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Royal Holloway, University of London

UCAS Code: F690 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Entry requirements

A level

A,B,B-B,B,B

including a Science subject Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. Socio-economics factors which may have impacted an applicant's education will be taken into consideration and alternative offers may be made to these applicants. Acceptable Science subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Geology, Chemistry, Geography, Biology.

Access to HE Diploma

D:27,M:18

In a relevant subject with at least 24 level 3 credits in Science units at Distinction. Please note that the Access to Higher Education Diploma will only be acceptable if the applicant has had a considerable break from education.

Applicants with the Cambridge Pre-U are strongly encouraged to apply to Royal Holloway. Offers will be made on the basis of equivalent A-Level grades as can be found on the Royal Holloway website.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

We require at least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9 - 4 including English and Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

6,5,5 at Higher Level, including an acceptable Science subject, with a minimum of 32 points overall.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H2,H2,H3,H3,H3

Including H3 in one acceptable Science subject.

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DDD

In a Science subject. Substantial Maths content is required.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DD

In a relevant subject, plus one A-level grade B in an acceptable Science subject.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D

Plus two A-levels grades BB including one A-level in an acceptable Science subject.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

In a Science subject. Substantial Maths content is required.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B,B-B,B,B

Including an acceptable Science subject.

Scottish Higher

A,A,B,B,B

Including an acceptable Science subject.

Requirements are as for A-levels where one non-subject-specified A-level can be replaced by the same grade in the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.

UCAS Tariff

120-152

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course

Course option

4years

Sandwich | 2025

Subjects

Geology

Environmental geoscience

Environmental Geology is at the front line in the fight against some of the greatest threats facing humankind. From manmade crises including climate change and resource depletion to life-threatening natural disasters such as volcanoes and earthquakes, the skills of environmental geologists are called upon to overcome a complex set of problems.

Study Environmental Geology with a Year in Industry at Royal Holloway, University of London and you’ll gain an advanced understanding of the geological processes that affect the world around us, while examining the extent of human interaction with the environment. This flexible four-year programme includes a year in industry, providing you with invaluable career experience and the opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice.

You’ll study in a dynamic, research-led department, consistently ranked among the UK’s top 10 (The Complete University Guide and The Times Good University Guide 2018). You’ll contribute to our leading research, and in your final year you'll choose from a range of optional modules including Marine Geology and Volcanology.

Learning takes place in our friendly, community-focussed department, with a high staff-to-student ratio. Participating in exciting fieldwork opportunities in the UK and overseas will develop your scientific understanding and hands-on experience of environmental, ecological and health issues.

You’ll graduate with real, applicable industry experience and a diverse transferrable skillset including environmental investigation, stratigraphy and geochemistry skills. This flexible programme is geared towards maximising your career opportunities in Environmental Geology and beyond.

Gain a thorough understanding of environmental geoscience.

Contribute to our leading research working alongside our expert academics.

Optional modules to tailor your degree around your interests.

Participate in extensive fieldwork opportunities.

Graduate with practical and research skills needed for a rewarding career.

Graduate with a degree accredited by the Geological Society.

Modules

Please refer to our website for information: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/earth-sciences/environmental-geology-with-a-year-in-industry.aspx

Assessment methods

Your course will be assessed by a combination of examinations and in-course assignments in the form of essays or presentations.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£28,900
per year
International
£28,900
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni

Course location:

Royal Holloway, University of London

Department:

Earth Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say

We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

78%
Geology
78%
Environmental geoscience

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Earth sciences

Teaching and learning

72%
Staff make the subject interesting
83%
Staff are good at explaining things
78%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
83%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

83%
Library resources
83%
IT resources
89%
Course specific equipment and facilities
61%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

90%
UK students
10%
International students
57%
Male students
43%
Female students
84%
2:1 or above
0%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
C

After graduation

The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Earth sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
93%
med
Employed or in further education
63%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

13%
Natural and social science professionals
12%
Other elementary services occupations
10%
Engineering professionals

The market for geologists is has been quite linked to the oil industry for some time now, and the drop in the price of oil has meant the industry has stopped recruiting as many people for the time being. Geologists are still in demand, though, so the main effect has been to reduce the opportunities - and salaries - for geologists working abroad. At home, the oil industry remains a big employer, and so are the mining, civil engineering, construction and consultancy industries, with geology graduates working as geologists, geophysicists, civil engineers and environmental professionals.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Earth sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£20k

£20k

£26k

£26k

£31k

£31k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here