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Deepen your understanding of the atmospheric physics and chemistry that govern weather systems, atmospheric composition and air pollution. You will explore the physical and dynamic properties of the atmosphere and how they influence air movement - from small-scale flows to global circulation patterns such as monsoons and El Niño.

You will examine the factors affecting important atmospheric trace gases and study the key chemical processes behind urban air pollution, acid rain and stratospheric ozone depletion.

Practical sessions and a field trip to our Hazelrigg meteorological station will introduce you to observing and reporting atmospheric conditions. You will also learn how these observations support meteorological analyses and forecasts. Lab-based activities will reinforce your understanding of chemical reaction rates and provide hands-on experience with standard air quality monitoring techniques.

This module provides a strong foundation in the data analysis and programming techniques essential for environmental and Earth scientists. You’ll be introduced to computer programming as a tool for analysing and visualising environmental data. You’ll develop the skills to work with large data sets and modelling systems, which are now central to environmental science. The module covers the fundamental tools of programming: running code in interactive development environments, editing, commenting, debugging and using variables, loops, conditional statements and functions. You’ll then apply these tools to carry out statistical analysis, test hypotheses and visualise data in a way that supports your understanding of the environmental and Earth sciences.

Develop your key environmental and Earth science field skills that bring together laboratory, analytical and interpretative approaches. This will allow you to critically examine a contemporary environmental challenge, such as the potential contamination of water courses by historic mining activity. You will learn important field skills that span a range of relevant disciplines including geology, hydrology and erosion, and apply these during a residential field trip to the Lake District. Subsequent laboratory analysis will allow you to measure water chemistry to determine the extent of contamination and you will apply a range of statistical techniques to process and interpret your results. You will learn how to present your results in a professional manner in the form of an environmental report.

Employers in the UK and internationally are increasingly looking for graduates with professional skills in hydrology and water quality. These include environmental consultancies, water companies, government regulators and environmental or humanitarian charities. In this module, you'll learn how water and pollutants move through surface and subsurface environments. You'll also explore the latest theories and technologies professionals use, including monitoring tools and modelling techniques. Real-world examples show how these approaches are applied. Topics include the impact of climate change on water resources, flood mitigation through natural methods and the nitrate time bomb in groundwater. You'll gain hands-on experience with both field measurements and lab-based modelling.

Soils are one of the most important, yet often overlooked, resources on the planet. Almost all our food relies on soil - it is the largest active store of carbon. The water we drink is stored and filtered through soils and they support over half of the planet’s biodiversity. In this module you will explore how soils are formed and the underpinning chemical, physical and biological processes that support the major biogeochemical cycles and life itself. We go on to explore some of the threats to soils, including soil erosion and salinisation and what we might do to mitigate them and then consider how soils are linked to the wider environment. You will be taught through a combination of lectures, a walking field lecture, fieldwork looking at soil profiles and laboratory classes to explore this exciting world beneath our feet.

Explore the scientific foundations of conservation biology and ecosystem ecology by examining how species, communities and environments interact. You'll develop an understanding of the significant threats to global biodiversity, such as habitat loss, climate change, invasive species and overexploitation and learn the ecological reasons why conservation is vital.

Through a mix of theory, real-world case studies and practical work, you'll learn how to quantify biodiversity, assess population sizes and threats and apply conservation strategies at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels. Key topics include ecosystem resilience, habitat connectivity, conservation prioritisation and designing protected areas to optimise biodiversity conservation. You'll also build essential skills in ecological assessment and conservation planning, which will give you a solid foundation for a career in ecology, environmental management, or conservation science.

Building on your earlier introduction to glacial systems, this module takes a deeper dive into how glaciers shape landscapes and interact with people and ecosystems. You’ll explore glacial processes in greater detail and begin to see how they connect across space and time. As you progress, you’ll be encouraged to critically engage with current research and understand how physical geographers interpret and contribute to this growing body of knowledge. By the end, you’ll be better equipped to identify how glaciology can inform environmental management and benefit both society and the natural environment.

