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Masters · 1500 h · 11 modules
Master's in Integrated Coastal Zone Management
The Master's in Integrated Coastal Zone Management Prepares you to manage the coast as a single system in which ecosystems, economic activities and communities coexist. You will study coastal processes, coastal ecosystems, conflic
Duration1500 h
FormatOnline
Starts21 December
Places20 / 20
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Programme overview
What is the Master’s in Integrated Coastal Zone Management?
The Master's in Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Prepares you to manage the coast as a single system in which ecosystems, economic activities and communities coexist. You will study coastal processes, coastal ecosystems, conflicts between uses, natural hazards and climate change, and learn to apply the principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), spatial planning and participatory processes to design workable coastal plans and policies grounded in the best available evidence.
Key advantages
- Systems thinking: Science, economics, law and society applied to a single territory.
- International framework: ICZM principles, the Mediterranean ICZM Protocol and guidance from international organisations.
- Practical tools: GIS, indicators, environmental assessment and conflict analysis.
- Climate focus: Adapting to sea level rise and extreme events.
- Your own project: An integrated management plan for a real stretch of coast.
Programme type
Master's Degree
Study mode
Online
Duration
1,500 hours
Modules
11
Programme highlights
- Understand the coast: Grasp the physical and ecological dynamics of the shoreline.
- Organise uses: Resolve conflicts between tourism, fishing, ports and conservation.
- Manage risk: Build erosion, flooding and climate change into planning.
- Engage stakeholders: Design participation and governance processes.
- Boost your career: Open doors to public bodies, consultancies and international organisations.
- Train to manage one of the planet’s most pressured and valuable territories with rigour.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 11 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
Foundations of Integrated Coastal Zone Management
- What the coastal zone is
- Origins and evolution of ICZM
- Principles of integrated management
- Vertical and horizontal integration
- The coastal management cycle
- The ICZM Protocol of the Barcelona Convention
- European recommendations on ICZM
- International ICZM experience
- Links with marine spatial planning
- Current challenges in coastal management
02
Coastal Processes and Geomorphology
- Types of coast
- Waves, tides and longshore currents
- Sediment transport
- Sediment budgets and coastal cells
- Beaches, dunes and cliffs
- Deltas, estuaries and coastal lagoons
- Coastal erosion and its causes
- Effects of dams and coastal works
- Mapping shoreline change
- Topographic and bathymetric monitoring
03
Coastal Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- Ecosystems of the coastal fringe
- Saltmarshes and wetlands
- Seagrass meadows
- Reefs and rocky seabeds
- Dune systems
- Coastal ecosystem services
- Protected species and habitats
- Pressures on coastal ecosystems
- Marine and coastal protected areas
- Restoring coastal ecosystems
04
Uses and Activities on the Coast
- Coastal urbanisation
- Beach tourism
- Ports and shipping
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Offshore renewable energy
- Agriculture and discharges
- Marine aggregate extraction
- Coastal cultural heritage
- Recreation and water sports
- Analysing compatibility between uses
05
Coastal Risk and Climate Change
- Natural hazards on the coast
- Sea level rise
- Storms and storm surges
- Coastal flooding
- Tsunamis and geological hazards
- Hazard and risk mapping
- Socio-economic vulnerability
- Protect, accommodate and retreat strategies
- Nature-based solutions
- Coastal adaptation plans
06
Legal and Institutional Framework
- International law of the sea and the coast
- Public foreshore and coastal land ownership
- Distribution of responsibilities
- The EU Water Framework Directive and coastal waters
- The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive
- Natura 2000 and protected coastal sites
- Environmental impact assessment
- Strategic environmental assessment
- Land-use planning instruments
- Coordination between public bodies
07
Diagnostic and Analytical Tools
- Coastal geographic information systems
- Remote sensing of the coast
- Coastal management indicators
- Open data sources
- Multi-criteria analysis
- Ecosystem services assessment
- Economic valuation of the coast
- Scenario analysis
- Decision-support models
- Visualisation for planning
08
Governance and Participation
- Stakeholders in the coastal zone
- Stakeholder and interest mapping
- Designing participatory processes
- Facilitation techniques
- Negotiation and mediation
- Local and traditional knowledge
- Communicating with the public
- Adaptive management
- Multi-level governance
- Evaluating participatory processes
09
Spatial Planning and Shoreline Management
- Coastal land-use planning
- Marine spatial planning
- Land-sea interactions
- Zoning of uses
- Carrying capacity
- Planning for coastal tourism
- Beach management
- Integrating risk into planning
- Cross-border planning
- Monitoring plans
10
Blue Economy and Sustainable Coastal Development
- The blue economy and coastal zones
- Sustainable tourism
- Small-scale fisheries and communities
- Economic diversification
- Funding coastal management
- Economic and fiscal instruments
- Payment for ecosystem services
- Corporate responsibility on the coast
- Social justice and coasts
- Sustainability indicators
11
Master's Final Project: Integrated Coastal Management Plan
- Defining the study area
- Physical and ecological diagnosis
- Analysis of uses and conflicts
- Risk assessment
- Stakeholder map
- Setting objectives
- Programme of measures
- Indicators and monitoring system
- Writing the dissertation
- Defence before a panel
Workload
Study Time and Workload
1500 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Graduates in marine science, environmental science, geography or biology: who want to specialise in coastal management Coastal, environmental and planning officers: working in public administration Civil engineers: involved in coastal works and shoreline defence Environmental consultants: producing plans and assessments in coastal areas NGO and protected area professionals: who manage coas
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
Verified reviews
Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Understand the coastal system
- 02Apply ICZM principles
- 03Diagnose coastal problems
- 04Manage risk and adaptation
- 05Resolve conflicts between uses
- 06Prepare coastal plans
Careers
Career Opportunities
01Coastal management officer: Planning and managing the coast in public bodies.
02Coastal environmental consultant: Plans, environmental assessments and risk studies.
03Marine and coastal spatial planner: Organising uses on land and at sea.
04Protected area manager: Managing coastal and marine natural sites.
05Climate adaptation specialist: Strategies against erosion and flooding.
06International project officer: Cooperation and coastal management programmes.
Questions
Entry Requirements
It is a management approach that coordinates the uses, ecosystems and institutions of the coast to achieve sustainable coastal development.
It covers international and European principles and frameworks, with examples from several countries, so you can apply them in your own context.
Yes. The programme includes geographic information and remote sensing tools applied to coastal diagnosis.
Yes. It provides knowledge relevant to technical roles, although access to public employment depends on each organisation’s recruitment processes.
An integrated management plan for a real stretch of coast, with diagnosis, stakeholders, measures and indicators.
100% online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, live sessions that are recorded, and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The programme involves 1500 hours of study. You can work at your own pace within the timetable we give you when you enrol.
Each programme has its own start date, shown on this page and confirmed by our admissions team when you enquire.
On completing the programme you receive the Master's in Integrated Coastal Zone Management qualification awarded by Navalis Magna Institute.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
Academic/professional profile: A degree in marine science, environmental science, biology, geography, geology, civil engineering, law, economics or a related field; or proven professional experience in the coastal sector. Language: A good working level of English to follow classes and materials. Technical requirements: A computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a webcam for live sessions and project presentations. Admissions process: Online application, profile review and a short interview with the academic team. We confirm your start date when you enquire.
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
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