Environmental Science

Why study Environmental Science at Dundee?

Studying Environmental Science at Dundee provides you with the opportunity to explore the problems associated with the interaction of humans and the natural environment, focusing on topical and relevant issues such as climate change, pollution of land and water and the management of natural resources.

Our programme is interdisciplinary with teaching staff drawn from a wide range of academic areas. This means that you will benefit from exposure to methods, facilities and research agendas that span the environment – from life sciences including chemistry and biology, through hydrology, remote sensing, geology, geomorphology, oceanography and physics, to environmental planning and management. This provides a firm and rigorous foundation for your career in the environment.

Our staff operate an open-door policy for all students and students are encouraged to approach staff as and when they wish for help and support.

What's so good about Environmental Science at Dundee?

Professional Links

We have strong links to employers nationally, reflected by research and consultancy work undertaken by teaching staff and by the rising numbers of direct approaches we receive for graduates, including opportunities for work experience and summer placements. Guest lecturers from environmental employers address key environmental issues throughout the programme.

Application has been made for professional accreditation for the environmental science degree from the Institute of Environmental Sciences. This will further develop the already excellent links between our courses and employment opportunities.

Fieldwork

You will enjoy fieldwork at all four levels of study, embedded into each stage of our programme. This includes an overseas field trip to south-east Spain in Level 3, and day trips to the rich variety of stunning environments easily accessible from Dundee, from the Firth of Tay to the Cairngorms and beyond.

In addition to an academic understanding of environmental issues, you'll also acquire the practical skills to tackle environmental problems through techniques such as site investigation and sustainable resource management.

Erasmus Exchanges

Active exchange links enable you to study for a semester or year at Umea (Sweden), Lausanne (Switzerland), Dresden (Germany), Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid), Vigo (Portugal) and Flinders (Australia). Visit our Erasmus website for more information.

Geography and Environmental Science Society

Environmental Science students and staff quickly get to know each other through field classes and group project work, creating a friendly and informal atmosphere. In addition to this, the student-run Geography and Environmental Science Society (GESS) provides a lively and informal focus for social activities, which include talks, dinners and an annual ceilidh.

Expeditions

Environmental Science students, together with Geography students, regularly organise expeditions to different parts of the world. In recent years groups of students have successfully raised funds and sponsorship to travel to Iceland and the European Alps, where they have carried out scientific research projects into glacier hazards, environmental change and human impacts on the environment.

Teaching & Assessment

This course is taught by the Environmental Science team, based in the School of the Environment.

Our staff have many contacts in environmental management and consultancy, with expeditions and other academic units, all of which can be used to provide invaluable experience for students in their final-year projects.

Careers

As a graduate in environmental science you will have high employment prospects. You will have a solid scientific base knowledge together with valuable interpretative skills much sought by prospective employers in many fields such as environmental protection, environmental consultancy and the water industry.

Our focus on skills emphasises both transferable skills (e.g. in numerical problem-solving, communication and team working) and discipline-specific skills (e.g. flood risk assessment using industry-standard hydrological models) which are endorsed by employers as relevant to the needs of the employment marketplace.

Staff have especially strong working relationships with the UK environmental regulatory agencies. Typical examples of recent graduate destinations include the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, consultants (e.g. Enviros, MWH, Environmental Resources Management, W A Fairhurst) and local authorities.

Postgraduate study

Further study is available by taking one of our postgraduate Masters programmes in Environmental Studies (natural) or Environmental Studies (built).

Entry Requirements

The following are the minimum requirements, please note qualifications have to be obtained at the first sitting of examinations.

Courses starting September 2013

Level 1 entry

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	AABB
GCE A-Level	BBB
ILC Higher	AABB
IB Diploma	30 points (including 5, 5, 5 at Higher Level)
Essential Subjects	Biology or Chemistry or Physics at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level, ILC Higher or IB Higher Level, and check requirements for other Joint Honours subjects
EU & International	Visit our EU and International webpages for entry requirements tailored to your home country

Advanced Entry (to Level 2)

Qualification	Grade
SQA Advanced Higher	AB (Advanced Higher) + BB (Higher) in different subjects
GCE A-Level	AAB
IB Diploma	34 points (including 6, 6, 5 at Higher Level)
Essential Subjects	Biology or Chemistry or Physics at SQA Advanced Higher, GCE A-Level or IB Higher Level, and check requirements for other Joint Honours subjects

Other Qualifications

Qualification	Grade
SQA	A relevant HNC with grade B in the Graded Unit (Level 1 entry) A relevant HND with BB in the Graded Units (Level 2 entry)
Scottish Baccalaureate	Pass with CC at Advanced Higher (Level 1 entry) Pass with BB at Advanced Higher (Level 2 entry)
SWAP Access Programmes	Relevant subjects with ABB grades to include English Literature/Language at SCQF Level 6 and Communication 4 plus Literature 1 (Level 1 entry)
EDEXCEL	A relevant BTEC Extended Diploma with DDM (Level 1 entry) A relevant BTEC Extended Diploma with DDD (Level 2 entry)
Advanced Diploma	Grade B with ASL-A Level at B (Level 1 entry) Grade A with ASL-A Level at A (Level 2 entry)
Welsh Baccalaureate	Pass with A Levels at BB (Level 1 entry) Pass with A Levels at AA (Level 2 entry)
Entry to BSc degrees requires a Science component equivalent to SQA Higher.
Applicants with alternative overseas qualifications should visit the relevant country page on our International website.

