This two-part 30-credit core module takes place in September and November and must be taken at the beginning of your course, no matter which route you take through your studies.

In part one, we will contextualise sustainability and transformational adaptation in view of current environmental changes, exploring the interconnectedness of the factors involved.

There will be an in-depth look at the wider implications of transformational adaptation on social structures, land use, trade, resource management, energy provision, governance, health and economic systems through a critical exploration of the primary considerations related to sustainability and environmental change.

In part two, you will experience transformational adaptation planning through a facilitated self-reflective practical team exercise, and form a deep appreciation and holistic understanding of adaptation transformation planning.

You will develop the skills and knowledge needed to assess risks and make informed decisions, despite the uncertainties that come with a changing climate.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by the University of East London: EV7102 - Sustainability and Adaptation Concepts and Planning UEL

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University: 7501CATSCI -Sustainability and Adaptation Concepts and Planning LJMU

The aims of this module are to:

1. Study and understand research based methods which have been developed to assess key concepts in sustainable ecology, such as biodiversity, carbon storage and nutrient status and forms of ecosystem functioning.
2. Understand concepts of ecosystem health and functioning and carry out an assessment of habitat function, habitat quality and health.
3. Practice the use of, and evaluate the value of, identification techniques for flora and fauna which focus on different taxonomic levels and morphological-functional groups.
4. Show critical awareness of the value of local, national, international and traditional records of ecology, ecological health and ecological change and know how to access such records.
5. Use multivariate data and expert knowledge to suggest management plans for ecosystems or habitats.

The syllabus comprises: ecological surveys, functional habitat mapping, definitions of ecosystem health and how this might be determined; recognising habitat values such as carbon retention, biodiversity, and regulating service; the value and availability of local, national and international data sets, value of citizen science, local and traditional environmental knowledge; management scenarios to maximise ecosystem health.

This module will comprise a series of practicals, supported by lecturers and interactive seminars. Practicals will be based in local habitats for onsite learners. Distance learners will be set practical tasks of habitat evaluation for sites local to them and/or be provided with example datasets and information. Lectures will draw on a wide variety of theoretical and applied topics with a wide use of case studies throughout.

This module is assessed via:
80%  Coursework: Report (2400 words)
20% Coursework: Presentation (600 words equivalent)

This is a 15 credit module.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University  7514CATSCI Ecological Assessment

The aims of this module are to:

1. Study the role of ecosystems in sustainability with a focus on their role in biogeochemical cycling, as a sink for carbon and for providing other ecosystem functions.
2. Investigate methods of restoration of habitats, including at landscape and global scales.
3. Appreciate methods of setting restoration goals and assessing the success of restoration projects.
4. Analyse the theoretical science and practical implications of species reintroductions, rewilding and invasive species control.
5. Examine the value of policy, community involvement and public support, health and wellbeing, in habitat restoration and management.

The syllabus comprises: ecosystem change over time and space, biodiversity and connectedness, stabilization wedges, land sparing v land sharing debate;  the science behind rewilding, reintroduction and management of invasive species, phytoremediation and restoration of peri-urban spaces; the role of communities, impact of restoration on communities and economies, and the impact of national and international legislation.

This module will comprise a series of lectures, supported by interactive seminars and in-depth analysis of real-life potential restoration projects. Lectures will draw on a wide variety of theoretical and applied topics with a wide use of case studies throughout. Practicals based in local habitats for onsite learners and similarly directed field or desk based investigations for distance-learners.

This module is assessed via:

60% Coursework: Management report (1800 words)
40% Coursework: Essay (1200 words)

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University  7513CATSCI Restoration Ecology

This is a 15 credit module.

This module gives you an appreciation of the key roles played by species, populations and healthy ecosystems in the provision of essential tangible and intangible services to human society, as well as the need to ensure ecological integrity on appropriate scales.
It provides you with an understanding of the overriding roles of climate change and industrial expansion in imposing progressive change in ecosystem and resource management, and the imperative for sustainable adaptation.

We explore the environmental impacts of sourcing, management and disposal of material and water resources, the case for minimisation, wise use and reuse where appropriate in order to function within resource, ecological and societal constraints, and the lessons to be learned from nature in resource design and processing.

It will enable you to comprehend the varied impacts of land use on environmental quality, biodiversity and ecosystem service provision, including industrial, domestic and agricultural wastes and their management; and to recognise the inherent lack of sustainability in modern, centralised food production and the necessity for ecologically-designed agriculture.

This is a 15 credit module.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by the University of East London: EV7103 - Ecosystem Services Land Use Water and Waste Management UEL

Read more about this module for courses awardedby Liverpool John Moores University 7506CATSCI - Ecosystem Services Land use and Waste Management LJMU.pdf

What’s it like to study at CAT? Read more about the teaching and learning experience.

The dissertation involves designing, investigating, and presenting an extended and independently conceived piece of research on a topic of your choosing within a field of study relevant to your course.

This will help you to develop skills in: research methods; data collection and analysis; interpreting results in relation to existing knowledge; self-reflection on research processes; subject-based practical skills; evaluating methodologies; analysis; conclusions; and relevance.

Teaching and learning is by tutorial-supported work on the preparation of this major item of academic discourse. After an initial seminar group meeting involving other students, tuition is mainly on an individual basis.

