BSc (Hons) Environment, Food and Society
Benefit from our strong relationships with leading food and farming businesses, policy makers from industry, and government and civil society organisations; as well as gaining access to the organisations directly involved in promoting sustainable food, farming and environmental management.
Course overview
This degree will give you the skills to understand the challenges and contribute to the solutions of major global issues. You will cover topics such as natural resource management, wildlife conservation, animal welfare, agro-forestry, ecology and community supported agriculture. The course has been developed in collaboration with the Soil Association Food for Life programme and is centred around four key themes – People and Food, Food and the Environment, People and the Environment, and Making a Difference.
In your second year you will complete a module in work-based learning, looking at your impact within an organisation. You also have the option to complete a placement year as part of your degree.
Start-up Visa
The Royal Agricultural University is an endorsing institution under the Home Office’s Start-up visa route. The Start-up visa is for graduates who demonstrate high entrepreneurial potential and wish to start a business in the UK for the first time.
The Start-up visa is administered by the University’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme and facilitated by School of Business and Entrepreneurship. To be endorsed for the Start-up visa by The RAU, you must be an RAU student or graduate, and have taken part in the University’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme. Contact enterprise@rau.ac.uk for further information.
Course content
Your final project is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge, to build your CV and support your career goals. Working with colleagues, you will select a real world problem to focus on in an area that interests you. This could be developing a specialist interest in food production or marketing, conservation, biodiversity, landscape, technology, social enterprise or policy innovation.
Work placement
Designed by industry, this course will provide you with the skills required by future employers, and will enable you to make a positive impact within the food, farming and environment sectors. In your second year you will complete a module in work-based learning, looking at your impact within an organisation. If you wish to undertake an extended period of work placement there is the option to complete a year in the workplace.
Timetables
Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and societies activities.
Modules
Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Each credit equates to 10 hours of total study time. Total study time includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity.
Full-time students normally take modules worth 60 credits per 15 week semester but this can vary depending on your elective choice. Part-time students take proportionally fewer credits per semester. All students take a total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits for the degree as a whole. Your overall grade for your degree is based on marks obtained for modules taken at level 5 and level 6 (weighted 30:70 accordingly)
The modules available for this degree are shown below. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Year one
- 1007 Soil and Environmental Science
- 1325 Introduction to the Agri Food Industry
- 1400 Developing Academic Skills
- 1421 Species and Ecosystems
- 1422 Ecosystem Services And Sustainability
- 1423 Advocacy & Activism In Food & Farming
- 1424 People and Food
Year two
- 2136 Landscape Conservation
- 2267 Introduction to Research Skills
- 2316 Personal and Professional Development Skills
- 2348 Society and Food
- 2349 Resilience of Agro-Ecosystems
- 2351 Theory and Practice of Knowledge Exchange
- 2353 Society, Education and Engagement
- 2354 Solving a Problem in Practice
Year three
- 3092 Countryside and Environmental Management
- 3300 Dissertation / Project
- 3323 Food Ethics and Governance
PLUS choice of TWO electives selected from:
- 3085 Climate Change And Development
- 3207 Farming And Integrated Environmental Local Delivery
- 3209 Sustainable Agricultural Intensification
- 3230 Ecology Field Tour*
- 3318 Inspiring Change in Policy and Practice
- 3324 Smart Food Systems
- 3325 Rural Entrepreneurship
* To fund the cost of the tour the University contributes up to £1,000 per student with students also expected to contribute up to a similar amount
** Optional additions to the course will incur additional charges
The availability of electives to individual students will be dependent on timetabling considerations and on sufficient students electing to take part.
Disclaimer information
The University has established various rules and regulations that you must agree to and follow if you accept an offer to study with us. View our full disclaimer notice.
Careers and graduate destinations
- Retailer
- Roles within the agri-food supply chain
- Roles within organisations such as DEFRA
- Roles within global organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation
- Farmer advisory services
Entry requirements
Typical offers
Required: GCSE minimum five GCSEs at Grade C/4 including English Language and Mathematics (or Maths Numeracy for Welsh applicants) plus satisfactory level 3 qualifications:
- A-Level: (Example grades CCC) – minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points (across three A-Levels or equivalent qualifications)
- C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Extended Diploma (1080) at Merit-Merit-Merit
- C&G NPTC/C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Diploma (720), Extended Certificate (360) and 90-Credit Diploma (540) acceptable when accompanied by other Level 3 qualifications
- International Baccalaureate: 26 points
- Access to Higher Education: 45 credits at level 3, of which minimum of 15 must be awarded at Distinction and 15 at Merit or higher. (Pass in Functional Skills level 2 are accepted in lieu of GCSE English & Mathematics)
Visit the UCAS website to calculate your UCAS Tariff points from the qualifications and grades achieved.
You may also be eligible for a contextual offer if you’re from one of our link colleges, have been in care, from a non-white ethnic background, live in an area with low progression rates to university or you are a veteran/child of an armed forces family.
Flexible entry
The University welcomes interest from applicants who may not have the standard entry requirements. A wide range of qualifications and experience are accepted in order to join University degree programmes. The University always considers evidence of personal, professional (APL) and educational experience, (APEL), which show an ability to meet the demands of their intended programme of study.
Further information
Alternative entry routes are available for a range of other qualifications. Prior experience is also considered, subject to approval by the programme manager and admissions staff.
Read more general information about our entry requirements.
If you don't meet the entry requirements of this course, you may be eligible for one of our Foundation degree courses or another related degree course.
International students will also need to achieve IELTS Academic or equivalent at the appropriate level for your programme of study. English language requirements for international students.
For any further help, please contact our admissions team:
- Email: admissions@rau.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)1285 889912
Fees
2023-24 Applicants
For the academic year 2023-24 the tuition fees for this course are:
| UK | International | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | £9,250 per year | £13,900 per year |
For part-time study, please contact admissions@rau.ac.uk for further information.
Please also refer to the funding your time at university page.
Tuition fees may be subject to an inflationary increase each year as set out in our Access and Participation Plan 2019/20.
If you are an Irish national you can check if you meet the requirements for Home Fees. Please visit the UKCISA website and consult the pdf guide “England HE – who pays Home Fees”. First check category ‘3 years in Republic of Ireland/UK/Islands, settled in UK’ or ‘Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028: Irish citizens with residence in Europe or overseas territories’. You will possibly need to be fee assessed when you submit an application for study to the RAU.
Scholarships
The University offers a wide range of generous fee waivers and bursaries. To find out more about the these, please visit the bursaries, awards and scholarships page.
Ready to take the plunge? Apply now
Applications should be made by the UCAS deadline to ensure we are able to offer you a place on your first choice course. However, if you have missed the deadline please contact Admissions@rau.ac.uk as there are usually places available.
If you would like to apply during UCAS Extra or Clearing, please check that we have places available.
Applicants wishing to study on a course on a part-time basis will need to apply directly to the RAU.
Please contact admissions@rau.ac.uk to discuss your requirements and obtain an application form.