Environmental Science

The world is facing many environmental challenges. Join us and make a difference, develop your understanding of environmental issues and learn skills to tackle global challenges sustainably. Cultivate the knowledge to predict and mitigate complex environmental challenges, and graduate ready to apply yourself globally in environmental management and protection.

In year 3, you’ll spend eight months on a placement in New Zealand or Australia, joining a project group and receiving training in field and laboratory techniques. You’ll manage your own project, culminating in a professional placement report for academic credit. This hands-on experience is a core part of the BSc Environmental Sciences with Professional Placement Abroad program.

Why Study Environmental Science at Birmingham?

Global fieldwork opportunities - exciting opportunities for you to explore the world through field trips, in diverse locations such as Germany, Switzerland, Wales and the Peak District. Compulsory travel and accommodation costs are covered so that you can focus on getting the most out of your experience.

Real-world connections – our relationships with industry such as Public Health England, the Environment Agency and Wildlife Trusts provide research opportunities for student projects, and mean you’ll graduate with directly applicable skills to those needed by top employers in the field.

Facilities fit for the future – our resources include an ‘eco lab’ for the study of river systems, and the BiFOR facility in Stafford dedicated to advancing our understanding of how forests respond to environmental changes.

Accreditation - Our programmes in Environmental Science are accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning they meet high standards for teaching and learning, and develop graduates ready for the world of work.

Research-led teaching – our research feeds into teaching across our Environmental Science programmes as the world’s understanding of environments continually evolves. Our research at Birmingham was ranked third in the UK for earth systems and environmental sciences in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021).