Environment and Sustainability
Environment and Sustainability is a discipline that brings together the natural and social sciences to address the most consequential challenges facing the planet: climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, and the transition to more sustainable economic and social systems. Understanding these challenges requires both the scientific knowledge of how natural systems function and a critical analysis of the economic, political, and social forces that drive environmental change. It is a field where rigorous empirical research and the ability to think across disciplinary boundaries are equally important.
At Birkbeck College, this three-year full-time BSc is led by internationally recognised researchers and combines deep subject expertise with substantial practical experience. You will develop a rigorous understanding of the processes that drive environmental change, including atmospheric chemistry, ecology, hydrology, and earth systems science, alongside the social, economic, and policy dimensions of sustainability. The programme takes particular care to connect theory with practice, equipping you with the analytical and applied skills needed to understand natural systems under unprecedented pressure and to contribute to the design and evaluation of responses to environmental challenges.
Birkbeck's London location provides access to one of the world's major concentrations of environmental organisations, policy institutions, and research bodies.
Graduates of Environment and Sustainability programmes work in environmental consultancy, sustainability management, government and regulatory agencies, NGOs, international organisations, research, and the private sector in roles concerned with corporate sustainability. Many also pursue postgraduate study in environmental science, sustainability, ecology, or environmental policy, moving into research or more specialist professional roles. The growing urgency of climate change and sustainability challenges means that the demand for graduates with this combination of scientific and social science expertise continues to grow.