Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences>Courses>Environmental Health - BSc (Hons) Degree

Environmental Health - BSc (Hons) Degree

Entry Year

Our triple accredited BSc (Hons) Environmental Health degree will prepare you to be a highly regarded professional in a career that will enable you to play an important role within society.

The BSc (Hons) in Environmental Health at Cardiff Met provides an opportunity to study for five potential career opportunities within one discipline area, including, Food Safety, Housing, Health & Safety in the Workplace, Environmental Protection and the underpinning themes of Public Health, Epidemiology and Risk Assessment.

Our teaching team consists of experienced practitioners from both public and private sectors and their knowledge will enable you to become a well-rounded professional within the field.

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We have excellent work-based placement opportunities in both the private and public sector, and you will have the opportunity to undertake several UK and overseas field trips to enhance your learning experience.

If you want to do a job that is challenging, fulfilling and makes a real difference to people’s lives then Environmental Health could be what you are looking for. Watch this video from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and see for yourself.

Foundation Year

This degree can be studied as a three-year full-time degree or a four-year full-time degree that includes a year of foundational study.

There are two foundation routes available, and applicants can choose whether to study a foundation year in Health Sciences or Social Sciences.

Find out more about the foundation years:


The foundation year is intended to prepare you for your subsequent years of studying, offering you the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence.

The foundation year will be relevant to:

  1. Students who aspire to enrol onto the first year of a science-based honours degree programme within the Cardiff School of Health Sciences, who have not achieved the standard entry requirements to enter at year one of the chosen degree.
  2. Students who have not studied subjects that provide the necessary background within the scientific disciplines required to enter at year one of the chosen degree.


Please note: You will need to apply using a specific UCAS code if you wish to undertake the 4 years including foundation. Please refer to Key Course Information at the bottom of this page.

​Course Content​

Degree:

Throughout the course you will study core areas, comprising: Food Safety; Housing; Health & Safety in the Workplace; Environmental Protection and the underpinning themes of Public Health; Epidemiology and Risk Assessment.

Year One:

The programme will begin with an introduction to Environmental Health in a global context, introducing students to historical and current environmental health challenges. You will also be taught all the key academic skills required to be able to study at degree level. You will learn about the determinants of health and environmental sciences before moving on to consider the role of the living and workplace environment on health including housing, health and safety and food safety. In the first year of the programme you will complete six modules:

  • Professional and Interprofessional Development 1*

  • Food Safety Management
  • Determinants of Health
  • Workplace Environment
  • Environmental Health Sciences
  • Living Environment

Year Two:

In the second year you will develop your skills and knowledge and start applying them to tasks and situations you will be dealing with when you graduate. The principles and practices of public protection will be taught across all areas of environmental health. You will also get the opportunity to consider the role of data and the relevance of health promotion in managing health impacts from your work. You will be introduced to research methods and will choose a subject for your final project.  You will be assisted to secure and undertake a work placement as an embedded element of the course. 
The second year modules are:

  • Principles of Public Protection
  • Professional and Interprofessional Development 2*
  • Research Methods*
  • Assessing & Improving Population Health
  • Public Protection in Practice

Year Three:

In the final year you will consolidate your skills and knowledge by studying across four modules. You will undertake a large piece of supported independent study and develop your skills in health protection and the sustainable management of business to limit impacts on health and the environment. You will also undertake a capstone activity of designing environmental health interventions for health and sustainable development and evaluating these interventions utilising recognised tools and techniques. The final year modules are:

  • Health Protection Incidents
  • Applied Management Systems
  • Intervention for Health & Sustainable Development
  • Project*

*modules available through the medium of Welsh

Learning & Teaching

A variety of learning and teaching methods are used, such as lectures, seminars, visits, practical sessions, problem based learning, case studies and role-play exercises. All teaching is supported by the Moodle virtual leaning environment and Microsoft Teams, which helps students to access information when it is needed. Notes, reading and discussion boards are used to support student learning.

Through the degree programme contact time varies. Our teaching is mainly on-campus through workshops, seminars and lectures and these are supported by online activities and resources. Your learning time with the staff and your peers should be supported by self-dedicated study time. 

A personal tutor scheme supports students with academic and pastoral support from the first year onwards, and encourages students to set and achieve their academic and career goals through all years of the programme.

Teaching staff are all actively engaged with the Higher Education Academy with a number of members of staff receiving awards and recognition for their innovative teaching practice.

Assessment

Assessment consists of a variety of forms including:

  • Coursework
  • Practical assessments
  • Presentations and posters
  • Group work
  • Peer assessment
  • Professional interview
  • Written examinations


All feedback on assessment is provided electronically and can take many forms including written, audio and video formats.

Additional feedback will be provided throughout the programme during taught sessions and personal tutor meetings.

At the beginning of each term students will be given details of the assessment programme for that term. This will include the precise nature and format of the assessment, the criteria for assessment and details of dates for submission of work.

