Environmental Science with Business Management

Overview

From global challenges such as climate change and the loss of biodiversity to protecting the quality of local waterways we are all affected by environmental issues. The BSc Environmental Science with Business Management provides core training in physical and biological sciences which will enable you to understand these complex problems and train you to protect and manage the environment.

Through combining the study of environmental science with business management, you will acquire the necessary background to make or advise on many modern business decisions, for example sustainability, climate change, natural hazards, natural resources, waste management, energy issues and green taxation.

Three quarters of the modules you will take will be environmental science modules and a quarter will be in business management. You will develop knowledge and understanding of Earth systems, drawing on both the natural and social sciences. The programme also provides core training in environmental science research skills and techniques. Fieldwork opportunities include the Cairngorms, Isle of Cumbrae, Somerset, Malaysia and the Florida Everglades.

Why study Environmental Science with Business Management at Queen Mary?

The School of Geography at Queen Mary was ranked 1st in the UK for the quality of our research in the Government’s most recent Research Assessment Exercise (equal with Cambridge, Oxford, Durham and Bristol). This means you will learn from internationally renowned experts, people who regularly publish books and journal articles and add to our understanding of contemporary issues.

Our staff play an important role in shaping current events, acting as advisers to the BBC, CNN, World Bank, UNESCO, Department of Health, HM Treasury, The Environment Agency and Natural England among others.

Students have access to first-class facilities, including brand new, state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, our own ICT suites, and specialist research centres in urban geography, micromorphology, and terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Queen Mary is part of the EU’s Erasmus programme and we also have our own Exchange Programme with a number of universities in the United States and Australia. This means that, in year 2, you can study for a term or a year in English-speaking departments of geography in Denmark, Miami, Los Angeles or Melbourne.

Structure

Year 1

Compulsory modules:

• Introduction to Environmental Ideas and Practice
• Methods for Environmental Research
• Analysing Geographical and Environmental Data
• Fieldwork in Physical Geography and Environmental Science
• Earth Surface Science
• Fundamentals of Management
• Economics for Business

Options include:

• Global Environmental Issues
• Conservation and the Environment

Year 2

Compulsory modules:

• Earth System Cycles
• Research Strategies in Physical Environments
• Marketing
• Financial Accounting

Options include:

• Health, Inequality and Society
• Society, Culture and Space
• Spaces of Uneven Development
• Digital Worlds: Cartography, Modelling and GIS
• Global Environmental Change
• Global Change Biology
• Populations, Communities and Ecosystems
• Aquatic Ecosystems: Structure and Function

Year 3

Compulsory modules:

• Project in Environmental Science
• Integrated Catchment Management
• Strategy
• Human Resource Management

Options include:

• Environmental Management Applications
• Cold Environments
• Environmental Hazards
• Progress in Environmental Science
• Quaternary Palaeoenvironments
• Science and Politics of Climate Change
• Environmental Engineering
• International Environmental Law
• Advanced Aquatic Biology
• Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Entry requirements

AS/A-level:

Typical tariff or grades required: 300-340 points, equivalent to AAB-BBB at A-level. Though Geography A-level is preferred, it is not required. We usually ask for a grade B in Geography or another appropriate subject.

Additional information: One science A-level required Environmental Science with Business Management (F8N2)

Excluded subjects:

General Studies.

International Baccalaureate:

30-34 points overall.

Vocational and other qualifications:

The College accepts a wide range of qualifications such as; Access and Foundation programmes, vocational awards, Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish Highers and other Baccalaureates.

Visit our Undergraduate pages for further information on entry requirements.

Interviews

The School of Geography usually invites all applicants whose predicted grades meet or lie close to our standard offer to attend an interview and open day. We believe interviews are important. They enable us to judge your potential, rather than only your current academic performance.

We are looking for students who can demonstrate not only good academic achievement, but who also have a real commitment to and enthusiasm for Geography. Offers are made on the basis of your interview performance and your UCAS form, including your reference and personal statement. Our offers reflect a student's performance at interview and may lie within, or differ somewhat from, the standard range.

