The B.Sc. in Earth Systems (Hons) offered by the Institute of Earth Systems is targeted at students wishing to work in areas relevant to the management and planning of the environment, as well as in specific environmental resource management sectors.
Concern over environmental change has never been greater than at present. Our future is inextricably bound up with the health of the planet on which we live. It is therefore crucial that we gain a clear understanding of planet Earth, its systems and their dynamics, if we are to determine the ways in which we should be utilizing resources responsibly.
Earth Systems Science requires an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together relevant aspects of various disciplines; the B.Sc. (Hons) programme in Earth Systems therefore adopts an integrated and holistic approach to the study of our planet. The course considers the various physical components of the Earth system and interactions between these, whilst framing issues of environmental change within a broader context of environmental, social, economic and cultural sustainability. Earth Systems Science is both science-based and policy-oriented, and the emphasis is on enabling students to develop an interdisciplinary and practice-oriented outlook.
This 3-year full time programme employs a variety of methods, including lectures, laboratory-based practical sessions, field trips, seminars and supervised independent research. Students also have the option of joining international field trips to a number of locations such as Italy, Madeira and Iceland.