Environmental Science with Study Year Abroad
Environmental science examines the physical, chemical, and biological systems that make up the natural environment, and the ways in which human activity is changing them. It is one of the most genuinely multidisciplinary subjects available in higher education, drawing on ecology, chemistry, geology, hydrology, and geography alongside the social and policy dimensions of environmental management. The urgency of climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion gives the discipline an immediate relevance that few others can match, and well-trained environmental scientists are in demand across every sector that needs to understand, monitor, or mitigate environmental impacts.
At the University of Reading, this four-year full-time programme is accredited and gives you both a scientific grounding and the practical, field, and analytical skills needed to solve real environmental problems. You will study atmospheric science, freshwater and marine ecology, soil science, environmental chemistry, and the ecological consequences of human land use, alongside the policy and regulatory frameworks that govern environmental protection. Field skills are an important part of your education, and you will work in real environments, collecting and interpreting data that connects your academic learning to the complexity of actual environmental systems.
The study year abroad is a distinctive element of this programme, placing you in an international scientific and cultural context and broadening your understanding of how environmental challenges are approached in different parts of the world.
Graduates from accredited environmental science programmes work in environmental consultancy, government agencies, water and energy companies, conservation bodies, research institutions, and international development organisations. Further study at postgraduate level in environmental science, ecology, climate science, or environmental management is available for those who wish to pursue specialist or research careers.