Environmental System Science MSc
1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
This interdisciplinary MSc will allow you to develop a deep understanding of environmental system behaviour, on local and global scales, whilst also learning how the environment has been impacted by humans and how we can best manage these impacts.
Course information
UK fee £10,950
International fee £23,650
Taught by School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
+44 (0)116 252 3823
geogadmin@le.ac.uk
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Course description
Course description
The world currently faces a plethora of unprecedented environmental challenges, many of which represent potential existential threats. Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are predicted to disrupt the climate system, threatening food security. In parallel, air and water pollution are increasing in many parts of the world, especially in urban areas, and many species are threatened with extinction.
In this interdisciplinary MSc, you will gain a deep understanding of Environmental System Science and learn how to apply this knowledge to tackle environmental problems in hydrological, geomorphological, geochemical, ecological and atmospheric contexts.
You will gain practical experience in a range of techniques for the collection, mapping and analysis of environmental data and will learn how to develop and use numerical models to describe environmental system behaviour and to make predictions about environmental change.
Graduates in Environmental System Science will be firmly on a path to making the world a better place, equipped with a holistic perspective of environmental systems which will enable them to identify, manage and mitigate the detrimental impacts of human activities on the environment.
This MSc programme differs from other Environmental Science courses because it explicitly takes a system approach and considers a range of spatial and temporal scales – starting with a holistic and long-term perspective on the Earth System and then focusing on regional and local environmental problems and solutions. As a trained environmental scientist, many careers are open to you.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
A second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject (e.g. Geography, Geology, Earth Science, Environmental Science or other STEM subject) or equivalent professional experience.
Students with non-standard qualifications are also encouraged to apply. In particular, we will give due consideration to prior professional experience gained by mature students in relevant areas of work. In such cases, applicants would be expected to provide detailed information on work experience to enable full evaluation of the application by admissions staff. We also consider alternative qualifications, for example in different subject areas, where these are supported by relevant experience within the field of the MSc programme.
English Language Requirements
IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.
International Qualifications
Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.
Countries listFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in September 2025
- MSc £10.950
If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Did you know you can apply for a Government Postgraduate Loan? Find out if you’re eligible.
International Students
Starting in September 2025
- MSc: £23,650
You will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Facilities
Facilities
You will join a thriving community in Environmental and Earth Sciences with a particular strength in the application of satellite-based remote sensing to detect environmental change, including access to our Space Park Leicester campus, specialising in remote sensing technologies. You will also have access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for the analysis of environmental data and high-performance computing facilities for numerical modelling.
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
This programme will equip you with technical and relevant transferable skills that will allow you to pursue your future career.
As a successful graduate, you will be highly employable as an Environmental Scientist in relevant organisations including local and national government and their agencies (e.g. DEFRA, the UK Health Security Agency, The Environment Agency, Natural England and equivalent bodies outside the UK), non-governmental organisations (e.g. wildlife trusts, WWF and other charities), industry (e.g. Water companies, chemical companies and the Earth Observation sector), research institutes (e.g. Rothamsted Research and UKCEH) and consultancies (e.g. Arup, Atkins, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald). The needs of many of these potential employers are explicitly signposted to students in relevant modules (such as Introduction to Environmental Modelling, Remote Sensing and GIS in Environmental Health).
In addition to becoming a technically proficient Environmental Scientist, you will develop a range of transferable skills, such as being able to adapt to new situations; assess situations, ideas, and arrive at decisions; develop innovative ideas and solutions to problems; communicate with people and express yourself clearly and effectively; understand what others are saying and discuss options and courses of action.
Our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience, volunteering and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.
Course structure
Core modules
Core modules
- The Earth System
- Techniques in Environmental Analysis
- Anthropogenic Impact on the Urban Environment
- Hot Topics
- Research for Change: Skills and Challenges of Applied Environmental Research
Plus your Dissertation
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Option modules
Option modules
Choose two option modules from:
Then choose three option modules from:
- Applications of Environmental Modelling
- Earth observations of the atmosphere
- GIS in Environmental Health
- Field Data Capture
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Why Leicester
The School of Geography, Geology and the Environment has a track record of environmental research, going back decades.
Students will have access to a range of state-of-the-art analytical equipment including Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mass spectrometers and dedicated Stable Isotope and Water Quality Laboratories.
Taught by staff who have international reputations as researchers and consultants to businesses and government agencies, who are actively engaged in tackling a wide range of globally important environmental problems and who contribute to policy debates of national and international significance.
Leicester hosts the NERC National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO), invested £100 million in Space Park Leicester (SPL) in 2021 to create a centre for the analysis and commercialisation of space-enabled data and space mission development, and established the Institute for Space in 2022.
