Find the perfect course for you - chat with Diggory, our new AI uni coach.

University of Birmingham

UCAS Code: F850 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Entry requirements

A level

A,A,B

Required subjects and grades: At least one science° A level subject. °Subjects considered to be sciences: Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Electronics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Geology, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology and Statistics. Specified subjects excluded for entry: General Studies and Critical Thinking

Accepted in place of A levels with the following grade equivalencies: D2 = A*; D3 = A; M2 = B. Combinations of A levels and Principle subjects are accepted. NB required subjects must be offered (see A level Section)

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

6, 6, 5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall. Higher level subjects need to include the required subjects as defined for the A-level qualification, where applicable.

Accepted in place of a non-required A level with the equivalent grade.

UCAS Tariff

136

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course

Course option

4years

Full-time including placement abroad | 2026

Subject

Environmental sciences

The world is facing many environmental challenges. Join us and make a difference, develop your understanding of environmental issues and learn skills to tackle global challenges sustainably. Cultivate the knowledge to predict and mitigate complex environmental challenges, and graduate ready to apply yourself globally in environmental management and protection.

In year 3, you’ll spend eight months on a placement in New Zealand or Australia, joining a project group and receiving training in field and laboratory techniques. You’ll manage your own project, culminating in a professional placement report for academic credit. This hands-on experience is a core part of the BSc Environmental Sciences with Professional Placement Abroad program.

**Why Study Environmental Science at Birmingham?**

**Global fieldwork opportunities -** exciting opportunities for you to explore the world through field trips, in diverse locations such as Germany, Switzerland, Wales and the Peak District. Compulsory travel and accommodation costs are covered so that you can focus on getting the most out of your experience.

**Real-world connections –** our relationships with industry such as Public Health England, the Environment Agency and Wildlife Trusts provide research opportunities for student projects, and mean you’ll graduate with directly applicable skills to those needed by top employers in the field.

**Facilities fit for the future –** our resources include an ‘eco lab’ for the study of river systems, and the BiFOR facility in Stafford dedicated to advancing our understanding of how forests respond to environmental changes.

**Accreditation -** Our programmes in Environmental Science are accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning they meet high standards for teaching and learning, and develop graduates ready for the world of work.

**Research-led teaching –** our research feeds into teaching across our Environmental Science programmes as the world’s understanding of environments continually evolves. Our research at Birmingham was ranked third in the UK for earth systems and environmental sciences in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021).

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,535
per year
England
£9,535
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,535
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,535
per year
Scotland
£9,535
per year
Wales
£9,535
per year

The Uni

Course location:

University of Birmingham

Department:

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say

We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

90%
Environmental sciences

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Environmental sciences

Teaching and learning

96%
Staff make the subject interesting
88%
Staff are good at explaining things
88%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
80%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

84%
Library resources
84%
IT resources
80%
Course specific equipment and facilities
72%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

82%
UK students
18%
International students
39%
Male students
61%
Female students
76%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
A

After graduation

The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Environmental sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£28,000
high
Average annual salary
85%
med
Employed or in further education
80%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

16%
Business, research and administrative professionals
12%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
12%
Conservation and environment professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Environmental sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£23k

£23k

£28k

£28k

£33k

£33k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
place
University of Reading | Reading
Environmental Science with Professional Experience
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Full-time including placement abroad 2026
UCAS Points: 120-141
Lower entry requirements
place
University of Hertfordshire | Hatfield
Environmental Management and Ecology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time including placement abroad 2026
UCAS Points: 112-120
Nearby University
place
Keele University | Keele
Sustainability and Environmental Management
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time including placement abroad 2026
UCAS Points: 120
Same University
place
University of Birmingham | Birmingham
Environmental Science
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Full-time including placement abroad 2026
UCAS Points: 128

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here