Science & Environment

An exciting, modern course that sets you on a path towards becoming a registered environmental health practitioner. It’s an exceptionally varied, exciting profession with excellent career prospects within health and safety, food safety, environmental protection, housing standards, public health and nutrition.

On this course you examine complex environmental health problems and understand how to formulate effective solutions. This may involve providing education, giving advice or enforcement, and/or working with other agencies. You are taught by environmental health practitioners with experience in key areas and actively involved in environmental health and public protection research. We place a strong emphasis on developing your practical skills.

What you study

In Years 1 and 2 you focus on three discipline-based themes, which deliver key environmental health knowledge and concepts prior to the integration of these themes in the final year, and the development of a specialist food safety theme. The themes are as follows:
• regulation and enforcement
• public health
• environmental health interventions

Key discipline-based modules in Years 1 and 2 include Introduction to Investigation, Cell Biology and Microbiology, Construction Technology and Materials, Environmental Health, Consumer Protection, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Food Law and Safety, Risk Assessment, and Public Health and Health Promotion.

The final-year modules Food Safety Management and Control, Public Health and Houseing, Environmental Crime Investigation and Criminal Investigations have been designed to integrate the key concepts and heighten awareness of the continuing advances in environmental health, with focus upon specific interventions. You also develop your independent learning skills in your final year by undertaking a hypothesis-driven research project in biological sciences.

You develop key skills in research, and creating and applying knowledge.
In addition, the course has been designed to develop skills and attributes which prepare you for the world of work. For example, you undertake a series of intensive projects which mimic real-life situations and help you become an effective member of a team.

How you learn

You are expected to attend a range of lectures, small-group tutorials and hands-on laboratory sessions. Part of your course also involves a substantial research-based project.

Field and site visits are important components throughout this degree, allowing you to visit and gain firsthand experience of local sites of interest including construction sites, magistrates’ court, crown court, waste management facilities and a range of food manufacturing companies.

The course provides a number of contact teaching and assessment hours (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratory work, projects, examinations), but you are also expected to spend time on your own, called ‘self-study’ time, to review lecture notes, prepare coursework assignments, work on projects and revise for assessments.

Each year of full-time study consists of modules totalling 120 credits and each unit of credit corresponds to ten hours of learning and assessment (contact hours plus self-study hours). So, during one year of full-time study you can expect to have 1,200 hours of learning and assessment.

How you are assessed

The pathway involves different types of assessment including coursework assignments and examinations.

Professional placement

There is an option of taking a professional placement in your third year, often with a local authority, to enable you to gain valuable practical experience, so enhancing your education and improving future employment prospects.

Some graduates find work with the placement provider after graduation. Placements are usually in the UK although there may be opportunities overseas.

Professional accreditation

This Environmental Health degree has been developed in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) to be an accredited qualification which can lead to a career in environmental health, specialising in food safety enforcement and advice.

Career opportunities

Graduates are ideally suited to sectors including the local authorities, food and biotechnological industries, as well as careers in environmental agencies, teaching or postgraduate research.

Typical graduate starting salaries are in the region of £25,000 to £28,000. To find out more information about a career in Environmental Health please see the Environmental Health careers site

Entry requirements

To enter Year 1, you're expected to have a minimum of GCSE English and Maths (at grade C or above) and to have at least one science (ideally Biology, but Chemistry, Environmental Science, Applied Science (dual or single), Physics, Nutrition & Food Science or Mathematics) at Level 3 (for example A level, BTEC ND, ACCESS, IB).

You're normally invited for an interview, when you can also see our excellent facilities and meet staff and students. You then receive an individual offer. If you can't come for an interview, a typical offer might be 280 tariff points including at least grade C in Level 3 chemistry and biology. Depending on your subjects, Key Skills and General Studies may count towards the tariff point requirement.

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