MA / M Sc in Environment, Society and Culture

Available: Full-time/Part-time
NFQ Level: 9
Duration: 1 yr FT / 2 yrs PT
Location: MIC Limerick / online
Delivery Mode: Face-to-face and/or online
Assessment: Theoretical essays, technical projects, oral presentations, consultancy reports, research proposals, and dissertation.

Programme Overview

The MA/M Sc in Environment, Society and Culture focuses on the interplay between the natural environment and human society, covering a range of advanced topics across human and physical geography, and drawing heavily on the research expertise of staff at Mary Immaculate College (MIC). This programme is highly flexible, allowing students to choose between an Arts or Science Master's qualification primarily determined by their dissertation research.

The curriculum reflects the complexity of the subject matter, incorporating themes from both the social and physical sciences. The subject material is designed to provide specificity and depth of study while maintaining a general focus on the relationships among environment, society, and culture.

Key Features

• The programme's broad scope mirrors the integrated nature of environment-related studies and encompasses themes pertinent to anthropogenic activities impacting global climate.
• It provides not only critical theoretical foundations but also practical knowledge necessary for navigating the emerging job market in environmental sectors.
• A unique Environmental Consultancy module allows student groups to undertake real-world projects commissioned by external organizations, bridging classroom theory with practical application.

Career Opportunities & Further Study

Graduates of the MA/MSc Environment, Society and Culture programme can expect a diverse range of career opportunities. Potential employment pathways include, but are not limited to:

• Environmental consultancy
• Geospatial analysis
• Legislation and policy making
• Research
• Teaching

Employers may include civil service and government agencies, non-governmental organizations, environmental and geospatial companies, and academic institutions. Graduates also have the option to pursue further study at the doctoral level.

Programme Content

The curriculum for full-time students is structured into three semesters, each comprising various modules:

1. Core Module: Environment, Society and Culture: Framework and Mapping
   • Credits: 12
   • Description: Introduction to overarching issues related to climate, heritage, sustainability, and human-environment interactions, alongside staff research presentations and geospatial analysis.
2. Elective Modules:
   • Climate Change: Causes and Consequences
     • Credits: 9
     • Description: Exploration of anthropogenic causes of climate change and its impacts on Earth systems through case studies.
   • Heritage Management and Sustainable Development
     • Credits: 9
     • Description: Analysis of heritage management issues amidst changing environmental and social contexts.
   • Terrestrial Ecology: Natural Systems and Human Environments
     • Credits: 9
     • Description: Examination of biodiversity threats and conservation challenges in various terrestrial habitats.
   • Sustainability Transitions and Transformations
     • Credits: 9
     • Description: Understanding the dynamics necessary for transitioning to sustainable socio-ecological systems in the Anthropocene.
   • Environmental Consultancy
     • Credits: 9
     • Description: Hands-on consultancy project work providing practical experience and enhancing employability.
3. Core Module: Geographical and Geospatial Methods
   • Credits: 12
   • Description: Overview of research methodologies in environmental sciences, integrating social and physical research methods.
4. Dissertation
   • Credits: 30
   • Description: A significant independent research project serving as the culmination of the student's learning experience.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are typically required to hold a primary degree in Geography or a related discipline, achieving a minimum of 2.2 honours. Exceptional candidates who do not meet these requirements may still be considered for admission.

NFQ Levels

• Postgraduate Certificates are classified as Level 9 Minor Awards.
• Postgraduate Diplomas and Master's degrees are categorized as Level 9 Major Awards.
• Doctoral degrees are classified as Level 10 Major Awards on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), awarded by the University of Limerick.

Mary Immaculate College (MIC), known in Irish as Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál, is a university-level College of Education and the Liberal Arts in Limerick, Ireland, academically linked with the University of Limerick. Founded in 1898 by Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer and the Sisters of Mercy for the professional education of Catholic primary school teachers, MIC is the oldest third-level institution in Limerick City.

The foundation stone was laid on 8 December 1898 on an 11-acre site jointly purchased by the Bishop and the Sisters of Mercy, with construction led by Dublin architect George Byrne and Limerick contractors Molloy. The College opened its doors to its first students on 21 September 1901, and was officially opened on 16 May 1902. From its original 75 young women enrolled in 1901, MIC has grown into a multi-campus institution with a student population of over 5,000.

