Environmental Science and Physics - BSc (Hons)

Explore the science and wider social, economic and ethical issues behind the worlds environmental challenges and gain insight into how the world works. Our accredited Environmental Science and Physics BSc will equip you with the knowledge, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to drive positive environmental change and gain employment in a wide variety of industrial sectors.

Year of entry

Course type

  • Combined Honours

UCAS code

  • FFX3

Duration of study

  • 3 years / 4 years with international or placement year

Why study Environmental Science and Physics at Keele University?

Professional accreditation pathways are available
Top 20 in the UK for Physics (Guardian University League Table, 2022)
Our unique 600-acre campus offers a fantastic natural environment to perform fieldwork
Develop your practical skills in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories
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Study Geography, Geology and the Environment

Hear from our students and staff – who share their personal experiences of studying and teaching at Keele.

Accreditation and professional recognition

This programme is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences, the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, and the Institute of Physics. If you specialise in your final year, you will only be eligible for the accreditation aligned to the subject you have chosen to specialise in.

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Additional opportunities

There are a range of additional opportunities available when studying this course.
Please note, undertaking one may impact upon the availability of another.

Entry requirements

The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don’t see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications. If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

Additional information

A Level requirements

  • BBC
  • A Level Physics or Maths at grade B or above. If Maths is presented without A Level Physics, please contact the Admissions Team
If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

GCSE requirements

  • Mathematics at C (or 4)
  • English Language/Literature at C (or 4)

BTEC

  • DMM
  • To include sufficient Physics and Maths units, please contact the Admissions Team for advice.

International Baccalaureate

  • 29 points to include Higher Level Physics at 6 or above OR Higher Level Maths at 6 or above plus Higher Level Physics at 4 or above. 

    If Maths is presented without Physics please contact the Admissions Team.

Access to HE Diploma requirements

  • Obtain Access to Higher Education Diploma with 112 UCAS Tariff points including a minimum of 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction. You must have taken sufficient Physics and/or Maths related units. Please contact the Admissions team for advice.

English Language Requirements

All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from .

Alternative and contextual offers

We're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity to all our applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. That's why we operate a range of alternative offer schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying within the Keele region, and recognising a range of additional qualifications in your offer.

General information

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer 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.

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Sustainability is at the heart of our programme

At Keele we're leading the sector in sustainability, not just in our ambitions to become carbon neutral by 2030 but also through our teaching and our ground-breaking research into climate change and renewable technologies. 

We are proud to be named Global Sustainability Institution of the Year (International Green Gown Awards, 2021), which demonstrates our commitment to embedding sustainability into all that we do.

From the benefits to businesses to green their operations, employment opportunities in the field of sustainability and the implications of economic developments on the natural environment - sustainability modules are embedded throughout our programme


Find out more about Keele’s commitment to sustainability.

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Sam, Physics

"Studying Physics at Keele is a very enjoyable experience filled with opportunity and self-progression. Support is there for every turn whenever it is needed. Whenever I got so stuck on a problem or module that it seemed impossible, a lecturer has always been able to provide a clear, understandable explanation which has greatly helped me progress."

Sam, Physics

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The School of Geography, Geology and the Environment interactive guided tour

Use the interactive tour to explore Keele's state of the art science facilities and our beautiful living-laboratory campus that we use to enrich your learning experience.

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Central Science Laboratories

Develop your practical skills in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories

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Foundation year

Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year.

This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence.

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years' experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

The information in this Foundation Year section is for UK/Home applicants. Where an international Foundation Year is available, please see the 'Information for international students' tab.

If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry into the BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and Physics programme, our Foundation Year can provide an alternative route into your degree. 

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years’ experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you’ll study on campus, joining our community from the outset, and you will have access to a range of support.

Read on to find out about:

  • Foundation Year indicative modules for the September intake
  • Foundation Year entry requirements
  • How to apply 
  • UCAS code for this course

The information within this page is for students wishing to start their studies in September. If you would like to start this course in January, please visit our January pages for further details.

COURSE CONTENT

Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.

The Keele Foundation Year is a two semester programme which provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and Physics degree. For example, the Foundations of Physics module will introduce you to the mathematical skills needed to solve problems in physics at level 3 while studying fundamental equations and concepts in classical physics. In addition, the Foundations of Geography, Geology and the Environment module will provide knowledge of the basic underlying principles and concepts associated with the origins, evolution and structure of the Earth as a system. All of the modules you take will prove useful in your degree and professional career. Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do. 

Find out more about the Keele Foundation Year, including information about teaching and assessment methods by visiting the Foundation Year homepage

COURSE STRUCTURE

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

SEMESTER ONE MODULES

FYO-00185 Practical and Academic Skills in Science 15 credits
FYO-00215 Foundations of Mathematical Methods 15 credits
FYO-00205 Foundations of Physics 15 credits
FYO-00193 Foundations of Geography, Geology and the Environment 15 credits

SEMESTER TWO MODULES

FYO-00209 Advancing Physics 15 credits
FYO-00231 Advancing Mathematical Methods 15 credits
FYO-00195 Advancing Geography, Geology and the Environment 30 credits

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 KingdomEuropean Union and International students.

  • Between 40-56 UCAS points from at least 1 A level/level 3 qualification or equivalent, or
  • Relevant work experience

  AND

  • GCSE English Language at grade 4 (C), or Level 2 Functional Skills, or
  • IELTS 5.5 (with 5.5 in all subtests)

AND

  • GCSE Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above 

HOW TO APPLY 

Students will need to apply for BSc (Hons) Physics with Foundation Year (UCAS code: F306) through UCAS at www.ucas.com. You will then be contacted to confirm your second subject by a member of our team. 

DIRECT ENTRY STUDENTS

If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office directly.

INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

International students who do not meet the entry requirements for this integrated Foundation Year course may be eligible to study an International Foundation Year stand alone programme.

Please visit the International Foundation Year pages for information on how to apply, entry requirements and course details.

The information in this Foundation Year section is for UK/Home applicants. Where an international Foundation Year is available, please see the 'Information for international students' tab.

We also offer a January start for some of our Foundation Year courses. Adopting a blended learning approach, the January start is particularly useful for students wishing to return to education following time out of studying, or who are seeking a flexible approach to their Foundation Year studies. Our January start is available across most of our Science, Humanities, Social Science and Business courses.

Whilst still being a full-time course, our blended delivery model combines live teaching sessions - both online and on-campus - with self-directed study, enabling you to predominantly study at a time that suits your lifestyle. You will benefit from weekly online taught sessions which encourage you to engage with your teachers and peers.

In addition to online study there will be a series of full study days that you will be required to attend throughout each semester. These sessions may include lab-based activities, group work, review of course and assessment materials studied online. They will emphasise opportunities for you to deepen your knowledge and understanding of your chosen route.

Please refer to the September start tab for more information about the entry requirements and what you will study. The modules that you will take on a January start Foundation Year will be similar to those for the September start, but in a slightly different order and pattern.

For more information, including fees, the UCAS code for this course, how to apply, and how you will be taught, please visit our January Start Foundation Year webpage.

Our International Foundation Year is delivered on campus through Keele University International College (KUIC). Find out more about the International Foundation Year options on the KUIC website.

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Discover the Keele difference

Everything’s on your doorstep at Keele, and you’ll soon feel at home and make friends wherever you go.

We help students manage their money and ensure that they receive any funding for which they may be eligible.

Make yourself more employable after graduation by taking advantage of the whole host of additional opportunities.