Program Overview

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Environmental Biology MSci

Overview

Are you passionate about environmental protection, wildlife conservation, and ecology? Our course uncovers the human impacts on our natural environment. You will study environmental threats and management. The biggest threats to biodiversity are climate change, habitat loss, invasive species. You'll study the effect of these threats, and learn ways to manage and reduce them.

This integrated masters develops advanced skills in research, analytics, and communication.

Our flexible course means you can choose the modules that interest you most.

All environmental sciences students will complete fieldwork and gain practical skills. This real-world experience allows you to apply your knowledge and develop the skills which are in demand by the environmental sector.

Course Details

Qualification

MSci Hons

Entry Requirements

ABB including biology

UCAS Code

C152

Duration

4 years full-time

Start Date

September 2025

Fees

£9,535 per year (UK undergraduate students)

Course Structure

Year 1

• Academic Skills
• Building a Habitable Planet
• Environmental Science and Society
• Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour
• Geographical Information Systems for Environmental Monitoring
• Habitat Management
• Principles of Ecology

Year 2

• Climate Change Science
• Ecological Surveying
• Ecology
• Research and Professional Skills
• Optional modules:
  • Animal Behaviour and Physiology
  • Biological Photography and Imaging I
  • Computer Modelling in Science: Introduction
  • Ecosystem Processes
  • Environmental Plant Physiology
  • Evolutionary Biology of Animals
  • Forest Ecology and Management
  • Insect Biology
  • Managing Tourism and the Environment: Conflict or Consensus?
  • Practical Policy Making
  • Soils
  • The Green Planet
  • The Urban Environment

Year 3

• Environmental Biology Research Project
• Optional modules:
  • Applied Bioethics 1: Animals, Biotechnology and Society
  • Arctic Ecology Field Course
  • Biological Photography and Imaging II
  • Computer Modelling in Science: Applications
  • Conservation Genetics
  • Environmental Biotechnology
  • Evolutionary Ecology
  • Palaeobiology
  • Plants and the Light Environment
  • Plant Ecophysiology
  • Environmental Pollution Field Course
  • Sustainable Soil Management
  • Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Year 4

• Communication and Public Engagement Skills for Scientists
• MSci Research Project
• Project Management
• Statistics and Experimental Design for Bioscientists
• Writing and Reviewing Research Proposals

Additional Costs

• All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
• We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus.
• There are no additional costs for day visits and the non-residential field courses.
• Students are currently asked for a contribution of £250 towards the cost of the optional residential field course in Sweden.
• You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies. If you do these would cost around £40.
• Due to our commitment to sustainability, we don’t print lecture notes but these are available digitally. You will be given £5 worth of printer credits a year. You are welcome to buy more credits if you need them. It costs 4p to print one black and white page.
• If you do a work placement, you need to consider the travel and living costs associated with this.
• Personal laptops are not compulsory as we have computer labs that are open 24 hours a day but you may want to consider one if you wish to work at home.

Scholarships and Bursaries

• International students: We offer a range of international undergraduate scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.
• Home students: Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary, worth up to £1,000 a year. Full details can be found on our financial support pages.

Careers Overview

You could work for conservation organisations, environmental consultancies, alternative energy companies, local authorities, and government agencies.

Roles include:

• Environmental education
• Officers
• Consultants
• Marine biologists
• Nature conservation officers
• Hydrology, recycling, and sustainability officer

These degrees can also lead into roles in teaching, scientific journalism, or further research degrees.

Job Prospects

• 86.40% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Science secured employment or further study within 15 months of graduation.
• The average annual salary for these graduates was £27,834.
• HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017-2021 cohorts). The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.