BSc in Environmental Science with Hazards and Disasters
- Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
- London, United Kingdom
BSc
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
GBP 9,535 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* UK students: £9,535 per year | international: £19,200 for the first year
Key Summary
This course was set up in response to the growing need for emergency planners, both in the UK and globally.
Throughout the degree, we encourage you to think about how to apply your studies to potential real-life work situations. This ensures that you will graduate with the skills employers need.
At our Penrhyn Road campus, you will have access to a modern environment with the latest equipment, including:
- laboratories dedicated to environmental science learning and research
- the £9.8 million Eadweard Muybridge building with state-of-the-art laboratories
- computing laboratories and a team of IT technicians to offer assistance
- the award-winning Town House, with a well-stocked library that boasts an impressive collection of texts, journals and online e-books/journals
- excellent social spaces, plus a large, fully equipped gym and fitness centre
- a fully integrated virtual learning environment (Canvas) so you can learn and interact with others on your course 24/7
Why choose this course?
What are the causes of earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and landslides? How do we plan for them, lessen their impact and handle the emergencies that can result?
This course examines the physical science of natural hazards, the social factors that can contribute to disasters, emergency planning and disaster risk reduction. You'll gain expertise in a range of practical and field techniques through ‘real-world' exercises.
One way we keep the course up to date is by inviting guest lecturers from the many organisations with which we have contact, including:
- the London Ambulance Service
- the Metropolitan Police
- the Fire Service
- the Environment Agency
Guest speakers provide first-hand learning opportunities and introduce you to potential career paths. Many discuss case studies of actual disasters, such as the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. You will also work with hazard practitioners in fields such as floods and volcanoes.
Field trips and practical skills
The course is highly practical. You will analyse environmental samples in the lab, investigating water quality or undertaking particle size analysis of sediment, for example. You will acquire the skills and knowledge needed to analyse geospatial data, learning how to use ArcGIS to evaluate and solve many environmental and hazard-related issues.
In addition, you'll continually apply your studies to real-life situations through fieldwork in the UK and overseas, and through paid work placement opportunities. For example, during Years 2 and 3, many of the modules on this course include day trips and excursions. You might visit:
- The Sussex-Kent coastline (coastal erosion, landslides, coastal management, climate change)
- The River Thames and its tributaries (water quality, water management, geomorphology, surveying)
- The Thames Barrier (flood management, resilience)
- The nearby North Downs and Surrey Hills (landscapes, ecology, agriculture)
- The Thames Estuary and Two-Tree Island (Essex) (climate change, flood risk and mitigation/adaptation strategies, climate resilience)
- Rochester, the Medway Estuary and the Isle of Sheppey (flood and erosion risk mapping, cliff retreat, flood management and policy)
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). IEMA is the professional body for everyone working in environment and sustainability. This course entitles students to free student membership for the duration of the course and on successful completion you qualify for GradIEMA. Graduate membership is a launchpad for future leaders within environment and sustainability and offers a range of benefits to support you throughout your career. You can then "Fast track" to Practitioner Membership.The degree apprenticeship route is accredited by the IEMA.
We want to ensure anyone with potential and drive has the opportunity to study with us, no matter their background or financial situation. That's why each year, we provide a number of bursaries to help our undergraduate students gain their degree.
- The Kingston bursary
- Bursaries for care leavers
- Bursaries for estranged students
- Bursaries for young adult carers
- Bursaries for Sanctuary Scholars
- Chancerygate Foundation bursary
- Salutem scholarships
- AVSH scholarship
As a pathway of the Environmental Science BSc (Hons), the Hazards and Disasters pathway focuses on the key themes of natural hazard science, disaster management and emergency planning.
Year 1
Year 1 provides a broad understanding of earth sciences, the environment and natural hazards. You'll study the building blocks of the environmental science including geology and hydrological, atmospheric and ecological systems. You'll also study modules in Geographical Information Science (GIS) and explore a variety of research and fieldwork methods.
Core modules
- Our Dynamic Earth
- Introduction to Environmental Science
- Digital Mapping
- Research and Fieldwork Methods
- Developing Academic Skills
- Sustainability for Professional Practice
Year 2
Year 2 develops the theory and practice of disaster risk reduction. You'll enhance your knowledge of GIS, geomorphology, atmospheric science, tectonic hazards, climate-driven hazards such as flooding and a range of hazard mitigation and adaptation strategies.
You will develop your practical skills in environmental project management, cartography and GIS (Geographic Information Science), and field skills such as surveying and sediment coring. You will have opportunities to further develop you fieldwork skills via international field work in Europe, Asia or North America
Core modules
- Disasters, Society and Culture
- Rivers, Oceans and the Atmosphere
- Geomorphology, Geotechnics and Geohazards
- Advanced Research Methods
- Understanding our World with GIS
- Project Management
Optional professional placement year
The optional professional placement year between Years 2 and 3 includes a work placement or international exchange. The work placement gives an opportunity for paid work and valuable experience in an environmental or hazards-related field. We will keep in touch with you throughout your placement, ensuring the skills and training you receive translate effectively into your studies and career aspirations.
Final year
The modules in Year 3 further develop your knowledge of disaster management, with an emphasis on recent case studies. You'll also research and engage with practising professionals in all areas of disaster management.
Your final year independent research project will reflect your personal environmental interests and help you develop your employability skills. You will also get to expand and develop your knowledge and skills in hazard management and disaster risk reduction on an overseas field trip, currently based in Tenerife.
Core modules
- Research Project
- Challenge of Climate Change
- Geophysical Hazards: Processes and Disaster Risk Reduction
- Disaster Management
- Applying Professional Skills
- Solving Real World Data with GIS
Graduates from this course pursue careers in a variety of commercial, industrial and public sector organisations. For example, they go on to work for local governments, INGOs, first responders (such as the police and fire service), civil defence, insurance companies and environment consultants.
Embedded within this course and throughout the whole Kingston experience is our Future Skills programme. The Future Skills programme was developed to respond to the ever-evolving demands from modern day employment.
It will help you obtain the skills most valued by employers, such as problem-solving, digital competency and adaptability, and learn how to apply these skills in different scenarios. You’ll also learn how to articulate to employers how being able to do so gives you the edge.