Assessments have been written to closely resemble many day to day workplace situations. This provides students with hands on experience of what they will encounter before going into employment.

Employability & Careers

Undertaking an Environmental Health degree is a pathway into a large number of careers.

Within the private sector the five disciplines of the degree open up a wide array of employment opportunities. These include consultancy, auditing and regulatory compliance roles within medium to large companies both in the UK and abroad.

Within local government, the profession of the environmental health practitioner is highly regarded and environmental health practitioners are employed by local authorities throughout Britain. The armed forces and public health bodies also offer strong career options for environmental health practitioners.

Our graduates work in all the following areas:

  • Local Authority Environmental Health Departments
  • Central government and its agencies (e.g. Food Standards Agency, Public Health Wales/England, Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive)
  • Military service (Army, Navy and RAF)
  • Holiday & Travel companies
  • Large Retailers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s
  • Private consultancy
  • Housing associations
  • Academia
  • Overseas
  • International Health Development.


Graduates from the course have a very high rates of employment. This is assisted by the strong reputation of the course and the integration of a Professional Employability module. This module aims to provide meaningful work experience and assistance from leading industry professionals in developing strong CV’s, personal statements for job applications and the knowledge and aptitudes required for the job application process.

Opportunities for further study include the MSc Occupational Safety, Health and Wellbeing and Masters of Applied Public Health, as well as a number of research studentships

Entry Requirements​ & How to Apply

Typical Offers

​The following requirements are based on typical offers relevant to entering year 1 of the degree.

If you do not meet these entry requirements, we also offer a Foundation Year in either Health or Social Sciences, which allows progression to Year 1 upon successful completion.

  • Tariff points: 96-104
  • Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
  • GCSE: Five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy and Science.
  • English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
  • A level subjects: Minimum three A levels to include grades CC. Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject.
  • BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM-DMM.
  • T Level: Pass (C+).
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: Minimum two Grade 5 in Higher Level subjects.
  • Irish Leaving Certificate: 2 x H2. No specific subjects required. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades DD. No specific subjects required. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.


How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

Contact Us

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044, email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk or Tweet us at @CMetAdmissions​.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the programme leader, Henry Dawson: 
Email: hdawson@cardiffmet.ac.uk 
Tel: 029 2020 5786​

We endeavour to deliver courses as described and will not normally make changes to courses, such as course title, content, delivery, and teaching provision. However, it may be necessary for the university to make changes in the course provision before or after enrolment. It reserves the right to make variations to content or delivery methods, including discontinuation or merging courses if such action is considered necessary. Please read our Terms and Conditions for the full information.

Key Course Information

UCAS Codes:
B910 - 3-year degree
B91F - 4-year degree (including Health Sciences foundation year)
B9BF​ - 4-year degree (including Social Sciences foundation year)

Place of Study: Llandaff Campus

School: Cardiff School of Sport && Health Sciences

Course Length:
Three years full-time.
Four years full-time if undertaking foundation year.​

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STUDENT & GRADUATE EXPERIENCE
Graduate Profile

Harriet is a Senior Environmental, Health and Safety Advisor at Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I ABinBev. She tells about the variety of the role and how the skills learnt at Cardiff Met are applied in her day to day role.

Student Profile

“During my placement at British Airways, I’ve worked with the Compliance Department. I’ve observed and learned many things from them. The team is responsible for ensuring that British Airways abides to the applicable regulations, standards, and rules. This covers safety measures of the aviation industry, health, and safety as well as the environmental aspect behind it. The placement has benefitted me a lot, I can finally apply theories I have learned in lectures real-world settings.”

Nadia Matin
BSc (Hons) Environmental Health

Read blog

Graduate Profile

Hear from Environmental Health graduate Amy Anderson and how she achieved her dream career after studying with us. Amy is a Food Safety Consultant at a2z food safety and talks us through how she conducts an inspection.

Blog
Why I chose to return to education and study Environmental Health

Mature student Mike returned to education to study with us, learn more about his experience in his blog.
Read more

Blog
How my Environmental Health degree at Cardiff Met landed me in a career I love

Graduate George blogs about how he was able to secure a job working for a Housing association as a Technical Officer.
Read more

Blog
Following my passion for Environmental Health at Cardiff Met

Read why mature student Jade returned to education to study Environmental Health at Cardiff Met.
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Blog
How Environmental Health at Cardiff Met made me a well equipped practioner

Jonathon blogs about how a year-long work placement whilst studying, set him up with the practical experience needed to become an Environmental Health Practitioner.
Read more

Field Trip Abroad: Uganda

Environmental Health students visited Uganda, attending an Environmental Health conference, visiting the equator and having a few close encounters with the local wildlife!

MEET THE TEAM
Meet the Team: Henry Dawson

Meet Henry Dawson, Senior Lecturer on the Environmental Health degree at Cardiff Met, who shares his experience and passion for the subject.