ECTS
120 credits
Duration
2 years
Training Structure
School of Law and Political Science
Overview
- Master's in Environmental Law and Management and Sustainable Development
Academic Director: Catherine RIBOT
The Master’s program in ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT has been accredited at the University of Montpellier since the 1999–2000 academic year.
This highly sought-after degree program trains specialized legal professionals responsible for implementing environmental and sustainable development policies in the public and private sectors.
This training program is available as both initial and continuing education (for working professionals seeking a career change and job seekers).
The regulatory framework for the environmental sector is now complex and extensive, and both public entities and businesses face stringent regulations when it comes to managing their environments and resources, addressing the risks inherent in their operations, preventing or remedying damage caused by pollution, and adopting a regional strategy for sustainable development in the context of the ecological transition.
This rapidly expanding sector has reshaped the job market, generating numerous career opportunities and new professions in both the public and private sectors.
This Master’s program is designed as a comprehensive legal education (M1) that is also cross-disciplinary and multidisciplinary—covering law, management, political science, and economics—and takes into account the current needs of the job market.
Objectives
The field of the environment and sustainable development is now one of the major social concerns, and recognition of this has led to an increasingly complex and sophisticated institutional and regulatory framework at the international, European, and national levels.
In this context, both public entities and businesses are faced with a vast array of regulations governing the management of their environments and resources, the risks inherent in their operations, the prevention and remediation of pollution, and the adoption of a sustainable development approach.
This master's program offers students a career-oriented curriculum that combines theoretical and practical approaches, as well as knowledge and skills.
The goal is to train students over a two-year period for careers in environmental law, providing them with knowledge, skills, and practical expertise (through specific and wide-ranging contributions from professionals) in a sector that now offers extremely promising career opportunities and jobs (in both the public and private sectors).
Expertise and Skills
Develop legal expertise; assist public and private organizations with any environmental issue; conduct a regional assessment; know how to effectively implement a sustainable public procurement process within a local government; be able to analyze a company’s energy choices; know how to conduct a CSR assessment within a company, a carbon footprint analysis, or even use GIS software to plan the location of a wind farm…
For each major area of environmental law—biodiversity, water, pollution, nuisances, waste, renewable energy, etc.— courses are systematically supplemented by presentations from professionals: attorneys (specializing in environmental and urban planning litigation), environmental managers from local governments (Occitanie Region), legal affairs officers at public agencies (OFB, ONEMA), directors of engineering firms, and environmental managers at major corporations (EDF EN, URBASOLAR, COLAS Midi-Méditerranée…), exposing students to real-world work and the resolution of practical cases; business simulations, regional assessments, responding to requests for proposals…
Graduates of this Master’s program will therefore be able to develop legal expertise, manage any environmental issue within public or private organizations, conduct a regional assessment, effectively implement a sustainable public procurement strategy within a local government, analyze a company’s energy choices, know how to conduct a CSR assessment in a company, perform a carbon footprint analysis, or even use GIS software to plan the location of a wind farm
Organization
Program
Select a program
Master's Degree (Year 1) in Environmental Law and Management and Sustainable Development
Administrative Law of Local Governments (ST)
Public Economic Law (ST)
Environment and Policy (ST)
EU International Environmental Law and Sustainable Development
6 creditsEU Urban Planning Law
6 creditsEU Language
Law of Natural and Technological Risks (ST)
4 creditsAdvertising and Government Initiatives (ST)
3 creditsDigital Skills - In-Depth Research
Optional
Agricultural Law (ST)
3 creditsEU Environmental Law
6 creditsMaster's in Environmental Law
4 creditsTD Environmental Law
2 credits
Digital Skills - Pix+Droit Prep
Public Law of Digital Technology (ST)
EU Public Procurement Law
6 creditsPublic Economic Law 2 (ST)
Food Safety Law (ST)
Local Government (ST)
EU Employment Integration
Choose one of the following two options:
Master's Degree (Year 2) in Environmental Law and Management and Sustainable Development
Public Policy and the Environment
2 creditsProtection of Spaces and Environments
4 creditsWaste Law
2 creditsLitigation Practices
3 creditsIntroductory Seminar
2 creditsFacilities and Environment
6 creditsUrban Planning and Land Use
3 creditsAgriculture and the Environment
3 credits
Renewable Energy Law and Climate Change
2 creditsWater and Aquatic Environment Law
4 creditsEnvironmental Litigation
2 creditsEnvironmental Management
3 credits
Response to a Request for Proposals
4 creditsRegional Assessment
4 creditsAdvanced Study of a Foreign Language
EU Options
20 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Admission
Admission Requirements
The Master’s program is designed for students pursuing initial or continuing education:
- Students concerned with environmental issues who have backgrounds in public or private law, political science, or, more broadly, any social science field:
- Professionals seeking a career change or further development, employees, and job seekers: Admission is available through the Recognition of Prior Learning and Professional Experience
Admission Requirements:
- Students with a bachelor’s degree in law or political science
- Continuing education trainees
Application: Based on application materials and an interview, beginning in May.
Recommended Prerequisites
Foreign Languages
And then
Employment Placement
Excellent career readiness, due to the high level of involvement by legal practitioners and industry professionals (70%)
Surveys conducted by SCUIO-IP highlight the two key factors contributing to the successful career integration of students who have completed this program:
-The Long-Term Internship
-The training provided.
Positions held:
- Public sector:
-Legal affairs managers at public non-profit institutions (PNF),
ONEMA, CEL…Managers and environmental program officers in local governments or their associations, and in ministry departments
- Private sector:
-Directors of Environment and Sustainable Development at major corporations and companies such as EDF, SNCF, Renault, Veolia, and Colas
-Renewable Energy Project Manager at EDF EN…
-Design firms, associations, engineering and consulting firms, and law firms specializing in this field.