Educational Aims: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

• To provide a flexible but structured, progressive and thematic training in Environmental Chemistry which will provide students with a knowledge and understanding appropriate for subject-specific graduate employment
• To develop key transferable skills to prepare students for general graduate employment
• To develop the intellectual and practical skills necessary for progression to postgraduate research and training
• To encourage academic curiosity which will prepare students for lifelong learning
• To offer a broad range of modules within which students can select a specialised route
• To offer all students the opportunity to conduct two substantial research projects
• To offer selected students the opportunity to spend one year at an approved university overseas, so that they may acquire the ability to study in, and learn about, a different society, culture and higher education system

On entry to our programme, students can register for either the 3 year (BSc) or 4 year (MChem) degree in Environmental Chemistry/International.  The final choice of degree will normally be taken at the end of Part 1, although change is still possible at the end of Year 2. Part 1 (Year 1) is qualificatory, and marks from Part 2 (Years 2, 3 and 4). Year 2 is spent at a foreign university. The intellectual content of modules becomes increasingly more demanding from Years 1 to 4.  As they progress through the degree, students are expected to demonstrate increased intellect, independence and scientific rigour in all assessed work.

Year 1

Students take 15 modules in Year 1, of which 10-12 are core. Students are free to make up their remaining modules from a wide choice across the University, although many chose to study cognate disciplines.

Compulsory modules

ENV 101     Global Climate Change

ENV 102     Geological Processes

ENV 103     Dynamic Landscapes I

ENV 104     Hydrological Processes

ENV 105     Atmosphere, Weather & Climate I

CHEM 101   Atoms and Molecules                        

CHEM 102   Introduction to Organic Chemistry                 

CHEM 103   Organic Chemistry                            

For students without A2 Mathematics or equivalent

ENV 122      Numerical Skills ES I

ENV 124      Numerical Skills ES II

Optional modules

     ENV 111     Environmental Management

     ENV 112     Natural Hazards

     ENV 113     Earth's Internal Processes

ENV 114     Environmental Microbiology

     ENV 115     Chemistry, Pollution & Human Health

     ENV 121     Communicating Science

     BIOL 103    Life in Changing Environment

     BIOL 105    Biodiversity and Conservation

Students must achieve certain grades in Year 1 (as set out in the Part 1 Handbook) in order to be eligible for a placement abroad.

Year 2: (6/16 units)

Normally 8 modules are taken at an overseas university (usually in North America or Australasia). The departmental Study Abroad Adviser will assist students spending Year 2 abroad to select courses that cover similar material at a similar level to those at Lancaster.

Marks achieved abroad are translated into Lancaster classes using a standard conversion table, and taking third year performance into account, as described in section C.3.8 of the Undergraduate Examination Regulations (available at: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/acadreg/calendar/ugreg.htm).

Progression to Year 3 is subject to satisfactory performance in Year 2; after re-sits students must have achieved a pass (at least 40%) in 3 of the 6 units of assessment.

Year 3: (10/16 units)

Compulsory Modules

ENV 300     Dissertation                                                                             (2/16 units)

     ENV 340     Environmental Organic Chemistry and Ecotoxicology           (1/16 units each)

     ENV 315     Application of Aquatic Chemical Models

     ENV 330     Air Pollution

     ENV 314     Chemical Oceanography

Optional modules (choose 4 from)

     ENV 316     Freshwater and Groundwater Chemistry                               (1/16 units each)

     ENV 341     Environmental Radioactivity

     ENV 342     Effects of Soil & Water Pollution

     ENV 313     Water Supply & Control

     ENV 322     Environmental and Resource Geophysics

     ENV 331     Aerosol, Clouds & Climate

     ENV 345     Risk Assessment and Management

     CHEM 212  Kinetics and Thermodynamics*

     CHEM 281  Practical Physical Chemistry*

     * must be taken together

An average mark of 55% or greater in Part 2 shall normally be required in order to progress from Year 3 to Year 4.  Any student not attaining 55% shall normally be awarded a BSc degree in Environmental Chemistry (International), based on the marks obtained in the 16 units taken in Years 2 and 3.

Year 4: (8/24 units)

Compulsory modules

ENV 401      Dissertation                                                                             (4/24 units)

Optional modules

Choose 4 from

ENV 412      Environmental Radioactivity*                                                  (1/24 units each)

ENV 430      Waste Management

ENV 431      Pollution Microbiology

ENV 432      Chemical Risk Assessment

ENV 433      Environmental Technology

ENV 434      Contaminated Land and Remediation

ENV 435      Environmental Toxicology

ENV 437      Freshwater and Groundwater Chemistry*

ENV 440      Environmental Impact Assessment

ENV 443      Aerosol, Clouds and Climate*

ENV 461      Environmental and Resource Geophysics*

BIOL 431     Toxicological Mechanisms and Measurements

BIOL 432     Consequences of Toxic Effects

     * cannot be taken if studied in Year 3

Work/Study Placement

None.

Awards

Students graduate with a BSc or MChem degree, Honours or Pass, in Environmental Chemistry (International). Degrees are classified according to the university's standard regulations for 16 or 24 unit degree schemes.