Mission

Mary Immaculate College is a third-level Catholic College of Education and the Liberal Arts. The College community promotes excellence in teaching, learning and research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and seeks to foster the intellectual, spiritual, personal and professional development of students within a supportive and challenging environment that guarantees the intellectual freedom of staff and students. In particular, the College seeks to foster in its students a spirit of justice and compassion in the service of others, together with an openness to the religious tradition and values of each individual.

The College promotes a sense of identity enriched by an awareness of its Catholic tradition, the cultures, languages and traditions of Ireland, and its special commitment to the Irish language. Mary Immaculate College respects cultural diversity and strives to promote equity in society, providing an environment where all have the freedom and opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Founding vision

MIC continues to embrace the founding vision of Catherine McAuley, who established the Sisters of Mercy as champions for the most marginalised in society, with the conviction that education was essential to that mission. This emphasis on social justice and educational inclusion remains central to the College's institutional identity as it has grown and diversified over more than 125 years.

Academic structure

MIC offers programmes across two faculties, Education and Arts, spanning Level 4 to Level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Undergraduate programmes are offered in:

• Primary and Post-Primary Teaching (Bachelor of Education, Teaching Council-accredited)
• Liberal Arts, with a choice of 14 subjects across a flexible, wide-ranging programme
• Early Childhood Care and Education
• Psychology, including a Bachelor of Science in Psychology incorporating workplace experience
• Drama and English
• English Language and Literature

The MIC Thurles campus additionally offers post-primary teacher education programmes in Home Economics, Gaeilge, Mathematics, Business Studies, Theology and Religious Studies, and Accounting. Postgraduate study is available across both faculties at Diploma, Master's and PhD level, alongside professional development and lifelong learning programmes.

Campuses

MIC is a multi-campus institution with centrally located, state-of-the-art facilities in both Limerick City and Thurles, Co. Tipperary:

• MIC Limerick: the College's original and main campus on South Circular Road, home to the historic 1899 building that remains central to College life today, alongside a state-of-the-art Sports Complex completed in 2008 at a cost of €16 million, and the 510-seat Lime Tree Theatre, officially opened in October 2012
• MIC Thurles: incorporated into MIC in 2016, originally established as a second-level school in 1837 and later a major seminary, today offering seven undergraduate programmes delivered by staff from both the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Arts, with on-campus accommodation and the O'Dwyer Library housing approximately 15,000 print resources

Both campuses are characterised by an informal, relaxed atmosphere and a close rapport between students and staff, with the amenities of city and town life on the doorstep.

Affiliation with the University of Limerick

MIC has been academically linked with the University of Limerick since a formal partnership was established in 1990, with UL becoming MIC's accrediting body. Degrees were conferred by the National University of Ireland until 1994, and by UL from 1995 onward. In 1999, MIC became the first Irish College of Education to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree programme. The first PhD was awarded by MIC in 2003. MIC is also a member of the Shannon Consortium, a collaborative framework alongside the University of Limerick and Technological University of the Shannon.

Student life and facilities

• Wired FM (Wired 99.9FM): Limerick's only licensed student community radio station, run in partnership with the Technological University of the Shannon
• Lime Tree Theatre: a 510-seat venue on the Limerick campus hosting theatre, music, comedy, traditional arts, school performances and conferences
• MIC Munster GAA Centre of Excellence and extensive College Sport opportunities, supported by the dedicated Sports Complex
• CRAFT Maker Space, supporting hands-on creativity and enterprise
• Mary Immaculate Students' Union (MISU), marking 25 years of representing the student body
• Clubs and Societies, Arts and Culture programming, and a strong Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Interculturalism (EDII) commitment
• Recognition as an Age Friendly Campus
• Careers Service, Study Abroad opportunities, and an Off-Campus Programme

Leadership and governance

The College's first six Presidents were members of the Sisters of Mercy, beginning with Sr Paul Quinlan in 1898, followed by Sr Veronica Cullinan, Sr Celsus Barry, Sr Loreto Ní Chonchúir, Sr Cabrini Moloney and Sr Angela Bugler. Professor Peadar Cremin, appointed in 1999, was the seventh President and the first lay person to hold the position. He was succeeded by Professor Michael A. Hayes in 2011 and Professor Eugene Wall in 2018, the ninth President in the College's history. Mary Immaculate College is currently led by Professor Dermot Nestor, President of the College, with the Bishop of Limerick serving as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.