production
Skip to Content

Undergraduate Environmental Sciences 2019-2020

EV2802: WOODLAND CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

15 credits

Level 2

Second Sub Session

The five day residential field course comprises visits to a range of locations in the Borders and the English Lake District. Sites are chosen to reflect a range of management objectives including: environmental protection; habitat restoration; recreation; and, timber production. Sites often have more than one management objective and students will learn about managing conflicting goals through discussions with practitioners. Meeting land use professionals gives students an insight into the range of careers open to them when they graduate.

EV3001: GLOBAL SOIL GEOGRAPHY

15 credits

Level 3

First Sub Session

Field based course that takes you across northeast Scotland exploring an ancient tropical rainforest, hill farming in action, survey techniques and soil formation.


A long tradition of soil science teaching at the University of Aberdeen assembled into lectures and field trips delivered by senior academics. 

Your assessments are geared towards developing practical skills. This includes a field log book to teach survey techniques, a presentation on a particular soil that requires research akin to detective work and a quiz on soil classification.  An exam will also assessed.

EV3301: TIMBER HARVESTING AND MEASUREMENT

15 credits

Level 3

First Sub Session

Lectures and practical sessions provide an integrated learning experience that will provide you with core competencies that are essential for professional accreditation in forestry.

Through practical sessions in a local forest you will develop forest measurement skills; in computer-based sessions you will learn to process, analyse and interpret field data.

Visits to an active harvesting site and a local sawmill allow you to experience these operations first hand and benefit from discussions with professionals at these sites.

Coursework requires you to write professional style reports such as those used in the forestry sector and present a topic chosen by you.

EV3802: ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

15 credits

Level 3

Second Sub Session

·         The mixture of applied science and theoretical work places you in an valuable position for understanding the procedures and applications in modern environmental science

·         A number of laboratory classes allows you to familiarise yourself with the current analytical instrumentation in environmental science

·         The course uses examples of environmental issues allowing you to understand the problem, how the analysis was conducted and the implications of the results

The main assessment in this course is a practical write up that is written in the style of a scientific paper giving you an opportunity to perfect this style of writing

EV4501: REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGY

15 credits

Level 4

Second Sub Session

Case studies of contaminated land and the science underlying the remediation strategy employed provides you a broad understanding of the sources, fates, effects and assessment of pollutants.

Lectures covering legislation for the assessment and treatment of contaminated lands develop your understanding of how and why techniques are applied.

Online course material provides scope for independent study and pursuit of specialized knowledge.

Coursework designed to replicate tasks that one would encounter in an environmental consultancy provide you with transferrable, employability skills. 

EV4802: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

15 credits

Level 4

Second Sub Session

Structured class sessions provide background information about the origins AND development of EIA, AND how EIAs are implemented IN the UK AND elsewhere. Visiting speakers AND a FIELD visit provide practitioner perspectives ON the role of EIA IN development decisions.

Workshop sessions focus ON CASE studies providing insight INTO the issues that arise AND provide an opportunity TO develop transferable skills valued BY employers, such AS team-working, TIME-management, presentation AND critical appraisal.

Through an EIA report you investigate a proposed development IN depth TO identify likely environmental effects, judge their significance, AND propose how they should be assessed AND mitigated.

EV4803: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

15 credits

Level 4

Second Sub Session

Students examine why and how management plans are created for conservation and other sites. Field work in a multiple use site is followed by data analysis, practical tasks and writing which all provide the training required to construct a management plan.

Structured practical sessions provide experience with spreadsheets, ArcGIS and other technical software, and increase your confidence in data handling and analysis.

The main assignment in the form of a management plan allows you to demonstrate your skills aimed at a professional standard.

The mixture of science and management offers you a unique range of skills required by employers.

Compatibility Mode

We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.