Environmental Science and Sustainability

Environmental science and sustainability has become one of the defining fields of the early twenty-first century. As the scale of the environmental crises facing human societies has become clearer, the need for graduates who understand ecological systems, can analyse environmental data, and can contribute to the design of sustainable solutions has grown rapidly across industry, government and research. The discipline is inherently interdisciplinary, combining ecology, earth science, chemistry, policy analysis and social science to address problems that do not respect subject boundaries.

At the University of Derby, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year in professional placement, a year abroad and a work placement, making it one of the most richly experiential environmental science programmes available. You will study ecological processes, environmental monitoring, climate science, sustainability policy and the innovative approaches that industries and governments are developing in response to environmental pressure. The programme is designed to develop graduates who can work on practical environmental and sustainability problems, equipped with both the scientific knowledge and the strategic thinking that responsible environmental management requires.

Direct engagement with real-world challenges is central to the course.

Graduates from environmental science and sustainability programmes work in environmental consultancy, ecological surveying, sustainability management, conservation, local and national government, international development organisations and research institutions. The growing pressure on businesses to report on and reduce their environmental impact has expanded the range of sustainability-related roles available in the private sector. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in environmental science, sustainability, ecology, climate change or environmental management.

The combination of scientific rigour and policy awareness that the degree develops is increasingly valued by organisations working at the intersection of environment, business and governance.