Overview

Take charge of a sustainable future.

Learn how to manage waste, energy, water, and land while understanding their social and environmental impact.

With our BSc (Hons) Environmental Management course, you can discover how you can make a real difference as an Environmental Manager.

Environmental management is a key component of any modern organisation. As sustainability and green issues become increasingly prioritised, specialist environmental management skills are in demand.

If you enjoyed subjects like geography, science (including environmental science) or social sciences – then environmental management could be a good fit for you. Our students come with all kinds of interests and experiences.

During this course, you can choose from a variety of topics including:

waste management
circular economy
climate change
geographical Information Systems (GIS)
contaminated land
social inclusion
enhancing the countryside
energy efficiency
transport policy.

Sustainability is a challenge across the globe, and we’ll prepare you for an international career with opportunities to visit and study abroad.

Why study Environmental Management at GCU?

Benefit from our strong links with industry, local authorities and the NHS.
You will have opportunities to travel and study abroad at our international partner institutions.
In your first year, you'll work with third-year students in our innovative Vertical Project simulation, gaining hands-on, real-world experience that employers value.
Take advantage of an optional 16-week industrial placement in the UK or overseas and strengthen your employability.
ISEP accreditation puts you on the path to chartered status.

Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals

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Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

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What you will study

We aim to display the most up-to-date information possible.

The modules listed on this page and the Programme Specification are intended to give you an idea of what you may be able to study on this course. Please note that course content, modules, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at GCU. This might be because we are required to do so by law, by a governmental authority, regulator or accrediting body. We may also make changes for quality assurance reasons, or to enhance the course.

Level 1

Land Use, Conservation and Surveying

Water, Energy and Food

Principles of Workplace Legislation

Introduction to Sustainability

Urban Issues

Professional Orientation and Practice

Level 2

Environmental Policy and Regulation

Urban Planning

Environmental Science and Measurement

Society, Politics and Sustainability

Principles of Geographical Information Systems (GIS1)

Environmental Assessment

C&S Preparation for Placement

Level 3

Core modules

Applied GIS (GIS2)

Climate Change: Impact, Mitigation and Adaptation

Corporate Sustainability

Optional modules

Environmental Risk Management

The Engineer and the Environment

Managed Project Learning

Management Strategy and Practice

Professional Placement Learning

SCEBE Exchange Module 1

SCEBE Exchange Module 2

SCEBE Exchange Module 3

Public Engagement

Level 4

Core modules

Dissertation

Project GIS (GIS3)

Optional modules

Energy Resources and Management

Sustainability and the Built Environment

Waste Management and Contaminated Land

Water Policy and Management

Understanding module information

For most undergraduate courses, Level 1 modules are studied in Year 1, Level 2 modules in Year 2 etc.

If your course includes optional modules, these may be available at different Levels and in different years of study. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will depend on factors such as student demand, timetabling and staffing.

If you study part time, you will normally complete modules in Level order, but it may take more than one academic year to complete a Level.

If you join the course through Advanced Entry, you will normally begin at a higher Level, depending on your point of entry, before progressing through the remaining Levels of the course.

Careers

With the rise of the ‘green economy,' our environmental management graduates are increasingly sought after.

This degree enables you to work across wide range of sectors in the UK and abroad, including:

local authorities
government
environmental consultancies
energy providers
specialist agencies.

We have strong ties with industry, and our graduates have gone on to roles including:

Environmental Manager
Environmental Consultant
Project Manager
Sustainability Officer
Environmental Protection Officer.

They’ve secured jobs at high-profile organisations such as:

The NHS
Scottish Power
WSP
Network Rail

Course information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location	UCAS
BSc (Hons)	Full Time	4 years	Sep 27	Glasgow	FN82	Enquire Apply
Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location	UCAS
BSc (Hons)	Full Time	4 Years	Sep 26	Glasgow	FN82	Enquire Apply

Please note that admission to GCU is considered on a competitive basis, and the academic entry requirements stated here may be the minimum required to be eligible for an offer.

International students can get information on entry requirements specific to their country in our International Study section.

Year 1

Standard entry requirement

UCAS Tariff: 96

Scottish Higher: Higher BBCC or equivalent

A Level: CCC or equivalent

Minimum entry requirement

UCAS Tariff: 90

Scottish Higher: Higher BCCC or equivalent

A Level: CCC or equivalent

Year 2 entry

Standard entry requirement

HNC Built Environment subject / Social Sciences with B in Graded Unit 1

English language

IELTS score of 6.0 with no element below 5.5 (or equivalent)

Additional information for international applicants

Entry requirements by country
Application deadlines
English language tests
Knowledge of English - Applicants from a majority English speaking country may not be required to provide further proof of your English language proficiency. Information about this requirement is available on the Student Visa section of the gov.uk website.

Additional information for all applicants

Relevant experience (Recognition of Prior Learning)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course.

If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme.

Minimum entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements are for widening access students only. If you are from a group that is not currently well-represented in higher education you may qualify as a widening access student. This includes living in a target postcode area, attending a target school or college, attending SWAP, are care-experienced or provide care for someone else, have refugee status or are an asylum seeker.

Teaching and assessment methods

We use lots of different teaching methods to help you understand environmental management topics and build essential skills needed for this dynamic sector.

Digital skills are embedded throughout the course, including Geographical Information Systems (GIS) that are used professionally across the environmental sector and beyond.

We focus on interactive and hands-on experience through:

practical assessments
computer labs
field trips
group projects.

Assessment methods include:

coursework
examinations
class tests
presentations
computer-based exercises
written reports.

Our innovative Vertical Project involves first-year students working with third-year students, who act as project managers. This approach is valued by external examiners, accreditation bodies, and employers for its focus on real-life experience and project management skills.

Exchange and study abroad

You will have access to a range of international study opportunities, including the option to spend a full trimester at one of our international partner universities in Year 3. These include the University of Guelph in Canada, LAB University of Applied Sciences in Finland and the University of Huelva in Spain.

Placements

You will have the option to complete a work placement in the UK or Europe, India, or North America, for a minimum of 16 weeks. Recent placements have been with local authorities, renewable developers, environmental and engineering consultancies, and NGOs. Previous students have been sought for placements with organisations such as Scottish Power, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and SERCO, as well as local authorities in the west of Scotland.

Research and impact

Our research-active team works across a range of environmental management and sustainability areas such as renewables, water, life cycle assessment, community engagement, climate justice, and space sustainability. This work is embedded into our course content, keeping it relevant, engaging, and up to date.

University for the Common Good

As the University for the Common Good, we will support you to develop:

confidence
an entrepreneurial mindset
responsible leadership
active and global citizenship.

Accreditation

Our BSc (Hons) Environmental Management is accredited by the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP). When you complete the course, you will automatically qualify for Graduate Membership of ISEP – known as GradISEP status – a professionally recognised grade.

Following GradISEP, you can fast-track to Practitioner status (PISEP) after completing a work-based competence assessment on your way towards chartered membership. After gaining suitable experience in the job, you can apply for Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) status.

The course is also accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Visit the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals website

Visit the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors website

Download the programme specification

In addition to the core modules that all students must undertake, some courses offer students a choice from a selection of optional modules to shape the focus their degree. Optional modules where available, form part of the overall credit structure of the course.

Download the programme specification for a detailed breakdown of the course structure, including modules, what you'll learn and other useful information.

Terms and Conditions

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.

Overview

Why study Environmental Management at GCU?

Accreditations

What you will study

Core modules

Optional modules

Core modules

Optional modules

Understanding module information

Careers

Course information