Environmental Sciences BSc(Hons)

Course in brief

The Environmental Sciences BSc(Hons) is a flexible degree that draws from geography, ecology and chemistry to address themes such as sustainability, conservation, pollution and environmental hazards.

You will develop scientific skills and knowledge through classroom, laboratory and project work, with the freedom to choose between a broad-based study programme or a more specialised route.

The course has a general focus on employability, transferable skills and practical learning. Trips to Greece and Sicily, as well as the local area including the chalks hills of the South Downs National Park, help you develop your field skills. While the option of a paid placement year gives you the chance to build experience and a network of professional contacts.

This course is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES). Students are eligible for free membership of IES, providing the opportunity to be a part of a long-established and reputable environmental science professional body.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code F901

Full-time 3 years
With placement year 4 years

Accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES)

Clearing 2017

Places are available on this course for UK, other EU and international students.

Read our Clearing guide

Applying for 2018: read our guide

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBC–CCC (112–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

A-levels must include a pure science subject. BTEC must include a relevant science subject.

We will generally make you an offer if your predicted grades are at the top of this range. If your predicted grades are towards the lower end of this range we may still make you an offer if you have a good GCSE (or equivalent) profile or relevant non–academic achievements.

International Baccalaureate
28 points, with three subjects at Higher level to include a relevant science subject.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at merit or above. Level 3 units must include geography or environmental studies and a relevant science.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least English language, maths and science.

Foundation degree/HND/HNC
International foundation may be considered. Applicants with an HND or foundation degree may be considered for year 2 entry.

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.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country

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
Ecuador
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 or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For academic preparation courses.

Course in detail

Course structure

Our Environmental Sciences degree provides a solid foundation of essential environmental science knowledge alongside optional modules that you choose according to your personal academic and career interests.

From year 2, modules are organised into themes:

Environmental management and pollution
Ecology and conservation
Earth systems and processes

You can choose modules from either two or three of the themes.

However broadly you choose to study, you will develop subject-specific and transferable skills, including:

class-based skills (independent learning, debating, presenting, developing an argument)
laboratory skills (analytical techniques, such as for soil quality, water quality and pollution)
field skills (applying environmental techniques, devising surveys, monitoring, sampling).

Year 1

Modules

Fundamentals of Physical Geography
Global Environmental Issues
Academic Learning and Field Skills
Statistical and Spatial Data Analysis

Option modules*

Diversity of Life
Introduction to Ecology and Conservation
Introduction to Marine Biology and Ecology
The Earth and Ocean System
Urban Geography

*Option modules may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Year 2

Modules

Geography fieldwork (or Biology Field Course, as specialist option)
Skills for Research and Data Analysis

Option modules*

General:

Human Origins and Evolution
Prehistoric and Ancient Societies
Community Engagement
Social and Cultural Geography
GIS and Remote Sensing: Principles and Practice
Practising Environmental Sciences
Basic Expedition Leadership

Theme 1: Environmental management and pollution

Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry
Environmental Pollution
Sustainable Development

Theme 2: Ecology and conservation

Behavioural and Evolutionary Biology
Physiology of Organisms
Managing Populations in Ecology and Conservations
Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
Biogeography

Theme 3: Earth systems and processes

Paleoenvironments
Earth Surface Processes
Ice Age Earth
Biogeography
Climate Change

*Option modules may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Placement year

The placement year is a great opportunity to:

put your new skills into action in a real-life work place
build knowledge of businesses and organisations
develop existing skills and discover new ones
make contacts in industry and commerce
increase your confidence
improve your time management.

In recent years, our students have been successful in competing for nationally advertised positions with the Department for Energy and Climate Change, Transport for London, the Field Studies Council and the Office of National Statistics.

Other students have secured placements with environmental firms and consultancies, a multi-national telecommunications company and a renewable energy research centre in Spain.

Final year

An important component of the final year is your independent dissertation. You will work closely with an academic to investigate a topic of your choice, applying the research methods and analytical skills covered in the first two years of your course.

Option modules enable you to tailor your programme of study to support your project and your future career aspirations. You also have the opportunity to undertake an optional research field skills module in Brazil.

Module

Dissertation

Option modules*

General:

Evolution of Life
Humans of Ice Age Britain
Political Ecology: Contested Environments and Development
Community Engagement
Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing

Theme 1: Environmental management and pollution

Case Studies in Environmental Pollution
Aquatic Environments
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Management
Water, Sanitation and Health

Theme 2: Ecology and conservation

Species Interactions
Ecological Impact Assessment
Hot Topics in Ecology and Conservation
Current Topics in Marine Ecology
Aquatic Environments
Research Field Skills, Brazil

Theme 3: Earth systems and processes

Oceans and Coasts
Aquatic Environments
Cold Environments and Environmental Change
Research Field Skills, Brazil

*Option modules may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Why Brighton?

