Environmental Science with Foundation Year

Environmental scientists are critical to addressing global environmental challenges. Your degree will provide you with the knowledge and skills to identify and develop solutions to a wide range of environmental challenges on land and in our oceans, including climate change, biodiversity loss, conservation and sustainability. Applying the latest techniques in the laboratory and the field – you will graduate ready to shape the future of fields from ecosystem management to environmental monitoring.

Our foundation year provides the opportunity for progression to BSc (Hons) Environmental Science or BSc (Hons) Environmental Management and Sustainability degree courses. This is the ideal pathway if your current qualifications don’t allow you direct entry to the course or if you are returning to education.

• These four year degrees incorporate a foundation year and the chance to progress into either BSc (Hons) Environmental Science or BSc (Hons) Environmental Management and Sustainability. Great if your current qualifications don’t allow you direct entry to the course or if you have been out of education for some time.

• Benefit from enthusiastic, supportive staff and teaching informed by our renowned research.

• Take part in fieldwork in the UK and/or overseas in a variety of locations.

• Experience in-depth coverage of natural sciences in the context of social, cultural and economic systems.

• Learn about the latest actions and technological developments in the struggle against climate change.

• Take the opportunity to spend your second year studying abroad in Europe, Canada, Australia, USA or elsewhere through our bilateral and ISEP exchange programmes.

• Hone your skills and knowledge with a wealth of facilities, including our marine research vessel Falcon Spirit, high specification laboratories and analytical facilities, LABplus and our new Marine Station.

• Qualify as a professional diver (HSE SCUBA) as part of your third year of study.

• LABplus is a unique open access laboratory and resource centre designed for students studying science and engineering courses. The lab provides a flexible workspace, computing facilities, specialist software, access to microscopes, microscope cameras and bespoke resources.

• Work placements – enhance your employability by gaining work experience via an optional 6 week or 6–12 month work placement in the UK, EU or further overseas such as Australia, Madagascar, Costa Rica, Ecuador, choosing from exciting opportunities in e.g. consultancy, conservation, NGO’s, EA, marine sectors.

• Benefit from an Environmental Science Careers Fair to build your all-important employer networks and share career success stories from our graduates.

• Our tutorial programme provides invaluable transferable skills, small group and one-to-one support. Our externally recognised Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) scheme helps increase your confidence with support from student mentors.

The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry and up to date information can be found on our website:
We'll provide you with an introduction to environmental science and an overview of key issues and solutions. You'll also develop independent, reflective and self-managed approaches to study, being taught for example, scientific writing, time management and mathematical skills as well as other key soft skills that enhance your employability. You will study the two core modules Environmental Science and Study and Mathematical Skills for Science and also choose two of the optional module pathways, these being biology, chemistry, physics or mathematics and statistics for science with the requirement that to study e.g. Chemistry 2 in semester two you will need to have taken Chemistry 1 in semester one.

For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS