Water Science, Policy and Management (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

The MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management is a taught course covering water science, society, and management. Topics include hydrology, water governance, health, climate, and sustainable development, with fieldwork and research training.

The course aims to equip the next generation of water professionals with the blend of skills necessary to make a significant contribution to sustainable water management pathways across competing priorities of water for ecosystems, food, energy, economic growth and human consumption.

Course structure
The course objectives are assessed through three themes: water science, water and society, and water management, delivered through seven core modules.

Teaching takes place through lectures, seminars and field visits, including a one-week field trip during the Easter vacation. Contact hours are usually between 12-15 hours per week.

You will also select one elective module in Michaelmas Term and one elective module in Hilary Term. The elective modules offer a tutorial-style teaching and discussion environment within smaller groups, based on a suite of contemporary research themes that reflect the specific interests of core faculty and visiting research associates. The teaching aim is to foster discussion and debate between academic staff and students to identify and explore theory, methods and practice in an academic space that encourages a critical dialogue.

Field trips typically include a residential field trip within Britain as part of the induction to the course, a one-week residential field trip during the Easter vacation and day field trips throughout the year to explore various aspects of water management.

An independent and original dissertation is an integral component of the course.

Core faculty staff will lead a series of training sessions that will build core transferable research skills in the natural and social sciences. The skills training will focus on both strengthening capabilities to conduct high quality research for your dissertation and on future professional development.

The department has several research clusters, in biodiversity, ecosystems and conservation; climate systems and policy; landscape dynamics; technological life; economy and society; environmental interactions, and political worlds, which hold seminars throughout term-time. Graduate students are encouraged to attend these seminars.

Research skills training is provided in preparation for the dissertation. As well as developing an understanding of the research process, these sessions will cover such things as social surveys, data analysis and statistical techniques. Throughout the course, fieldtrips and visits to external organisations support the lectures and seminars and deliver valuable skills training.

For the full descriptions, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas