Environmental Science
Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of the natural world and the ways in which human activity interacts with and alters it. It draws on biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and social science to understand environmental systems, to investigate the causes and consequences of environmental change, and to develop evidence-based approaches to managing environmental problems. Climate change, biodiversity loss, water quality, soil degradation, air pollution, and sustainable land use are all within its scope, making it one of the most practically relevant scientific disciplines of the present century.
The University of Northampton's three-year full-time Environmental Science programme combines scientific rigour with an applied orientation. You will study ecology, physical geography, environmental chemistry, hydrology, climatology, and the tools of environmental monitoring and assessment, building the scientific foundation needed to understand how environmental systems function and how they respond to stress. Fieldwork is central to the discipline, and you will develop practical skills in data collection, habitat survey, water and soil sampling, and GIS, gaining experience of working outdoors in real environmental contexts alongside the laboratory and analytical work done on campus.
The programme also addresses environmental policy and management, equipping you to understand the regulatory frameworks within which environmental professionals operate and to communicate scientific findings to non-specialist audiences, including policymakers, planners, and the public.
A typical entry tariff of 104 points makes the programme accessible to a broad range of students with relevant scientific backgrounds, and you will develop both breadth across the discipline and increasing depth in areas of particular interest as you progress.
Graduates pursue careers in environmental consultancy, ecological surveying, conservation management, local authority environmental services, water industry roles, environmental regulation, sustainability in the private sector, and research. Postgraduate study in environmental science, ecology, conservation, or environmental management is also a well-established route.