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Environmental Science

BSc (Hons)

You’ll explore the finer details of ecosystems, as well as human interaction with and impact on the environment.

Develop your expertise and knowledge through a flexible approach to a subject that considers the long-term sustainability of local environments and the planet as a whole. Through classroom, laboratory and practical field study, you’ll understand a range of topics as you enhance your skills, from change and impact evaluation and environmental systems, to conservation, biodiversity, and renewables. 

 

Subject to validation.

Key Information

Course Duration: 3 or 4 years full time; part-time available
UC UCAS Code: F900
Part or Full Time: Full Time / Part Time
Level of Study: Undergraduate Degrees
Placement Year: Optional
Typical Offer: 112-128 UCAS tariff points or equivalent

Course information

As an Environmental Scientist, you’ll become expert in the ways that Earth’s environments – the atmosphere, ocean and crust – shape opportunities for life on Earth. You’ll learn how current and emerging global challenges, such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, arise. We’ll prepare you to use your knowledge and skills as a graduate, defining and applying solutions for a sustainable future.

You’ll take a hands-on, applied approach, making extensive use of our laboratories and 360-hectare campus, in fieldwork and in your own independent research project. We work closely with employers - particularly in our institutional specialisms of land management and agriculture – embedding work experience and real-world business briefs into your degree to boost your future career.  

Hartpury has a great track record in providing a positive student experience. You’ll benefit from all the facilities of a University, in a specialist institution with smaller cohorts, where we can personalise your support and guidance.

  • UCAS tariff points | 112 UCAS tariff points, to include a science. 

 

  • A Levels | BBC or equivalent from at least two full A Levels. This must include a science at grade C or above. 

 

  • Vocational Awards | DMM in an Extended Diploma in a relevant subject. 

 

  • Access | 112 UCAS tariff points in an Access to Higher Education Diploma. This must include nine level 3 credits at Merit or above in a Science.  

 

  • International Baccalaureate | 112 UCAS tariff points in an IB Diploma, from at least two Highers at H5 or above. This must include a science.  

 

  • Scottish Highers | 112 UCAS tariff points from at least two Highers, to include a science at B or above. You must have completed two years study at Higher Level.  

 

  • Irish Leaving Certificate | 112 UCAS tariff points from at least two Highers, to include a science at H2 or above.  

 

  • T Level | An overall grade of Distinction, to include grade B or above in the Core component in a Science subject. T Level subjects considered are Animal Care and Management (Science Pathway), Healthcare Science and Science. Health will be considered on an individual basis. 

 

Additional Information 

In addition to the above, we require a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 9-4 (A*-C), to include English and Maths. We will consider equivalencies including but not limited to functional skills level 2, Irish Ordinary level, National 5s, IB standard level.  

We will consider combinations of level three qualifications. 

A science for this programme is considered to be Biology, Physics or Chemistry.  

We welcome applications from individuals with equivalent, non-UK qualifications and mature students (over 21). We may interview as part of the application process. 

The minimum academic entry requirement for this programme is 80 UCAS tariff points, providing this is combined with relevant experience.  

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Your career

Industry opportunities on this course are diverse, to ensure you develop the skills, experience and connections needed for your graduate career. Many of our students get their graduate roles with their work placement employers.

Work placements and experience

These form part of an optional year two module as well as an optional integrated placement year. We’ll support you to secure a placement with a UK-based or international employer, to match your interests and career goals – you’ll complete coursework. Placements can be paid or unpaid, and can be anywhere in the world. Students have completed placements at a range of zoos, wildlife charities and conservation organisations, farms, and diagnostic labs.

Field trips and guest lecturers

Field trips and industry professionals in lectures form an important part of your learning, enabling you to experience different businesses, careers and best practices.

As an Environmental Sciences student, in your second year you will undertake your choice of a residential or non-residential field trip within the UK, gaining valuable practical experience whilst not contributing to the additional carbon footprint of overseas travel. Extra fees are required for residential trips – please see the fees tab.

Within your modules you are likely to visit several local sites of interest including the River Wye and the Forest of Dean.

Recent guest lecturers have included conservationists, sustainability experts, and ecologists, in addition to academic researchers from a range of subject areas.

Graduate destinations

As an Environmental Sciences graduate, you may go on to a career in environmental consultation, sustainable food production, biodiversity net gain, environmental management,  waste management. You’ll also have the transferable skills you need for other graduate careers. Our careers team can support you to find and prepare to secure your perfect role. Recent graduate destinations have included:

Sustainability advisor in agriculture

Environmental researcher

Nature conservation officer

Masters and PhD programmes

Success Stories

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one to be the best you can be. This will range from your personal tutor and specialist academic support team (our Achievement and Success Centre) to dedicated wellbeing and employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) centres.