Conduct an independent research project on a specific topic within your field of study and present your findings in an extensive report. Throughout your project, you will receive one-to-one support from a member of academic staff. This is the largest piece of work that you will complete during your degree and, depending on your subject area, it will enable you to develop skills including formulating a research question; contextualising it within research literature; identifying and using appropriate research methods and techniques with which to address your question; collecting and analysing data; and interpreting your findings. Overall, the aim is to demonstrate your ability to conduct rigorous, independent academic work and communicate its outcomes clearly and effectively.

The science and policy landscape around climate change, widely regarded as humanity’s biggest challenge, is rapidly evolving. This module covers climate change causes and effects, equipping you with a rounded understanding of underpinning processes and the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate and debate key contemporary issues. Fundamental carbon and energy balance concepts are introduced to explore how natural and anthropogenic forces (e.g. greenhouse gases) have shaped Earth’s climate since the industrial revolution and throughout geological time. Using real data, you will learn how changes to Earth’s climate are observed and modelled, appreciating uncertainties and how research is synthesised then communicated. Key aspects of current climate debates are explored, including geoengineering options versus conventional mitigation. With case studies, the successes and challenges of international climate policy and climate impacts at a range of scales are discussed.

The cryosphere holds a significant portion of Earth's fresh water, yet it faces growing threats from a warming climate. In this module, you'll explore the cryosphere as part of a wider environmental system, drawing on current research to understand how these frozen regions function and why they matter. Starting with the physical processes that influence the behaviour of ice masses, such as meltwater production and its effect on ice flow, you'll then examine the cryosphere's far-reaching impacts on downstream environments. By viewing glaciers as ecosystems, you'll uncover their role in sea-level changes, ecological interactions and climate feedbacks. You'll also gain insight into how scientists study these environments, using methods including fieldwork (like ice core sampling), remote sensing and modelling to monitor change and predict future outcomes.

Environmental pollution from metals, nutrients, radionuclides and emerging organic contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics has received a lot of attention across the media. Their effects on humans, wildlife and the environment are the subject of exciting and novel research. However, the sources of pollution and their pathways through the environment are still poorly understood. In this module, you’ll take a case study approach to explore where different pollutants come from, how they move through and impact the environment, and what this means for the world around you. But understanding the impacts is only half the story, you’ll also investigate how to monitor, manage and remediate pollution. You’ll engage with the latest approaches to reducing risk and exposure, helping you to think critically about how we can build a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future.

This field module focuses on the governance of dynamic and rapidly changing socio-ecological systems in tropical South East Asia – places often conceived as utopias. You will explore the concept of ‘utopia’ and how it relates to environment and development challenges, considering why they succeed or fail. Visit a range of sites that reflect a continuum of different management trajectories. Through these cases, you will explore related trade-offs and approaches to natural resource management. Engage with different stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, tourists, local farmers) to explore their differing views of utopia and preferred development and conservation trajectories and their implications for society and the biophysical landscape. This multidisciplinary trip is designed for you, whether you're a natural or social science student, and will challenge you to engage with literature, concepts, methods, and assignments from areas outside your immediate degree focus.

How are we transforming the way we supply and use energy to achieve our climate targets? In this cross-disciplinary module you will look at the major changes underway within our energy system. You will examine decarbonisation pathways in electricity, transport and heat, whilst considering supply and demand dynamics and carbon removal. Investigate real-world challenges including how to govern the energy system, economics, societal engagement and energy security. Through a combination of lecture, workshop and field-based activities, you will gain a ‘whole system view’ cutting across disciplines, enabling you to refine your critical thinking skills and ability to weigh up the opportunities and challenges associated with energy decarbonisation. You will benefit from real-world insight through understanding the university energy system and contributions to the course from energy professionals. The knowledge and skills develop will position you for further study or employment focused on a major societal challenge.

Despite delivering abundant cheap food, farmers and society have economic, environmental and social concerns about our modern resource-intensive agricultural systems. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of current intensive and proposed extensive agricultural systems by examining their food production, resource use, efficiency and environmental impacts. You’ll be introduced to key sustainability metrics such as carbon and water footprints and delve into the biological mechanisms behind a range of agronomic techniques. The module also looks at how agriculture contributes to ecosystem services. Through hands-on workshop sessions, you’ll compare microbial inoculants (bio-fertilisers) with synthetic fertilisers in a greenhouse-based plant growth trial and take part in a virtual farm management exercise to identify strategies for making UK agriculture more economically and environmentally sustainable.

Do you want to entertain and inspire children and the public in STEM? With an introduction to teaching as well as wider engagement opportunities, learn how to understand your audience and how to engage and enliven them. You will also learn how to balance this with educating them and presenting science in a way that’s appropriate to your audience. We include an introduction to pedagogy, how to inspire school pupils and how to use traditional and new media for science communication.

You will deliver an activity of your choosing to an audience. This could be a lesson at school, engaging with children at a large outreach event or delivering a public lecture. In addition, you will also reflect on your activity to discuss what you’ve learnt and what changes you would make. You can deliver this by either video, podcast or article.

Water is a critical natural resource for you and for all ecosystems. Successfully managing water resources is one of the most fundamental challenges facing society today. If you're aiming for a career in the water sector, you'll need to understand the policy and regulatory frameworks, technologies, and monitoring and classification approaches used to develop, conserve and restore water resources. This module gives you that understanding, drawing primarily on core material from the UK water sector and supported by global case studies where relevant. You’ll explore the management of both surface water and groundwater, tackling issues related to water quality and water availability. Your learning will be enriched through field visits and practical sessions with key UK stakeholders such as the Environment Agency and water companies, helping you gain skills and experience directly relevant to your future career.

Conduct an independent research project on a specific topic within your field of study and present your findings in an extensive report. Throughout your project, you will receive one-to-one support from a member of academic staff. This is the largest piece of work that you will complete during your degree and, depending on your subject area, it will enable you to develop skills including formulating a research question; contextualising it within research literature; identifying and using appropriate research methods and techniques with which to address your question; collecting and analysing data; and interpreting your findings. Overall, the aim is to demonstrate your ability to conduct rigorous, independent academic work and communicate its outcomes clearly and effectively.

Global food security means ensuring that everyone, everywhere, always has access to an affordable supply of safe and nutritious food. Today, up to a billion people remain undernourished, while many others face health issues linked to over-consumption. This interdisciplinary module explores the wide range of local and global factors that influence food availability, accessibility and utilisation. You’ll examine what makes a diet healthy and how access to key nutrients can be improved, for example through fish consumption or crop biofortification. The module also looks at how climate change affects food production, by influencing key biological processes like photosynthesis and reproductive development. You’ll explore the complex interplay between food, water and energy security, and assess the environmental footprint of the global food system, recognising the diverse needs and priorities of local communities who depend on food-producing regions.

Advances in environmental science increasingly rely on diverse data collected through a wide range of sensors and instruments. This module equips you with the skills to access, process and interpret varied digital datasets, using modern techniques and software underpinned by scientific rigour. You’ll learn how to critically assess data quality, recognise potential errors and apply methods to minimise their impact. Through real-world examples drawn from across the environmental sciences, you’ll gain confidence in working with complex, multi-source data and understand the value of integrating different data streams.

How do we make the decisions that will stop climate change, reverse the biodiversity crisis, keep our rivers clean and cope with a host of other environmental issues while providing the jobs, houses, renewable energy and other things we need for a high quality of life? This module will introduce you to the fast-moving world of environmental decision making through Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and the new approach of Environmental Outcome Reports (EORs). We take a practical approach, including site visits, to see how information is gathered and processed on plans, programmes and projects that may have a significant effect on the environment, and we explain the process, law, and key players right through to a decision. This practical approach helps you to gain confidence so that you’re ready to create and present a case either for or against a scheme.

We introduce you to the fundamental principles of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing and demonstrate how these complementary technologies may be used to capture/derive, manipulate, integrate, analyse and display different forms of spatially-referenced environmental data. We blend theory-led lectures with hands-on practical sessions using state-of-the-art software. Alongside core subject knowledge, you'll build transferable skills in synthesising geographical data, developing problem-solving strategies, managing your time effectively and presenting analysis through innovative graphical formats.

