Environmental Science degrees

Environmental Science degrees offer students an opportunity to be part of an exciting and rewarding career, explains Abhishek Sharma of the Institute for SWIMMER (University of Liverpool)

What is Environmental Science?
Environmental Science is the study of the earth’s natural resources - forests, soils, water, plants, and animals, and the benefits they bring to people in terms of providing essential food, water, green open spaces and diverse wildlife. 

In recent years, the environment has been a discussion topic in countless newspapers, magazines, radio and television programmes. Knowledge and awareness of the topic has therefore spread rapidly. From air and water pollution to global warming through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel burning, the environment has been on everybody’s mind and is at the heart of almost every political discussion.

As a case study in point, the Boxing Day 2005 Tsunami on the coastlines bordering the Indian Ocean shows how a natural phenomenon like an earthquake underneath the oceans can have a tremendous effect on the environment and the people who live and depend on it. The long term damage to the environment and its consequences for the survivors are enormous. Not least the pollution of water courses such as rivers and lakes through leakage of wastewater and chemicals from demolished households and industries which will poison drinking water supplies to local people. Many different animal and plant species collectively known as biodiversity have also been lost as the ocean waves have destroyed their habitat or surroundings such as forests, wetlands and coral reefs. The 21st century will witness even more environmental degradation caused by air & water pollution and loss of biodiversity, especially in poorer countries in Asia, Africa and South America.  However the rich nations will also not escape the consequences.

A Degree In Environmental Science
Environmental Science degrees in higher education require you to have good at subjects such as biology, chemistry, geography and mathematics at GCSE, and think about taking them for A-levels. These are the core subjects universities usually ask for at a graduate level. Most importantly, you should be interested in the global environment, care about the problems it is currently facing, and want to work on resolving them.

There are a number of environmental science courses available in universities and colleges throughout the UK. Confusingly, different courses have different titles, so look beyond environmental science into programs in environmental chemistry, ecology and environmental conservation, environmental management and environmental biology. A number of these courses are recognized or accredited by leading Professional bodies such as the Institution of Environmental Sciences (www.ies-uk.org.uk) and Institute for Environmental Management and Assessment (www.iema.org.uk). Visit http://www.ucas.com/search/index07.html or for a list of relevant degree courses.

Abhishek Sharma,
MSc, DIC, BSc (Honours), PGCE is a Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) Advisor at the Institute for SWIMMER (University of Liverpool), and based at the Environment Agency.
Email: abhishek.sharma@environment-agency.gov.uk
Website: www.liv.ac.uk/swimmer

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