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Friendly, supportive community

When you study with us, you will join a vibrant and welcoming department. We have a collaborative international community of students, staff, and alumni.

You will be supported by approachable academic staff, who take the time to get to know you and enable you to make the most of your experience of studying with us.

students on a field trip

We hold an Athena SWAN silver award, which recognises our focus on gender equality. Athena SWAN promotes representation, progression and success for all. It focuses specifically on the advancement of women's careers across higher education in all academic fields. The charter also promotes and recognises work that supports transgender staff and students.

Residential field work

You'll have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the field and put your theoretical knowledge into practice on a dedicated residential field class.

Our four-day trip to Dartmoor, UK, which comes at no additional cost, covers four main topics: waste management, water quality, contaminated land and sustainable land management. 

You'll work as part of a professional team during the field class, developing skills that you'll be able to use in your own project work and which will be valued by employers.

Modern, specialist facilities

The Department is based in a custom-designed building with specialised research facilities. These include laboratories and dedicated instrumentation.

You'll have access to superb controlled environment facilities, including a large area of experimental polytunnels and glasshouses. There are also extensive opportunities for field work at the University's experimental farms.

Find out more about our facilities

Award-winning campus

The University of Reading is ranked 1st in the UK for environmental and ethical performance (People and Planet University League 2023/24).

You will study on our parkland campus at Whiteknights, which has been voted among the best and most popular green spaces in the UK for 13 consecutive years in the Green Flag awards

We treat our campus as a laboratory; both staff and students make the most of their immediate surroundings for field work.

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Our course

Our master's programme will help you to establish a firm grounding in your chosen specialism and take your knowledge and skills to the next level.

landscape photograph of welsh mountainscape

How you'll study

Through our high-quality fieldwork and research projects we train you to the highest standards as a preparation for professional employment or doctoral study. 

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Read Abi's story

On the MSc you study with a diverse group of people of all ages, knowledge and career backgrounds. This learning experience was invaluable to me.

Abi Ravichanthiran

MSc Environmental Management graduate

Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences of IES
Athena SWAN Silver Award