Program Overview

Overview of the BSc Environment and Sustainable Development Programme

The BSc Environment and Sustainable Development programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is designed to equip students with a deep understanding of the complex relationships between environmental protection and economic development. This programme explores the nature, drivers, and politics of sustainable and unsustainable development, examining the relationship between environmental change and human wellbeing and development.

Programme Structure

• The programme is structured over three years, with students taking 12 units plus LSE100.
• In the first year, students take courses dealing with the natural environment and global issues relating to environmental change and sustainable development, as well as a course on contemporary geographical issues.
• The second year includes courses on international development, the environment, and environmental economics, with an opportunity to participate in a field trip.
• In the final year, students take geography and environment options totalling four units, which can include an independent research project (dissertation).

Entry Requirements

Home Students

• GCSEs: Several GCSE grades at A (or 7) and A* (or 8-9), with a minimum of GCSE English Language and Mathematics grades at B (6) or higher.
• A-levels: AAA, with consideration of AS grades if available.
• Contextual A-levels: ABB.
• A-level subject combinations: A broad mix of traditional academic subjects, with no set subject combination but a preference for social science subjects.

Overseas Students

• Select a country to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification.
• Competition for places at LSE is high, and meeting the standard entry requirements does not guarantee an offer of a place.

Fees and Funding

• Home student fee: £9,535 per year, with a potential rise in line with inflation in subsequent years.
• Overseas student fee: £30,700 per year, remaining at the same amount for each subsequent year of full-time study.
• Fieldtrip costs: Approximately £500, with bursaries available for students who can document financial need.

Learning and Assessment

• Teaching includes lectures, seminars, and classes, with a focus on independent study and research techniques.
• Assessment involves formative coursework and summative assessment, including examinations and extended essays.

Graduate Destinations

• Recent graduates have gone on to work in environmental policy and economics at the local, national, and international level.
• Median salary of undergraduate students 15 months after graduating: £38,000.
• Top 5 sectors for graduates: Information, Digital Technology and Data; Financial and Professional Services; Consultancy; Accounting and Auditing; Government, Public Sector and Policy.

Why Study with Us

• The Department of Geography and Environment at LSE is highly regarded nationally and internationally, ranked second for Geography in the QS World University Rankings 2025.
• Students have the opportunity to study geography in a university with a worldwide reputation in the social sciences.
• The department specialises in economic, urban, and development geography, environmental social science, and climate change, with a strong emphasis on real-world applications.

Career Support

• LSE offers a range of career support services, including CV workshops, careers fairs, and one-to-one sessions with careers consultants.
• The LSE Careers website provides further information on career support and resources available to students.