Academic support

You’ll have your own personal tutor while you’re here who will support you to succeed in your studies. You’ll also have access to our academic and wellbeing support teams who run regular workshops and one-to-one sessions on campus and online.

Alongside this, we have a comprehensive bank of online study skills resources to help you make the most of your qualification.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions, as well as supported work placement learning as part of many courses.

Your career

Each year of your course will be made up of two semesters, within which you’ll study compulsory and optional modules on different industry-focused topics, enabling you to develop your own unique portfolio of knowledge, skills and experience, ready for your career. The course is taught in English.

Course information

Overview

As an Environmental Scientist, you’ll become expert in the ways that Earth’s environments – the atmosphere, ocean and crust – shape opportunities for life on Earth. You’ll learn how current and emerging global challenges, such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, arise. We’ll prepare you to use your knowledge and skills as a graduate, defining and applying solutions for a sustainable future.

You’ll take a hands-on, applied approach, making extensive use of our laboratories and 360-hectare campus, in fieldwork and in your own independent research project. We work closely with employers - particularly in our institutional specialisms of land management and agriculture – embedding work experience and real-world business briefs into your degree to boost your future career.  

Hartpury has a great track record in providing a positive student experience. You’ll benefit from all the facilities of a University, in a specialist institution with smaller cohorts, where we can personalise your support and guidance.

Entry requirements

  • UCAS tariff points | 112 UCAS tariff points, to include a science. 

 

  • A Levels | BBC or equivalent from at least two full A Levels. This must include a science at grade C or above. 

 

  • Vocational Awards | DMM in an Extended Diploma in a relevant subject. 

 

  • Access | 112 UCAS tariff points in an Access to Higher Education Diploma. This must include nine level 3 credits at Merit or above in a Science.  

 

  • International Baccalaureate | 112 UCAS tariff points in an IB Diploma, from at least two Highers at H5 or above. This must include a science.  

 

  • Scottish Highers | 112 UCAS tariff points from at least two Highers, to include a science at B or above. You must have completed two years study at Higher Level.  

 

  • Irish Leaving Certificate | 112 UCAS tariff points from at least two Highers, to include a science at H2 or above.  

 

  • T Level | An overall grade of Distinction, to include grade B or above in the Core component in a Science subject. T Level subjects considered are Animal Care and Management (Science Pathway), Healthcare Science and Science. Health will be considered on an individual basis. 

 

Additional Information 

In addition to the above, we require a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 9-4 (A*-C), to include English and Maths. We will consider equivalencies including but not limited to functional skills level 2, Irish Ordinary level, National 5s, IB standard level.  

We will consider combinations of level three qualifications. 

A science for this programme is considered to be Biology, Physics or Chemistry.  

We welcome applications from individuals with equivalent, non-UK qualifications and mature students (over 21). We may interview as part of the application process. 

The minimum academic entry requirement for this programme is 80 UCAS tariff points, providing this is combined with relevant experience.  

Employability

Your career

Industry opportunities on this course are diverse, to ensure you develop the skills, experience and connections needed for your graduate career. Many of our students get their graduate roles with their work placement employers.

Work placements and experience

These form part of an optional year two module as well as an optional integrated placement year. We’ll support you to secure a placement with a UK-based or international employer, to match your interests and career goals – you’ll complete coursework. Placements can be paid or unpaid, and can be anywhere in the world. Students have completed placements at a range of zoos, wildlife charities and conservation organisations, farms, and diagnostic labs.

Field trips and guest lecturers

Field trips and industry professionals in lectures form an important part of your learning, enabling you to experience different businesses, careers and best practices.

As an Environmental Sciences student, in your second year you will undertake your choice of a residential or non-residential field trip within the UK, gaining valuable practical experience whilst not contributing to the additional carbon footprint of overseas travel. Extra fees are required for residential trips – please see the fees tab.

Within your modules you are likely to visit several local sites of interest including the River Wye and the Forest of Dean.

Recent guest lecturers have included conservationists, sustainability experts, and ecologists, in addition to academic researchers from a range of subject areas.

Graduate destinations

As an Environmental Sciences graduate, you may go on to a career in environmental consultation, sustainable food production, biodiversity net gain, environmental management,  waste management. You’ll also have the transferable skills you need for other graduate careers. Our careers team can support you to find and prepare to secure your perfect role. Recent graduate destinations have included:

Sustainability advisor in agriculture

Environmental researcher

Nature conservation officer

Masters and PhD programmes

How you'll study

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one to be the best you can be. This will range from your personal tutor and specialist academic support team (our Achievement and Success Centre) to dedicated wellbeing and employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) centres.

