Environmental Science

Fieldwork Opportunities

A rich variety of terrestrial and aquatic environments and habitats (many available on site at our wonderful Newton Park campus!) are studied in day-long and residential field trips in England and further afield. Fieldwork is a very important aspect of the Environmental Science programme and is well supported.

This course enables you to gain both biological and geographical perspectives of the environment.

Why study Environmental Science?

Climate change, pollution impacts, conservation of biodiversity, environmental management, energy use, wastes management, sustainability, and protection of natural systems are amongst the planet’s most pressing issues.

Whilst we can’t guarantee that this course will enable you to solve all of them, we can promise that you will be taught by an enthusiastic, committed, and supportive team of professionals who will help you to understand these issues and develop the skills to do something about them.

Ratio of applications to places

No. of applicants (2011): 150

No. of places (2011): 15

National student survey results

Overall student Satisfaction with teaching for courses in this subject area (2011): 85%

Course structure

Environmental Science is a vast subject embracing many disciplines; at Bath Spa it is studied from two related perspectives – biological and geographical. Whilst some topics, such as ecology and environmental management (embedded within the 2nd year Environmental Science module), are compulsory, there are many optional topics to choose from, e.g. marine biology, climatology, river and costal management, environmental hazards, environmental consultancy and biodiversity assessment.

The course is flexible and you will design a programme of study to suit your interests and career aspirations. Along with flexibility is the opportunity to specialise in a particular area of environmental science; for example aquatic environments, environmental protection and conservation, or earth systems. Alternatively, you can maintain a broader interest in the subject; at Bath Spa the choice is yours.

Throughout the course there is an emphasis on practical work: in our well equipped laboratories, on campus – with its rich variety of terrestrial and aquatic environments – and further afield in the UK and beyond (though we are mindful of our carbon footprint in selecting locations).

Modules

At each Level you will take a mix of 40- and 20-credit modules to the value of 120 credits; modules' credit weightings are indicated in the programme summary below.

Year 1 (Level 4)

You will take the core modules in Geography and Biology (marked *). Although you can choose your balance of 40 credits from the range of Level 4 modules throughout the university, particularly relevant and recommended are those indicated below from the Biology and Geography subject areas. Appropriate choice of modules can help you to develop a particular specialisation in the overall environmental science area.

• Biology modules:
  • Biology: The Living World (40)*;
  • Biodiversity and Conservation (20);
  • Human Biology (20).
• Geography modules:
  • Foundations in Geography (40)*;
  • Introduction to Physical Landscapes (20);
  • Development and Sustainability (20);
  • Earth Observation - an Introduction (20).

Year 2 (Level 5)

In addition to the compulsory modules (marked *), you choose a further three 20-credit modules from those within the Environmental Science programme, which allows you to continue to develop specialisation, or keep your programme more general.

• Biology modules:
  • Environmental Science (40)*;
  • Research Skills (20)*;
  • Wildlife Conservation (20);
  • Health and Human Environments (20);
  • Work Experience (20).
• Geography modules:
  • Global Climate Change (20);
  • River and Coastal Systems (20);
  • Environmental Hazards (20);
  • Sustainable Communities (20);
  • Geographical Fieldwork (20).

Year 3 (Level 6)

In addition to the compulsory 40-credit dissertation, you must take four of the 20-credit modules from the following selection. The choice of optional modules available permits a high degree of specialisation within the subject.

• Biology modules:
  • Animal Behaviour (20);
  • Marine Biology (20);
  • Environmental Consultancy (20);
  • Biodiversity Assessment (20);
  • Plants and People (20).
• Geography modules:
  • Coastal and River Management (20);
  • Climatology (20);
  • Developments and Disasters (20).
• Business and Management module:
  • Managing Sustainability (20).

Course assessment

Generally a mixture of coursework and examination

Class sizes are small – typically 23; staff and students are on first name terms, and each student is assigned a Personal Tutor from day one. All this helps to create an excellent learning environment. Expect to ‘get your hands dirty’; we get you out of the classroom and into the environment as much as possible. Employers greatly value the practical skills you develop.

A recent internal review of teaching commented:

“We were impressed with the range and scope of field-based teaching and the extent to which this expertise benefits student learning.”

Teaching methods

Teaching and learning activities are intended to be relevant, challenging and interesting and include lectures, laboratory practicals, seminars, simulations of professional practice, fieldwork-based projects, tutorials, and interpretation exercises. Practical work is an extremely important part of the course, and a wide range of analytical instruments, field equipment, staff expertise, and ICT resources is available to support this work.

Teaching quality excellence

Overall student Satisfaction with teaching for courses in this subject area (2011): 85%

Application method

All full time applications are through UCAS

Course enquiries

Please contact our Admissions team (see above) for information about this course.

Entry requirements

260–300 UCAS Tariff points, with minimum 80 points from a science or geography-related subject preferred.

Career opportunities

The knowledge and skills that you develop during the course are valued by employers and our graduates have gained employment in a wide variety of organisations. Examples include: environmental consultancies, water companies, public sector bodies (for example the Environment Agency), and not-for-profit organisations (such as the Soil Association). Many graduates have gone on to postgraduate programmes at Bath Spa and elsewhere, leading to a teaching qualification (PGCE), MSc or PhD.

Since 2010, employers such as Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Ecosulis, Natural England and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission have recruited graduates from this course. Students have also gone into roles including Assistant Ecological Consultant, Land Management and Conservation Adviser, Necrologist, Waste Awareness Officer and Technical Assistant for  Food and Nutrition.

What students say...

Graduate Profile: Sara King, graduated 2009

“I am an Ecological Consultant with an ecological consultancy in Bath. This job involves ecological survey for protected species, including badgers, bats, dormice, great crested newts and reptiles, project management, reporting, European Protected Species Licensing and mitigation. My role involves a variety of practical ecological surveys and office-based reporting.

My course at Bath Spa gave me the knowledge and skills to undertake my current job, particularly the Ecological Assessment module (material from which now features in the new Environmental Consultancy and Biodiversity Assessment modules) in my third year. I loved the field trips and group activities at Bath Spa – they taught us a lot and we had a lot of fun at the same time!”