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Environmental Biology

BSc (NFQ Level 8)
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This course is available through the following application route(s)

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Environmental Biology focuses on the biological aspects of environmental science. It equips students with a strong background in ecology and its application to environmental assessment and management. Marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems are studied through the disciplines of plant, animal and microbial ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, global change biology, pollution biology, soil science and wildlife ecology. There’s a strong emphasis on vocational skills and links with industry. Core modules include mock environmental impact assessment, field-based sampling in Ireland, Spain and Costa Rica, and guest lectures from environmental managers and consultants.

About This Course

Environmental Biology focuses on the biological aspects of environmental science. It equips students with a strong background in ecology and its application to environmental assessment and management. Marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems are studied through the disciplines of plant, animal and microbial ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, global change biology, pollution biology, soil science and wildlife ecology. There’s a strong emphasis on vocational skills and links with industry. Core modules include mock environmental impact assessment, field-based sampling in Ireland, Spain and Costa Rica, and guest lectures from environmental managers and consultants.

Information on all our courses including pathways, internships and careers information is available in the UCD Science Undergraduate Courses Entry 2025 Brochure (PDF).

Environmental Biology is one of the degree subjects available through either the Biological, Biomedical & Biomolecular Sciences OR Earth & Environmental Sciences streams in the common entry Science course. 

Students study similar modules for all degree subjects in the Biological, Biomedical & Biomolecular Sciences stream in first year and will study modules for a minimum of two degree subjects in second year. At the end of second year, students choose their degree subject. As we offer a number of degree subjects in each stream, students have a number of similar degree subjects to choose from and if a degree subject is oversubscribed, places are allocated on a competitive basis. For more information on choosing a degree subject at the end of Second Year, visit the Biological, Biomedical & Biomolecular Sciences stream page.

This is a sample set of modules that an Environmental Biology student could study each year in UCD.

First Year
Scientific Enquiry • Cell Biology & Genetics • Basis of Organic and Biological Chemistry • Biomedical Sciences • Biology in Action • Life on Earth • Linear Algebra for Science • Calculus for Science • Optional Science Modules • Elective Module 

Second Year
Biomolecular Lab Skills • Scientific Communication • Principles of Environmental Biology & Ecology • Chemistry for Biology • + modules for 2 other Science Subjects • Elective Modules

Third Year
Wildlife Conservation & Fisheries Management • Analysis of Environmental Materials • Working with Biological Data • Diversity of Plant Form & Function • Ecological and Environmental Microbiology • Optional Modules • Elective Modules

Fourth Year
Research Project • Bioassessment of Freshwaters • Environmental Impact Assessment • Peatlands and Environmental Change • Tropical Field Ecology • Ecological Mapping • Foodborne Pathogens • Ornithology • Conservation of Biodiversity • Marine Community Ecology • Biological Invasions

Students in third year have spent time studying in New Zealand, USA and Australia at the University of Auckland, University of California, Santa Barbara, and University of Melbourne.

Environmental Biologists pursue a wide range of careers such as fisheries managers, environmental consultants, habitat ecologists, pollution biologists, wildlife and conservation officers, national park supervisors, technical and scientific officers, and university researchers and professors.

Graduate opportunities are also available for students to pursue MSc or PhD programmes. Taught MSc programmes that can be pursued by Environmental Biology graduates at UCD include Applied Environmental Science, Environmental Sustainability (Online) and Global Change: Ecosystem Science and Policy.

Students have the opportunity to complete a Professional Placement module worth 5 credits. This module provides students with an opportunity to undertake a placement in industry (6-10 weeks) in the summer following Third Year.

Students in recent years have completed internships in Teagasc or in research labs in UCD.

Placements are secured on a competitive basis and are subject to change each year.



More information about the internship module and application process.


UCD Science Office

You can contact the UCD Science Office in the following ways:




  • Submit your query using our dedicated Contact Form.

  • Drop into the office in the UCD O'Brien Centre for Science, Science East, Room E1.09. Our office opening hours are 10am to 4pm (during term time).


Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 2 Core Modules
BMOL20060 Biomolecular Lab Skills 1 Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
BIOL20060 Scientific Communication Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
ENVB20050 Principles of Environmental Biology & Ecology Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - B) Min 0 of:
CHEM20090 is a CORE MODULE for students who wish to progress with any subject in the BBB stream. Students registered to, or who have taken, both CHEM20080 and CHEM20100, are not required to take CHEM20090. Students who are unable to register to CHEM20090 should contact the Science Office.
CHEM20090 Chemistry for Biology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
ENVB30010 Systems Ecology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
ENVB30020 Wildlife Conservation and Fisheries Management Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
ENVB30140 Analysis of Environmental Materials Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
BIOL30030 Working with Biological Data Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
BOTN30050 Diversity of Plant Form & Function Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
ENVB30100 Ecological and Environmental Microbiology Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students must select a total of 4 options, with at least 2 modules from List A below.
BOTN30140 Experimental Plant Physiology Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students must select a total of 4 options, with at least 2 modules from List A below.
GENE20020 Principles of Genetics Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students must select a total of 4 options, with at least 2 modules from List A below.
ZOOL30020 Arthropoda Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students must select a total of 4 options, with at least 2 modules from List A below.
ZOOL30060 Biogeography and Field Biology Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - B) Min 1 of:
Students must take at least 1 module from List B below.
ZOOL30050 Diversity of Invertebrates Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - B) Min 1 of:
Students must take at least 1 module from List B below.
ZOOL30040 Diversity of Vertebrates Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
AESC30080 Agri-Environmental Issues and Policy Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
AESC30220 Soil Science Applications Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
BIOL30020 Landscape Ecology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
BIOL30040 Scientific Writing for Biology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
ENVB30110 Food Microbiology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
ZOOL20020 Animal Behaviour Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
ZOOL30030 Evolutionary Biology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
ZOOL30050 Diversity of Invertebrates Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 0 of:
Students must select a 4th module from either List A, B or C below
ZOOL30040 Diversity of Vertebrates Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
BIOL40360 Research Project 2 Trimester duration (Aut-Spr)  20
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
BOTN40270 Biology and Ecology of Coastal Wetlands Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
BOTN40300 Plant Biology Field Course Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ENVB40040 Environmental Impact Assessment Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ENVB40310 Peatlands and Environmental Change Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ENVB40490 Tropical Field Ecology Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ENVB40540 Introduction to Ecological Mapping with open source software (QGIS) Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
LAW30440 Environmental Law and Policy Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
MICR40050 Microbiology of Foodborne Pathogens Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
SCI30080 Professional Placement-Science Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ZOOL40500 Ornithology Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ZOOL40510 Conservation of Biodiversity: Theory and Practice Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
BIOL40850 Big Questions in Biology Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ENVB40020 Marine Community Ecology Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ENVB40290 Ecological Modelling Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ENVB40480 Applied Microbial Ecology Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
GENE40080 Population Genetics Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
MICR40040 Microbial Pathogenicity Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ZOOL40280 Biological Invasions Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)8 of:
Please select 40 credits from the list below. Please note that students who successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered by the School to the module.
ZOOL40490 Wildlife Habitat Modelling for Ecology and Conservation Spring  5

I had the opportunity to travel to the Costa Rican Rainforest for a two-week field trip with my classmates and lecturers. The trip to the rainforest allowed us to put the theory we had learned into practice. We had the chance to advance our skills in field sampling, monitoring and data handling and we also got to live in one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world with pumas, monkeys, parrots, giant butterflies and snakes. I was a member of the Choral Scholars of UCD, as well as President and Co-Founder of UCD Women+ in STEM Society.

Sadhbh McCarrick, Graduate

I had the opportunity to travel to the Costa Rican Rainforest for a two-week field trip with my classmates and lecturers. The trip to the rainforest allowed us to put the theory we had learned into practice. We had the chance to advance our skills in field sampling, monitoring and data handling and we also got to live in one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world with pumas, monkeys, parrots, giant butterflies and snakes. I was a member of the Choral Scholars of UCD, as well as President and Co- Founder of UCD Women+ in STEM Society. Being a Choral Scholar has been fantastic because I have been able to earn academic credits, record CDs and travel to New York to sing in Carnegie Hall.

Sadhbh McCarrick, Graduate

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Environmental Biology:

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceInt
EES1
Science: Earth & Environmental Sciences
Bachelor of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates
showAudience-audienceInt
SCU1
Science
Bachelor of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates
showAudience-audienceInt
BLS1
Science: Biological, Biomedical & Biomolecular Sciences
Bachelor of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates
showAudience-audienceEU
DN200
Science: Earth & Environmental Sciences
Bachelor of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Application through CAO
showAudience-audienceEU
DN200
Science
Bachelor of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Application through CAO
showAudience-audienceEU
DN200
Science: Biological, Biomedical & Biomolecular Sciences
Bachelor of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Application through CAO
* you can change options at the top of the page

Additional special entry route(s) to Environmental Biology:

These options have additional eligibility requirements to cater for specific applicant cohorts. You should not apply via these routes before consulting the requirements or contacting the responsible UCD office.

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceInt
SCU1
Science
Bachelor of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Access Progression Pathway
Access Progression Pathway
Application to this Non-EU Access Progression Pathway is by invitation only. If you are not currently enrolled on an Access programme at UCD, your application will be marked as invalid.
If you are not a current Access student, but you are a non-EU applicant seeking admission to an undergraduate degree, please submit an application via the "Undergraduate Degree (Non-EU)" course type.