Academic support

You’ll have your own personal tutor while you’re here who will support you to succeed in your studies. You’ll also have access to our academic and wellbeing support teams who run regular workshops and one-to-one sessions on campus and online.

Alongside this, we have a comprehensive bank of online study skills resources to help you make the most of your qualification.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions, as well as supported work placement learning as part of many courses.

Your career

Each year of your course will be made up of two semesters, within which you’ll study compulsory and optional modules on different industry-focused topics, enabling you to develop your own unique portfolio of knowledge, skills and experience, ready for your career. The course is taught in English.

Modules

Throughout the BSc Environmental Science degree you’ll gain:

  • Knowledge about the structure, processes and linkages of Earth’s physical environments, the way that these establish and distribute a variety of conditions for living things, both globally and locally, and the effects of disruption by natural and human agency.
  • Understanding of human attitudes, behaviours and priorities about the environment, and how these shape our actions to damage, protect or restore both living and non-living environments.
  • Skills in the concepts, science and technologies through which we assess, monitor, evaluate and effect beneficial change in the environment.

As you progress from the first to the final year, you’ll gain incredible opportunities to apply the topics you learn across both our own campus at Hartpury and on sites in some of the surrounding areas such as the Forest of Dean and the River Severn valley. The campus at Hartpury offers a hugely diverse range of environments including woodlands, lake and waterways, arable fields, and livestock pastures, all of which you will explore within the teaching on this degree. This practical experience will give you a strong basis to conduct your own individual research project in the final year. You’ll also receive increasing amounts of career-relevant input to your studies through live briefs and through case studies or guest lectures from professionals in relevant practice. In the second year you can take an embedded work-experience module; you can also elect to take a year-long work placement between your second and final year which could be taken anywhere in the world depending upon your own interests. Throughout your degree you’ll benefit from the guidance of your academic tutor, the University’s wider student support services and careers guidance.

 

In your first year, you’ll establish a firm foundation of knowledge about the structure, processes and linkages of Earth environments and the opportunities these provide for living things around the globe. We’ll examine how variety among plants and animals arises and is distributed, globally and locally. We’ll investigate some of these ideas in practical work on our campus and in our laboratories,  and you’ll make the most of having these amazing environments right on the doorstep of our teaching facilities through activities ranging from species identification and monitoring to gathering samples we can take straight into the lab to analyse. We’ll explore the concept of environmental systems, how this helps us understand resilience and vulnerability in the environment and the effect of disruption such as pollution. Your academic tutor will support you in gaining academic skills in research, data literacy and scientific communication.

The topics you will study will include:

  • The physical environment – structure and processes of the atmosphere-ocean, lithosphere and hydrosphere, and how these environments change over time and space
  • Biological organisation from cells to ecosystems and the interactions between organisms and their environment
  • Global and local ecosystems
  • Human societies, sustainability and environmental governance
  • Environmental management
  • Academic and professional skills to be a successful environmental scientist
  • Fundamental specialist technical skills, e.g. laboratory practice, manipulation of digital spatial data in geographic information systems (GIS)

In Year two you’ll continue to build your understanding of issues in the abiotic and biotic environment with core modules in Environmental Pollution, Climate Change and Conservation Biology and select a specialist option (which may be engagement with professional practice).  You’ll start to prepare for independent research in your final year, by practising a range of investigative methodologies and applying these in a field course. We’ll examine the extent to which sustainability can be built into a business model and explore methodologies, such as Environmental Impact Assessment, for environmental protection.

The topics you will study will include:

  • Environmental pollution sources, pathways and effects
  • The science and impact of climate change
  • Fundamental principles of wildlife conservation
  • How the principles of sustainability are applied in practice
  • The process of academic research, methods of research and analysis
  • Field techniques for collecting data on a wide range of plant and animal taxa

An optional integrated placement year between your third and final years gives you the opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice and gain valuable industry experience.

In your final year of study, you’ll continue to study contemporary issues in environmental science, with a focus on applying your knowledge from earlier years to find solutions. You’ll undertake an extensive research investigation of your choice, with the guidance of staff and select option modules to increase your focus on topics that interest you most. Finally, we’ll support your preparation for a graduate career in environmental science by making a critical assessment of emerging environmental challenges at both global and local scales with a panel of experts and by practising skills of environmental management and communication.

