Environmental Earth Sciences BSc (Honours)

Program Overview

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Environmental Earth Sciences BSc (Honours) 2025 entry

Overview

Environmental Earth Sciences will equip you to understand the changing environment of our dynamic planet. Combining aspects of climate science, oceanography, geology, biology, and geography, this degree considers how the oceans, atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere interact to drive environmental change from early Earth history to the modern era. The course also addresses the main challenges facing society today, including climate change, environmental degradation, and societal response.

Accreditation

The BSc in Environmental Earth Sciences from St Andrews is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences.

UCAS code

F642

Start date

September 2025

End date

September 2029

Duration

Four years full time

School

School of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Entry requirements

SQA Highers

• Standard entry grades: AAAB, including two of the following subjects: Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: AABB, including two of the following subjects: Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Gateway entry grades: Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

GCE A-Levels

• Standard entry grades: AAB, including two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: ABB, including two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, and Physics.

IB points

• Standard entry grades: 36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental systems and societies (ES&S), Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL5 in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental systems and societies (ES&S), Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.

General entry requirements

• All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.
• SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing science
  • Geography
  • Applications of Mathematics
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.
• GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing Science
  • Geography
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

Course details

Teaching format

• The School’s teaching philosophy is to provide a thorough understanding of Earth Sciences through experiential learning via field and lab-based study, first-hand experience in collecting data, testing hypotheses and undertaking analyses, and student-led investigative research.
• The BSc in Earth and Environmental Sciences is taught through a combination of:
  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Practical classes
  • Field work
  • Research projects

Assessment

• Typical class sizes include:
  • First year: lectures 140 to 230 students, tutorials 6 to 10 students
  • Second year: 50 to 60 students
  • Honours: 20 to 40 students
• When not attending lectures, tutorials and practical classes, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study.
• Assessment styles may imitate real workplace scenarios and some modules in Honours years are supported by visits to and by industry partners, and provide training in industry-standard software packages.

Modules

• First year:
  • Understanding Planet Earth
  • Earth's Resource Challenges
  • Astrobiology: The Search for Life in the Universe
• Second year:
  • Dynamic Earth: The Earth System
  • Dynamic Earth: Earth Surface Processes
  • Practical and Field Skills for Earth Sciences (Direct Entrants)
  • Dynamic Earth: Magma, Minerals and Metamorphism
• Honours - compulsory:
  • Advanced Field Skills in Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • Coding and Modelling in Earth Sciences
  • Data Analysis in Earth Sciences
  • Geochemistry
  • GIS and Spatial Analysis for Earth Scientists
  • Terrestrial Processes
  • Global Climate Change
  • Processes and Products in Sedimentary Systems
• Honours - optional modules fourth year:
  • Environmental Excursion
  • Research Review
  • Research Dissertation
  • Communication and Teaching in Science
  • Environmental Drivers of Marine Habitats
  • Global Resource Challenge
  • Pollution and Aqueous Chemistry
  • Special Topics in Climate Science
  • Subsurface Modelling and Geophysics for Earth Scientists

Fees

Scotland

£1,820

England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man

£9,535

EU and overseas

£31,670

Additional costs

• All taught fieldwork costs associated with travel and accommodation are covered by the School.

Joint Honours degrees

• You can also take Environmental Earth Sciences as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.
• UCAS code CFC6: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Earth Sciences
• UCAS code FF16: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Chemistry and Earth Sciences
• UCAS code CFC7: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Earth Sciences and Geography

Careers

• The School is proactive about developing career opportunities and career activities are provided for all students from first year onwards.
• Assessment styles may imitate real workplace scenarios and some modules in Honours years are supported by visits to and by industry partners, and provide training in industry-standard software packages.
• As a result, graduates are well prepared for a wide range of career options and graduate employment prospects are consistently among the best in the UK.
• There are multiple career options for Environmental Earth Sciences graduates, both specifically in the energy, natural resources, and environmental sectors, as well as in wider science and policy areas.
• The degrees offered provide advanced training in a wide range of transferable skills, including scientific problem solving, written communication and oral presentation, and field training.
• Recent employers of graduates include:
  • Accenture
  • BHP Billiton
  • BP
  • British Geological Survey
  • The Civil Service
  • Fugro
  • Gemfields
  • Geotechnics Ltd.
  • Hinkley Point C nuclear power station
  • JBA Consulting
  • JP Morgan
  • The Met Office
  • National Museums Scotland
  • Norsk Hydro
  • Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
  • Scottish Natural Heritage
• Many graduates undertake further study, both at MSc and PhD level.
• Recent PhD destinations include:
  • Boulder
  • Caltech
  • Cambridge
  • Durham
  • ETH Zurich
  • MIT
  • Oxford
  • Penn State
  • Stanford