AP3AE70-Environmental Management in Practice

Module Provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Simon Mortimer
Email: s.r.mortimer@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Learn how the principles of environmental management are applied in professional settings. Using a series of lectures, case studies and field visits, we will examine the motivations for businesses and organisations to carry out environmental management, the ways in which environmental impacts are assessed and the systems employed to minimise environmental problems.

Aims:

To encourage and enable students to:

• understand how business and organisations address environmental issues, measure their impacts and respond to drivers such as policy and regulation and pressure from consumers and the wider public


• examine and critically appraise the relationships between the principles of environmental management and its practice in a number of case studies


• place their own understanding and experience (professional and/or educational) in a broader multidisciplinary perspective of issues relating to environmental management.


• develop further their skills in researching cross-cutting issues relating to environmental management, including skills of critical reasoning, analysing, evaluating and synthesising

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module it is expected that students will be able to:
1. Explore the potential environmental consequences of a range of business activities.
2. Explain the relationship between regulation of business and corporate responsibility in managing environmental impact
3. Outline approaches to environmental impact assessment and assess the carbon footprints of organisations
4. Investigate environmental management practices in a range of businesses including Environmental Management Systems.
5. Outline the main economic and environmental issues surrounding climate change and discuss mitigation and adaptation approaches.
6. Apply principles to practice for a real client organisation

Additional outcomes:
The module also aims to develop investigative field and desk research and report writing skills to a business audience.

Outline content:
1. Overview of environmental impacts from human activities .
2. Assessing impacts including an introduction to the Environmental Impact Assessment process.
3. Environmental regulation of industry.
4. Corporate perspectives $£ corporate responsibility and sustainability.
5. Environmental management project for an external client
6. Field visits related to water and air protection.
7. Case studies in environmental management - outside speaker
8. Managing environmental change: mitigation and adaption
9. Implementing environmental management in organisations: policies, systems and governance

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The principles of corporate environmental responsibility, regulation, Environmental Impact Assessment, environmental auditing and Environmental Management Systems will be covered in lectures. A number of businesses and organisations will be visited to illustrate environmental management in a number of contexts. An opportunity for practical application of these principles will be provided through writing an EIA scoping report and environmental statement.

Transferabl e & Specialist skills covered:

• Written communication


• Professional report writing

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		18
External visits		8
Guided independent study:		74
Total hours by term	0	100	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The module will be assessed by two pieces of written coursework:

(a) A report of a visit to an environmental organisation and discussions with its staff (40%).

(b) A report to a client organisation outlining the screening, scoping and environmental statement for the EIA for a development.  60%

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 40% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:

By resubmission of coursework.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  strong footwear and waterproof jacket for outdoor visit.

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 30 March 2023