Environmental Sciences
BSc(Hons)

Course summary and entry requirements

Course duration

Full-time: 3 years

Part-time: 6 years

With placement year 4 years

UCAS code F901

About the course

One of the major challenges for human society is to understand and address environmental issues resulting from population growth, global climate change and ecosystem degradation. This course applies both theory and practice to produce graduates with a breadth of skills relevant to a career in the environmental sector. Within the course structure students have the flexibility and choice to develop personal programmes of study which suit their interests and ambitions.

Typical entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are for students starting their course in 2014. Entry requirements for students thinking about starting a course in 2013 can be found in the online prospectus. Individual offers may vary

UCAS tariff:
BBB. Must include a relevant science.

BTEC
DDM.

International Baccalaureate:
32 points, specified subjects.

Access to HE Diploma
pass (at least 45 credits at level 3), with 18 credits at merit or above. Level 3 units in geography or environmental studies and science required.

GCSE (minimum grade C) or Access Equivalent
at least three subjects including English language and mathematics or a science.

Foundation degree/HND
/HNC may enable you to start the course in year 2.

For non-native speakers of English:
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

For equivalent international qualifications


Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language entry requirements
For help meeting English language requirements contact our
Language Institute.

We can help you meet our academic entry requirements
For help meeting academic entry requirements contact our
International College.

If you cannot find your country listed, please email admissions@brighton.ac.uk

Course content

Course structure

There is an emphasis on practical and applied learning in a supportive environment. Year 1 provides a foundation for understanding environmental sciences. This introduction underpins a wide range of module options in years 2 and 3, allowing you to focus on areas that interest you most. Emphasis is placed on transferable skills, including a choice of international fieldwork and training for research and careers.
In year 1 fieldwork in Greece examines ecology, environmental management and hazards. Recent destinations in year 2 have included Sicily for geomorphological, vegetation and pollution studies, North Africa for relationships between humans and the environment or South Africa for wildlife conservation and management.
The dissertation project is a major part of the final year and further develops independence in research, analytical and documentation skills. Option modules in each semester provide opportunities to study languages or related sciences. Job-related skills can be enhanced by taking a year-long work or community placement, as well as by studying volunteering and community engagement option modules.

Areas of study

The course is structured around four pathways - environmental management and sustainability; environmental hazards; ecology and conservation, and environmental pollution.

Syllabus

Year 1
Ecological Processes
Field work
Physical Geography
Global Environmental Issues and Management
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Hazards
Skills for Independent Learning
Data Presentation and Analysis for Environmental Scientists
Options
Citizenship for the Environment
Elements of Chemistry
Evolutionary Biology
Fundamentals of Geology
Human Physiology
Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks
Interpreting Geological Maps
Mathematical Skills for Scientists
Mineralogy and Petrology
Physiological Ecology
The Global Earth System
The Ocean Planet: an introduction
Modern languages
Year 2
Advanced Data Analysis
Skills for Research and Careers
Biology Fieldwork (Sicily)
Geography Fieldwork (North Africa)
Options:
Alternative and renewable Energy
Applied Palaeontology
Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology
Climate Change
Community Participation and Development
Contemporary Rural Geography
Ecological Techniques
Environmental and Spatial Planning
Environmental Conservation and Management
Environmental Hazards
Environmental Pollution and Control
Evolution and Diversity
Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry
Fundamentals of Environmental Microbiology
Geographic Information Systems
Geographies of Everyday Life
Ice Age Earth
Independent study module
Introduction to Marine Biology and Ecology
Introduction to Remote Sensing
Sedimentology
Soil and Water Analysis
Structure of the Earth and Global Processes
Sustainable Development
Water in the Landscape
Optional placement year
Final year
Independent Geography or Ecology project
Options
Advanced Analytical Methodology
Air Quality Management
Applied Ecology & Conservation
Applied Remote Sensing
Biogeography
Case Studies in Environmental Pollution
Coastal Environments
Community Participation and Development
Environmental Assessment
Environmental Change in Low Latitudes
Evolution and the Fossil Record
Freshwater Processes and Ecosystems
Geohazards
Geographical Information Systems 2
Hydrogeology
Independent study module
Introduction to Remote sensing
Medical Geography
Molecular Ecology
Oceanography
Planetary Geology
Plant and Animal Interactions
Political Ecology
Water and Health
Wetland Environments
Biology Field Skills
Modern languages

You can view the programme specification for this course as a PDF file by clicking on the link below:

Programme Specification
Fees and costs

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2013-14. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or criminal record checks, field trips or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply please check with the school that provides your course using the contact details on the left of this page for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

Our website www.brighton.ac.uk/money provides advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.

BSc Hons Environmental Sciences [P2EG001]

UK/EU (Full Time) 9,000 GBP
Island Students (Full Time) 9,000 GBP
International (Full Time) 12,900 GBP
Location

Location Moulsecoomb

Located to the north of Brighton city centre, the Moulsecoomb campus offers students an excellent learning environment and a wide range of facilities. It is the largest of our five campuses with over 8,000 students.
View campus maps and directions
Living in Brighton
Brighton’s rich mix of historic architecture, lively arts scene, varied shopping and cosmopolitan community make it a vibrant, enjoyable place to live. It is no wonder that many Brighton graduates choose to stay here.
Social scene
Alongside the traditional seaside attractions, Brighton is famed for its exciting social scene with a wide choice of pubs, clubs and restaurants.
Arts
The highlight of the city’s cultural year is the Brighton Festival. The event is held each May and is England’s biggest arts festival, which showcases arts and performance from around the world. Brighton is also home to the UK’s oldest working cinema, the Duke of York’s, which shows alternative and mainstream films. The city is also well known for its exciting music scene and hosts The Great Escape music festival.
Sports
Whether you take your sport seriously or just want to keep fit, Brighton offers all kinds of sports opportunities and facilities, on and off campus. You can also make the most of the location, and play volleyball, basketball and windsurfing down by the beach. The seafront is also the finishing point for the famous London – Brighton bicycle ride and the quirky veteran car run.
Staff profiles

Dr Graeme Awcock

Graeme's research interests are centred on image acquisition and processing, specifically remote sensing technology and its wide-ranging applications to environmental monitoring. He also has interests in well engineered solutions for distributed micro-generation.
Student views

Hollie Walker

There's a great range of choices and you can steer towards geology, geography, ecology or biology.

This degree enabled me to discover my passion for conservation, ecology and environmental hazards. By my final year I was able to specialise in environmental management and conservation.

Now I am the Red Squirrel Officer for the North East of Scotland, giving me the opportunity to make a real difference to the survival of an iconic native species in Scotland. My job is to raise awareness for the red squirrels’ plight, advise landowners on the best habitat management techniques to help red squirrels thrive and lead a co-ordinated and strategic approach to grey squirrel control.
Career opportunities

There is an increasing demand for numerate, environmentally aware graduates, who are able to adapt quickly and communicate their results effectively. Graduates play immediately relevant roles in nature conservation, recycling and waste management, environmental planning, consultancy and management, or proceed to further study and research.

Visit the careers service website.