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MSc Food and Water Security

Candidates Guide

Do you want the skills and knowledge to make a positive contribution to securing food and water supplies?

This MSc could enable you to fulfil your ambitions.

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Candidates Guide to Taught Postgraduate Studies in Food and Water Security

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Food and Water Security at Aberystwyth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Careers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Course Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

The Course
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

The Modules
Structure of the Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 The Food and Water Security Course Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

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MSc, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificates

Introduction
This booklet is designed to help you make the best choice of course and place for your post graduate study. Its aim is to give you a flavour of the MSc Food and Water Security course we run here at Aberystwyth University. We hope you like what you see in this guide; if so please do apply on line via the University web site (www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/ apply). If you have any queries or need further advice, please contact Dr Glyn Jenkins (gmj@aber. ac.uk), the course coordinator, who would be very happy to help.

Food and Water Security at Aberystwyth

The MSc in Food and Water Security is an innovative interdisciplinary course which focuses on the scientific, economic, social and political factors that affect the secure production and distribution of food and water throughout the world. Drawing on three complementary academic disciplines, this new programme will train you to contribute significant advances to the way in which food and water security is achieved across the technical, environmental and social spectrum. The Aberystwyth MSc in Food and Water Security is suitable for you if you have at least a 2(2) degree, or its equivalent, in a relevant discipline and wish to pursue a career in this developing field. Effective food and water security is contingent upon all people in a given area having access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food and an adequate supply of clean water. Though in the developed western world such factors remain relatively stable, the same cannot be said in relation to the developing world. This issue, coupled with the ever increasing size of the global population and predicted climate change, makes meeting the worlds demand for food and water one of the most important challenges of the 21st century. The MSc in Food and Water Security is a response to this issue. It is the result of a collaborative interdisciplinary effort by Aberystwyth Universitys world class academic departments: the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences (IGES) and the Department of International Politics. This multidisciplinary approach means that you will be able to view the issue of food and water security through three unique conceptual lenses and draw on these ideas to form a comprehensive understanding of this emerging field of research. Aberystwyth enjoys a safe, coastal campus which provides a superb location for learning and leisure in a wide range of areas with a vibrant international post graduate community. It offers generous Aberystwyth Scholarships and International Excellence Scholarships to help fund your studies, and guarantees accommodation for international students.

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Careers
Demand for well-qualified graduates to help solve food and water security issues is likely to rise in line with the demand to double food production and provide more water over the next few decades. This unique degree scheme will provide you with the knowledge and skills for a future career in governmental and non-governmental agencies and charities, private enterprises, and academic research.

Course Content
The MSc in Food and Water Security is an advanced course which capitalises upon the skills and expertise of local staff of the three participating institutes. The course is made up of a number of taught modules plus guided independent student-centred study. This provides you with a framework which allows you to develop your subject knowledge, through pursuing specific areas of interest, and develop your skills of original thought, analysis, interpretation and reasoning. The Universitys excellent library and information retrieval system, and close proximity to the National Library of Wales, facilitates your whole learning experience. This full-time course runs for 12 months from September, and is delivered through lectures, seminars, demonstrations, visits and practicals. The course comprises two taught semesters of 14 weeks each, and your academic performance is graded primarily through coursework. Dissertations are started after successful completion of the taught modules and have to be submitted within 15 months of your commencement of the course.

Course Structure
The course has a modular structure which can be seen in the diagram below: Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3

CORE Food and Water Security: Global Perspectives CORE Fear, Cooperation and Trust in World Politics CORE The Water Framework Directive, Water Quality and Hydrological Extremes

CORE Dissertation

CORE Food Security: Issues and Threats OPTIONAL Critical Security Studies: Contemporary Theories CORE Environmental Policy and Sustainability OPTIONAL Food Security: Solutions

