The module comprises five blocks:
Block 1: Introduction to environmental management
This block introduces the module and the range and complexity of contemporary environmental and sustainability issues. It also presents key ideas and concepts relating to environmental management, systems and sustainability, plus diagramming as a fundamental systems skill and technique used throughout the module. Additionally, it explores the diverse roles and skills of environmental managers.
Block 2: Environmental management in households
In the second block, you’ll explore the concepts and practices of environmental management at the level of the individual. You’ll learn about environmental management in the context of your home, focusing on crucial issues such as energy management and water use, consumption and waste. It will introduce you to methods and systems ideas that you can apply to your domestic environment.
Block 3: Environmental management in organisations
The third block introduces environmental management within organisational contexts. You’ll explore why organisations face sustainability issues, how they interpret environmental management, and how they manage their environmental impacts and responsibilities using compulsory and voluntary approaches. You’ll also learn about and use some systems ideas to expand your analysis and understanding. Additionally, you’ll examine two case studies of how organisations approach environmental management and sustainability to deepen your understanding.
Block 4: Environmental management in communities
In the fourth block, you’ll look at environmental management issues and approaches at the community level. You’ll learn about the range of stakeholders and diversity of perspectives within a community through an international case study and a UK example. You’ll engage with other students in teamwork to review and make sense of an environmental management situation. This will include engaging with stakeholder perspectives to understand their key concerns and developing indicators to support environmental management.
Block 5: Synthesis
The final block synthesises the main themes. It provides insights from earlier blocks concerning environmental management concepts and practices and how systems approaches can contribute to more sustainable futures. You’ll also review the role and skills of environmental managers, drawing upon your teamwork experience to inform your understanding.
The module has associated readings, activities, and audio and video resources. Environmental management: systems and sustainability (T220) draws on various international examples to explore approaches to environmental management in different contexts and situations.
By the end of this module, you’ll be able to:
This module will help you develop knowledge and skills for employment or involvement in the environmental and sustainability sector. The issues and topics explored will also provide insights into commercial and community contexts and practices associated with environmental management. You will:
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
You’ll have access to a module website, which includes:
Additionally, the website includes:
We also provide physical:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
T220 is an option module in our:
Environmental management: systems and sustainability (T220) starts once a year – in October.
It will next start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2029.
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