Environmental Science
Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of natural and human-influenced Earth systems, examining how the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere interact and how those interactions are being altered by human activity. It draws on chemistry, ecology, geology, physics, and social science to address the most urgent environmental challenges of our time: climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, soil degradation, water scarcity, and the management of natural resources under pressure from growing human populations. Practitioners in this field combine scientific understanding with the ability to apply that understanding to real-world problems in policy, consultancy, and management.
At Birkbeck College, this part-time programme offers the chance to develop detailed knowledge of changing natural and anthropogenic Earth systems, taught by internationally recognised researchers. You will build both theoretical understanding and valuable practical skills in environmental science, examining atmospheric chemistry and climate dynamics, ecology and biodiversity, soil and water science, and the human dimensions of environmental change. Birkbeck's evening teaching model makes this a particularly well-suited programme for those who are working or have daytime commitments, and its location in London gives you access to one of the world's leading research environments in environmental and Earth sciences.
You will develop skills in environmental monitoring, data analysis, GIS, laboratory techniques, and the critical evaluation of environmental research, as well as the ability to communicate scientific findings to a range of audiences.
Graduates from environmental science degrees move into careers in environmental consultancy, government agencies such as the Environment Agency, conservation organisations, local authority sustainability and planning teams, the renewable energy sector, water companies, and research. Many pursue postgraduate study in environmental science, ecology, climate science, sustainable development, or related fields. The combination of scientific rigour and applied environmental knowledge is valued across a growing range of employers as environmental regulation and sustainability become central to business and policy.