module will run in January 2023, January 2025, January 2027, January 2029

This module introduces the theory and practice of water management. It is intended to provide an understanding of current methods of water treatment and distribution, sustainable use of resources and principles of water quality management and legislation. In addition it aims at teaching skills in analysis and interpretation of water quality data and in applying water legislation. Lecture-based teaching of key concepts is reinforced by linked case study based practical exercises. The module assumes no prior knowledge or experience of water management.

EGM802 – Environmental Data Analysis (30 credits)

- this module will run in September 2023, Sept 2025, Sept 2027, Sept 2029

This module will provide new and synthesise existing knowledge and skills necessary to understand and analyse environmental data. Statistics, environmental modelling, geographical information systems and presentation skills will all be taught and demonstrated. The students will put this knowledge into action in the form of worked examples and assessments. Knowledge and evaluation techniques are provided in lectures, skills developed during worked examples and demonstrated by assessments

EGM820 – Environmental Toxicology (30 credits)

- this module will run in January 2024, January 2026, January 2028, January 2030

This module provides knowledge and skills necessary to understand the impact of chemicals in the environment. Specific areas covered include: the major toxicants, both organic and inorganic: sources, pathways and fate of major toxicants; specific effects on organisms (including humans); physiological & biochemical principles of toxicity testing; LD50 & NOEC; risk assessment of soils and water; environmental quality standards and toxicity quotients.

EGM821 – Pollution Monitoring (30 credits)-

this module will run in September 2024, September 2026, September 2028, September 2030

This module provides the knowledge and skills necessary to monitor pollution of the environment. The topics included are: the key elements of the monitoring programmes for air, water and land; sample collection; chemical methods of analysis, including quality assurance; biological methods of analysis, including toxicity tests and bioassessment; use of environmental models; statistics, data analysis and assessing compliance and; critical loads. The student gains experience through lectures, supporting documents, directed reading and practicals.

Upon successful completion of the PG Dip students can proceed to the MSc and will take

EGM826 Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Monitoring Project

this is a 60 credit module. This module provides the opportunity for the student to demonstrate the skills acquired during the course in the form of a final project. The project is presented in the form of a scientific paper on an area agreed with the student's supervisor.

Attendance

This course is offered fully online and is completed part-time by distance learning. You do not need to visit Ulster at any stage to successfully complete this course.

The Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) is made up of four taught modules (30 credits per module). One module is taught in each semester (late September to early January and late January to early May). It takes 2 academic years to complete the award of PgDip (120 credits). At this stage you can take the PgDip award or continue studying for the MSc. This entails completing a research project module (60 credits) over a further two semesters. This leads to the award of Master of Science (MSc) worth in total 180 credits. The full PgDip/ MSc programme normally takes three years part-time (6 semesters).

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Start dates

September 2023

January 2024

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Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Teaching is delivered entirely online through detailed lecture presentations and videos offering you the flexibility to study at your own pace, any place and at any time. A balance is struck between theoretical input and practical application and real world examples are used to enhance your understanding of key concepts and ideas. Learning is supported by lecturers and e-tutors offering one-to-one problem resolution and is also supported through discussion boards which encourage participation from the whole class. This offers opportunities to learn about issues and problems from different perspectives.

Communication occurs via four methods – email, discussion boards, online chat and telephone. A lot of people mistakenly assume that they will be isolated in an online course. To their surprise most find that the course actually provides a high degree of personal contact because the online format facilitates communication in ways that would be impossible in other situations

Assessment is entirely by coursework and there are no sessional examinations. Instead, a mixture of methods including practical reports, projects, literature reviews, essays, class tests, group work and a research project are used to assess your understanding and skills development.

Once registered you will be able to use the University's extensive online resources of electronic journals (over 45,000 separate publications), e-books and a wide range of scientific databases (for example American Chemistry Society, ProQuest, Celex, Chemistry central, Medline, National Chemical Database Service, Refworks, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science).

As a distance learning student you can

Submit work quickly and easily using the Blackboard Virtual learning Environment.

Email your lecturer or e-tutor with queries or problems as they arise and receive feedback to ensure successful progression.

Liaise with other students by email or through discussion board forums and use shared ideas and information.

Module Summaries

The PgDip is made up of four taught modules (30 credits per module). There is one module in each semester (15 weeks) of a two semester University year, with one semester starting in late September and another in late January (you can start the course in September or January). The four modules accumulate to the award of PgDip in Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Monitoring (120 credits). At this stage you can take the PgDip Award or continue studying for the MSc (a further research module over 2 semesters, 60 credits) and receive the full MSc. The full PgDip/MSc normally takes three years to complete.

