Earth and Environmental Science

Earth and environmental science addresses some of the most urgent questions facing humanity and the planet. How are the Earth's systems changing in response to human activity? How do we manage land, water, and natural resources sustainably?

What can the geological record tell us about past climates, and what does that mean for the future? This is a discipline for people who want to understand the planet in depth and to use that understanding in service of a more environmentally sensitive future.

At the University of Hull, this four-year full-time programme is designed for geoscientists with a passion for environmental questions. You will study the physical processes that shape the Earth's surface and interior alongside the biological, chemical, and climatic systems that interact with them. Topics span geomorphology, sedimentology, hydrogeology, palaeoclimatology, and environmental management, building a broad scientific understanding that is grounded in practical fieldwork and laboratory skills.

Field skills are central to this programme: you will learn to read landscapes and geological exposures directly, to collect and interpret environmental samples, and to use mapping and remote sensing techniques that are standard in professional practice. The study abroad element gives you the opportunity to encounter geological and environmental systems in a different part of the world, broadening your scientific perspective in ways that classroom and local fieldwork alone cannot provide.

Graduates from earth and environmental science programmes enter a wide range of sectors. Environmental consultancy, natural resources, engineering geology, hydrogeology, climate research, national parks and conservation bodies, local and national government, and the energy sector all employ geoscientists. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in specialisms such as hydrogeology, engineering geology, climate science, or environmental management, and postgraduate research degrees are common among those who wish to pursue academic or high-level applied science careers.