HND Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change Foundation degree at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David
HND Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change at University of Wales Trinity Saint David also develops professional skills necessary for working in the environmental sector.
About this course
HND Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change is a Foundation degree (HND) at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, based in Swansea. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Environmental Science, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Contemporary Challenges: Making a Difference20 credits
- Learning in the Digital Era20 credits
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services20 credits
- Climate Change and Visual Activism20 credits
- Field and Laboratory Skills20 credits
- Physical Landscape and the Geosphere20 credits
Year 2 6 modules
- Changemakers: Creativity and Value Creation20 credits
- Changemakers: Building your Personal Brand for Sustainable Employment20 credits
- Coastal, Marine and Wildlife Conservation20 credits
- Environmental Legislation and Circular Economy20 credits
- Low Carbon Technologies20 credits
- Water Resources and Environmental Monitoring20 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
You'll study environmental science from first principles through to specialist research. A course like this normally moves from Earth systems (atmosphere, oceans and land) and ecology fundamentals in Year 1, where you'll also learn environmental data mapping and GIS. Year 2 typically covers climate change science and policy, pollution and environmental management, plus a residential field course applying methods to real landscapes. By Year 3, you'll choose specialist options such as climate science, conservation, GIS and remote sensing, environmental policy, or water and pollution, whilst undertaking practice-based sustainability work with organisations and completing an independent research dissertation. Throughout, fieldwork and data analysis are woven through the curriculum.
Who it's for
You'll thrive here if you're genuinely curious about environmental challenges and how they intersect with sustainability and climate policy. You should be comfortable with both conceptual thinking and practical application, the course weaves together theoretical foundations with real-world problem-solving. Part-time study means you'll develop time-management skills and bring workplace experience into the classroom. This programme suits people ready to deepen their environmental knowledge while building professional credentials without stepping away from work.
Careers & job market
Graduates from Environmental Science courses enter diverse sectors. Across the field nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of qualifying. Of those in employment, 65% occupy highly skilled roles or are pursuing further study. Starting salaries typically range from £24,000 to £30,000; after five years, graduates earn between £26,350 and £37,200. The Foundation degree is recognised nationally by the UK degree-awarding body, providing a formal qualification to progress toward honours degrees or move directly into environmental roles in government, NGOs, consulting, conservation and related sectors.
University & format
This HND (foundation degree) is studied part-time at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, located in Swansea. Instruction is in English. The University is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so your qualification will be nationally recognised. The university also offers bursaries and scholarships. Check their funding pages for eligibility.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
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 (code SCC8). 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 Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. 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. Set under Wales's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Wales Trinity Saint David →If you normally live in Wales
2026/27 total maintenance support from Student Finance Wales. How much of it is grant and how much is loan depends on household income; the total does not. If you normally live elsewhere, use your home funding body.
Check your entitlement with Student Finance Wales →Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: paid directly to the university by Student Finance Wales.
- Maintenance support: a mix of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales, weighted to household income.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Wales runs its own system through Student Finance Wales; check studentfinancewales.co.uk for current rates.
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.
- 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.
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 LondonWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
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 Swansea
2,278 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 Wales Trinity Saint David from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Wales Trinity Saint David; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. 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 Wales Trinity Saint David’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 Wales Trinity Saint David and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Wales Trinity Saint David
BSc (Hons) Environment, Sustainability and Climate ChangeBSc (Hons) · University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidBSc (Hons) Environment, Sustainability and Climate ChangeBSc (Hons) · University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidHND Environment, Sustainability and Climate ChangeHND · University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidBA (Hons) 3D Design & AnimationBA (Hons) · University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidEnvironmental 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
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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