BSc (Hons) Environmental Science Bachelor's degree at the University of Plymouth
BSc (Hons) Environmental Science at University of Plymouth. You'll progress through core theory, research methods and applied practice, with opportunities to choose specialist options and undertake an independent project.
About this course
BSc (Hons) Environmental science at the University of Plymouth offers exceptional opportunities to develop your understanding of human impact on the global environment and turn classroom theory into solutions to real environmental problems. From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Environmental Science is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Plymouth, based in University of Plymouth Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Environmental sciences graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 45% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £22,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Environmental Science, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 97% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Soils, Water, ClimateCore20 credits
Module details
Join us on a journey to discover Earth's essential natural resources, such as minerals, soils and water. Through engaging laboratory experiments and insightful data analysis, you will explore geochemical cycles and processes to gain a deep understanding of the linkages between Earth systems and our changing climate.
Assessment: 70% Remotely delivered assessments 30% Tests
- Our Ecological Planet: Biodiversity and Ecological ChangeCore20 credits
Module details
Explore Earth's ecosystems in this hands-on, interdisciplinary module! Dive into ecology, biodiversity, and conservation through fieldwork and case studies. Learn taxa identification, habitat dynamics, and key ecological processes. Build real-world skills to tackle global challenges and kickstart your career in environmental science and management.
Assessment: 70% Coursework 30% Tests
- The Environmental Manager's ToolboxCore20 credits
Module details
Discover the essential tools, strategies and concepts you'll need to tackle the biggest environmental challenges. Learn from industry experts and explore how our modern economy drives these challenges. Study how laws, governance, corporate responsibility, and sustainable practices are being used in imaginative ways to protect our planet. This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills to be a future-fit leader.
Assessment: 70% Coursework 30% Tests
- Our Digital PlanetCore20 credits
Module details
Explore the biggest challenges facing our planet today and discover how data analysis and visualisation can drive real-world solutions. You will be introduced to data analysis, GIS, and cartographic techniques through engaging, hands-on examples. You will develop essential skills while tackling pressing issues. You will receive personalised support from your tutor to help you excel at university-level study.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Tests
- Sustainable FuturesCore20 credits
Module details
Explore critical global sustainability challenges and solutions at local, national and international scales. Learn about core sustainability principles and their application to energy, biodiversity, land management, marine, travel, and personal behaviour. Sustainability sector experts share their experience, and students develop knowledge and teamwork skills through a tutor-supported group research project.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practicals
- Analytical Environmental TechnologiesCore20 credits
Module details
Tackle the biggest challenges to sustainability with modern analytical technologies. Master fundamental techniques, delving into theoretical concepts and real-world applications, empowering you to select the right tool for any environmental challenge. Dynamically blending theory and hands-on exercises, this module sharpens your critical thinking as you transform chemical samples into actionable environmental intelligence.
Assessment: 50% Practicals 50% Examinations
Year 2 12 modules
- Placement PreparationCore
Module details
This module explores the role of placements, work experience and volunteering for enhancing employability whilst at university and as a future graduate. It considers placement options (types, durations) and supports students in developing applications and preparing for interviews.
- Environmental Issues and CommunicationCore20 credits
Module details
Science isn't finished until it's communicated. Learn about some of the crucial challenges we face in communicating scientific data and ideas to create change in society. You will not just discover how to communicate to different groups - including policymakers, children, media organisations and science deniers - but you will also produce innovative multimedia communication pieces too.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Designing Research for a Changing PlanetCore20 credits
Module details
Further your understanding of the ways of thinking and practicing characteristic of your degree and apply new skills through the development of an independent research project. You'll develop key employability skills and tackle team challenges based on real workplace scenarios. Be empowered to take part in original research with one-to-one advice on a topic of your choice to prepare for your dissertation.
