Program Overview

The University of Bolton’s BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and Management degree focuses on how scientific knowledge and management principles are brought together to protect public health, support sustainable development, mitigate climate change and reduce the impact of human activities on the environment. If you’re keen to understand the complex relationship between mankind and the environment, this interdisciplinary and career-focused course is an excellent option.

Graduates working in this increasingly important field require a sound understanding of a diverse range of disciplines. While exploring the four key areas of climate change, flooding, pollution and environmental management, you’ll study a comprehensive range of scientific and managerial topics that will develop your understanding of how human activities impact on the environment. Together we’ll explore the interactions between the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment, as well as the social, economic and political processes that affect the natural world.

Our expert team will focus on helping you learn the key facts and concepts that are central to environmental science and environmental management. We’ll support you as you learn essential scientific and engineering principles and investigate how these are applied in environmental protection and restoration. You’ll also explore the physical, social, cultural, economic, political and legal contexts of the laws, practices and policies that relate to environmental management and governance. As well as developing your understanding of air, water and soil, we’ll cover how humans use natural resources and energy, and examine the links between fossil fuels and climate change. In addition, we’ll consider renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar power.

We understand how important it is for you to develop ‘real-world’ practical environmental science and research skills so we ensure that you have opportunities to undertake visits and fieldwork as well as learn how to perform laboratory analysis of environmental samples such as polluted air, water or soil. Our expert team will guide you as you learn laboratory procedures, from sampling, collecting and interpreting data, technical analysis and drawing reasoned conclusions, to how to present results and write-up technical reports. We’ll help you learn a variety of research methods and develop critical thinking and analysis skills. We’ll also support you to gain essential knowledge in environmental statistics and computer modelling so that you can understand the behaviour of environmental systems, and better interpret the impact of potential changes to provide predictions of what might happen in the future.

Throughout the course, we’ll focus on how to assess the impact of human activities on the environment and explore how using multidisciplinary approaches are necessary to combat and prevent environmental damage. You’ll explore the physical, social, cultural, economic, political and legal contexts of the laws, practices and policies that relate to environmental management and governance. We’ll also help you to develop the knowledge and skills required for effective project management by looking at a range of topics such as project design, approaches to management, personal roles and responsibilities, leadership and motivation, resource planning and utilisation, financial forecasting, contracts, quality assessment, risk assessment, and project management tools. Your studies will encompass key principles and best practice in environmental management, preparing you for higher-level business and governance roles where the need for compliance with international environmental standards must be integrated with other organisational objectives.

Overall, we’ll take a multidisciplinary approach to help you gain an exciting combination of academic, analytical, business and professional skills that will prepare you for a career in environmental science and management, as well as provide a springboard to postgraduate-level study.

Highlights

• This course considers many of the biggest challenges facing the world today. Drawing on a diverse range of disciplines, we’ll support you as you learn to make informed judgements about environmental issues and how to address them.
• A big part of our commitment to your progress is helping you develop your employability and industry networks. So we’ll encourage you to attend guest lectures that give your learning context, offer industry contact, and contribute to your underlying professional development. We’ll also encourage you to become a student member of a relevant professional body and take part in the events they offer to build your professional portfolio and reputation.
• During your final year, you’ll be expected to complete an independent research project where you conduct an in-depth investigation on an agreed topic. Our expert academic team will guide you as you gain knowledge of research methods, data collection and data analysis, as well as build your critical thinking and self-management skills.
• During your final year, you’ll also take part in an interdisciplinary project. This will be co-hosted by industry practitioners and you’ll work in a team with other students from this degree and related degree courses. This will help to develop your knowledge of current industry practices and build your transferable skills such as collaboration, teamwork and effective communication.
• We offer a warm and friendly environment, with relatively small class sizes, purpose-built teaching and laboratory facilities, and excellent student support and library services.

Key Features

• This course has been developed with input from key industry employers. We have strong industry links, reinforced by live briefs and case studies developed in conjunction with industry, as well as opportunities for placements.
• Our focus is on equipping you with fundamental knowledge and practical skills so that you can play an important role in the future, helping to secure a more sustainable world, protect finite resources, reduce pollution, minimise carbon dioxide emissions and minimise the impact of climate change.
• We offer you the knowledge and skills necessary to build a career helping to transform our economy into a green economy for the future.
• We prefer to keep lecture and practical classes relatively small so that you have plenty of opportunities to ask our friendly, supportive tutors for help, as well as benefit from the ideas and support offered by your classmates.
• We’ll focus on your individual needs, and provide personalised support to help find the learning strategies that best support your learning and ultimate success.

Professional recognition

• We’re seeking accreditations by environmental professional bodies and are in discussions with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).
• We’ll encourage you to become a student member of one of these professional bodies and take part in the events they offer to build your professional portfolio and reputation.