f8f6 - Enviro Sci (Environmental Geochem) MEnv
Environmental Sciences (Environmental Geochemistry) MEnvSci Honours
UCAS Code: F8F6 (full time: 4 Years)
Course Overview
In this degree you study a core curriculum in the environmental sciences before taking a fourth year of advanced study at Master's level, specialising in environmental geochemistry.
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At a Glance
UCAS Code
F8F6
UCAS Institution Name and Code
NEWC, N21
Degree Awarded
MEnvSci Honours
Course Duration
4 Years
Entry Requirements
A Level: ABB
IB: 34 points
Opportunities
The first three years of this degree follow the same programme as our Environmental Sciences BSc Honours degree.
In the final year you apply your knowledge to important societal problems such as: petroleum exploration and production; unconventional geoenergy; carbon and nutrient cycling; and the Earth’s changing climate.
Specialist topics include:
- groundwater contamination and remediation
- microbiology and microbial transformation of pollutants
- sources and control of pollutants
Quality and ranking
- top 150 – Environmental Sciences category – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019
Study abroad
You can integrate six or 12 months of study abroad as part of your degree, usually at Stage 3. Recent students have studied in Canada.
Find out more about study abroad.
Flexible degree structure
We offer several Environmental Science degrees including a three-year BSc degree and a suite of four-year MEnvSci degrees.
We understand that you might not be sure which area of environmental science you want to specialise in, or whether you want to study to BSc or MEnvSci level.
All our students, regardless of which degree they are registered on, study the same modules for the first three years. This means you can transfer between degree programmes up until the end of Stage 2 if you want to.
Transfer from our BSc to an MEnvSci degree, and progress to Stage 4 of an MEnvSci degree, is subject to you meeting the appropriate academic standard.
What you will study
In the first three Stages you build a firm foundation of knowledge in the environmental sciences. You learn about the processes within ecosystems and how we can manage our natural resources more effectively.
You will develop key knowledge in:
- biology
- geography
- geology
- policy making
- law
In order to promote conservation and sustainability in everyday life, you will also learn about the role of social and economic factors, ethics and public perception in environmental management.
On an MEnvSci degree, in Stage 4, you also take specialist modules at Master's level, preparing you for a professional career in the environmental sector.
A substantial research project accounts for a quarter of your time this year. It equips you with experience of working in a research environment and may involve scientific research or a consultancy-based investigation.
Fieldwork and practical skills
Throughout your degree you will have opportunities to develop practical skills and enhance your employability.
In Stage 1, we introduce you to basic field skills through a variety of field visits to the surrounding countryside, including the Northumberland coast and the Cheviot Hills.
In Stage 2, a field-based module trains you in field techniques, providing you with practice in designing and planning an investigation and testing of hypotheses, as well as skills in environmental monitoring.
In Stage 3, you take part in a week-long residential field course, which develops your ecological research skills and professional skills in writing and presenting reports.
Research and project work
Our MEnv degrees include an additional year of advanced level study, including a high level of research work, to prepare you for a professional career in the environmental sector.
Throughout the degree you will learn and develop the skills needed to conduct your own research both as an individual and as part of a group. This may involve scientific research or consultancy-based investigations.
Project work gives you the chance to develop essential skills in planning and carrying out research, as well as being an opportunity to explore a topic of interest in more detail.
In your final year you will study modules at postgraduate level and undertake a major research project. This can be carried out as a piece of consultancy work for a company or might contribute to on-going research work in our research institutes.
Recent projects have explored:
- the changing role of the country pub
- the future for market towns
- renewable energy generation in rural communities
- women in rural enterprise
Facilities and support
This degree is run by the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences.
Facilities
You'll have access to:
- an experimental station providing field laboratories for evaluation and testing of ecologically friendly pesticides and biocontrol agents
- well-equipped modern laboratories
- two University farms, used for research, teaching and demonstration: The Farms and NU-Farms Research
Support
To support you in your studies, all new students entering year 1 or year 2 will receive a tablet. This enables you to download the online learning resources you'll need for your course and helps us to make our campus more sustainable.
You'll have an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree, who can help with academic and personal issues.
The student-staff committee gives you a say in how your degree works.
You'll have access to a peer mentor in your first year – a fellow student who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have.
Social activities
You will join a friendly cohort of students and can take part in regular social events organised by the student-led Agric Society.
Modules for 2019 entry
Please note
The module and/or programme information below is for 2019 entry. Our teaching is informed by research and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, student feedback, or insufficient numbers of students interested (in an optional module). To find out more read our terms and conditions.
Module/programme information for 2020 entry will be published here as soon as it is available (end of May 2020).
Our degrees are divided into Stages. Each Stage lasts for an academic year and you need to complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each Stage. Further information, including the credit value of the module, is available in each of the module descriptions below.
Stage 1
Compulsory modules
- ACE1008 Environment and Land Resources
- ACE1040 Academic and Professional Skills
- ACE1045 Investigating Rural Landscapes
- ACE1046 Plants, Environment, Agriculture
- CEG1601 Earth Systems Science
- CEG1602 Earth Surface Materials
- CEG1702 Geographic Information Systems
You also take 20 credits from the following list:
- ACE1010 Environment and Land Use Field Course
- ACE1041 Investigating Agri-food Systems from Farm to Folk
- BIO1022 Ecology and Conservation
- MST1207 Introductory Oceanography
Stage 2
Compulsory modules
- ACE2061 Environmental Management Skills
- ACE2066 Academic and Professional Skills 2
- CEG2609 Research Methods in Environmental Pollution
Optional modules
You select 60 credits from the following list:
- ACE2003 Landscape, Culture and Heritage
- BIO2018 Pollution of Air, Water and Soil
- BIO2028 Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation
- CEG2604 Global Element Cycling
- CEG2606 Geological Resources
- CEG2607 Geomicrobiology
- LAW2053 Law and Land Use
- NCL2007 Career Development for Second Year Students
- NCL2100 Developing Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Employability
To progress to Stage 3 of this degree programme, you are required to obtain an average over all modules taken at Stage 2 of at least 55, with no more than 20 credits lower than 50.
Stage 3
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
You select 90 credits from the following list:
- ACE3016 Countryside Management
- ACE3017 Rural Planning, Politics and Society
- BIO3003 Ecological Modelling
- BIO3039 Biodiversity Science and Management
- CEG3707 Geohazards and Deformation of the Earth
- LAW3015 Environmental Law
- NCL3007 Career Development for Final Year Students
To progress to Stage 4 of this degree programme, you are required to obtain an average over all modules taken at Stage 3 of at least 55, with no more than 20 credits lower than 50.
Stage 4
Compulsory modules
- ACE8099 MEnv Research Project
- CEG8405 Air Pollution
- CEG8604 Introduction to Microbiology and Microbial Transformation of Pollutants
- CEG8605 Aqueous Geochemistry
- CEG8606 Sources, Fates and Control of Pollutants
- CEG8608 Contaminated Land
- NES8006 Data Preparation, Analysis, Interpretation and Presentation for MSc
Modules for 2019 entry
Please note
The module and/or programme information below is for 2019 entry. Our teaching is informed by research and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, student feedback, or insufficient numbers of students interested (in an optional module). To find out more read our terms and conditions.
Module/programme information for 2020 entry will be published here as soon as it is available (end of May 2020).
Our degrees are divided into Stages. Each Stage lasts for an academic year and you need to complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each Stage. Further information, including the credit value of the module, is available in each of the module descriptions below.
Careers
Environmental Science careers
The environmental sector has grown rapidly over the last decade. Increasing environmental legislation means there are many new employment areas in industry and the public sector.
Our graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of organisations including the European Parliament, Meteorological Office and Oxfam.
Our Countryside Management and Rural Studies graduates most commonly end up in land-based and environmental careers, such as:
- chartered surveying
- as a rights of way officer
- as part of a local conservation team working for local authorities, charities and pressure groups
Additionally, government organisations and private firms provide openings for agricultural or environmental advisers.
Our environmental science graduates undertake roles such as environmental consultancy and environmental engineering, and find employment with:
- conservation bodies such as Natural England
- the Environment Agency
- water companies
- local government environmental health departments
- other environmental protection agencies
Our graduates have also successfully pursued careers in teaching, and non-environmental careers such as accountancy, banking, retail and personnel management, the armed forces, the police force, the Inland Revenue and other Civil Service departments, journalism and publishing.
The scope and flexibility of our degrees means there are also opportunities for postgraduate training at Newcastle University and other research institutes.
Find out more about the career options for Environmental and Rural Studies from Prospects: The UK's Official Careers Website.
What our graduates go on to do: employment and further study choices
See what our recent graduates went on to do and view graduate destinations statistics. These statistics are based on what graduates were doing on a specific date, approximately six months after graduation. Take a look at the most recent data available for our graduates.
The destination data is available in varying levels, beginning with the University and moving through Faculty and School down to individual course reports. This final level may give you some useful ideas about possible options after your course or a course you are considering.
Careers and employability at Newcastle
Newcastle University consistently has one of the best records for graduate employment in the UK.
96% of our 2017 UK-domiciled UG/PG graduates progressed to employment or further study within six months of graduating.
85.5% of our graduates are in graduate level employment or further study within six months of graduating.
We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through an initiative called ncl+. This enables you to develop personal, employability and enterprise skills and to give you the edge in the employment market after you graduate.
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers.
Applying to Newcastle University through UCAS
To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
UCAS codes for Newcastle University
- institution name - NEWC
- institution code - N21
UCAS buzzword
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All UK schools and colleges and a small number of EU and international establishments are registered with UCAS.
If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.
Making your application
On the UCAS website you can also find out more about:
- application deadlines and other important dates
- offers and tracking your application
Application decisions and enquiries
Find out more about our admissions process and who to contact if you need help with your application.