| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
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Entry Points (2022) 512
Course Overview
Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary study which examines the interaction between humans and the environment, with specific reference to the effects of modern technological advances.
Today, the necessity to understand our environment has never been more urgent and the need for environmental scientists to deal with increasingly complex issues is growing. The course provides a thorough grounding in the basic sciences in the first year, followed by the application of this knowledge to current environmental problems in the later years. While studying a broad range of subjects, students are also given the opportunity to specialise in topics of their choice.
Program Outline
Course Outline
YEAR ONE
• Biology
• Hot Topics in Environmental Science
• Introduction to Law
• Introduction to Statistical Data and Probability With either:
• Chemistry
• Physics or
• Chemistry/Physics
• Introduction to Psychology I and II
• Introduction to Irish Habitats
YEAR TWO
• Environmental Modules
• Botany and Plant Science Modules
• Earth and Ocean Sciences Modules
• Microbiology Modules
• Zoology Modules
• Environmental Legislation
YEAR THREE
• Nature Conservation and Habitat Management
• Field Course with Environmental Skills
• Habitat Management Planning
• Legislation for Environmental Scientists
• Environmental Microbiology
• Microbial Genomics
• Plant Resources and Ecosystems
• Introduction to Biostatistics
• Plus four electives from a wide range of modules
YEAR FOUR
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Environmental Science Seminars
• Advanced Field Course in Environmental Science
• Final Year Project
• Plus four electives from a wide range of modules
Curriculum Information
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.
Glossary of Terms
Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject
Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject
A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.
Year 1 (60 Credits)
OptionalCH101:
Chemistry- 15 Credits - Semester 1
Optional
PH101:
Physics- 15 Credits - Semester 1
Optional
CP102:
Chemistry/Physics- 15 Credits - Semester 1
Optional
PS122:
Introductory Psychology 1- 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required
LW3114:
Introduction to Law- 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required
BO101:
Biology- 15 Credits - Semester 1
Required
ST2001:
Statistics for Data Science 1- 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional
PS124:
Introductory Psychology 2- 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional
EV1101:
Introduction to Irish habitats- 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required
EV102:
Hot Topics in Environmental Science- 5 Credits - Semester 2
Year 2 (60 Credits)
RequiredMI202:
Laboratory Skills in Microbiology I- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
EV203:
Ecological Survey Techniques- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
LW217:
Environmental Legislation- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
BPS202:
Fundamentals in Aquatic Plant Science- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional
BO202:
Evolution and the Tree of Life- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
ZO209:
Vertebrate Zoology- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
MI203:
Laboratory Skills in Microbiology II- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
MI204:
Microbes and the Environment- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
ZO208:
Invertebrate Biology- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
BPS203:
Plant Diversity, Physiology & Adaptation- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
EOS2102:
The Earth: From Core to Crust- 10 Credits - Semester 4
Required
EOS2101:
Introduction to Fieldskills- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Why Choose This Course?
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the programme have worked with such government bodies as the Environmental Protection Agency, Geological Survey of Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Teagasc, the Regional Fisheries Boards, the National Biodiversity Records Centre and Waterways Ireland, as well as for local authorities, as environmental consultants and for Rural Environment Protection Scheme Planning Agencies. Opportunities also exist in the private sector and working as researchers.About University of Galway
Founded in 1845, we've been inspiring students for 178 years. University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching.
Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint), Computer Science or Agricultural Science) and any two other subjects recognised for entry purposes.
