Duration:                                                 18 months

Actual Credit Load:                                 270

Minimum Credit Load:                            270

Maximum Credit Load:                           330

Minimum MBKs Credits:                        234

ZNQF Level;                                           9

1.0   PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

1.1   The programme aims to enhance knowledge, skills and competencies in the broad area of environmental sustainability relevant to various employment capabilities and careers in the world of work. These will be achieved through:

1.1.1          Provision of comprehensive and systematic theoretical and practical knowledge in environmental sustainability.

1.1.2          Instilling awareness in students of the need for management of change to anticipate and adopt policy in light of new technology.

1.1.3          Enhancing the students’ ability to identify, analyse and propose responses to complex issues and problems drawing systematically and creatively on the principles, theories, practices and methodologies of environmental sustainability.

1.1.4          Developing an understanding of advanced environmental sustainability practices and to reflect their professional practice.

1.1.5          Developing powers of critical appraisal and analytical thinking to develop appropriate strategies to meet developmental efforts, especially with respect to Zimbabwe, the SADC and the world at large.

1.1.6          Provide knowledge and skills that help to create a sustainable world that provides a safe, secure and healthy life for all people.

2.0   ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Normal Entry:   Bachelor of Science Honours in Geography and Environmental Studies/Science or Environmental Science or Natural and Agricultural Sciences, with a 2.2 pass or better.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

4.1 Employability:   Careers in environmental management; NGOs, project management, research institutions; natural resources conservation, sustainable development, positions in academia; environmental consultancy; businesses, disaster management; and start-ups.

4.2 Further Studies: Doctoral studies in Environmental Science/Sustainability or Ecological Resources Management, Development Studies and in any related field.

5.0   PROGRAMME DELIVERY

5.1 Teaching and Learning Methods: Lectures, laboratory activities, seminars, group work, field-based activities, research projects, individual independent study, guest seminars and talks from practitioners where possible.

5.2 Assessment Methods: Written and oral examinations, tests, written and practical assignments, field reports and seminar presentations.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Level 1 Semester 1                                                                                                  Credits  

MES 731 Principles of Environmental Sustainability                                                           18

MES 732 Environmental Toxicology andQuality                                                    18

MES 733 Project Management for Environmental Sustainability                                         18

MES 734 Applications of Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing            18

MES 735 Research Methods and Statistics                                                                           18

Level 1 Semester 2

Core modules

MES 736 Environmental Valuation                                                                                      18

MES 737 Governance and Policy for Environmental Sustainability                                    18

MES 738 Environmental Change and Corporate Strategy                                                    18

Electives (It is mandatory to choose at least two modules from those listed below)

MES 739 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment                                                      18

MES 740 Environmental Justice and Social Change                                                            18

MES 741 Sustainable Cities                                                                                                  18

MES 742 Rural Planning and Management                                                                          18

MES 743 Sustainability of Food Systems                                                                             18

MES 744 Energy and Sustainability                                                                                      18

MES 745 Sustainable Waste Management                                                                            18

MES 746 Sustainable Water Resources Management                                                           18

 Level 2 Semester 1

MES 831 Dissertation                                                                                                           90

14.0MODULE SYNOPSES

MES 731 Principles of Environmental Sustainability

The module explores the principles that form the core of sustainable development, and to investigate the extent of the threats of the environmental issues currently faced by society. It also examines the underlying driving forces for environmental change, in terms of population growth, technological change, market economics and consumption patterns. Case studies to be used illustrate how the principles of environmental sustainability have been put into practice.

 MES 732 Environmental Quality and Toxicology

The module inculcates knowledge and skills in environmental protection including air, water, and waste management and toxicology.  It develops management and critical thinking skills necessary to remediate environmental threats, e.g., posed by energy production and consumption, hazardous waste and climate change before they can make a negative environmental impact.

MES 733 Project Management for Environmental Sustainability

The module focuses on the concept of sustainable project management and its importance in real-life project management. It evaluates the social, economic, legislative and environmental drivers and benefits for the integration of sustainability in project management throughout a project lifecycle.

MES 734 Applications of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing      

The module provides knowledge and skills on the theory and practice of GIS and remote sensing in enhancing environmental sustainability. Particular attention is paid to data collection, analysis, management and interpretation of spatial and temporal data using Geographic Information Systems to help solve a wide range of “real world” environmental sustainability and associated social problems. Practicals are expected to cover map manipulations, vector and raster data, and the classification and processing of spectral reflectance data acquired using both passive and active remote sensing.

MES 735 Research Methods and Statistics

The module examines the research methods appropriate for both qualitative and quantitative methods including the philosophical underpinnings of research methodology, proposal design, searching and literature review, ethical issues in research, research instruments design, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, qualitative analysis and statistical analysis of data.

MES 736 Environmental Valuation

The module focuses on the economic valuation of environmental resources and policies. It covers both key elements of economic theory that are needed to understand the methodologies covered and an introduction to the analysis of data. The methods covered include travel cost, contigent valuation, ecosystem services, cost-benefits analysis etc. and non-monetary valuation that are of direct relevance to policy formulation and application to enhance environmental sustainability.

MES 737 Governance and Policy for Environmental Sustainability  

Focuses on how state and non-state actors interact and put into practice governance and policy actions for addressing environmental sustainability challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, energy, water and food provision and access across multiple levels from community self-governance of natural resources to business-led endeavours such as certification schemes. Tools for analysing environmental governance and policy such as institutional analysis, discourse analysis and power analysis are examined.

MES 738 Environmental Change and Corporate Strategy     

This module analyses the current practices and opportunities for business and will evaluate whether current activities are effective and sustainable. Underneath the surface, what are businesses doing, and what is the potential for reducing and mitigating environmental impact and perhaps even becoming environmentally positive in impact? All scales of business are explored, from sole traders to multinationals. Compliance and market advantage will be considered. Environmental change is viewed as a trigger of market transition, where controls on greenhouse gas emissions affect virtually all sectors of the economy to varying degrees.       

MES 739 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment                     

The module provides a working knowledge of current environmental, social and economic impacts and methods relating to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and considers in detail how these impacts can be quantified and analysed. It further provides an overview of the legislative framework of EIA and explains the EIA process, providing examples of techniques used in impact assessment relating to soils, ecology, landscape and socio-economic aspects, as well as monitoring, auditing and reporting.

MES 740 Environmental Justice and Social Change  

The module examines how and why inequalities arise and are maintained in society including mechanisms that give rise to class, gender, racial, and other types of disparities. It further investigates the causes and consequences of inequitable distributions of environmental benefits and the emergence of environmental justice movements. Environmental conflict resolution and advocacy campaigns are studied.

MES 741 Sustainable Cities   

This module focuses on current discussions of sustainable cities highlighting the challenges and opportunities of rapid urbanization taking place all across the world. It explores the understanding of the complex systems of people, resources and environment within urban areas, focusing on several themes on water, housing, energy, infrastructure, food, waste, transport, economic, municipal and social planning systems. Learning and critically evaluating contemporary debates about sustainable urban spaces, with a specific focus on the human and physical processes shaping urban ecologies and environments in order to have ‘smart cities.’      

MES 742 Rural Planning and Management   

This module explores the practice of planning and development in rural areas and examines some of the major issues and concerns that have a bearing on planning and environmental management processes, such as community land and natural resources ownership, poverty, energy challenges etc. It critiques and discusses the potential future rural management practices that may be required in response to climate change, energy shortages, food security demands etc.

MES 743 Sustainability of Food Systems

Explores and highlights potential solutions to the challenges that are being faced with regard to food production such as water and soil resource management and the need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. It examines the conflicts and trade-offs among the objectives that are required of food systems and conflicts associated with attempts to maximize food production and environmental health. The water-food-energy nexus, biotechnology, sustainable intensification and climate change impacts, mitigation, and adaptation are examined.

MES 744 Energy and Sustainability

This module provides an insight into critical awareness of environmental, technical, economic and political factors influencing policies and mechanisms for the sustainable management of energy and environmental resources. The focus is to develop and enhance the ability to formulate strategies for reconciling conflicts between development and environmental protection in the context of energy and resources management. Topics from air pollution to energy and wider resource problems are explored.

MES 745 Sustainable Waste Management     

This module integrates waste principles, concepts, and technologies and demonstrates how they can be implemented in practice enabling students to be able to evaluate the economics of waste reduction, recycling and recovery. Legislative and socio-economic drivers of sustainable waste management are also highlighted.          

MES 746 Sustainable Water Resources Management

The module emphasises the science behind water quality and availability necessary for the development of solutions for sustainable water management. It further focuses on ecosystem aspects of water, such as sustainable management of watersheds and wetlands, as well as developing skills in water quality and water resource management, Integrated Water Resources Management, socio-economic aspects of water management, water governance, applications of pollution prevention, and storm and wastewater management.

MES 831 Dissertation

The module is meant to enable learners to plan, design and carry out their dissertation. It provides guidelines on how to choose a suitable topic, undertake a literature review, apply appropriate research methods, collect and analyse data and manage the write-up process. It also provides individual feedback to students on their proposals which they can incorporate in their final dissertation.