Postgraduate Diploma Modules:

EGM802 Environmental Data Analysis – 30 credits

This module will provide new and synthesise existing knowledge and skills necessary to understand and analyse environmental data. Statistics, environmental modelling, geographical information systems and presentation skills will all be taught and demonstrated. The students will put this knowledge into action in the form of worked examples and assessments. Knowledge and evaluation techniques are provided in lectures, skills developed during worked examples and demonstrated by assessments. (Module Team: Dr Richard Douglas, Dr Sally Cook, Dr Paul McKenzie and Dr Sara McDowell)

EGM820 Environmental Toxicology – 30 credits

This module provides knowledge and skills necessary to understand the impact of chemicals in the environment. Specific areas covered include: the major toxicants, both organic and inorganic: sources, pathways and fate of major toxicants; specific effects on organisms (including humans); physiological & biochemical principles of toxicity testing; LD50 & NOEC; risk assessment of soils and water; environmental quality standards and toxicity quotients. (Module Team: Dr Richard Douglas & Professor Brian Rippey)

EGM821 Pollution Monitoring – 30 credits

This module provides the knowledge and skills necessary to monitor pollution of the environment. The topics included are: the key elements of the monitoring programmes for air, water and land; sample collection; chemical methods of analysis, including quality assurance; biological methods of analysis, including toxicity tests and bioassessment; use of environmental models; statistics, data analysis and assessing compliance and; critical loads. The student gains experience through lectures, supporting documents, directed reading and practicals. (Module Team: Dr Richard Douglas & Professor Brian Rippey)

EGM822 Water Management – 30 credits

This module introduces the theory and practice of water management. It is intended to provide an understanding of current methods of water treatment and distribution, sustainable use of resources and principles of water quality management and legislation. In addition it aims at teaching skills in analysis and interpretation of water quality data and in applying water legislation. Lecture-based teaching of key concepts is reinforced by linked case study based practical exercises. The module assumes no prior knowledge or experience of water management. (Module Team: Dr Joerg Arnscheidt)

EGM826 Masters Project Module – 60 credits

On completion of the Postgraduate Diploma, students may continue to the Masters course. The award of Masters requires a pass in module EGM826, the Environmental Toxicology & Pollution Monitoring Project. This module is intended to give scope to investigate topics of particular interest, allowing students to develop and demonstrate the ability to undertake independent research. Topics may potentially include issues relevant to their workplace. The Masters project is assessed through a combination of a Research Proposal, Literature Review, Online Presentation and Final Research Paper (which may, with the agreement of your supervisor, be submitted for publication by an academic journal). The Project module takes another two semesters by part-time study (i.e. one year). Your initial project idea is developed in discussion with the Course Director. The Course Director then assigns you a University Supervisor who will help you complete the project. (University project supervisors currently include: Dr Richard Douglas, Professor Phil Jordan, Dr Aine Gormley, Dr Jenny Douglas, Professor Brian Rippy and Dr Joerg Arnscheidt)

The following examples of recent MSc projects illustrate the breadth of potential research areas:

Spatial Distribution of Macroplastics and Microplastics in the Beach Sediment of Vancouver British Columbia.

Ecological risk assessment for surface water receptors of the Gallego river associated with the presence of Lindane and other Hexachlorocyclohexane isomers waste in the Sabinanigo area of Spain.

Natural Background and Anthropogenic Soil Arsenic and Cadmium Concentrations and their Bioavailability in the Gloucestershire and Somerset Regions.

Sustainable Mining: Reducing The Effects Of Metaliferous Mining Waste Rock Through Effective Reuse.

Is the Introduction of Derived No Effect Limits Causing Confusion for Downstream Users of Chemicals?

Radiocaesium Red Grouse Guano Monitoring.

The Assessment Of Antimicrobial Materials Using A Spectrophotometric Bioassay.

The Development Of An Earthworm Avoidance – Reproduction Test For The Assessment Of Heterogeneously Contaminated Site Soils.

Analysis Of Rainbow Trout Bioassay Results From A Lead/Zinc Smelter.

Development Of Operating Parameters For Lycra® Effluent Bio-Treatment To Achieve IPPC Emissions Guidelines For BOD5 and COD.

Risk assessment of PAH mixtures in soil: The use and misuse of benzo(a)pyrene.

Evaluation of Chromogenic media for the detection of E.coli and Intestinal Enterococci in bathing water samples.

Toxicity of Stable Strontium in Surface Freshwaters of the Oil Sands Region in Alberta, Canada – Deriving An Aquatic Guideline and Refined Chronic Effects Benchmark.

Does rainbow trout farming have negative effects on the Kargiotis River (Cyprus)?

Effects of pH, rainfall and land classification on raw water 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid detections: Implications for drinking water.

Example of past student MSc published papers:

Hickey, A.

,

Arnscheidt, J., Joyce, E., O'Toole, J., Galvin, G., O'Callaghan, M., Conroy, K., Killian, D., Shryane, T., Hughes, F., Walsh, K. & Kavanagh, E. (2018). "An assessment of the performance of municipal constructed wetlands in Ireland." Journal of Environmental Management. 210: 263-272.

Davies, A.J

. and Hope, M.J. (2015). "Bayesian inference-based environmental decision support systems for oil spill response strategy selection." Marine Pollution Bulletin 96(1-2): 87-102.

Hagen, T.G

.

and Douglas, R.W. (2014). "Comparative chemical sensitivity between marine Australian and Northern Hemisphere ecosystems: Is an uncertainty factor warranted for water‐quality–guideline setting?" Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 33(5): 1187-1192.

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Academic profile

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 59% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.

Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (25%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (20%) or Lecturers (55%).

We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic staff (81%) are accredited fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advanced HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise.  The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff.  This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.

Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.

Figures correct for academic year 2021-2022.