Professional Certificates
Professional Certificates are SCQF level 11 qualifications that can be studied fully online from anywhere in the world.
These flexible learning upskilling knowledge and theory modules build credits towards a PG Cert, PG Dip and MSc award, if accumulated with others over time.
Worth 10 credits, they are ideal for those working within the sustainability sector currently or those seeking a career change. No formal entry requirements are specified to gain entry to these certificates.
Fees
Find out about professional certificates fees or contact UHI North, West and Hebrides at admissions.nwh@uhi.ac.uk for further information.
Assessments and completion
If a student would like the accreditation there will be one assessment for each Professional Certificate. Students can join at any time through the academic year and from their enrolment date they will be given 12 months to complete the course, making it easy to fit studies around your work and personal commitments.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment (UK) 1
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge and understanding of the processes of Environmental Impact Assessment in the UK.
The programme of study will build and develop the skills of practitioners new to the EIA (UK) process. The module will development skills by both developing knowledge in the first instance around principles of environmental management and skills related to the measuring and evaluating impacts from development activities. Further initial skills development will centre around the practices and processes of EIA. Additional learning elements in the module will seek to develop participants further to the stage where they can apply their learning and will use case studies, simulations, project activities and guest industry-sector input to achieve this goal. At this stage evaluative skills will be developed by analysing past and current EIAs.
Environmental Impact Assessment (UK) 2
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
Participants will apply the knowledge gained in the first module to progress an environmental impact assessment utilising case study, guest lectures and workshop exercises to inform your processes. The following skills will be developed:
- Accessing and understanding how to use online data sources.
- Use of the planning portal.
- GIS, open-source information
- Identifying impacts, determining likely significant effects and, developing and agreeing mitigation.
To complete the module participants will evaluate external survey and monitoring plans, assess their limitations, success or otherwise, and consider other elements of the post planning process including EIA mitigation commitments, Habitat Management Plans, review and scrutiny processes…etc.
Extreme Weather
Extreme Weather
Extreme Weather 1
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge and understanding of Extreme Weather in the UK and its implications for commercial and community activity across society.
The programme of study will build and develop the skills of participants new to Extreme Weather. It will seek to evaluate all the different types of extreme weather, the impacts they cause and consider the risks and hazards posed by them. Secondly the module will further evaluate the vulnerability of ecological and human systems to extreme weather, including its increasing and unprecedented effect through time. Study on this module will also consider the links between extreme weather and climate change.
Extreme Weather 2
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge and understanding of Extreme Weather in the UK and its implications for business and commerce and community life in our 21st century society.
The programme of study will build and develop the skills of practitioners new to Extreme Weather. In this module participants will gain knowledge of the science of meteorology and begin to understand extreme weather modelling. The module will then conclude by considering how to mitigate, adapt and take protection against extreme weather events in both anticipatory and reactionary capacities.
GHG Auditing and Carbon Footprinting
GHG Auditing and Carbon Footprinting
GHG Auditing and Carbon Footprinting 1
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge of Carbon/GHG Auditing and ecological footprinting in the UK. It will consider implications for business and commerce, the environment and community life in our 21st century society.
This module will focus on Carbon accounting. It will consider Carbon footprint/emissions principles by providing an overview of key definitions, impacts of carbon on the natural environment, people, communities and businesses. In doing so it will establish the importance of measurement and analyse Carbon accounting. Methods to measuring Carbon emissions at a regional/rural level will be considered in this context. The course will seek to outline the process rural areas/regions might undergo to measure their emissions and will zoom-in to carbon emissions trends at a global, European, and local level.
GHG Auditing and Carbon Footprinting 2
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge of Carbon/GHG Auditing and ecological footprinting in the UK. It will consider implications for business and commerce, the environment and community life in our 21st century society.
This module will focus specifically on considering ISO 14064. Knowledge of ISO 14064 is associated with GHG emissions quantification and is an essential early milestone for businesses, organisations and communities to engage with if seeking to quantify their emissions accurately. The terminology Scope 1,2 and 3 emissions will be analysed and explained. Lastly, much of the current data collection and tool measurement focus has been on cities and so this course will begin to consider the rural/regional context for GHG attributable emissions accounting and GHG inventory management.
The Economics of Community Wealth Building
The Economics of Community Wealth Building
The Economics of Community Wealth Building 1
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants either working in regional economic development or seeking entry into this field of work and seeking to upskill their knowledge in this field
The module begins by examining contemporary and historical theories related to local and regional economic regeneration. The module analyses whether such conventional economic approaches are ‘fit for purpose’ in a global context of transgressing planetary boundaries and sustainable place-based local economies seeking enhanced wellbeing.
The Economics of Community Wealth Building 2
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants either working in regional economic development or seeking entry into this field of work and seeking to upskill their knowledge in this field
The module begins by seeking to re-think conventional economics and challenges participants to appraise heterodox economic approaches and thinking for sustainability. Participants will evaluate emerging ideas (broadly in area of post-growth) and approaches to modify economic policy to achieve a wellbeing economy focusing on tailored local regeneration goals for future net zero sustainable communities.
Understanding GIS for Spatial and Data Analysis
Understanding GIS for Spatial and Data Analysis
Understanding GIS for Spatial and Data Analysis 1
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its applications. It will provide participants with key knowledge of an increasingly used tool across a range of business and community sectors.
This module begins by introducing GIS to students and considering its application in the modern workplace. It then goes on to examine the fundamentals of cartography using QGIS is and essentially how to create differing maps with QGIS. The course takes the participant through the primary elements they will need to use and become familiar with in the software to help them upskill their knowledge and usage of GIS.
Using GIS for Spatial and Data Analysis
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its applications. It will provide participants with key knowledge of an increasingly used tool across a range of business and community sectors.
This module is about re-thinking conventional approaches to displaying spatial data and seeks to investigate how QGIS can be used as an effective tool to map and interpret spatial data, using case studies and simulations to illustrate learning to participants. The module will evaluate methods to query data and perform simple vector and raster data processing and analysis using QGIS and evaluate methods to effectively present spatial data and output maps in QGIS for various uses.
Working with Communities
Working with Communities
Working with Communities 1
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge of working with communities to facilitate the development and enhancement of community life from the ground up. It will provide participants with the key knowledge and skills to work effectively with communities.
Working with communities is these days a vital part of many job roles and voluntary positions, which brings with it many considerations, especially in rural communities. This module will get participants to consider key ideas from community development literature, with a view to understanding and developing the practical skills required to work with communities, from organising events, meetings and research, to communication, project management and leadership.
Working with Communities 2 Summary
Start date: September 2025
Duration: 6 weeks
This module is suitable for participants working across a range of sectors seeking to upskill their knowledge of working with communities to facilitate the development and enhancement of community life from the ground up. It will provide participants with the key knowledge and skills to work effectively with communities.
Working with communities is these days a vital part of many job roles and voluntary positions, which brings with it many considerations, especially in rural communities. This module will critically reflect on the theoretical understandings of leadership within communities and examine what effective leadership looks like in practice. The module will then reflect on the main conflicts, issues and opportunities which occur in engaging with community-based development. Participants will put this knowledge and skills into practice by reflecting on how these could apply to their own local community/workplace.