BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year)
About this course
BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year) is an undergraduate agriculture and environmental science degree centred on ecological principles and sustainable resource management. Core topics include Systems Design, Data Analysis, Research Methods, Fieldwork, Policy Analysis, Environmental Analysis, Critical & Analytical Thinking, and Ethics & Professional Practice. Students can choose between a Bachelor of Science route focusing on natural sciences and technology, or a Bachelor of Arts route focusing on social sciences and humanities. A mandatory 12-month professional placement year provides structured workplace experience prior to the final academic stage. The first year covers academic and practical foundations through Professional, Practical and Study Skills, Soil Science and Ecosystem Services, Farming Systems and Sustainability, Species Identification & Ecology, People & Environmental Change, and Energy, Climate & Waste Management. The second year progresses through Research and Evidence, Technology and Nature-Based Innovations, Global Development and Environmental Sustainability, Industry Engagement, Landscape Recovery and GIS, Environmental Access, Recreation and Education, and Nature Restoration and Species Reintroductions. The third year consists of the Professional Placement Year. The final year includes compulsory study in Countryside & Environmental Management, Environmental & Ecological Consultancy, Climate Change & Natural Resource Management, Advocacy & Activism in Food and Farming, and a Research Project, alongside optional modules such as Agri-Food Systems and Policies and Forestry and Natural Resources.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
Required : GCSE minimum five GCSEs at Grade C/4 including English Language and Mathematics (or Maths Numeracy for Welsh applicants) plus satisfactory level 3 qualifications: A-Level: (Example grades BCC) – minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points across three A-Levels or equivalent qualifications C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Extended Diploma (1080) at Distinction-Merit-Merit C&G NPTC/C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Diploma (720), Extended Certificate (360) and 90-Credit Diploma (540) acceptable when accompanied by other Level 3 qualifications International Baccalaureate: 26 points Access to Higher Education: 45 credits at level 3, of which 21 must be awarded at Distinction and 15 at Merit or higher. (Pass at Functional Skills level 2 are accepted in lieu of GCSE English & Mathematics) Other level 3 qualifications will be considered. You may also be eligible for a contextual offer if you’re from one of our link colleges, have been in care, from a non-white ethnic background, live in an area with low progression rates to university or you are a veteran/child of an armed forces family.
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What students say
Based on about 95 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Teaching on my course: 74%
- Learning opportunities: 70%
- Assessment and feedback: 70%
- Academic support: 74%
- Organisation and management: 74%
- Learning resources: 84%
- Student voice: 64%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 80 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 62%
- Gained a higher qualification: 22%
- Left higher education: 7%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 9%
What graduates do next
Based on about 28 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 75%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Further study: 5%
Most common jobs
- Elementary occupations: 15%
- Managers, directors and senior officials: 15%
- Architects, Chartered Architectural Technologists, Planning Officers, Surveyors and Construction Professionals: 10%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Business and public service associate professionals: 5%
- Find their work meaningful: 90%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 100%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 90%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 115 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 1%
- North West: 2%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 2%
- East Midlands: 7%
- West Midlands: 4%
- East of England: 19%
- London: 4%
- South East: 22%
- South West: 32%
- Wales: 6%
- Scotland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 70 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 80%
- A degree: 1%
- Other HE qualification: 19%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Silver for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Professional, Practical and Study Skills
- Soil Science and Ecosystem Services
- Farming Systems and Sustainability
- Species Identification & Ecology
- People & Environmental Change
- Energy, Climate & Waste Management
- Research and Evidence
- Technology and Nature-Based Innovations
- Global Development and Environmental Sustainability
- Industry Engagement
- Landscape Recovery and GIS
- Environmental Access, Recreation and Education
- Nature Restoration and Species Reintroductions
- Professional Placement Year
- Countryside & Environmental Management
- Environmental & Ecological Consultancy
- Climate Change & Natural Resource Management
- Research Project
- Agri-Food Systems and Policies
- Forestry and Natural Resources
- Advocacy & Activism in Food and Farming
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year) at Royal Agricultural University earn?
The median salary is £27,000 after 15 months, £25,000 after 3 years, £31,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £25,000 and £38,500. The £31,000 median after five years is £3,000 more than the UK median for Agriculture.
What do graduates of BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year) at Royal Agricultural University do next?
90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2022-23).
Are students happy with the teaching on BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year) at Royal Agricultural University?
74% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2024-25.
What grades do I need for BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year) at Royal Agricultural University?
The typical offer is BCC at A level, or 26 points in the IB. The average entrant had 114 UCAS points.
Does BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year) at Royal Agricultural University include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has a compulsory placement year.
How many students continue on BSc / BA (Hons) Environment & Sustainability (Professional Placement Year) at Royal Agricultural University?
62% of students continued into their second year, and 7% left higher education.