As well as conducting your own independent research project with one-to-one support from an academic supervisor, the topics you will study will include:

  • Social licence and One Health within the agricultural industry and their impacts on sustainability
  • Professional competencies such as project management, costing, tendering and reporting
  • Biodiversity conservation challenges and develop practical management recommendations

Modules

Overview

Throughout the BSc Environmental Science degree you’ll gain:

  • Knowledge about the structure, processes and linkages of Earth’s physical environments, the way that these establish and distribute a variety of conditions for living things, both globally and locally, and the effects of disruption by natural and human agency.
  • Understanding of human attitudes, behaviours and priorities about the environment, and how these shape our actions to damage, protect or restore both living and non-living environments.
  • Skills in the concepts, science and technologies through which we assess, monitor, evaluate and effect beneficial change in the environment.

As you progress from the first to the final year, you’ll gain incredible opportunities to apply the topics you learn across both our own campus at Hartpury and on sites in some of the surrounding areas such as the Forest of Dean and the River Severn valley. The campus at Hartpury offers a hugely diverse range of environments including woodlands, lake and waterways, arable fields, and livestock pastures, all of which you will explore within the teaching on this degree. This practical experience will give you a strong basis to conduct your own individual research project in the final year. You’ll also receive increasing amounts of career-relevant input to your studies through live briefs and through case studies or guest lectures from professionals in relevant practice. In the second year you can take an embedded work-experience module; you can also elect to take a year-long work placement between your second and final year which could be taken anywhere in the world depending upon your own interests. Throughout your degree you’ll benefit from the guidance of your academic tutor, the University’s wider student support services and careers guidance.

 

Level four (year one)

In your first year, you’ll establish a firm foundation of knowledge about the structure, processes and linkages of Earth environments and the opportunities these provide for living things around the globe. We’ll examine how variety among plants and animals arises and is distributed, globally and locally. We’ll investigate some of these ideas in practical work on our campus and in our laboratories,  and you’ll make the most of having these amazing environments right on the doorstep of our teaching facilities through activities ranging from species identification and monitoring to gathering samples we can take straight into the lab to analyse. We’ll explore the concept of environmental systems, how this helps us understand resilience and vulnerability in the environment and the effect of disruption such as pollution. Your academic tutor will support you in gaining academic skills in research, data literacy and scientific communication.

The topics you will study will include:

  • The physical environment – structure and processes of the atmosphere-ocean, lithosphere and hydrosphere, and how these environments change over time and space
  • Biological organisation from cells to ecosystems and the interactions between organisms and their environment
  • Global and local ecosystems
  • Human societies, sustainability and environmental governance
  • Environmental management
  • Academic and professional skills to be a successful environmental scientist
  • Fundamental specialist technical skills, e.g. laboratory practice, manipulation of digital spatial data in geographic information systems (GIS)

Level five (year two)

In Year two you’ll continue to build your understanding of issues in the abiotic and biotic environment with core modules in Environmental Pollution, Climate Change and Conservation Biology and select a specialist option (which may be engagement with professional practice).  You’ll start to prepare for independent research in your final year, by practising a range of investigative methodologies and applying these in a field course. We’ll examine the extent to which sustainability can be built into a business model and explore methodologies, such as Environmental Impact Assessment, for environmental protection.

The topics you will study will include:

  • Environmental pollution sources, pathways and effects
  • The science and impact of climate change
  • Fundamental principles of wildlife conservation
  • How the principles of sustainability are applied in practice
  • The process of academic research, methods of research and analysis
  • Field techniques for collecting data on a wide range of plant and animal taxa

Integrated placement year (optional)

An optional integrated placement year between your third and final years gives you the opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice and gain valuable industry experience.

Level six (final year)

In your final year of study, you’ll continue to study contemporary issues in environmental science, with a focus on applying your knowledge from earlier years to find solutions. You’ll undertake an extensive research investigation of your choice, with the guidance of staff and select option modules to increase your focus on topics that interest you most. Finally, we’ll support your preparation for a graduate career in environmental science by making a critical assessment of emerging environmental challenges at both global and local scales with a panel of experts and by practising skills of environmental management and communication.

As well as conducting your own independent research project with one-to-one support from an academic supervisor, the topics you will study will include:

  • Social licence and One Health within the agricultural industry and their impacts on sustainability
  • Professional competencies such as project management, costing, tendering and reporting
  • Biodiversity conservation challenges and develop practical management recommendations

The modules contain a mixture of scheduled learning – lectures, workshops and practical sessions – alongside independent learning. Students are expected to dedicate at least two to three hours of independent study per contact hour. Your course may also include work placement learning as part of some modules.

