Environmental Humanities

Environmental humanities is an emerging interdisciplinary field that brings humanistic inquiry to bear on the environmental crises of our time. Where environmental science asks what is happening to the natural world and why, the humanities ask what it means, how we should respond, and how our cultural, historical, ethical and aesthetic frameworks shape the way we understand and relate to the environment. Climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental justice and the future of human-nature relationships demand not just technical responses but a rethinking of the stories, values and ways of life that have produced these challenges.

At the University of Exeter, which has particular strength in both humanities and environmental research, this three-year full-time programme draws on a diverse range of modules taught by world-leading researchers across literature, history, philosophy, geography and related disciplines. You will develop key skills in communication and critical thinking alongside substantive knowledge of how human cultures have understood and shaped the natural world across different periods and places. A sandwich year gives you the opportunity for substantial professional experience before your final year, work placement opportunities are built in throughout, and the option to study abroad adds an international dimension to your engagement with global environmental questions.

The programme encourages you to connect academic inquiry with real-world engagement, developing the creative and critical thinking that is essential for producing more environmentally responsible societies.

Graduates move into environmental policy, sustainability consultancy, journalism, communications, heritage, conservation organisations, NGOs, arts and cultural institutions, education and academic research. Many pursue postgraduate study in environmental humanities, cultural geography, environmental history, sustainability or related fields. The combination of humanistic training and environmental focus is increasingly valued by employers working at the intersection of culture, society and the natural world.