Interviews also enable you to get a better feel for the school, take extended tours of the campus and to meet current students.

Admission is based on academic merit and on the proven ability of the applicant to achieve success on their chosen programme of study.

Visit our International pages for information for applicants from outside the United Kingdom, including English language qualifications.

Learning and teaching

Our modules are delivered through a range of different teaching and learning methods. On average, you will spend 12 hours per week in a combination of lectures, seminars tutorials and practical classes.

Class sizes range from introductory lectures in the first year (50-100 students) to smaller lectures and seminars (around 20-50 students) in the second and third years, with plenty of opportunities for group work and discussion.

You will also take part in regular tutorials (small groups sessions with a member of academic staff) where you will receive further advice and guidance on getting to grips with readings and course material and developing your study skills. In the final year these are replaced with one-to-one meetings with your tutor as you prepare for your independent research project and plan your future career.

Many of the modules also include fieldwork components (in the UK and abroad) where you spend a day or up to several weeks in the field with members of staff putting your research skills into practice.

Independent Study:

For every hour spent in classes, you will be expected to complete a further 2-3 hours of independent study.  Your individual study time could be spent preparing for, or following up on formal study sessions; reading; producing written work; completing projects; and revising for examinations.

The direction of your individual study will be guided by the formal study sessions you attend, along with your reading lists and assignments. However, we expect you to demonstrate an active role in your own learning by reading widely and expanding your own knowledge, understanding and critical ability.

Independent study will foster in you the ability to identify your own learning needs and determine which areas you need to focus on to become proficient in your subject area. This is an important transferable skill and will help to prepare you for the transition to working life.

Assessment:

Most of our modules are assessed through a combination of coursework and examination. Coursework takes a variety of forms, including extended essays, short reports, posters, oral presentations and group work. You will also participate in problem-based learning (PBL), where you work in small, collaborative groups with guidance from the lecturer or seminar leader.

Coursework is submitted throughout the academic year. Exams are held in May and June. Most students must complete a final-year Independent Geographical Study or Project in Environmental Science of 10,000 words based upon an original study of their choice.

Fees and finance

TUITION FEES

Tuition Fees for Home and EU Students

2013 Entry
Full time                    £9,000

Tuition Fees for International Students

2013 Entry
Full time                    £TBC

You can either take out a Tuition Fee Loan (see Funding section below) to pay your fees or, if you are paying them yourself, you can pay in instalments.

Field trip costs and other course related costs which are not included in your tuition fee:

• The School of Geography will provide a £500 voucher to each first year student to cover the cost of compulsory fieldwork. Any residual amount can be used towards other additional fieldwork costs. Other non-compulsory fieldwork costs and cost of fieldwork for dissertation research will have to be met by the student.
• Students taking modules in Physical Geography and Environmental Science will require specialist clothing and footwear for fieldwork (e.g. walking boots and waterproofs, thermals, hats, gloves etc). Students who don’t already possess these items might have to spend around £150-£200. The School of Geography can offer advice on appropriate clothing and footwear for fieldwork.

Visit the main QM site for more
general information about fees.

FUNDING

Queen Mary has a substantial package of scholarships and bursaries which will benefit around 50 per cent of our undergraduate student body.

Scholarships and Bursaries available at Queen Mary for Home Students

There are a number of scholarships and bursaries available each year for home students including:

• Bursaries of up to £3,000 in year 1, for students from low income households who have the best grades: National Scholarship Programme
• Bursaries of up to £1,500 each year for students from low to middle income households: Queen Mary Bursaries
• A range of Scholarships and Bursaries of between £500 and £7,000 a year for studying certain subjects, living in the local area or coming from low income households

The fees and funding section of the main QM website contains further information about
financial support.

Scholarships available for International Students

Visit the main QM site for information about external scholarships.

Some International students may also be eligible for a fee reduction.

