Environmental planning studies the spatial dimensions and decision-making processes for sustainable management of relationships within and between natural and human systems. This interdisciplinary training path links the social and natural environmental sciences. It focuses on key environmental challenges, and their manifestations in Wales, the UK and globally, reflecting current policy challenges of the Welsh and UK governments in the environmental sector. Key interests include, but are not limited to: climate change impacts and management; Local and regional environmental quality; Conservation management; And environmental legislation after Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The Department of Geography at Swansea is a lively and dynamic place for interdisciplinary doctoral studies. Our academics have a long history of success in training PhD students for careers in the public, private and third sectors, as well as in academia. Our staff have a wide range of expertise essential to this pathway including climate change measurement and mitigation, landscape carbon dynamics, flood and pollution management, environmental risk management, wildfire mitigation, environmental archaeology, GIS and remote sensing applications, and cultural, urban, political and economic geography. We work in close collaboration with public and private sector organizations (such as DEFRA, Forest Research, Natural Resources Wales, MetOffice, UK National Parks, Fire and Rescue Services, Home Office, UK Water Companies and the health sector).

As part of the WGSSS, the Environmental Planning Track is built on long-standing institutional links between the Department of Geography at Swansea University, the School of Geography and Planning at Cardiff University, the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University, Bangor University and the University of Gloucestershire’s Institute of Rural and Community Research. The departments collaborate extensively in doctoral supervision, externally funded research projects and postgraduate training.

Training is provided through a coordinated program of independent and residential modules in quantitative and qualitative social science methods, science communication and a cohort-building graduate conference with participation from across the pathway. Specialized training options include GIS and spatial data analysis, advanced quantitative research in SPSS, transportation modeling, ecological footprint calculations, living laboratory methodologies, conservation research, stochastic response techniques, cost-benefit analysis, spatial economic modeling, and satellite and drone remote sensing.

Funding suspension

The ESRC-funded scholarship covers tuition fees and an annual tax-free living stipend in line with the UKRI minimum rates (currently £20,780 for 2025/26) and includes a research training support grant.

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) in addition to your studies. Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)