Assessment: 60% Coursework 40% Practicals
- Research Design in Action: Fieldwork for a Changing PlanetCore20 credits
Module details
Enhance your subject understanding by putting your research skills into action and immersing yourself in fieldwork. Explore real-world challenges in dynamic landscapes and engage with diverse communities in a range of exciting destinations. Work in a team to design and lead your own project, gaining practical experience that underpins your degree programme and advances your professional development.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practicals
- Principles and Professional Skills in Environmental Science and ManagementCore20 credits
Module details
What does it mean to be an environmental specialist? In this module you'll explore the different ways of investigating the environment and learn about the ideas that shape environmental research. With a strong focus on practical skills, problem-solving and professional reporting you'll explore how your learning connects to your own research activities on fieldwork and in your dissertation, and to your future career path.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Remotely delivered assessments
- Managing Human Impacts in the Marine EnvironmentOptional20 credits
Module details
Explore how human activities, from fisheries to energy extraction, affect marine ecosystems. You'll study pollution, biodiversity loss and management strategies used to mitigate impacts. Through case studies and evaluation of conservation tools, this module builds your ability to assess and manage human pressures on marine environments.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Scientific DivingOptional20 credits
Module details
Enhance your research capabilities through professional level scientific diving. Suitable for students with the HSE SCUBA qualification, this module trains you in underwater photography, surveying and sampling techniques. You'll plan and execute multidisciplinary dive projects, developing skills used in research, industry and environmental monitoring.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Geographical Information SystemsOptional20 credits
Module details
Dive into the exciting world of GIS with this hands-on module. You'll master the theory, methods, and spatial literacy needed to analyse real-world geographic data. Through interactive lectures and practical sessions, you'll explore geospatial data handling and cutting-edge spatial analysis and visualisation techniques. Develop valuable skills through project work, gaining the experience to tackle real-world challenges.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Tests
- Environmental Management and SustainabilityOptional20 credits
Module details
Expand your knowledge and critical thinking skills in key areas of environmental science and management, using insights from economics and environmental governance to explore solutions to real life problems affecting life supporting resources such as water, air, energy or food.
Assessment: 60% Coursework 40% Practicals
- Natural Ecosystems and Their ConservationOptional20 credits
Module details
UK nature conservation is evolving, embracing cutting-edge ideas like ecosystem services, rewilding and nature-based solutions. You'll study restoration management best practice, such as beaver reintroductions and temperate rainforest restoration. Get hands on experience of marine animal and plant identification and study animal adaptation to intertidal environments, gaining skills to make an impact in conservation.
Assessment: 50% Remotely delivered assessments 50% Tests
- The Art of ExperimentationOptional20 credits
Module details
Can you trust your data? Master collecting representative and reliable data through case studies applying fundamental theoretical concepts. In workshops, unpick robust approaches to sampling, processing, and analysis. Learn to design robust experiments, identify errors, and deliver trustworthy results that meet professional standards. Preparing you for your final year project and future career.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practicals
- Weather, Climate and MeteorologyOptional20 credits
Module details
What drives our weather and shapes our climate? Dive into the physics of the atmosphere, from thermodynamics to global circulation. You will analyse real meteorological and satellite data to understand weather systems and forecasting. By mastering these physical principles, you will uncover the scientific evidence behind climate variability and the critical role of meteorology in a sustainable future.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Remotely delivered assessments
Placement Year 1 modules
- PlacementCore
Module details
This module is a placement position, where a student undertakes a programme of work within a host company or organisation. The placement occurs within a yearlong period, meeting minimum duration requirements. Students experience applying their degree, experience professional practice, develop enhanced subject-related knowledge and skills, and undergo personal-professional development.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
Final Year 4 modules
- The Environmental ProfessionalCore20 credits
Module details
Develop the skills and knowledge essential for a career in the environmental sector. Engage with real-world challenges, work on industry-relevant projects, and learn from expert guest speakers. Build problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership skills while gaining hands-on experience in impact assessments, risk analysis, project pitching and stakeholder engagement. Maximise your potential for professional success.
