MSc Water and Environmental Management

Program Overview

MSc Water and Environmental Management

Overview

The MSc Water and Environmental Management program equips students with the fundamental technical and management skills to tackle local and global water and environmental challenges. The program teaches both academic and practical skills, enabling students to contribute to the sustainable management of water resources and the environment.

Key Information

• Programme duration: One year full-time
• Start date: September 2025
• Application deadline:
  • Overseas applicants: 25 July 2025
  • Home applicants: 8 August 2025
• Delivery method: On-Campus
• Location: Clifton
• Awards available: MSc

Programme Structure

• Core units provide skills and knowledge to help students understand the basic principles of water and environmental management.
• Optional units extend students' fundamental understanding by teaching relevant skills on data analysis, modelling techniques, systems thinking tools, and how these enable real-world decision making.
• Students will also develop significant academic research skills to prepare them for the culmination of the MSc, which is a dissertation supervised by one of the expert tutors.

Entry Requirements

• Students typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in an Engineering, Science, Computing, Maths, Geography, Environmental Management or Studies, Resource Conservation, Finance, Investment, or Economics subject.
• If students are currently completing a degree, the university will consider their application if their interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements.
• Students with at least two years of relevant work experience or a relevant postgraduate qualification should include their CV when applying.

Fees and Funding

• Home: full-time £14,500 per year
• Overseas: full-time £32,400 per year
• Fees are subject to an annual review.
• University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study.
• Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students is available.

Career Prospects

• The programme is aimed at those planning to become water and environmental engineers, scientists, or managers.
• Graduates can pursue both technical and management career paths.
• The programme is also suitable for students who may wish to undertake a PhD.
• Graduates of the course now work for engineering consultancies and professional service firms, water companies, government agencies, and as university researchers.

Research

• The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK (Times Higher Education).
• 94% of the university's research is assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent.
• The Water and Environmental Research group webpage provides more information about the university's research.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

If you want to pursue a career tackling local and global water and environmental challenges, this MSc will equip you with the fundamental analytical and management skills to do so. We teach both academic and practical skills so that you will discover how you can contribute to the sustainable management of water resources and the environment. The exciting range of optional units means that you can choose the right balance of quantitative and qualitative skills: from environmental data science and machine learning applications to sustainable systems and disaster resilience. Our teaching staff include leading water researchers at the University of Bristol and environmental practitioners with experience in private and government sectors such as the Environment Agency or Met Office.

Outline:

Core units provide skills and knowledge to help you understand the basic principles of water and environmental management, including the fundamental processes that govern the water cycle through the climate and hydrological systems, together with the interdisciplinary skills required to work in this field. Optional units extend your fundamental understanding by teaching you relevant skills on data analysis, modelling techniques, systems thinking tools, and how these enable real-world decision making. During these units you will also develop significant academic research skills to prepare you for the culmination of the MSc. Your dissertation will be supervised by one of our expert tutors covering a wide range of topics and applications.

Teaching:

Our teaching staff include leading water researchers at the University of Bristol and environmental practitioners with experience in private and government sectors such as the Environment Agency or Met Office.

Careers:

The programme is aimed at those planning to become water and environmental engineers, scientists, or managers and allows graduates to pursue both technical and management career paths. The programme is also suitable for students who may wish to undertake a PhD.

UK: full-time £14,000 per year Overseas: full-time £30,900 per year