Subject pathways within the Natural Sciences degree (2025/26)

Environmental Science

Environmental science is at the forefront of tackling global challenges, from the conservation of species and combatting climate change, to developing renewable technologies and creating a sustainable future. 

You’ll gain a thorough understanding of fundamental physics, chemistry and biology of the Earth’s environmental systems across a range of scales and will equip you with the knowledge and tools required to identify and solve the key environmental issues facing humankind. 

If you decide to take the Environmental Science subject pathway as part of your Natural Sciences degree, you'll take a series of optional and compulsory modules within this pathway.

Please note: The modules listed below are indicative of typical options and some of these options may not be available, depending on other modules you have selected already.

Year 1

Optional modules

Earth – 10 credits 

You’ll receive an introduction to the Earth Sciences, placing importance on fundamental geological concepts and processes (dynamic Earth; plate tectonic theory; basic mineralogy and petrology; Earth history and palaeontology) and the fostering of basic geological skills (rock and mineral identification; geological maps). 

Ecology – 10 credits 

Understand some of the key principles and theories of population, community and ecosystem ecology and will have explored those in relation to case study ecosystems. 

Atmosphere – 10 credits 

Be introduced to some fascinating phenomena in Earth's atmosphere from the origin of life-sustaining air itself to present-day climate change. The module aims to present a diverse range of topics that are all related to Earth’s atmosphere. 

Resources – 10 credits 

You’ll learn about the variety of natural resources that are obtained from the Earth system and are essential to the functioning of society. The module will cover methods of extraction, exploitation and sustainable practise as well as the many negative effects associated with the extraction of natural resources from the natural environment. 

Water – 10 credits 

Learn the basic properties of water as a substance and explains why these make it a unique and important part of the terrestrial environmental system. By the end of the module, you'll have an understanding of the major components of the environmental system in which water plays a key role: the atmosphere, oceans, ice and land surface. 

Weather – 10 credits 

This module is a general, non-mathematical, introduction to meteorology and weather forecasting. The course emphasises the basic physical concepts and processes that underlie our weather, explaining the nature of important features such as warm and cold 'fronts', depressions, cloud types, and the weather associated with them. 

Year 2

Compulsory module

Environmental Measurements – 20 credits

Prepare for a significant research activity such as their Level 3 research project. This module will present techniques and theory behind experimental planning, sampling, measuring, analysing and interpreting data. The aim is to give coherent training all the way from experimental design through to presentation of findings. 

Optional modules

Meteorology – 10 credits

You’ll learn about the physical processes which determine the structure and dynamics of the atmosphere, in the boundary layer and in atmospheric circulation on local and regional scales.

Introductory Oceanography – 10 credits

This module explores the oceans as an environment for life, including water chemistry, food chains, coral reefs, mangrove forests, giant kelp forests and the changing Arctic ocean. You’ll learn how humans are changing the oceans, focusing on pollution and climate change impacts.

Climate Change: Science and Impacts – 10 credits

Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing mankind today. In this module, you’ll discover the fundamental natural processes driving the Earth's climate system from orbital forcing, biosphere-climate interactions to El Nino.

Contaminated Environments – 20 credits

Explore the complex nature of land and water contamination, covering a wide range of contaminated environments. You’ll learn the key methods used to monitor and assess levels of contamination.

Palaeoecology, Palaeobiology and Evolution – 10 credits

Study fossilisation processes and learn how fossils are used to understand ancient environments, such as reef ecosystems and deep marine settings. You’ll discover how fossils can provide information on the nature of evolutionary processes and patterns in groups as diverse as oysters and dinosaurs.

Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics – 10 credits

This module covers the way in which we can understand, interpret and predict the flow of air and of water in the Earth's environment.

Atmospheric Pollution from Local to Global Scales – 10 credits

Examine tropospheric ozone pollution, smogs, particulate matter, acid deposition and toxic pollutants, and their impacts on local and regional air quality and on the global-scale atmosphere. The balance between human and natural influence on atmospheric constituents will be considered.

Managing Biodiversity – 10 credits

Biodiversity is the variation of life on earth. In this module you’ll explore what biodiversity is, why it is important, how it is changing, and what we can do about it. You’ll combine ecology, economics, qualitative social sciences, and politics to build an interdisciplinary understanding of these issues.

GIS for Geoscientists – 10 credits

You’ll gain an understanding of the role of GIS in mapping and analysing the environment. You’ll study environmental data sources, develop your skills in the interpretation of spatial environmental data and gain an awareness of specific problems and issues relating to data quality, spatial data models and methods of interpolation.

Year 3

Optional modules

Observing Weather and Climate: Advanced Field Skills – 20 credits

Become an expert in advanced practical environmental field skills for use in research and industry. The module includes a residential field course and further hands-on practical work upon returning to Leeds, to test scientific hypotheses and draw original conclusions from the results.

Earth System Science: Biogeochemical Cycles – 10 credits

Study the global biogeochemical cycles of the important bioelements, how these cycles have changed over time and how they can be used to understand the Earth System.

Dynamics of Weather Systems – 10 credits

This module covers advanced principles in Meteorology with an emphasis on a physical understanding of the evolution of weather systems and on practical techniques of weather prediction.

Atmosphere and Ocean Climate Change Processes – 10 credits

Explores the physical coupling and feedback of significant atmospheric and ocean processes currently thought responsible for the observed rapid changes in the Earths climate.

Inverse Theory – 10 credits

This module provides training in the design and solution of inverse problems, including model formulation and parametrisation, over- and under-constrained problems, linear and non-linear solution methods. You’ll gain an understanding of how to quantify the uncertainty in a solution, based on data uncertainty and model setup.

Ice in the Earth System – 10 credits

The cryosphere (comprising snow, sea ice and glaciers) plays an important role in the Earth System, by driving, as well as responding to, global changes. You will explore the primary controls of cryospheric change, and identify the feedbacks that are accelerating these changes in a warming climate.

Oceanography in the Earth System – 10 credits

You’ll gain an understanding nutrient supply and cycling in the global oceans and the importance of the carbonate and biological pumps for global systems.You’ll study waves and gas exchange and the dynamics of tides and their influence on tidal ecosystems.

Earth Observations from Space – 10 credits

Remote sensing of the Earth's environment from space has revolutionised the ways in which we measure and perceive our planet.This module will give you an understanding of the basic principles of how radiation is emitted, transmitted and absorbed in the Earth's atmosphere.

Groundwater – 10 credits

Learn how how groundwater fits into the hydrological cycle and discover how to use a the 'water balance' and specific yield concepts to predict the impacts of groundwater abstraction and recharge. You’ll study the concept of hydraulic conductivity and how it is measured.

Atmospheric Pollution: Causes, Impact and Regulation – 10 credits

Discover the sources and processing of air pollution in the troposphere and stratosphere, its impacts on human health and ecosystems, and its interactions with the climate system.

Atmospheric Physics – 10 credits

Gain a solid foundation in the physical processes that govern the structure and behaviour of Earth's atmosphere. You’ll study the basic physics necessary to understand temperature variations in the atmosphere, aerosol and cloud formation, solar and terrestrial radiation, the greenhouse effect and optical effects in the atmosphere.

Practical Weather Forecasting – 10 credits

Terrestrial Biosphere in the Earth System – 10 credits

Explores the interactions between the terrestrial biosphere, climate and atmospheric composition. You’ll learn the important physical, biological and chemical processes through which terrestrial ecosystems affect and are affected by climate.

Year 4 (MNatSci, BSc)

Optional modules

Observing Weather and Climate: Advanced Field Skills – 15 credits

Climate and Environmental Policy and Governance – 15 credits

Examine the key strategies and policies for climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as the multiple pathways through which human-environment interaction is governed.

Oceanography in the Earth System – 15 credits

Dynamics of Weather Systems – 15 credits

This module covers advanced principles in Meteorology with an emphasis on a physical understanding of the evolution of weather systems and on practical techniques of weather prediction.

Weather, Climate and Air Quality – 30 credits

Explore meteorology and weather forecasting, climate change processes and air quality and atmospheric chemistry.

Biogeochemical Cycles of the Earth System – 15 credits

Develop an understanding of the global biogeochemical cycles of the important bioelements, how these cycles have changed over time and how they can be used to understand the Earth System.

Ice in the Earth System – 15 credits

Advanced Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics – 15 credits

Explore the way in which we can understand, interpret and predict the flow of air and of water in the Earth's environment. You’ll study the general properties of fluids, focusing on interpreting and understanding their motion, before moving to explore the flows of air and water in the environment.

Terrestrial Biosphere in the Earth System – 15 credits

You’ll gain an understanding of the interactions between the terrestrial biosphere, climate and atmospheric composition. The module will also explore the policy implications of ecosystem – climate interactions.