Year Contact learning Placement learning Independent learning
Level four (year one) 24% 0% 76%
Level five (year two) 24% 0% 76%
Placement year - optional 1% 80% 19%
Level six (final year) 16% 0% 84%

You will be assessed through a mixture of written exams, practical exams and written assignments. Many of the modules will be marked based on a mixture of assessment types, whilst others will be based solely on one type of assessment. Feedback will be given via a mixture of written bullet point-style feedback and/or oral feedback.

Year Written exam Practical exam Coursework
Level four (year one) 25% 16% 59%
Level five (year two) 19% 16% 65%
Placement year - optional 0% 0% 100%
Level six (final year) 0% 12% 88%

Each year of this course is taught over two semesters, normally consisting of 12 weeks of scheduled teaching and then assessment weeks, with an overview below:

  • Scheduled teaching takes place between 8:30 to 20:30 Monday to Friday
  • Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities
  • Work placements may entail different days and hours
  • Part-time students may need to attend learning activities five days each week, depending on modules selected
  • Timetables are available during enrolment week.
View term dates

Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.

Clothing and footwear

You’ll need to purchase appropriate clothing and footwear before you enrol, or during enrolment week. We’ll let you know exactly what you need to purchase in your enrolment guide – everything is available from our supplier’s online shop for approximately £100.

Optional field trips (up to circa £600)

You are encouraged to engage in various trips and visits as part of the programme, these may involve a small fee to cover transport and or entry to the location. During Year 2, students will undertake a Field Course module, which involves one of two field trip options. The first is a residential trip to Slapton Ley in Devon. The second option consists of day visits to sites more locally around Gloucestershire. On each of these trips the students will study aspects of the local area relating to environmental science. The trip to Devon costs around £600 while the trips around Gloucestershire will be free to those students who choose this option.

Accommodation and living costs

Please visit our student accommodation page for details.

Fees & Finance

Our Resource Library is where you'll find all the essential details about Hartpury University's courses. It includes Programme and Module Specifications, along with Course Information Sheets for every course. You can easily download a complete revision history for each of these, clearly showing the dates changes were made.

Course Information Sheets: These are PDF versions of the course webpages. They provide an overview of the course, what to expect during your studies, and the topics covered.

Programme Specifications: These are detailed, validated documents containing academic specifics for each programme. They include descriptions of the programme, its aims, learning outcomes, year and module structure, as well as teaching, learning, and assessment strategies.

Module Specifications: Each Programme consists of several Modules. Our Module Specifications outline the topics covered and the expected outcomes for students studying each Module.

Resource library

Accommodation

Settle into an accommodation option to suit your taste and budget – at Hartpury University, undergraduate students can choose to live on-campus surrounded by Gloucestershire’s beautiful countryside or off-campus in the heart of Gloucester City centre. Enjoy the best of both worlds.

Hartpury University Accommodation

Finance

We can help you understand how it all works, and what you need to do next. Find out everything you need to know about tuition fees, student loans and bursaries and scholarships. In 2021/22, we provided assistance to over 1/3 of our students through bursaries, scholarships and grants, totalling a little under £1million.

Hartpury University Finance

Support

When you become a student at Hartpury, you become part of our community. As a small university, we provide personalised support based on your individual requirements and aspirations. Our teams cover wellbeing, achievement and success, learning support, careers, and more. From wellbeing, safety and employability, to finance, accommodation and IT, our staff will answer your questions or get you set up with someone who can.

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TEF Gold

Our undergraduate provision has been awarded Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold in all aspects - Overall, Student Experience, and Student Outcomes.

GUG 2025 Top 10 Teaching Quality Landscape

Teaching quality

Ranked in the top 10 universities for teaching quality (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025).

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Graduate employability

97% of our graduates are in employment, further study or other purposeful activity (Graduate Outcomes, 2024). 

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Academic support

We’re a top 10 university for academic support (NSS 2024, UK universities).

Skai Walker
“It's amazing that Hartpury offers the opportunity to work with different species as part of the degree. As part of the course, I did a 40-hour internship in the Animal Collection. I’ve been getting hands on with exotic animals – meerkats, skunks and prairie dogs. ”
Skai Walker
BSc (Hons) Human-Animal Interaction

Turn your passion into your career

The physical and emotional needs of animals is at the heart of everything we do. Working with research-active staff, our students contribute to studies that are helping us understand animals like never before.

Put theory into practice and boost your CV with access to over 70 species, laboratories, animal therapy and hydrotherapy centres, a new Equine and Animal Assisted Activities Area on a 360-hectare campus that provides an ideal environment.

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Important information

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are reviewed and developed regularly. Changes or cancellation of courses may be necessary to ensure alignment with emerging employment areas, to comply with accrediting body requirements, revisions to subject benchmark statements or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make necessary changes and will notify all offer-holders of changes as and when they occur.