Visit the Academic Registry and Council Secretariat (ARCS) website for more information about bursaries.

Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 5079 or email: bursaries@qmul.ac.uk

Loans and Grants available to help with tuition fees and living costs

Student Finance England administers all grant and loans for your studies if you normally live in England.

If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland you have an equivalent Student Finance department for your region.

Through Student Finance England, you can apply for:

• A Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,000 to pay all or part of your fees
• A Maintenance Loan of up to £7,675 to help pay your living costs like rent, food and travel
• A Maintenance Grant of up to £3,250 to help towards your living costs
• Extra grants if you have a disability or you have children or an adult dependant
• Extra amounts of loan or grant if you study for longer than the standard academic year or if you have travel costs because you are studying away from your main campus

Visit Student Finance Information to find out more about:

• How to apply for student finance
• What eligibility rules apply, including if you already have a degree or previous higher education study
• What the income thresholds are and how much you might personally get for each element of Student Finance
• What to do if you have problems getting your Student Finance

We offer one to one specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.

Our Advice and Counselling Service also has lots of Student Advice Guides on all aspects of finance including:

• Additional sources of funding
• Planning your budget and cutting costs
• Part-time and vacation work
• Money for lone parents

For more information visit the Advice and Counselling service website, or call +44 (0)20 7882 8717.

Graduate Employment

Graduates from Queen Mary’s School of Geography go on to work in a wide variety of careers.  Some apply their degree knowledge directly, entering careers in the environmental sector or international development, whilst others transfer skills gained during study into areas such as marketing or finance.

The national 2011 destination survey confirmed that 87% of School of Geography students were in employment and/or study six months after graduation with 61.7% already working/studying at graduate level. Queen Mary graduates have a strong earning power, as reported in the Sunday Times University Rankings.

The broad range of skills gained through this programme, coupled with multiple opportunities for extra-curricular activities and work experience, has enabled students to move into a range of careers.

Jobs that Geography graduates have gone on to do include:

Throughout their time at Queen Mary, students have access to a bespoke careers programme to prepare them for internships and graduate level work. This includes workshops on job hunting and job applications as well as employer events to facilitate networks and help students to explore their options.

Recent careers activities in the School of Geography include an Alumni Careers Speed Meet with alumni in a range of roles, from Researcher to Water Technician; an Experience Market Research Workshop led by GfK NOP; an Employer Forum, featuring sixteen organisations including Transport for London and the Civil Service; career tutorials on career choice, how to present your degree skills to an employer at interview and CV writing.

Opportunities for work experience are substantial given Queen Mary’s location between Canary Wharf, the City and the Olympic Village. Students are encouraged to build their work experience throughout their period of study, through, for example, our QM Projects work experience scheme, QM Temps job agency, Experience Works events and QMSU Provide volunteering services. Over 800 vacancies are available to browse on the QM JobOnline vacancy site.

Queen Mary's extensive campus also provides over 1,200 on-campus job and volunteer opportunities ranging from E-learning Assistant to Gym Instructor and from Society President to Student Mentor.

Read more about our careers programmes and range of work experience opportunities on the QM Careers website.

Profiles

Name: Karl Arpon

Studying: BSc Environmental Science

"The best thing about my course is the way in which you are introduced to the theory behind different topics and then apply this in a field-work setting. I would say that Queen Mary’s teaching and facilities are second to none. The immediate feedback and support the teachers provide allow you to improve and learn from your mistakes. Facilities such as the newly renovated library provide access to useful books, past exam papers and research papers.

The most interesting thing I’ve done is my dissertation. It allowed me to understand the benefits and the difficulties of carrying out your own research. It was a very challenging experience and useful since I intend to take a career in the field of research and field study."

"I am a member of the Korean, Badminton and Economics societies. I also volunteer at Cambridge Carbon Footprint where I look at sustainable housing. I recently took up the opportunity to volunteer at Thames21 studying water quality of various rivers."

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