Bachelor's program in environmental sciences
Read more about Miljövetenskap med inriktning naturvetenskap, kandidatprogram at gu.se.
Here you will find information about the structure of the program and which courses you can take, who to contact if you have questions about your education, and what you need to consider before the thesis during your final year.
How is the program structured?
The program begins with a introduction course in environmental science, followed by a course that gives you knowledge about the utilization of various natural resources and society's handling of environmental problems. The introduction courses in chemistry and ecology that you then study in the spring increase your knowledge of how different chemical compounds behave in the environment and how environmental problems affect animals and nature.
In the first semester in year two, you study a profile subject in biology, geosciences or chemistry. During the spring (semester 4), you will then take an environmental science methods course where you will learn, among other things, how environmental science investigations are carried out and a course on climate change, the transformation of pollutants, spread and effects on biological systems.
In the third year, you immerse yourself in environmental science. You can specialize in subjects such as conservation biology, natural geography or environmental chemistry. You can also choose from other environmental science courses, which aim to further broaden your environmental science skills or give you tools that you can use in your future work as an environmental scientist. During year three in the fall, it is also a good idea to study a semester abroad as an exchange student.
Read more about the program's structure and content (Swedish only)
When do I need to apply for courses and how do I know which ones I can choose?
Upon admission to the program, you are automatically enrolled in the compulsory courses of the first and second semester.
Remember to accept the courses when you receive your admission notification.
From the third semester onwards, you will have greater freedom of choice, and you will need to apply for most of the courses you wish to take via www.antagning.se (see information in Swedish about which courses we recommend for the second and third years).
During the autumn of year 2, you focus on one of the profile subjects; biology, chemistry or earth science. Which profile subject you choose is partly related to what direction you have in mind in general, but above all on what interests you the most.
The study advisor sends out program information before choosing the course for the coming semester. In the program information, you will find information for your particular cohort about which courses apply to you. These can be compulsory courses or proposals for courses (primarily applies to year 3).
You are not guaranteed a place on courses within a specific profile subject. Therefore, you must specify which courses you want to study first, second and third.
To obtain a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, you must have completed at least 90 credits in biology, including a minimum of 15 credits for a thesis. However, there is room to supplement your education with courses in other relevant subjects. You can find the complete course offerings for the University of Gothenburg under "Find education". You can sort them by subject, level, and semester, among other criteria.
All courses within the program, including the basic courses from the first year, are also offered as standalone courses. This means that even if you are not enrolled in the bachelor’s programs you can apply for them.
Who decides on the program?
The bachelor’s program in environmental sciences is run by the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BioEnv). The program board (“PRÅM”) is responsible for coordinating all environmental sciences programs. It is led by the program board chair, who is also the director of studies at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences.
Who should I contact?
If you have specific questions about our various courses and educational programs, please contact our study counselors or study administrators first. You can find the contact information at Service and support/Study counselling.
If you have more general questions about the education at the department, contact the education director (deputy head of department with responsibility for undergraduate education) or the program board chair. Contact information for staff at BioEnv (especially under Educational matters).
Time for the thesis - what do I need to consider?
What is meant by a thesis?
The thesis is an independent project carried out within the framework of one of our degree project courses, aimed at providing you with in-depth knowledge in one of the research areas and preparing you for work or further studies. Assessment is based on a written report as well as an oral presentation of your results.
You need to find a supervisor and project yourself
All projects must have a supervisor. Typically, you will work in one of our research groups, where your project will be an important part of advancing research. This means you cannot expect to have the freedom to come up with your own project.
Every semester, we offer a variety of exciting and current projects. You are expected to have contacted potential supervisors within the university well before the course starts.
What is required to start a thesis in environmental sciences?
To be admitted to and registered on the course, you need to meet the formal prerequisites and have a project and a supervisor. Course coordinator must always approve your degree project before you can be registered and start your work.
Which degree project course should I apply for?
ES1510 Examensarbete i miljövetenskap I (15 hp)
ES1530 Examensarbete i miljövetenskap (30 hp)