Geological hazards, especially earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions, endanger lives and livelihoods – disproportionately in vulnerable areas – and cause economic losses and infrastructure damage. Effective hazard management requires detailed understanding of the underlying physical processes, use of appropriate monitoring techniques to assess hazards and rigorous policymaking. In this module you’ll learn, via numerous case studies, how the boundaries of our knowledge of geological hazards are advanced by ongoing research. You’ll gain understanding of why landslides occur and the geomechanical models underpinning slope failure analysis and why faults slip. You will look at the probabilistic models used in seismic hazard assessment and how volcanic unrest and eruption relates to physical processes in magmatic systems. You will gain employability-relevant experience of geological hazards, which integrates field, remote sensing and modelling approaches and includes a site survey of a local landslide. You will thus develop systematic and creative approaches to identifying and solving problems.

This module will provide an introduction to Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and their legislative context in the United Kingdom and the European Union, placed into the broader context of international policy development. It will cover aspects of Schedule 1 projects that always require an EIA, such as waste incinerators and major road schemes, and Schedule 2 projects which sometimes require an EIA, such as wastewater treatment plants, quarries and dairies.

The syllabus will include essential elements and procedures contained within EIAs including screening, scoping, assessment and evaluation of impacts and development of alternatives, reporting through an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), review of the EIS, decision making, monitoring, compliance and auditing.

This module introduces students to the fundamental principles of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) and shows how these complementary technologies may be used to capture/derive, manipulate, integrate, analyse and display different forms of spatially-referenced environmental data. The module is highly vocational with theory-based lectures complemented by hands-on practical sessions using state-of-the-art software (ArcGIS & ERDAS Imagine).

In addition to the subject-specific aims, the module provides students with a range of generic skills to synthesise geographical data, develop suitable approaches to problem-solving, undertake independent learning (including time management) and present the results of the analysis in novel graphical formats.

Develop your theoretical and practical knowledge of volcanic processes by studying the evolution of a basaltic volcano. You will be part of pre-trip classroom sessions used to support the main residential fieldwork component of the module. You will cover a wide range of the complex physical volcanic processes that take place both on the surface, within and beneath volcanoes. You will explore geological evidence for constructional (eruptive and intrusive) events as well as for destructive (collapse) events. On top of that, you will also interpret field observations, over scales varying from millimetres to kilometres, in terms of their causal volcanic processes and evaluate the associated hazard. You'll use a problem-based learning approach to tackle major challenges, such as understanding the magmatic plumbing system and how it shapes modern approaches to hazard analysis and mitigation.

Take a critical, yet hands-on approach to exploring the role of eco-innovation as a pathway towards sustainable development.

Through action-learning, you will identify and address complex real-world sustainability challenges by developing your own eco-innovation proposals – viable ideas with the potential to reduce human impact on the environment whilst simultaneously delivering the economic and social ambitions of the global sustainable development agenda.

Working in small teams, you will combine key sustainability concepts and business planning approaches to develop effective eco-innovations. Throughout, you will gain valuable transferable skills including team working, problem analysis and framing, and effective oral and written communication to professional and non-academic audiences.

By the end of the module, you will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of the forefront of eco-innovation for sustainable development, along with practical skills and increased confidence to help you drive change in real world professional environments.

This field-based, interdisciplinary module puts you at the heart of environmental sustainability case studies right on our doorstep in Lancaster. These may include:

• Pollution at Windermere
• Habitat restoration in the Cumbrian Lake District
• The energy transition from coal mines to renewables
• Innovative waste management schemes
• Local food initiatives

With each case study, our academic and research staff work alongside external stakeholders in the identification, assessment, and remediation of environmental challenges.

Our most pressing environmental sustainability challenges include biodiversity loss, climate change, waste and pollution management, uncertain food security and dwindling resources. There is an ever-increasing demand for graduates versed in these complex issues, whose critical thinking and original, creative problem-solving can make a difference.

You’ll gain both first-hand knowledge relevant to careers in environmental sustainability, and experience in effective communication that cuts across disciplinary boundaries and brings together the University, the private sector, and the wider public.

Explore fundamental soil processes, from the physical, to the chemical and biological, the value of sustainable soil management, and the challenges faced by soils in the light of global change.

You will gain an advanced understanding of the research that underpins our knowledge of soil formation, soil structure and soil chemistry, together with the cycling of nutrients, water and carbon within soils.

You will additionally examine soil biology and biodiversity, and the interaction between soil microbes, and soil biota and plants with respect to soil processes. Finally, you will critically assess the role of soils in addressing sustainability challenges, such as climate mitigation.