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The Modules
Food and Water Security: Global Perspectives (40 credits) - Core This core module is designed to bring students from different backgrounds up to a common level of knowledge and understanding of key topics relating to food and water security, and to prepare students in key methods for scientific or social science research. It also links together into a coherent theme the research and teaching of the three contributing departments. The module includes two parallel programmes that are taught through a weekly schedule of lectures, seminars and workshops through semesters 1 and 2. The first programme introduces key issues framing and concerning food and water security from a political, geographical and scientific perspective (delivered by International Politics, IGES and IBERS respectively). Teaching in this programme is through lectures and studentled seminars, which are designed to introduce and develop topics with students from a range of academic backgrounds. The second programme provides training in scientific and social science research methods and techniques for quantitative and qualitative data handling and analysis, in order to prepare students to undertake dissertation research in any of the three areas of politics, geography or biological and agricultural sciences. As part of the assessment for the module, students prepare a written description of their proposed dissertation in the wider context of food and water security issues. Students present their ideas for projects at an informal, non-assessed project fair. Food Security: Issues and Threats (20 credits) - Core This core module introduces the major themes and complexities involved in maintaining food and water security both in a local and global context. Consideration is given to increasing demands for food, food derived products and water in light of an ever growing human population. While advances in technology and transport have eased production and distribution constraints they have also increased consumer expectations at a global level. Ultimately, from a production context food and water availability are dictated by processes and activities reliant on energy derived from fossil fuels. Security is also dictated by economics, political stability and cooperation. Through 12 problem-centred seminars, the module will explore a broad range of relevant research topics. This will include fish stocks and aquaculture, land degradation and availability of land capable of generating sustainable crop production, food energy conflicts for land use, biological invasions, declining water supply/quality, declining/expensive food production resources, broader environmental impacts of agriculture and climate change impacts on plants/soil including flooding, soil erosion, and nutrient run-off, food supply chains, and food wastage.

Food Security - Solutions (20 credits) - Optional This optional module shows how threats and challenges to food security are being addressed through the application of our knowledge of biological systems. It is designed for students with a degree in biological sciences or equivalent. It is divided into several interrelated sections: Improvement in crop production: current breeding strategies, improvements in breeding technologies and strategies, conserving and exploiting natural genetic variation, introgression from wild relatives, client participation in plant breeding, breeding tolerance to abiotic stress, exploiting GM technology, gene flow and risk assessment, mineral nutrition of crop plants, crop protection from pests and diseases, reclamation of soils and improvement of agricultural land. Improvement in animal production: animal breeding, animal nutrition, disease and pest management, aquaculture and fish stock management, mitigating environmental effects of food animals. Changing patterns of food production/consumption: low input and organic farming systems, climate change and agri-

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economics, biological invasions, resolving conflicts between bioenergy and food, food wastage, food miles, food safety and microbiology, life style changes and diets. Impact of new technologies: GPS, GIS, agrochemicals, next generation sequencing.

Future pressures on water as a manageable resource

Environmental Policy and Sustainability (20 credits) - Core This optional module is taught in ten two-hour sessions, which are organised within four thematic sections. It has been designed to provide an advanced framework for students to analyze the connections between environmental thought and related aspects of environmental policy throughout the world. The module commences by grounding students in the varied environmental philosophies, which have shaped contemporary environmental policy regimes. In the introductory session, students are introduced to the key events, mechanisms, and agreements that have shaped the environmental institutions and policy frameworks that operate at various scales of political organization. In addition to introducing these broad contexts, the module provides more detailed exploration of issues concerning environmental risk management, the nature of environmental behaviour, and issues of environmental sustainability and resilience. In exploring these key policy themes, the module has been designed to carefully integrate environmental theory, awareness of associated policy mechanism, and an exploration of key environmental case study scenarios.

The Water Framework Directive, Water Quality and Hydrological Extremes (20 credits) - Core This core module is split into two sections. The first examines legislative developments within the field of water quality, with particular reference to the Water Framework Directive. The second addresses the development of approaches to identifying, assessing and managing hydrological extremes; including the use of the FEH-WINFAP software (conventional flood risk analysis software). The topics covered are as follows: The history and development of water management in the context of water quality and public health The Water Framework Directive (WFD) The provision of clean water Water quality and public health: legislation and monitoring Ecological aspects of the WFD Waste water management: old and new - Water quality assessment and monitoring Water management in the urban environment. SuDS: the new approach to drainage Floods and drought (inc. flood consequences assessment) How do we assess flood frequency? - FEH-WINFAP workshop

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Fear, Cooperation and Trust in World Politics (20 credits) Core This module provides the core subject-specific training for students taking the Department of International Politics contribution to the new Masters in Food and Water Security. It is designed to provide both an advanced level of training for students who have already studied international relations at undergraduate level as well as providing a conversion course for those who have not studied international relations before. The module introduces students to the theory and practice of fear, cooperation, and trust in world politics by exploring these ideas in the context of historical change and transformation in world politics as well as competing theories of international relations. It covers the following topics: The existential condition of uncertainty as a starting point for theorising international politics The relationship between fear and politics Fear, uncertainty, and insecurity in the Cold War Fear, food and water security Cooperation in an anarchic international system Environmental change and resource competition as a problem of cooperation in an anarchic system The nuclear non-proliferation regime and the control of the military uses of atomic energy Trust at the international level Trust-building between adversaries Trust, security communities, and an anarchic international system

Critical Security Studies: Contemporary Theories (20 credits) - Optional This optional module provides a critical overview of the study of security in world politics from the perspective(s) of those employing alternative conceptualizations of security to the military-focused and state-centric approaches at the heart of traditional Security/Strategic Studies. Following discussions of understandings of the orthodox approach to the study of security, the module discusses, in turn, various constructivist, Critical Theory, Marxist, discoursive, poststructuralist, feminist and sociological attempts to conceptualize the meanings and implications of security in world politics. The differences and common ground between these approaches are highlighted through a consideration of key debates, empirical cases, and theoretical studies.

