BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and Management

The University of Bolton’s BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and Management degree focuses on how scientific knowledge and management principles are brought together to protect public health, support sustainable development, mitigate climate change and reduce the impact of human activities on the environment. If you’re keen to understand the complex relationship between mankind and the environment, this interdisciplinary and career-focused course is an excellent option.

Graduates working in this increasingly important field require a sound understanding of a diverse range of disciplines. While exploring the four key areas of climate change, flooding, pollution and environmental management, you’ll study a comprehensive range of scientific and managerial topics that will develop your understanding of how human activities impact on the environment. Together we’ll explore the interactions between the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment, as well as the social, economic and political processes that affect the natural world.

Our expert team will focus on helping you learn the key facts and concepts that are central to environmental science and environmental management. We’ll support you as you learn essential scientific and engineering principles and investigate how these are applied in environmental protection and restoration. You’ll also explore the physical, social, cultural, economic, political and legal contexts of the laws, practices and policies that relate to environmental management and governance. As well as developing your understanding of air, water and soil, we’ll cover how humans use natural resources and energy, and examine the links between fossil fuels and climate change. In addition, we’ll consider renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar power.

We understand how important it is for you to develop ‘real-world’ practical environmental science and research skills so we ensure that you have opportunities to undertake visits and fieldwork as well as learn how to perform laboratory analysis of environmental samples such as polluted air, water or soil. Our expert team will guide you as you learn laboratory procedures, from sampling, collecting and interpreting data, technical analysis and drawing reasoned conclusions, to how to present results and write-up technical reports. We’ll help you learn a variety of research methods and develop critical thinking and analysis skills. We’ll also support you to gain essential knowledge in environmental statistics and computer modelling so that you can understand the behaviour of environmental systems, and better interpret the impact of potential changes to provide predictions of what might happen in the future.

Throughout the course, we’ll focus on how to assess the impact of human activities on the environment and explore how using multidisciplinary approaches are necessary to combat and prevent environmental damage. We’ll help you to develop the knowledge and skills required for effective project management by looking at a range of topics such as project design, approaches to management, personal roles and responsibilities, leadership and motivation, resource planning and utilisation, financial forecasting, contracts, quality assessment, risk assessment, and project management tools. Your studies will encompass key principles and best practice in environmental management, preparing you for higher-level business and governance roles where the need for compliance with international environmental standards must be integrated with other organisational objectives.

Overall, we’ll take a multidisciplinary approach to help you gain an exciting combination of academic, analytical, business and professional skills that will prepare you for a career in environmental science and management, as well as provide a springboard to postgraduate-level study.