River basins are of fundamental importance to the world’s population, meaning that research training in water dynamics and management are in high demand by both industry and academia. The University of Leeds has a world-class reputation for water-related research and GIS development in an environmental context and our River Basin Dynamics and Management MSc builds on that success.
Core components of the programme are river basin hydrology and basic environmental GIS. Students will gain advanced knowledge and skills in channel hydraulics and sediment transport, river ecology and environmental assessment.Students will also be able to gain an advanced knowledge and skills in GIS for environment, GIS programming and digital image analysis and remote sensing.
This highly practical course advocates 'learning by doing' and is assessed 100% by coursework. We host guest lecturers from business, industry and academia, visit work places and conduct a series of field, laboratory and PC-based practicals. You also have the chance to do a work placement.
More information
From this programme you will learn a detailed understanding of the principles of water resource management and an appreciation of the institutional and legal frameworks impacting on river basin management. You learn to formulate important research questions and design methodological approaches to answer them; and to develop quantitative analyses skills.
This programme is also available part time, allowing you to combine study with other commitments. You can work to fund your studies, or gain a new qualification without giving up an existing job. We aim to be flexible in helping you to put together a part-time course structure that meets your academic goals while recognising the constraints on your study time.
You can also study this subject at Postgraduate Diploma level.
We offer some of the modules on this programme as standalone Continuing Professional Development modules.
Application procedure
Grant opportunities
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more at Masters funding overview.
The School of Geography offers a number of scholarships. Find out more.
Learning outcomes
- Advanced pure and applied education and training in key modern and developing fields of river basin dynamics and management including industrial, laboratory and field techniques and policy
- Pure and applied education in GIS for managing, analysing and mapping water and environmental data, with opportunities for study at an advanced level
- Pure and applied education in river basin processes and the linkages between river basin characteristics, natural and anthropogenic environmental change, river behaviour and water, sediment and contaminant fluxes, with opportunities for study at an advanced level
- A detailed understanding of the principles of water resource management
- An appreciation of the institutional and legal frameworks impacting on river basin management
- An ability to formulate important research questions and design methodological approaches for answering these questions
- A high level of quantitative analyses skills including GIS, statistical presentation and numerical modelling
- A range of transferable, marketable skills required to obtain employment in river basin processes and management or to pursue a career in research and education
This programme offers a range of transferable, marketable skills required to obtain employment in river basin processes and management or to pursue a career in research and education.
Typical roles undertaken by our recent graduates are:
- Assistant Analyst
- Flood warning Engineer
- Graduate Engineer
- Graduate Water Scientist/Catchment Scientist
- Hydrologist/Hydrogeologist
- Licensing Officer
- Planning Liaison Officer
- PhD study
- Projects Co-ordinator
- Water Resource Manager.
Some of the organisations our graduates work for are:
- Arup
- Ballinderry Fish
- Black and Veatch
- Carlbro
- Consultant Engineers
- Dales Water Services Ltd
- Environment Agency
- Farrer Consulting
- Hatchery Ltd
- JBA Consulting
- Scott Wilson
- Yorkshire Water.
Prerequisites
Entry requirements
A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in geography or a related subject, eg environmental sciences or ecological sciences.
Relevant work experience is viewed positively and is taken into account particularly for candidates whose first degree grade is slightly below our requirement.
If you’re interested in this programme but are unsure if you have the necessary background, please get in touch with us to discuss your position.
We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in in any component.. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
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