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Environmental Sciences BSc

Course code

F850

F854, F852 with placement

Start date

September

Placement available

Mode of study

3 years full-time

3 years full-time with placement

4 years full-time with placement

Fees

2023/24

UK £9,250

International £19,330

Entry requirements

BBC (A-level)

DMM (BTEC)

29 (IB)

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Overview

Our global temperature has increased to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. What's the impact of this and what will happen if it continues to rise? Studying Environmental Sciences at Brunel will give you the foundation you need to pursue a career that makes a difference to our planet.

At Brunel you’ll develop your scientific skills in the classroom, laboratory, and through field work. You’ll attend residential field trips in the UK and abroad. Our current trips take students to Dorset and Tenerife.

Your first year will bring together many different disciplines. You’ll use physical, chemical and biological knowledge to develop an understanding of the Earth’s environment.

Your course is based on the 15 “most wanted skills” identified from a national employer’s survey by the Natural Environment Research Council. This means that in addition to studying scientific topics, you’ll learn to use computer programs such as GIS, you’ll perform data analysis and be trained in areas such as public engagement, communication, leadership and teamwork.

You'll also have the option to carry out a placement as part of your degree, giving you the experience to create a stand-out CV. Our Environmental Sciences BSc (Hons) offers a unique compressed degree where you can carry out two placements within your three-year degree during the summer vacations, where you’ll earn a graduate-level salary. You can also carry out a one-year placement between years 2 and 3, as part of a four-year degree.

Dean’s International Scholarship This course is eligible for a £2,000 fee waiver, per academic year, subject to availability. This Scholarship is for full-time international students only. Find out more.

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Course content

In year 1 you’ll be bringing together different subjects to help you to understand the effect on the environment. You’ll be using theoretical, practical and field-based approaches.

In your second year, you’ll learn about humans’ impact on the environment over time. You’ll study climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, land-use change and sustainability and you’ll investigate the effect of these on human health.

During your final year, you’ll analyse and evaluate solutions to environmental problems. Your optional topics can enable you to focus on a theme of your choice and even a specific career route.

This course can be studied 3 years full-time, 3 years full-time with placement or 4 years full-time with placement, starting in September.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

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Careers and your future

Career opportunities related to the environment are increasing in the public, private and charitable sectors. After completing the course you will be equipped with the skills to pursue a career in environmental protection; environmental management and consultancy; environmental compliance and sustainability; or environmental research. 

You may wish to work as an environmental practitioner, an environmental analyst, or an environmental manager. Some of our graduates choose to go on to do postgraduate research or study: there's a vibrant research environment within Environmental Sciences at Brunel and we are a member of the Natural Environment Research Council’s London Doctoral Training Partnership.

Our 'Leadership for Sustainability' module ensures that students are addressing their employability and professional development as well as engaging with the skills they require.

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UK entry requirements

  • GCE A-level BBC.
  • BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DMM.
  • BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM in any subject with an A-level at grade C.
  • BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma M with two A-levels at grades BB.
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma 29 points. GCSE English equivalent SL 5 or HL 4 and Mathematics SL 4 or HL 4
  • Obtain a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma in Science, Engineering or Environmental with 45 credits at Level 3.
  • T levels : Merit overall

Five GCSEs at grade C or grade 4 or above are also required, including English Language and Maths.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

If you are unable to meet the direct entry criteria above, you are invited to apply for a foundation course in Life Sciences at Brunel Pathway College. When you successfully pass the foundation year, you can progress on to the Environmental Sciences BSc.

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EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6 (min 5.5 in all areas)
  • Pearson: 59 (59 in all sub scores)
  • BrunELT: 58% (min 55% in all areas)
  • TOEFL: 77 (min R18, L17, S20, W17) 

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

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Fees and funding

2023/24 entry

UK

£9,250 full-time

£1,385 placement year

International

£19,330 full-time

£1,385 placement year

Fees quoted are per year and may be subject to an annual increase. Home undergraduate student fees are regulated and are currently capped at £9,250 per year; any changes will be subject to changes in government policy. International fees will increase annually, by no more than 5% or RPI (Retail Price Index), whichever is the greater.

Fees for EU applicants – For entry in 2023/24 academic year, eligible EU applicants will have the same tuition fees as UK students to continue our support during this transition period. These fees will be applied for the duration of the course.  

More information on any additional course-related costs.

See our fees and funding page for full details of undergraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

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Teaching and Learning

How your course will be delivered 

Required equipment

How you'll learn on your course

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Assessment and feedback

Assessment will take the form of written coursework, presentations, written exams, online exams and laboratory and field based assignments.

 

Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.