Environmental Science and Sustainability with Foundation Year

Environmental science and sustainability is a field that applies natural science methods to understanding and addressing the environmental challenges created by human activity. It draws on ecology, chemistry, earth science, and biology to understand how ecosystems function and how they are being affected by pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction, while sustainability science examines how societies can develop in ways that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The two concerns are inseparable, and together they define one of the most urgent intellectual and practical challenges of our time.

At the University of Derby, this four-year full-time degree with a foundation year is designed to meet the growing demand for graduates skilled in developing innovative solutions to environmental and sustainability problems. The foundation year builds the scientific and academic preparation needed for the main programme. You will engage with environmental monitoring and assessment, ecology, sustainability policy and practice, and the scientific dimensions of climate change, developing both analytical skills and a practical orientation toward environmental problem-solving.

A sandwich year, year abroad, and work placement opportunities are built in, giving you professional and international experience. A typical entry tariff of 120 points applies.

Environmental science and sustainability graduates work in environmental consultancy, conservation organisations, local authorities, environmental agencies, sustainability teams within businesses, energy companies, and research institutes. The combination of scientific rigour and sustainability focus is increasingly valued as organisations across every sector grapple with their environmental impact. Postgraduate study in environmental science, sustainability, ecology, or climate policy is a natural continuation for those wishing to deepen their expertise.