Description
If you’re interested in designing and participating in effective environmental management, this diploma is for you. It’s suitable for many contexts, from government, commerce and industry to voluntary, local and community organisations. You’ll consider the everyday concerns of environmental protection, natural resource management and rapidly changing environmental legislation and policy, in global and local contexts – gaining the skills to unpack the issues and play an active and creative role in improving environmental performance. You’ll choose option modules from project management, environmental science, innovation management and systems thinking.
This course is accredited by:
This course is accredited by:
Key features of the course
- Meet the challenges of environmental management in the context of sustainable development
- Develop your ability to make informed decisions about environmental issues, whether at work, in your community or at home
- Top up to the MSc in Environmental Management in just one more year
This postgraduate diploma is the same as the first two-thirds of MSc in Environmental Management (F65). The first half is the same as our Postgraduate Certificate in Environmental Management (K19).
Planning your studies
There are no entry requirements for this qualification.
However, some option modules do have entry requirements. We’ll ask you to prove you meet them when you register for any of these modules:
Although this qualification has no entry requirements, we recommend you have:
Our free course, Succeeding in postgraduate study, helps you develop the skills and confidence to manage the requirements and demands of postgraduate study.
You’ll also need the skills and knowledge to:
- Write technical essays and reports at a high level.
- Carry out calculations using logarithms and the exponential function.
- Analyse numerical data.
- Understand and apply scientific principles in relation to chemical reactions, biological processes and energy conversion.
While Environmental monitoring and protection (T868) may not be the module you study first, the T868 diagnostic will help you assess if you’re ready for this qualification.
How long it takes
Most students study the Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management part-time, completing 60 credits a year over two years. Typically, this means 14–15 study hours each week.
You must complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management within eight years.
Career relevance and employability
Our environmental management programme is for people who are interested in designing, managing and participating in more effective environmental management processes. For example, if you are involved in setting up or responding to environmental or integrated management systems, planning new development projects or are trying to understand or manage sustainability.
Students on our environmental management programme are drawn from industry, commerce, local government, consultancies, non-governmental organisations and communities. They include people already involved in environmental management and those who wish to be – both personally and professionally.
You can select modules that are most relevant to your interests and career aspirations as your study builds from postgraduate certificate through diploma to our MSc.
This qualification will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to work in this expanding sector.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) and the Institute of Sustainability & Environmental Professionals (ISEP).
CIWEM is a global community of professionals, industry organisations, universities, governments, and NGOs united to improve the practice of water and environmental management in ways that benefit society and our environment. This programme’s CIWEM accreditation means you can be confident you’ll be well-prepared for a career in water and environmental management. Becoming a CIWEM member gives you a globally recognised demonstration of your professionalism and technical abilities; you can join at any stage in your career.
This course is approved by the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP). This course entitles students to FREE student membership for the duration of the course, and on successful completion, graduates will qualify for GradISEP. Graduate membership is a launchpad for future leaders within environment and sustainability and offers a range of benefits to support you throughout your career. You can then “Fast track” to Practitioner Membership (PISEP) following successful completion of the work-based assessment of competence.
Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 120 credits as follows:
60 credits from:
30 credits from:
| Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Environmental monitoring and protection (T868)
This engaging online module will equip you with information on monitoring, modelling, and preventive technologies for water, noise, air, and wastes pollution.
See full description
|
30 |
Nov 2026 |
| Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules T878 and TD866. |
30 credits from:
| Option modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Project management (M815)
This APM accredited module is ideal for aspiring project managers and practising project managers who wish to develop their knowledge and skills of managing technological projects.
See full description
|
30 |
May 2026 |
- Environmental science challenges (S831)
An opportunity to learn how to help address environmental problems whilst developing core skills directly relevant to employability and good citizenship. See full description
|
30 |
Oct 2026 |
- Technology innovation management (TB801)
This module examines innovation from a management perspective, enabling you to develop an understanding of how to contribute to the process and management of technological innovation.
See full description
|
30 |
May 2026 |
- Making strategy through systems thinking in practice (TB871)
TB871 builds capability for making strategy within your own chosen area of (professional) practice using ideas and tools from five traditions of systems thinking.
See full description
|
30 |
May 2026 |
- Managing change with systems thinking in practice (TB872)
This module is about effecting systemic and systematic change in uncertain and complex situations, change that can transform situations for the better.
See full description
|
30 |
Nov 2026 |
- Advance your independent learning (YXM830)
This innovative module allows you to take a topic of your choosing and focus on it in depth while developing your postgraduate study skills. See full description
|
30 |
Oct 2026 |
| Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules D837, S825, T848, T869, T878, T889, TU811, TU812, TD866, TU870 and TUXX870 |
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 40 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at postgraduate level at another institution we may be able to give you credit that you can count towards this Open University qualification. If you intend to apply for credit transfer towards this diploma you are advised not to claim the postgraduate certificate as you will then not fulfil unique study requirements for this diploma. Please see our Credit Transfer site for details. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules, so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
On completion
On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management. You’ll be entitled to use the letters PG Dip Env Mgmt (Open) after your name.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification