Course content

Our Environmental Science course at Keele draws on the expertise of scientists within the disciplines of life sciences, chemical sciences and geosciences to emphasise the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems.

The course emphasises the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems, ensuring a course which is targeted at employment in the environmental sector.

Alongside studying topical global environmental issues, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of practical, laboratory and field-based skills to take into future employment. You’ll also have the opportunity to do fieldwork overseas, gain valuable work experience or study abroad at one of our partner institutions. This course is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning students can gain free membership of the IES to support their personal and professional development in the environmental sector.

• Accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).
• Available with Work Placement and Study Abroad options 
• Includes UK and overseas field course options 

Combinations

Environmental Science is also available as a Combined Honours degree. It can be studied in the following combinations:

• Environmental Science and Astrophysics
• Environmental Science and Biology 
• Environmental Science and Chemistry
• Environmental Science and Human Geography
• Environmental Science and Medicinal Chemistry
• Environmental Science and Physical Geography
• Environmental Science and Physics

Other Related Courses You May Be Interested In:

• Environment and Sustainability Single Honours

For more information, please see our Environmental Science and Sustainability Undergraduate brochure.

Course structure

Our degree courses are organised into modules. Each module is usually a self-contained unit of study and each is usually assessed separately with the award of credits on the basis of 1 credit = 10 hours of student effort. An outline of the structure of the programme is provided in the tables below.

There are three types of module delivered as part of this programme. They are:

• Compulsory modules: a module that you are required to study on this course;
• Optional modules: these allow you some limited choice of what to study from a list of modules;
• Elective modules: a free choice of modules that count towards the overall credit requirement but not the number of subject-related credits.

A summary of the credit requirements per year is as follows, with a minimum of 90 subject credits (compulsory plus optional) required for each year.

Year	Compulsory	Optional		Electives
		Min	Max	Min	Max
1	105	0	15	0	15
2	60	30	60	0	30
3	45	45	75	0	30

Year 1 (Level 4)

Year 1 (Level 4)

The first year of the Environmental Science programme starts by emphasising the fundamental principles of the sciences underpinning the field of Environmental Science and how these are integrated in the discipline of Environmental Science in order to address environmental issues. This broad scientific foundation in the first year leads on to the detailed study of a range of Environmental Science issues and concepts in years 2 and 3.

Students take SEVEN 15-credit compulsory modules (total 105 credits), plus ONE option module, or ONE elective.

Compulsory modules	Credits	Optional modules	Credits
Studying the Environment	15	Global Warming or a New Ice Age?	15
Introductory Geology for the Environmental Sciences	15	People and the Environment	15
Fundamentals of Physical Geography	15
Biodiversity, Ecology and Environment	30
Introductory Environmental Chemistry	15
Greening Business: Employability and Sustainability	15

 

Field courses
Studying the Environment (local area)	Introductory field day to explore the different aspects of environmental science and sustainability at a local field site (1 day).
Studying the Environment (Centre for Alternative Technology)	A residential weekend to the Centre for Alternative Technology, exploring renewable energy, sustainable living and building, and the geology and physical landscape of the local area.
Studying the Environment (North Wales)*	Residential field course in North Wales, looking at the ecology of marine and terrestrial environments and the environmental impacts of historical mining activities, includes a day of lab work at Keele (5 days).

*Note about field courses: these may change depending on factors such as staff availability, staff changes, staff expertise, costs, student numbers, other factors outside of our control (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc.). Locations of 'local area' field days change on a year by year basis.

Year 2 (Level 5)

Students study 60 credits of compulsory modules and a MINIMUM of 30 credits of option modules and a MAXIMUM of 30 credits elective modules.  Students studying abroad for one semester do not take the 30-credit module Environmental and Sustainability Impact Assessment and Research Planning, and instead take 15-credits of this module during the semester that they remain at Keele (either Environmental and Sustainability Impact Assessment or Research and Fieldwork Planning).

Compulsory modules	Credits	Optional modules	Credits
Human Impacts on the Environment: Scientific Perspectives	15	Sustainable Chemistry	15
Environmental and Sustainability Impact Assessment and Research Planning	30	Geoscience and Society	15
Environmental Analytical Methods	15	Living Together - Behaviours, Co-operation and Conflict	15
		Work Placement module	15
		Health and the Environment	15
		Dynamic Geographies	15
		Practical Physical Geography	15
		Regional Landsystems	15
		Research and Analytical Skills	15
		Palaeoclimatology and Quaternary Studies	15

 

Field courses
Environmental and Sustainability Impact Assessment and Research Planning (local)	Based in a local country park, students work in project groups to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).  (1 day)
Environmental and Sustainability Impact Assessment and Research Planning (residential)	A residential field course investigating issues of environmental science and management (6-8 days depending on dates of Easter vacation).   In 2016/17 options were the Lake District, UK or Bordeaux, France.

*Note about field courses: these may change depending on factors such as staff availability, staff changes, staff expertise, costs, student numbers, other factors outside of our control (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc.). Locations of 'local area' field days change on a year by year basis.

Work Placement Year

Students taking the 4-year with ‘work placement year’ undertake their work placement between Year-2 and Year-3 of their degree programme.  During the work placement year, students undertake a work placement (minimum 30 weeks full time (1,050 hours) or equivalent) with an environmentally-focussed company or organisation. Students take the year-long, non-credit bearing module:

Core modules	Credits
Work Placement Year	n/a

International Year

Information relevant to students taking the International Year is available in Annex A.

Year 3 (Level 6)

In the final year students take the Dissertation module (30 credits) and the core module Contemporary Topics in Environmental Science (15 credits)) plus up to five option modules from the list below.

Compulsory modules	Credits	Optional modules	Credits
Dissertation	30	Clean Technology	15
Contemporary Topics in Environmental Science	15	Applied Insect Ecology	15
		Applied Fish Biology	15
		Trees in their Environment	15
		Conservation Biology	15
		Natural Hazards	15
		Hydrological and Engineering Geology	15
		Global Environmental Change	15
		Applied GIS	15
		Coastal Environments	15
		Water Resources	15
		Glaciers and Glacial Geomorphology	15

Field courses: The field courses undertaken during the third year will depend on the modules chosen. It should be noted that for many students their Dissertation work is likely to include a significant amount of fieldwork.

For further information on the content of modules currently offered, including the list of elective modules, please visit: www.keele.ac.uk/recordsandexams/az

The module details given above are indicative and will give you a good idea of the range of subjects that we teach. We regularly review our teaching to ensure that the modules we offer are up-to-date; therefore, the modules available to study are liable to change.

Entry requirements

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate’s application. Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom, European Union and International students.

A Level requirements

• A Level requirement BBC

GCSE requirement

• English at C (or 4) OR equivalent qualification, please contact us for advice

BTEC

• BTEC requirements DMM

International Baccalaureate

• 30 points 

Access to HE Diploma requirements

• Obtain Access to Higher Education Diploma with 112 UCAS Tariff points including a minimum of 15 Level 3 credits at Distinction. 

PREPARATION PROGRAMMES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this course have the opportunity to study an International Foundation Year programme.

These courses are designed to prepare international students to enter into Keele University undergraduate degrees.

Fees and funding

Going to university can be a daunting as well as an exciting experience. It can be difficult to understand the true costs of being a student, as well as the financial support that is available to help you meet those costs.

We can help you to manage your funds, create a budget and ensure that you receive any funding for which you may be eligible. We also offer financial support such as the Keele University Hardship Fund and emergency loans.

For more information visit our money, advice and guidance section.

Career prospects

96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (DLHE, 2017)

All organisations, from private business to local government, increasingly need to engage with environmental issues; hence this is one of the fastest growing areas of employment opportunities. Through completion of a reflective portfolio, you will also have the opportunity to gain accreditation from the Institute of Leadership and Management alongside your Keele degree.

You will be in an excellent position to pursue a career in many areas including environmental consultancy and regulation, water resource management, geospatial analysis, conservation, or to become a scientific writer, research scientist or teacher. This course also provides excellent training for further postgraduate study and research. If you take our work placement year you’ll graduate with a significant level of environmental work experience. 

To ensure you’re prepared for a range of work, the course utilises case studies based on work in the real world including environmental impact assessments and technical reports mimicking work in different areas of environmental employment. Environmental Science can be studied as a single honours or combined honours and with a work placement option.

Recent employers

• ESF Consultants
• Mott MacDonald Bentley
• LGSS

Regardless of which career you pursue after Keele, employers will want evidence of the range of skills and personal qualities you possess and which are required for the job. Your degree is clearly important in this respect but don’t forget the extra-curricular activities, positions of responsibility, jobs and voluntary work you may have been engaged in while studying at Keele. These activities allow you to demonstrate the skills and personal qualities required by employers and will be vital in your attempts to secure graduate employment.

It is estimated that 60% of jobs are open to graduates of any discipline. This demonstrates the flexibility of many graduate employers when setting out their academic requirements and that students are not necessarily restricted to careers related to their degree.

Field trips

Field courses are a vital and very enjoyable part of our environment degree programmes, as they provide ideal settings for focused training, skills development and practise. And, importantly, all our compulsory field courses have no additional costs to students.

Through these field courses students gain skills and experience in environmental survey design, plant and invertebrate identification, water quality assessment, soil assessment, sample collection and preservation, and social science research techniques. Our field courses also facilitate interaction between students and environmental experts outside of the university, providing further insight into the world of employment and careers.

One-day field trips and associated outdoor field work feature in multiple modules across all of our environment programmes and residential field courses (e.g. 5-8 days) are held in each of the first and second year. The first year residential fieldcourse is held in north Wales (Snowdonia and Parys Mountain), while for year two the options are for a UK (e.g. Lake District) or overseas (e.g. south of France) location.