Block 1: Complexity and challenges
This introductory block sets the scene for your learning journey. You’ll examine the complex situations and difficult decisions environmental managers face during the current climate and biodiversity crises, and explore responses to environmental challenges at the local level. We’ll introduce you to the essential skill sets and capabilities environmental managers need to address these challenging and often emotive situations.
Block 2: Human, citizen, manager
This block focuses on individual perspectives and how you might approach environmental management as a human, citizen and manager. You’ll explore human responses to our environmental impact and our actions as global citizens in addressing these impacts. To help you appreciate different perspectives, you’ll critically question norms, practices and opinions while reflecting on your own values, perceptions and actions. You’ll learn how values influence human interactions and why individuals might resist change despite overwhelming evidence that such changes are necessary for society to be sustainable into the future.
Block 3: Organisations
In this block, you’ll examine environmental management at the organisational level. Large-scale sustainability challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss require organisations to think, plan and take action over decades or even centuries. Through examples like nuclear waste management and biodiversity enhancement schemes, you’ll discover how organisations prepare for the long term and develop skills to synthesise and evaluate data that supports effective decision-making.
Block 4: Communities
Next, you’ll consider environmental management at the community level, examining how different communities – geographical, interest-based and virtual – approach environmental challenges. Through case studies focused on sustainability issues, including social and environmental justice, you’ll develop your understanding, skills and capabilities in designing effective processes for community engagement and participation.
Block 5: Pathways and practice
This concluding block brings together everything you’ve learned throughout the module. You’ll be able to reflect on your learning journey and take stock of the sustainability competencies you’ve developed. You’ll also reflect on using appropriate language and diagrams to make compelling cases for environmental action to different audiences.
You’ll develop competencies for sustainability applicable across a breadth of vocational settings, broadly split over three themes:
By completing a series of activities, you’ll also have the chance to earn two Digital Badges in the following areas:
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:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
T330 is an option module in our:
Environmental management: pathways to sustainability (T330) starts once a year – in October.
It will next start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2032.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
There are no formal entry requirements for this module.
At The Open University, we believe education should be open to all, so we provide high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.
Even though there are no entry requirements, a basic understanding of environmental issues and social and environmental data will be beneficial.
We recommend first completing the following modules:
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying T330 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
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There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
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