Dissertation Progression to the dissertation for the award of MSc Food and Water Security is dependent upon satisfactory performance in the modules in the taught part of the course. The dissertation is a great opportunity for you to study in significant detail an area that really interests you. Dissertations normally involve the generation and analysis of original research data, and its presentation in a thesis of up to 20,000 words. Ongoing research within each of the three participating institutes provides plenty of opportunities for dissertation work. Alternatively you may choose to take advantage of our many wider contacts to carry out your research elsewhere.

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The Food and Water Security Course Team

A selection of staff with a particular involvement in the course:
Dr Glyn Jenkins Degree scheme co-ordinator and IBERS academic adviser Co-ordinator of BSM0240 Food and Water Security: Global Perspectives IBERS gmj@aber.ac.uk 01970 622234 Glyn is a plant geneticist specialising in the genetic control of meiosis and recombination in cereals and grasses. Prof. Matthew Hannah IGES academic adviser mch@aber.ac.uk 01970 622782 Matt has an abiding fascination with articulations between government, knowledge and the constitution of territory in the modern world.

Dr Mark Whitehead Co-ordinator of GGM3320 Environmental Policy and Sustainability IGES msw@aber.ac.uk 01970 622609 Marks research and teaching focus on the intersections between environmental and political geography. He has a particular interest in ecological governance and urbanization.

Dr Malcolm Leitch Co-ordinator of BSM0320 Food Security: Issues and Threats IBERS mxl@aber.ac.uk 01970 622925 Malcolm is a crop scientist with an interest in the physiological effects of chemical application to crops.

Dr Rattan Yadav Co-ordinator of BSM0420 Food Security: Solutions IBERS rsy@aber.ac.uk 01970 823174 The focus of Rattans research is to apply molecular markers in trait dissection and breeding leading to development of improved cultivars providing sustainable production and benefits to environments.

Prof. David Kay Co-ordinator of EAM1820 The Water Framework Directive, Water Quality and Hydrological Extremes IGES dvk@aber.ac.uk 01570 423565 Daves interests are primarily in catchment microbial dynamics and modelling, and recreational and drinking water epidemiology.

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Dr Jennifer Mathers International Politics academic adviser zzk@aber.ac.uk 01970 622709 Jennys teaching and research spans two broad areas: Russian politics and security and gender and war.

Dr Kamila Stullerova Co-ordinator of IPM1120 Critical Security Studies: Contemporary Theories International Politics kas@aber.ac.uk 01970 628792 Kamilas area of research lies at the crossroads of three sub-fields of international politics: international relations theory, international political theory and security studies.

Dr Jan Ruzicka Co-ordinator of IPM3320 Fear, Cooperation and Trust in World Politics International Politics jlr@aber.ac.uk 01970 628673 Jans research interests can broadly be divided into three main areas: security studies; international relations theory; and area studies with emphasis on Central Europe.

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 Flexible choice for students Exceptional support for student learning Why study Food and Coastal, campus University Water Security? Guaranteed first year accommodation Innovative, multi-disciplinary degree scheme taught in world Bursaries and Entrance Scholarships valued at up to 3,900 available class departments. Excellent sports facilities Aberystwyth Scholarships and International Access to The National Library of Wales Excellence Scholarships (AIES) to Vibrant student life help fund your studies.
Superb research facilities. further information or if you have any queries please contact: For Coastal, campus location. Course queries: accommodation for international students. admissions queries: Guaranteed Postgraduate Excellent Davies Morel Dr Mina C G career prospects with a range of employers. Welcome Centre Student MSc Equine Science Course Director Aberystwyth University Practical Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences Institute of course of relevance to the solution of global problems. Penglais Campus
Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY24 3DP Tel: 01970 624471 Email: mid@aber.ac.uk

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3FB Tel: 01970 622021 Fax: 01970 627410 Email: pg-admissions@aber.ac.uk

How can I find out more?

Please contact: Dr Glyn Jenkins (gmj@aber.ac.uk) MSc Food and Water Security Course Coordinator or Michelle Allen (myd@aber.ac.uk ) IBERS Postgraduate Admissions Officer, IBERS, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, SY23 3AL Tel +44(0)1970 621800 www.aber.ac.uk/ibers

The University reserves the right to alter details of the courses if deemed necessary.

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