Assessment: 60% Coursework 40% Practicals
- Global Environmental SolutionsCore20 credits
Module details
Explore interdisciplinary approaches to addressing contemporary global environmental challenges and enhance your skills in critically evaluating environmental policies and political frameworks affecting how environmental problems are managed. Apply environmental economics and sustainability principles to selected environmental issues and examine how research data informs complex environmental decision-making.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practicals
- Marine Conservation Policy and PlanningOptional20 credits
Module details
Discover how marine governance and conservation policy are shaped and implemented. Explore how policies protect marine ecosystems and threatened species, how regulatory authorities use management tools, and how approaches like marine spatial planning support sustainable resource use. Using case studies, this module builds critical thinking, equipping you with the knowledge to effectively manage marine environments.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Examinations
- Frontiers in Fieldwork: Unlocking Multidisciplinary PotentialOptional20 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This degree emphasises turning theory into solutions to real environmental problems. You'll usually start by building foundations in earth systems, ecology and environmental data analysis. Year 1 covers how the planet works as a system, populations and ecosystems in the field, and mapping techniques using GIS. In Year 2, a course like this normally moves to applied science: climate change and policy, pollution monitoring and environmental management, plus residential fieldwork on real landscapes. Year 3 offers specialist options such as conservation, water resources, energy and environmental policy, alongside work with organisations on live problems and an independent research project.
Who it's for
You're drawn to environmental challenges and want to understand the science behind them. You're practical as well as theoretical, comfortable in labs and outdoors, and able to handle both quantitative data and qualitative reasoning. You want a course that bridges textbook learning and real-world application, where you can test ideas and see their relevance. You're motivated by the prospect of contributing to environmental decision-making, whether in policy, conservation, industry or research.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 90% of Environmental Science graduates are in work or further study within 15 months, with 65% in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. Starting salaries typically fall between £24,000 and £30,000; after five years, graduate earnings range from £26,350 to £37,200. Recent entrants to this programme held A-levels or equivalent qualifications, with typical UCAS tariffs between 96 and 111 points. The University received Gold recognition for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
University & format
The BSc (Hons) Environmental Science is studied full-time over 3 years at the University of Plymouth, a university founded in 1992 located on its own campus. Teaching is in English. The degree is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences for eligibility to apply for associate membership. The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is recognised as a UK degree-awarding body.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 76% |
| another higher-education qualification | 21% |
| a Baccalaureate | 2% |
| an Access course | 2% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Plymouth →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Environmental Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £22,500 | £20,000 – £30,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £22,500 | £18,500 – £27,500 | 185 |
| 5 years after | £29,000 | £22,500 – £35,000 | 200 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in environmental science · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Environmental Science nationally
National figures for Environmental Science graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Environmental Science courses at the same study level.
Compared with 560 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
- Conservation and environment professionalsSOC 2020 215 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,520
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 45; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Environmental Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Environmental Science graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Environmental consultancies
- Environment Agency
- Energy & utilities
- NGOs & local authorities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Environmental Science graduates.
Environmental Science Graduate Leadership Scheme, HybridEnvironment AgencyRemote Environmental Science Evaluator – AI Output QAObsidianRemote Environmental Science Evaluator (Contract)MercorAssistant Professor: Ecology & Environmental Science and AISONICOMStrategic Leader, Environmental ScienceUK Research and Innovation (UKRI)Assistant Professor: Ecology, Evolution & Environmental ScienceImperial College LondonIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £22,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.0 out of 10: NSS 82.3% · in work or study 90% · continued 97%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Plymouth
Geography, earth and environmental studies (social sciences) across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of Plymouth Campus
3,218 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Environmental Science right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Plymouth from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £9,790 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Plymouth’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Plymouth and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Plymouth
Environmental Science at other universities
BA (Hons) English Studies and Climate ChangeAberystwyth UniversityBSc (Hons) Environmental Earth Science (with integrated year in industry)Aberystwyth UniversityBSc (Hons) Environmental Earth Science (with integrated year studying abroad)Aberystwyth UniversityBSc (Hons) Environmental Earth ScienceAberystwyth UniversityCommon questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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