Environmental Biology

Are you passionate about environmental protection, wildlife conservation and ecology?

Our course uncovers the human impacts on our natural environment. You will study environmental threats and management. The biggest threats to biodiversity are climate change, habitat loss, invasive species. You'll study the effect of these threats, and learn ways to manage and reduce them.

All environmental sciences students will complete fieldwork and gain practical skills. This real-world experience allows you to apply your knowledge and develop the skills which are in demand by the environmental sector.

Topics include:

• Ecology

• Conservation

• Animal behaviour

• Botany

• Sustainability

• Environmental protection

Our flexible course means you can choose the modules that interest you most.

Practical work
You'll gain experience in surveying techniques that are used when working as an ecologist. Day trips, field work and visits to local sites will include activities such as:

• bat surveys

• phase one habitat surveys

• sustainable homes

• renewable energy

• winter tree ID

You'll be taught by active researchers who work with environmental consultancies on bioenergy technology projects. Ecologists from local consultancies deliver training and expertise.

Placement opportunity
Get real-life experience with a possible industry placement year.

Study abroad
You'll have the opportunity to apply to study abroad and gain a global perspective of environmental science

Core modules in your first year introduce the principles of ecology and biodiversity. You'll learn about evolution and behaviour. Study how natural selection has shaped how organisms interact with their environment. Learn through lectures, lab sessions and field visits.

In year two you'll gain more practical fieldwork skills as part of a non-residential field course. The Ecology module teaches you how interactions between species can drive co-evolutionary processes.

In the second year and third years, you have lots of optional modules. You can choose to study plant evolution and ecology in The Green Planet module.

In your final year, the research project enables you to use your skills to work on a piece of original research. This can be lab, field or literature based. You will design the study, collect and analyse data. Optional modules include Conservation, Evolutionary Ecology and the Arctic Ecology Field Course.