Specialist Diploma in Environmental Sustainability

What Type of Course is it?
This one-year, part-time Diploma course aims to develop knowledge around the issues and opportunities associated with achieving and maintaining environmental sustainability in industry and business sectors and to develop the associated technical and soft skills.
 
Delivered via blended learning the course will equip participants with state-of-the-art reference materials to support module topics. Participants will gain knowledge of the generation, distribution and conservation of sustainable energy; product, process and service design that minimises environmental impact; and policy, legislation and compliance in the area. A focused project module and the practical and applied nature of programme delivery will require participants to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios and engage in discussions with fellow students and module tutors which explore the key concepts in environmental sustainability and challenge their way of thinking.
 
How Will I Benefit?
The course is intended for those who wish to focus their skills with a view to moving into specialist and hybrid environmental roles e.g. internal environmental policy consultants, waste minimisation specialists, energy optimisation advisors.
 
On completion of the course participants will have highly marketable, up-to-date and confidence-building knowledge and skills relevant to the green economy. They will have practiced and been assessed on a range of technical and transferable skills which will be beneficial at the personal, enterprise and community levels.
 
If graduates so wish they can progress to the B.Sc. in Science & Technology Studies (NQF level 8) with credit for their studies. In this case they will be exempt from one elective stream in the Degree cycle.
 
Learning Objectives
On completion of the course students should have:

• An appreciation of environmental factors, standards and policies which impact on the medical device, bio-pharma and general manufacturing sectors
• Specialised knowledge and skills in the areas of environmental policy, compliance and auditing
• Developed insight of national and international issues in relation to green energies and the green economy in general
• Technical knowledge and skills in the design of products and process with a view to minimizing environmental impact by streamlining processes, decreasing waste and optimising reuse, recycling and waste disposal
• Built their management and leadership capabilities to facilitate organisational change towards environmentally sustainable processes, products and procedures