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Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Ecology and Environmental Biology
University of Essex
Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the Ecology and Environmental Biology course at University of Essex.
Select a qualification to see required grades
A level
B,B,B
Offers will be made in the range of BBB to BBC or 120-112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of the equivalent of 2 full A-levels Including B in Biology or Environmental Science (or equivalent). Acceptable A-level equivalents are Environmental Technology, Geography, Life and Health Sciences and Marine Science.
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| England | £9,535 per year |
| Scotland | £9,535 per year |
| Wales | £9,535 per year |
| Northern Ireland | £9,535 per year |
| Channel Islands | £9,535 per year |
| Republic of Ireland | £9,535 per year |
| EU | £24,360 per year |
| International | £24,360 per year |
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: C520
Here's what University of Essex says about its Ecology and Environmental Biology course.
Our BSc Ecology and Environmental Biology course explores the diversity of the living world, across levels of biological organisation from genes to individuals, their populations and the communities they form, up to entire ecosystems.
Building on research produced in our School of Life Sciences, you will examine these concepts across terrestrial, marine and freshwater systems, examining taxa from the smallest microbes to the largest organisms on Earth.
You will investigate the crucial role of biodiversity in supporting ecosystem functions and securing the flow of ecosystem services on which humanity depends. The strong theoretical, practical and data-handling skills you develop will help you to understand how biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are changing in response to multiple interacting stressors in the Anthropocene (e.g. climate change, chemical pollution, habitat loss). You will be equipped to design management solutions to tackle current and future challenges to ecosystems and have the option to train in tropical marine biology in Indonesia, as well as environmental biology and ecology on our new Arctic field course.
Source: University of Essex
Course details
Qualification
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Department
Life Sciences
Location
Colchester Campus | Colchester
Duration
3 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• Ecology
• Environmental biology
Start date
October 2026
Application deadline
14 January 2026
The modules you will study
Many of our courses offer a choice of optional modules to tailor your learning experience. More information about these can be found on the University of Essex website.
University of Essex reviews
Showing 45 reviews
2nd year student
The SU tries their best with the budget they have. They are probably one of the only departments who try their hardest at Essex. Societies and sports clubs are great with lots of socials and a great way and the best way to make new friends at Essex. The 2 bars and nightclub on campus are ok although...
2 years ago
2nd year student
I live near Colchester so I haven’t moved far to go to Essex University so I knew what the area would be like. It isn’t the most busiest area and you can pretty much find every and do everything tourist-wise in a couple of days. Nightlife is ok with the club on campus and a couple in the town, all o...
2 years ago
2nd year student
With the cost of living so high in the UK, the University has only raised their rent slightly and when you take into account that bills are included, the cheaper accommodation options are quite good deals. I notice that financial support is offered to those in more difficult circumstances due to the...
2 years ago
2nd year student
There is more that could be done in this area and I imagine those who are new to this sort of environment (living on your own, needing to self motivate to study etc) would struggle as there is a lack of communication from all aspects of the University. A simple email explaining how a specific examin...
2 years ago
2nd year student
The facilities on campus for education (library, labs etc) I cannot fault and they all work effectively. However, the accommodation is quite poor. In my 1st year in halls, I moved into a dirty room which smelt like a toilet. Clearly it hadn’t been cleaned since the last tenant which meant I had to c...
2 years ago
2nd year student
The course content is good however the delivery is lacking. It seems pointless going to lectures face to face as a lot of lecturers just read off the slides and add nothing on top. Sometimes the lecturers themselves seem puzzled at some of the content on the slides and they often just quickly move o...
2 years ago
National Student Survey (NSS) scores
The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.
Here you can see ratings from University of Essex students who took the Ecology and Environmental Biology course - or another course in the same subject area.
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
93%
med
Teaching on my course
93%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
93%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
100%
high
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
84%
med
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
93%
med
Learning opportunities
97%
high
Learning opportunities
97%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
100%
high
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
93%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
100%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
100%
high
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
93%
high
Assessment and feedback
94%
high
Assessment and feedback
94%
high
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
78%
med
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
100%
high
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
93%
high
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
100%
high
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
100%
high
Academic support
96%
high
Academic support
96%
high
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
93%
med
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
100%
high
Organisation and management
81%
med
Organisation and management
81%
med
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
85%
med
How well organised is your course?
78%
med
Learning resources
90%
med
Learning resources
90%
med
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
85%
low
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
93%
med
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
93%
high
Student voice
85%
med
Student voice
85%
med
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
67%
med
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
93%
med
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
93%
high
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
75%
med
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
92%
med
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
78%
med
Student information
See who's studying at University of Essex. These students are taking Ecology and Environmental Biology or another course from the same subject area.
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| Biology | C | |||||
| Geography | A | |||||
| Chemistry | E | |||||
| English Literature | A | |||||
| Psychology | C | |||||
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
Facts and figures about University of Essex graduates who took Ecology and Environmental Biology - or another course in the same subject area.
Graduate statistics
79%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
80%
Say it fits with future plans
55%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
23%
Natural and social science professionals
19%
Science, engineering and technology associate professionals
8%
Business and public service associate professionals
6%
Administrative occupations
Graduate statistics percentages are determined 15 months after a student graduates
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from University of Essex graduates who took Ecology and Environmental Biology - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£24.1k
First year after graduation
£25.6k
Third year after graduation
£30.3k
Fifth year after graduation
Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Ecology and Environmental Biology.
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
Discussions
Discussions
Students are talking about University of Essex on The Student Room.
University of Essex open days
Are you thinking of applying to this university?
Before you do, it's a good idea to go to an open day. You can have a good look around campus, getting a better idea of what it's like to study there. You'll meet current students and staff and get the chance to ask them questions.
Universities will list upcoming open days on their websites. Most will also have virtual open days; these are a great alternative if you really can't get there in person. For tips on preparing for open days, check the advice section here on The Uni Guide.
