Course summary

Do you want to make a difference and change the future of the planet? Are you inspired by the complexity of the natural environment? Could you help develop new ways to manage the world’s natural resources? If so, then environmental science is the subject for you. Our BSc and MSci Environmental Science programmes are the University’s flagship environmental degrees, enabling you to learn the science behind the Earth’s amazing complexity and its environmental processes. These programmes are at the cutting edge of current thinking in the environmental field and will prepare you to help change the future of our planet. You will learn practical and theoretical insights from world-leading research experts in a range of environmental disciplines and emerge from your degree with an understanding of how to measure, evaluate, and make decisions about environmental issues. From day one of your degree you will take a hands-on approach to the collection and analysis of environmental data in the field and laboratory. These challenging programmes will broaden your horizons by enabling you to learn about environmental processes at a range of scales, from local and regional to national and global. You’ll engage with issues relating to climate change, its impact on the world, and efforts to mitigate its effect. You will uncover the complexities of the legal processes which underpin environmental decision making and discover how the law facilitates the enforcement of environmental regulation. Throughout the programme you will develop a wide range of practical skills to increase your employability, working with satellite data and using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to guide real-world environmental decision making. You will have the opportunity to work and learn in inspiring places where you will gain practical field experience. You will benefit from exposure to cutting-edge interdisciplinary research through the programmes’ close relationship with the University’s Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) on the Penryn Campus. Cornwall is an exceptional place in which to study issues related to the environment and sustainability: the county is a perfect living laboratory which offers a diverse range of marine and terrestrial habitats, a wealth of natural resources and creative and resilient communities. Our programme structures allow you to pursue your interests and shape your ambitions. Importantly, throughout the degrees you will gain insights from industry leaders in the environmental sector and engage with other relevant organisations through field trips embedded in modules and work placement opportunities offered by the University. The four-year MSci Environmental Science mirrors the BSc Environmental Science and includes an additional fourth year. The final year provides an opportunity to work on a project focused on a specialised area of environmental professional practice or academic research. You have the choice of carrying out a detailed consultancy report, where possible in collaboration with an industrial partner, or a more traditional research project aligned with one of our leading research groups. The remainder of your time will be spent studying advanced research methods, and on a two week intensive field course in which your scientific field-research, debating and presentation skills will be further developed.