Environment and Sustainability with Foundation Year

Course overview
People, society and governments are becoming increasingly aware of environmental problems, many of which are now becoming critical, such as a range of problems linked to climate change. In order to address these pressing issues, a framework of supporting policy, funding and hence employment, is developing, requiring graduates who have the right skills and knowledge in environmental sustainability, and who can make a difference after securing professional work in this sector.
The BSc/BA Environment and Sustainability will help students and to ‘make a difference’, giving them the contextual overview of key issues from the global to local scales, and examining the various factors at play and how these interact. In turn, the suite of modules will allow for a more detailed examination of specific aspects, with some flexibility for students to tailor their study towards their own areas of interest, helping bolster career pathways etc.
In the final year, students can choose either a BSc or BA award depending on which modules they select.
• The BSc award focuses on how all things environmental work and why, exploring the science, process and mechanisms behind this, optimizing sustainable management decisions.
• The BA award considers how environmental things work, but places emphasis on the role of society and people, policy and frameworks, and how each of these can act as drivers of change.

The Royal Agricultural University has a sustained and exemplary history of teaching students, dating back to 1845. The BSc/ BA Environment and Sustainability course benefits from this, particularly so from the land-based perspective where it is able to integrate important elements of agriculture, food production and retail into sustainable environmental management systems.

Work placement
In the third year of the degree programme, you will apply and develop your expertise during a 15-week work placement. Not only could you find yourself working for prestigious companies in the UK or across the world, you will also develop your confidence and make a range of industry contacts.

** The Integrated Foundation Year is suitable for applicants who have taken level 3 qualifications (A levels, BTEC etc.) in the UK. Overseas students who have not studied in the UK and completed their secondary education in their country, should look at taking an Interanational Foundation Programme in order to meet the entry criteria for the degree programmes offered by the RAU.

Please note that a foundation year is not the same as a foundation degree (FdSc). A foundation year will usually lead onto a three-year degree course, whereas a foundation degree is a standalone qualification generally studied over two years(FT).