Innovative and relevant
The School of Environment and Technology has attracted over £7million of external research income in the last three years. The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise confirmed that 90% of research submitted by the school was of international standing.

A leading professional university
Our courses host field trips both in the UK and overseas, giving you the opportunity to apply the theories that you have learned in class. Present destinations include Greece, North Africa, Sicily, Cyprus and South Africa.

Career-focused
We are one of only a few universities to ensure that students have a career-planning agreement in place at the start of their course. We will help you to develop the professional and transferable skills required for future career success.

Excellence in support and teaching
All of our courses are taught by a team of dedicated, friendly and approachable staff. To help you to settle into university life, we provide a skills-based module to give you advice and feedback in the first year and assign you a personal tutor for the duration of your studies. This is supported by pathway guidance from your course leader and general support from school-based Student Support and Guidance Tutors (SSGTs).

Facilities fit for the future
You will have access to professional-standard laboratories and facilities that support our teaching, research and consultancy in geology, hydraulics, physical geography, and environmental and public health.

Outstanding location
We are based in Brighton, a buzzing coastal city that adds an extra dimension to the university experience. Lying between the English Channel and the rolling chalk hills of the South Downs, Brighton offers many interesting and unique local sites of study.

Careers and employability

Environmentally aware graduates are increasingly in demand, with relevant roles available in nature conservation, recycling and waste management, environmental planning, consultancy, management, geoinformatic systems and academia.

Recent graduates have found roles in organisations such as GIS consultancies, Low Carbon Europe, the Environment Agency, Southern Water and local authorities. Some have secured research studentships to undertake further study, and others have gone on to work for their placement year employers.

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 13,920 GBP

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,000 for home students and £2,000 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2017–18. Tuition fees are payable for each year that you study with us.

Where UK/EU students are subject to regulated fees, the annual fee increase cannot exceed the UK government’s maximum regulated tuition fee limit set for the relevant year. For all other students, ie those not subject to regulated fees, tuition fees are subject to a maximum annual increase of the higher of 5% or RPI.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

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 DBS checks, 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 check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

All field trips are included in the course fee, except the South Africa expedition,which incurs an additional cost of around £800. Exact costs can be requested from the course team.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Just two miles north of Brighton city centre and the seafront, Moulsecoomb is the largest of our five campuses with more than 8,000 students. A wide variety of subjects are taught here, from engineering and product design to business and law.

Students benefit from many professional-standard facilities, including a flight simulator, design and digital media suites, and specialist research laboratories. The campus library, Aldrich, offers long opening hours and a diverse collection of books and journals for students from all subject areas.

Sports enthusiasts will enjoy our basketball and badminton courts, fitness suite and climbing wall. The campus is also a few minutes walk from the South Downs National Park, providing a great place to relax during the summer months.

Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Grand Parade is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance.
Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus.
Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence.
Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field.
Varley Park and Falmer are around four miles from Brighton centre; there are good public transport services nearby.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our Brighton accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Unistats

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats is an organisation that collects specific data about university courses in the UK which enables you to compare information that is important in your decision-making when choosing a university. All universities publish Unistats data on their online course pages.

Wherever we can we have provided extra information here to help put the data into context so that it is as useful as possible when you are making decisions.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the official university document for each course. They are updated each year, and give a very detailed breakdown of what your course might look like.

Programme specification

Find out more

Geography news

First name
Your email address
Subject area
Course page
Year of entry
201720182019
Providing this information will help us make our updates even more relevant to you.
Please make sure you read our privacy policy
Privacy consent
I understand and consent to how you will use my data

Apply now with UCAS

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Student views

Zsófia Ugróczky

"My time at the University of Brighton has given me many new skills and qualities, including a broad insight into all aspects of environmental issues. This year, I had the opportunity to volunteer for an environmental organisation, where I applied my knowledge of soil contamination and environmental policy.

"The variety of different subjects that are offered within the course enabled me to develop new skills that I never imagined. Support from the staff and my personal tutor helped me make the right decisions about my choice of modules and my final dissertation.

"I have gained self-confidence and made many new and good friends that I will keep for life, and I am now planning to continue studying towards my MSc degree at the University of Brighton."