Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services
Join our postgraduate students on a CAT teaching week for an exploration of the essential services ecosystems provide human society, how we use these services, and what this means if we want to create a more sustainable society in the face of a changing climate.
Through a series of lectures, discussions, and practical activities you will learn alongside our postgraduate students on our MSc courses in Sustainability and Ecology and Sustainable Food and Natural Resources.
You will experience what it might be like to study on one of our postgraduate courses at CAT and gain a better understanding the key roles played by ecosystems in provision of essential tangible and intangible services to human society, the impacts human society, and what this means for planning response to the climate and biodiversity emergency.
Key Information
- Duration: five days
- Upcoming dates: Monday 9 – Friday 13 March
- Start and finish times: starts at 10am and ends at 1pm on the last day
- Fees: £700
- Includes: tuition, all materials, lunch (accommodation can be booked separately)
- Full board accommodation, when available for this course: £325 for a single person bedroom for the duration of the course (check-out is on the last day of your course). Accommodation will show, if available, once you have added the course to your booking.
- What to bring: good boots and waterproof clothing is advised
- Terms and Conditions:
- You must be 18 years or over to attend our courses.
- For full list of terms and conditions click here
Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for joining the course at the end of the week. If attendees wish to enrol on a postgraduate course at CAT and take the module within their future course, they will be able to receive a discount on tuition costs.
Who is this course aimed at?
This week is aimed at people who wish to have a taster of studying at postgraduate level at CAT, with an interest in our relationship with the natural world and sustainable management of natural resources.
What you will learn
During this short course participants will develop an understanding of the ecological and biodiversity foundations of ecosystem functioning, the impacts of society on ecosystems, and the effect this has on the ability of ecosystems to support many of the services we rely on.
Topics covered includes:
- Ecosystem processes and services
- Global climate and resource regulation
- Land use and sustainable agriculture
- Contaminated land
- Water security
- Sustainable waste and sanitation management
- Floodplain strategies and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).
- Resource production
All these topics will be considered within the context of sustainability and climate change mitigation and adaptation planning.
How will I learn
Through pre-reading, live in-person lectures, discussions, group activities and practical activities at CAT and on field trips.
This short course is part of the teaching week for the MSc module Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services.
Please be aware there may be some activities and content during the week only available to students, where an activity isn’t appropriate for the short course attendee, we will endeavour to arrange a replacement activity.
Meet your tutors:
Module Leaders
Jane is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for our Sustainability and Ecology and Sustainability and Behaviour Change courses. Mainly involved in the management of our programmes, she also teaches lectures and practicals for both on-site and distance-learning students. Jane previously worked as a BSc programme leader in ecology and conservation at Liverpool John Moores.
Alexandra Hamer is a senior lecturer at CAT’s Graduate School, teaching students on our MSc in Sustainability courses. She teaches on our postgraduate modules focusing on ecology and food. She also contributes GIS support to other modules and is particularly interested in helping students to become confident in the use of GIS.
Other tutors and lecturers
Alongside the module leader and expert Graduate School staff, teaching sessions are led by a range of guest speakers and lecturers currently working in the sector and academia who join students on-site or through live streams.
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