Course summary
Environmental Management is a field that is both diverse and dynamic. As such, this programme is designed to allow candidates to not only focus on what we can do to manage changes at the individual level, but also addresses the broader management challenges and learning to affect change across policy, planning, and community level behaviours. In addition, you will have opportunity to gain knowledge and practical experience of the biological, physical and ecological systems including awareness of their socio-economic and political contexts with exposure to some of the UK’s leading technology in this field. The programme has transferrable skills embedded within its approach, and delivers a very wide range of vocational skills and knowledge in specialist sectors of the industry. There are many potential career pathways available following completion of this degree award including environmental consultancy, environmental education, public relations and community engagement, environmental analysis and mitigation implementation, environmental engineering and technology, sustainable environmental management systems, and environmental policy analysis as just a few examples delivered within organisations such as SEPA, Scottish Water, Scottish Renewables, Zero Waste Scotland, or the Scottish Government. In addition, students can consider progression onto further post-graduate study in related areas both within the UK and abroad. Programme Learning Objectives:
- Engage with and evaluate new and current theory in the fields of environmental management and sustainability to provide understanding enabling management of environmental pressures and maintenance of environmental integrity and resilience.
- Appraise and evaluate the current principles and practice of sustainable development including assessment of risk of projects from environmental, ecological, and socio-economic perspectives.
- Applying industry established theoretical and empirical methods to holistically address key national and international environmental issues.
- Understand the relationship between natural and anthropogenic systems, and critically assess the impacts of human activity on the environment.
- Apply communication skills to collaborate with a diverse range of expert and non-expert stakeholders, facilitate change and reconcile between conflicting approaches.
- Contribute immediately and effectively to interdisciplinary teams in environmental industry, research, and consultancy with ability to critique and advise on future policy and practice.
- Design and implement environmental projects and research within the technical, political and socio-economic spheres.
Modules
Mandatory Modules for Year 1 include: Biodiversity Conservation, Ecology and Ecosystems, Geology and Geomorphology, Rural Land Use, Planning and Development: An Introduction, Environmental Awareness, Information Technology: Professional and Academic Applications, Pollution Management and Resource Recovery, and Economic Issues: An Introduction. Candidates will also undertake the Graded Unit Award in Environmental Management that provides project management, team work, and data collection and analysis experience. To allow progression onto the second year students will also complete Biology: An Introduction together with selecting three further modules from: Soil Management; Business Management: An Introduction; Transport Towards a Sustainable Future, or Classification and Identification of Organisms. Mandatory Modules in the second year include those listed in the above together with: Global Climate Systems; Resource Economics; Freshwater Environments: Management and Protection; Environmental Management Systems; Monitoring and Analytical Methods for Environmental Science; Fundamentals of Geospatial Approaches and Data Analysis in Environmental Science, and Sustainable Resource Recovery and Pollution Control. Candidates will also undertake two HND level Graded Unit Award in Environmental Management that provide project management, team work, and data collection and analysis experience in one, and examination experience and assessment of depth of retained core knowledge in the other. Second year students will also select five additional modules from an elective list (elective modules available vary annually and across the different campuses dependant on staff availability and specialism): Habitat Management; Terrestrial Ecology; Ecological Surveying; Energy and the Environment; Reclamation of Degraded Land; Marine Environments: Management and Protection; Tourism: Sustainability and Rural Communities; Environmental Chemistry: An Introduction (a mandatory elective on some campuses to support progression); Developing Skills for Personal Effectiveness; Rural Socio-economic Development; Forestry: Woodland Conservation; Education for Sustainability: Principles and Practice, or Farm Scale Renewable Energy. Mandatory Modules in this Degree in Year 3 include: Climate Change and the Global Environment; GIS and Remote Sensing; Research Skills and Data Analysis; Resource Efficiency and Security; Rural Planning and Environmental Assessment, and Community Project Management. Students will also select two further elective modules from (elective modules available vary annually and across the different campuses dependant on staff availability and specialism): Innovations in Energy Supply & Management; Ecological Principles and Applications; Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control; Evolutionary Ecology; Land and Habitat Restoration; Multi-purpose Woodland Management; Rural Development; Integrated Catchment Management; Conservation Site Management; Economic Policy Analysis or Environmental and Ecological Field Skills (this module is based on a 4 day – 1 week field study trip). Mandatory Modules in this Degree in Year 4 include: Novel Strategies in Carbon Management, Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development, and the Environmental Management Dissertation. Students will also select 3 further elective modules from (elective modules available vary annually and across the different campuses dependant on staff availability and specialism): Environmental Modelling and Risk Management; Action for Biodiversity; Blue-Green Infrastructure; Environmental Policy Analysis; Sustainable Environmental Management; Wildlife and Resource Conflicts Management; Resource Recovery and Circular Economy; Food and Agri-Business Management; Practical Applications in Multipurpose Woodland Management; Advanced GIS; Topical Issues; and Marine Ecology (based on a 4 day field trip).
Assessment method
A wide range of assessment methods are employed in this BSc Hons. award that include; case – study reporting, seminar delivery, site investigation, presentation, infographics, research brief, debate, formal examination, or scientific paper writing to name a few. To complete the BSc Hons. in Year 4, students undertake an independent research project in their area of interest and submit a final dissertation reporting their research findings. This can be done in collaboration with SRUC staff (across research or consultancy) or with an external supervisor from a number of organisations and other education institutes.
How to apply
29Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 8M9L
- Institution code:
- S01
- Campus name:
- Edinburgh
- Campus code:
- Z
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)
Applications may be considered for advanced entry to Yr 2 or 3 with relevant HNC or HND qualifications. Please contact the Admissions Team ([email protected]) to discuss your options further.
International applicants
SRUC has a long tradition of welcoming students from outside the UK to study with us, and we find they greatly enhance the learning experience of other students and their unique viewpoint and carried life experiences. International student rules and regulations are set by national governments. For the most up to date guidance, please visit our website – www.sruc.ac.uk
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
A level - BCC
Scottish Higher - BBCC
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H3, H3, H4, H4
GCSE/National 4/National 5
English language requirements
Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not been educated previously in the English language must provide evidence of their English language ability to ensure they can cope with the demands of a course taught and assessed in English. Further information about the English Language tests that we currently accept as proof of English Language ability can be viewed on our website. English language tests should be no more than two years old on the start date of your chosen course.
Guidance on English Language requirements
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £1820 | Year 1 |
| EU | £16000 | Year 1 |
| International | £16000 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Scottish students can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have tuition fees paid by the Scottish government. Students from the rest of the UK can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of the tuition fees, from the Student Loan Company.
Provider information
SRUC Scotland's Rural College
SRUC Edinburgh
West Mains Road
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG