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Top reasons to choose this course

• Travel and accommodation included in the fees for mandatory residential trips to locations such as Wales and Sicily (go to fees and costs section for more info).
• Learn to develop eco-friendly practices and policies.
• Learn with expert researchers, with research interests in air and water quality.
• Develop field skills on day trips and residential field trip options in every year of the course.
• Specialist facilities including an environment and public health laboratory.
• Work experience throughout the course including the option of a placement year.
• Flexibility to study the course part-time.
• 100% of our research impact is assessed as outstanding or very considerable in terms of its reach and significance –

Year 1

Designed to give you a broad understanding of environmental management, our first year introduces key areas like physical geography, data analysis, global environmental challenges and helps you to develop the academic and field skills needed for your degree. 

Modules

• Exploring Environments: An Introduction to Geographical and Environmental Fieldwork

  On this module you'll undertake a UK-based residential field course over three working days, supported by lectures and workshops. You'll take part in intensive study and field research skills training in different field environments. Themes that you'll cover include physical geography, environmental geography/ecology and human geography, with an introduction to risk assessment, research ethics and working across difference. 

• Statistical and Spatial Data Analysis

  This module introduces techniques used to analyse geographical and environmental data in both the academic and professional worlds. You'll develop the skills and abilities needed to display data graphically and visually, and to assess patterns/relationships through statistical testing, and geospatial display and analysis. You'll become a competent user of statistical software to support and hone your skills, and in the use and application of geospatial/remote sensing data and associated geographical information systems (GIS) software packages.

• Fundamentals of Physical Geography

  This module provides a theoretical and practical introduction to azonal (tectonic, climatic, hydrological, fluvial, coastal, slope, aeolian, and biogeographical) and zonal (glacial and periglacial) physical geographical systems. You will examine the ways in which these systems interact with and influence human activities, both at the present day and over archaeological timescales.

• Global Challenges: Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

  On this module you'll explore global environmental challenges from natural science and social science case perspectives. Case studies will introduce you to topical and current environmental challenges and you'll examine how some issues may be addressed through interdisciplinary management and mitigation. Alongside lectures, you'll take part in workshops where you'll look at research on contemporary issues that has been developed by students and small group engagement that will help you to deepen your thinking around the subject.

• Academic Learning for Geography and Environmental Studies

  This module will introduce you to academic study, observational and transferable skills for geographers, environmental managers and environmental scientists. You'll be supported in how to learn at university, and in particular, with learning independently. You'll also be introduced to survey design where you'll learn questionnaire and other survey design techniques as your first step towards independent research design.

• Introduction to Ecology and Conservation

  This module will introduce you to key concepts and principles in both ecology and conservation science – illustrated with case studies. The links between ecology and conservation and also between theory and applied research are emphasised

Year 2

Year 2 is where you'll start to deepen your subject-specific knowledge and skills. You will gain a critical understanding of issues such as those placed on landscapes from sectors including: energy generation, flood management, drinking water, historic environment resources and biodiversity; and environmental pollution including water pollution, air quality and waters.

You will develop employability skills relating to environmental management and work on your field skills.

Modules

• Professional Practice for Global Challenges

  In this module, you’ll develop professional competencies in applying geographical and environmental knowledge and skills to address complex, global challenges. You will take part in a collaborative consultancy exercise to improve your employability skills, including creative problem solving, project management, working in diverse teams and reflective learning for professional practice. Learning will be supported through engagement with employers, alumni and staff associated with the Brighton Works programme.

• Environmental Pollution

  This module investigates how society manages pollution in order to protect human health and the natural environment. You'll examine changing attitudes to pollution and how environment management and technology can be used for pollution control. You’ll explore sustainability and technologies in relation to the management of waste, air quality, water, wastewater and noise pollution.

• Environmental Economics

  Issues surrounding the environment and natural resources are becoming increasingly mainstream in economics. This module outlines how economic concepts, tools and policy instruments are relevant, and are used to understand and manage environmental issues at the level of businesses and governments.

• Geography and Environment International Field Work

  Geography and Environment International Field Work will give you the opportunity to gain practical experience through a range of geographical and environmental studies in exciting, stimulating and novel environments. In this residential field-based module you will experience qualitative and quantitative field techniques across different physical and socio-cultural landscapes outside of the UK. The module will focus on the full scope of field work, from research design to data collection, analysis and presentation.

• Research Design and Advanced Data Analysis

  This module focuses on growing your understanding of the research process in geography and environmental studies. You will develop data analysis skills, including classification, ordination, parametric and non-parametric statistics and multi-variate analysis, and training will be provided on qualitative methods and approaches such as interviews, focus groups, textual analysis and creative methods. The practical aspects of planning and designing a research project will also be covered so you can design your own research proposal to be carried out in the final year dissertation.

• GIS and Remote Sensing Principles and Practice

  This module will help you develop theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the areas of optical Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and apply this learning to real-world situations in the geographical, geological and environmental sciences. You will be encouraged to engage in spatial and digital computing, remote sensing, data handling and problem solving so you become proficient at using remote sensing and GIS software.

Placement year

A placement year offers you a great opportunity to:

• apply the knowledge and skills gained during your studies to a professional environment and discover new ones
• build knowledge of real-world businesses and organisations
• make contacts in industry and commerce
• increase your confidence
• improve your time management
• draw on the experience gained on placement to inform your final year studies.

Students from our geography and environmental sciences courses have secured placements in organisations such as the Department for Energy and Climate Change, Transport for London, the Field Studies Council, and with environmental firms and consultancies.

Final year 

The focus of your final year of the Environmental Management degree course is your dissertation, for which you will undertake live research in a specific area of environmental management.

Modules

• Atmosphere, Weather and Climate

  In this module, you will explore the atmosphere, its composition, links to climate change and atmospheric circulation, as well as the impacts of pollution and its mitigation. You will also investigate socio-political considerations. Case studies will be used to illustrate the major problems we face today, with a particular focus on road traffic pollution. During the module, you will take part in a mini air quality assessment project in the local area.

• Case Studies in Environmental Assessment and Management

  This module gives you a core understanding of contemporary environmental management issues. It will assess the global mega trends driving the need for environmental management, including climate change and biodiversity loss, and cover concepts and policy interventions to address these challenges. The module includes case studies that critically evaluate how environmental management is being addressed from policy through to project level, including waste management, food supply, coastal environmental management, sustainable business models and energy.

• Water, Sanitation and Health

  Water, Sanitation and Health explores the role of water in the transmission, distribution and control of disease, including its historical context, and categorises the main water-related diseases. You will look at sanitation, public and environmental health, current water-related agents of disease and how these may be affected by climate change. Themed workshops based on emerging water, sanitation and health issues will provide an opportunity for you to develop, debate and present on issues raised in lectures.

• Environmental Impact Assessment

  Environmental impact assessment [EIA] is an important phase in the implementation of a developments. In this module, you will examine the policies and practice behind EIA and the techniques and methodologies designed to consider the environmental consequences of activities. Although focused on UK practice, the module considers the evolution of environmental assessment both in the UK and globally. You will undertake a mock scoping exercise of an adjacent brownfield, a highway route ‘optioneering’ exercise and a local field trip.

• Dissertation

  This Dissertation module enables you to conduct a piece of original research on a topic of your choice. It provides an opportunity for deep learning around a specific topic and for the development of expertise in selected research methods and analytical techniques. You will demonstrate independence of thought and an ability to organise and execute an extensive and in-depth geographical, environmental or archaeological investigation. This is undertaken as the culmination of the honours degree.

Learning facilities 

Our facilities include:

• environment and public health laboratory equipped with bench top spectrophotometers, membrane filtration equipment, centrifuge, and sterilisation equipment for public health microbiology procedures and genetic profiling methods
• soil and water analysis laboratories equipped with a range of spectrometers for different uses, gas chromatographs, pH meters and experimental cells for experimental work into the electro-kinetics of contaminated sediments
• soil and sediment analysis laboratory with drying ovens, and Malvern Mastersizer 2000 laser particle size analyser
• hydraulics laboratory equipped with a recirculating flume with sediment transport system and interchangeable weirs, wave tank, a river basin for river/floodplain simulation and two further flumes with interchangeable weirs
• environmental simulation laboratory with hydraulic stream table
• scanning electron microscopy facility with dedicated technician support
• air quality laboratory with instrumentation to understand global atmospheric composition
• computer suites running GIS and other professional software
• equipment for field-based geophysical surveying
• field collection equipment.

Meet the team

Course fees

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,500 for UK students and £1,850 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and (pdf) for more on Ï㽶ֱ²¥ tuition fees.

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