This is a 60 credit module.

Read more about the dissertation module for courses awarded by the University of East London:  EV7101 - Dissertation Module UEL

Read more about the dissertation module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University 7500CATSCI - Dissertation LJMU

What’s it like to study at CAT? Read more about the teaching and learning experience.

The aim of this module is to develop an informed understanding of the complexity of political and economic opinions, perspectives, constraints and interactions that influence environmental policy and action, from international to local levels.

You will investigate how these factors affect attitudes towards, and actions related to, environmental change, sustainability and transformational adaptation planning and policy.

A mixture of lectures, seminar sessions and debates will provide a thorough understanding of historical political and economic transformations in order that you can critically and systematically appraise the influences on and potential outcomes of the transformations required to deliver sustainability and adaptation.

You will develop a discerning and detailed knowledge of the complexities, interrelationships and interactions that exist between politics, economics and other social sciences so that you can contextualise them with reference to environmental sustainability and adaptation planning.

This is a 15 credit module.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by the University of East London: EV7104 - Environmental Politics and Economics UEL

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University 7502CATSCI - Environmental Politics and Economics LJMU

What’s it like to study at CAT? Read more about the teaching and learning experience.

This module takes an in-depth look at global and local trends in food production, trends in diet and health, and the impact of food production on the environment including climate change.

We explore how food can be produced sustainably, looking at the role of consumer behaviour, economics, technology and legislation.
You will study the complex interplay between global and local food markets, vertical integration of agriculture, consumer diets and health, ‘food sovereignty’, the impact of machinery and transportation, economics, labour and environmental externalities on the sustainable production of food.

You will critically evaluate how current markets, policies and consumer behaviour could be transformed to ensure greater sustainability in food production and resource use.

This is a 15 credit module.

Find out more about this module: 7503CATSCI - Food Production and Consumption LJMU

What’s it like to study at CAT? Read more about the teaching and learning experience.

This module helps develop your knowledge of current research and discourse concerning adaptation planning and sustainability of cities and communities, and their place in current and future environmental contexts.

You will develop a thorough understanding of key elements, infrastructures, maintenance issues, energy budgets, material flows, waste disposal, transportation, and the social dynamics that underlie the development and management of communities and cities.

Following a critical assessment of the complex factors that influence the provision of sustainability and adaptation planning within urban and community focused environments, you will be able to recognise and rationalise the prospects for innovative research and practice for city and community regeneration in the built environment.

This is a 15 credit module.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by the University of East London: EV7105 - Cities and Communities UEL

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University: 7504CATSCI - Cities and Communities LJMU

This module involves a systematic evaluation of the environmental impacts and the wider social and health implications of building materials, looking at the use, performance and usability of different materials.

You will gain a thorough appreciation of how environmentally sustainable materials offer creative opportunities for the use and development of high quality, healthy, effective, and long lasting products that can enhance rather than damage ecosystems.

You will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of different materials, and look at how to use sustainable options in the most effective ways.

We explore issues around the availability, cost, physical properties, construction methods and general perceptions of environmentally responsive materials, looking at ease of use, mainstream acceptance, design limitations, logistical considerations, and economic viability.
Students joining us on-site for the study week get hands-on experience with sustainable building materials in this highly practical module, working with rammed earth, cob, hemp and lime, timber and straw bales.

This is a 15 credit module.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by the University of East London: EV7110 - Sustainable Materials in the Built Environment UEL (234 downloads)

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University 7507CATSCI - Sustainable Materials in the Built Environment LJMU (37 downloads)

What’s it like to study at CAT? Read more about the teaching and learning experience.

In this module we study the biogeography of crops and the importance of geographical climate, soil and water resources; and also the science behind GMOs, energy crops and different approaches to growing food, including organic agriculture, conventional agriculture, permaculture, agroforestry and agroecology, looking at the current and potential use of different systems.

You will use data to analyse the environmental impacts of different food production methods on greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration, soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.

You will develop an appreciation of the key scientific advances, debates and uncertainties in the science of sustainable food production.

This is a 15 credit module.

Find out more about this module: 7510CATSCI - The Science of Sustainable Food Production LJMU

What’s it like to study at CAT? Read more about the teaching and learning experience.

This project is designed to deepen your knowledge and understanding of a specialist subject within your chosen field of study.

It involves you in analysing complex evidence generated through the Applied Project, and in developing critical responses to existing theoretical discourses, methodologies or practices within your chosen subject.

This is a practical student-led project and report that will include statistical analyses of ongoing projects. It may take the form of, for example, a case study scenario exercise or a design, fabrication, experimentation and testing exercise.

This is a 15 credit module.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by the University of East London: EV7111 - Applied Project UEL

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University 7508CATSCI - Applied Project LJMU

Based on a project that you are undertaking in practice, for example in your workplace or community, this module allows you to deepen your knowledge and understanding of a specialist subject within your chosen field of study.

You will undertake analysis of complex evidence and develop critical responses to existing theoretical discourses, methodologies or practices within the chosen specialist area.

This is a 15 credit module.

Read more about this module for courses awarded by the University of East London: EV7112 - Work Based Project UEL

Read more about this module for courses awarded by Liverpool John Moores University 7509CATSCI - Work-based Project LJMU