Joint Honours Degrees

For details of typical entry requirements for joint honours degrees, please visit the relevant webpage for the other subject.

Fees and Funding

There have been many changes to the arrangements for funding students entering higher education in recent years, yet a degree from the University of Dundee, with its high rate of employment success, remains a cost-effective option.

The fees you pay will, in most cases, depend on your current country of residence.

Fee category	Fees for students starting September 2012	Scholarships & Bursaries applicable
Scottish students	£1,820 per year of study. You can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government.	School Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships
Students from the rest of the UK	£9,000 per year, for a maximum of 3 years, even if you are studying a four year degree. You can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of the tuition fees, from the Student Loan Company.	University of Dundee Bursaries School Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships
EU students	£1,820 per year of study. You can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government.	Other Scholarships
Overseas students (non-EU)	£9,700 per year.	School Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships

The fee shown is annual, and may be subject to an increase each year.

Living Costs

• Dundee is ranked as one of the most affordable places for students to live in the UK, and the cost of living is around 15% cheaper than the UK average.
• Increasing numbers of students are successfully undertaking part-time work to supplement their income. You can get advice from our Careers Service, both about job opportunities and how to find a suitable study/work/life balance. EU and international students are also allowed to work up to 20 hours per week.
• As a student in Scotland, you have free access to the National Health Service. Visits to doctors and hospitals, as well as prescriptions, sight tests and dental checkups, are available free of charge.

Your Application

All applications must be made through UCAS

UCAS Codes

Institution Code: D65

Degree	UCAS Codes	KIS data
BSc Degree Programmes
BSc Environmental Science	F750	View KIS data for this course
BSc Environmental Science and Geography	LF77	View KIS data for this course
MA Degree Programme
MA Environmental Science and Geography	FL77	View KIS data for this course

UCAS Application Process

International Applicants

We have information specifically for international applicants on our International website:

• Your Home Country - including information about qualifications from individual countries
• Fees and Funding
• English Language Requirements
• International Student Support

What skills, qualities and experience do I need?

The Dundee MA degrees follow the distinctive pattern of many Scottish universities by offering a broad-based education that requires you to study a number of different subjects in Levels 1 and 2 (Level 2 only for the Advanced Entry Honours degrees). You do not have to finalise your choice of degree course until you are better able to appreciate both the nature of the subjects you are studying and the relationships between them. However, you must make an initial choice of course on the application form and we would expect you to provide some evidence of your enthusiasm for your chosen course and details of any relevant experience.

We use a range of learning methods at Dundee: you will be expected to respond to the information and advice provided by academic staff, especially in lectures; to prepare for and participate in tutorial discussion or to work in practical classes; to work individually or in groups on set assignments such as essays and projects; and to 'read round' the subject. Consequently, we are looking for evidence that you are capable of working systematically, of responding to the guidance of your teachers, and that you have both the ability and enthusiasm to successfully complete a degree programme.

A degree in Environmental Science helps you develop a wide range of complementary skills designed to support you in a career as an environmental professional. We place emphasis on basic skills of numeracy and literacy, but teach our courses in a way which makes them accessible to students from a wide range of academic backgrounds. Indeed, that diversity adds to the value of our students' learning experiences.

No prior environmental experience is required. Good students have an enthusiasm to learn about the environment and how our understanding of it affects its management. Many have gained their own insights into environmental issues through travelling abroad or through conservation projects. Basic IT skills and some breadth of basic grounding in the sciences are an advantage.

Tips for your application

What is important to us, in your application, is the evidence provided by the grades you have attained, or are predicted to attain, in your examinations, along with whatever you and your referee can point to indicating both your special interest in any of our subject areas, and your general liveliness of mind.

Your personal statement is an opportunity to say why you should be offered a place to study in Dundee. We are looking for applicants with an ability to express opinions clearly with reasoned support and evidence, who are open to critical guidance, and who have a commitment to high standards of achievement in all they do. These qualities can be demonstrated through academic attainment, paid or voluntary work, and extra-curricular activities of all kinds.

Referees should concisely indicate your analytical abilities, communication skills, capacity for academic work, and commitment to your studies. We will be interested to hear about examples of initiative, leadership, and any evidence of organisational skills. Indicators of a positive outlook and engagement with social and cultural activities will be welcome, as will an assessment of your potential to develop in the university environment.

We will consider applications to one or more MA courses at Dundee: each application will be considered on its merits. We are looking for applicants who either have achieved, or will achieve, the published requirements in terms of Highers, Advanced Highers, A-Levels or acceptable alternative qualifications.

Advanced Entry Honours Degree

It is possible to study for most of our honours degrees in 3 years if you have the required grades and subjects as listed in the Entry Requirements section. There are definite advantages to considering this route as the time needed to study is reduced by one year which enables you to start working and earning earlier.

Any questions?

If you have any further questions about the application process, please contact: