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Undergraduate Study

BSc Business and Environment (Cornwall) - 2025 entry

Please note: The below is for 2025 entries. Click here for 2024 entries.
UCAS code N116
Duration 3 years
Entry year 2025
Campus Penryn Campus
Discipline Business and Management
Contact

Web: Enquire online
Phone: +44 (0)1326 371801

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

A-Level: AAB - BBB 
IB: 34/665 - 30/555
BTEC: DDD - DDM

Contextual offers

A-Level: BBB - BCC
IB: 30/555 - 26/544
BTEC: DDM - DMM

Overview

Our mission: to prepare future leaders to drive sustainable business.

A pioneering programme: at the forefront of sustainable business and management education; part of a world leading centre for sustainability.

Interdisciplinary experience: equipping you with essential business skills, complemented by a deep understanding of the balance between business, society, and nature.

Flexible studies: 45 credits of optional modules in years 2 and 3, tailored to your interests and career aspirations.

Highly employable graduates: capable of confidently navigating the transition towards a more sustainable economy.

Beautiful location: study at our Penryn campus in Cornwall, a hub of environmental and social sustainability expertise, close to the sea and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

View 2024 Entry

Request a prospectus

Open Days and visiting us

How to apply

Contact

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

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Business School of the Year

Times Higher Education Awards 2022

Top 10 icon

Top 10 for Business and Management

9th in The Complete University Guide 2025

Graduation cap and diploma icon: symbolizing academic achievement and success.

All Business School departments are top 10 for graduate prospects

The Complete University Guide 2025

Rosette with tick in icon

Triple accredited Business School

AMBA, AACSB, EQUIS

Trophy icon

Business School of the Year

Times Higher Education Awards 2022

Top 10 icon

Top 10 for Business and Management

9th in The Complete University Guide 2025

Graduation cap and diploma icon: symbolizing academic achievement and success.

All Business School departments are top 10 for graduate prospects

The Complete University Guide 2025

Rosette with tick in icon

Triple accredited Business School

AMBA, AACSB, EQUIS

Entry requirements (typical offer)

Qualification Typical offer Required subjects
A-Level AAB - BBB N/A
IB 34/665 - 30/555 N/A
BTEC DDD - DDM N/A
GCSE C or 4
B or 5
Grade C or 4 in English Language, and
Grade B or 5 in Mathematics (or: GCE A-level/AS Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Pure Mathematics or Core Mathematics)
Access to HE 30 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade - 24 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 21 L3 credits at Merit Grade. N/A
T-Level Distinction N/A
Contextual Offer

A-Level: BBB - BCC
IB: 30/555 - 26/544
BTEC: DDM - DMM

Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers.

Other accepted qualifications

View other accepted qualifications

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B1. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

NB General Studies is not included in any offer.

Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply

The Business School in Cornwall is future facing which I think is needed for a Business degree in the 21st century. It is not just looking at ideologies and theories but actually putting it into practice.

Living in Cornwall is an absolute dream. You have outstanding beauty on your doorstep and some of the best beaches in the UK. There is also an amazing heritage and culture in Cornwall. At the Penryn Campus, you combine learning in a space of outstanding beauty with opportunities you wouldn’t get at other universities such as sailing and surfing. It is a match made in heaven.

Read more from Matt

Matt

BSc Business and Environment

Course content

BSc Business and Environment focuses on the interdependence of business and the natural environment. It equips business leaders of tomorrow with the skills and insights to tackle the most pressing challenges facing society.

This course examines how business needs to change in order to address intensifying environmental issues and to achieve a sustainable economy. It is designed for anyone interested in becoming an adaptable and resilient leader, wishing to contribute to long-term ethical solutions. The programme is interdisciplinary, covering a range of topics including:

Ecological economics and how business can contribute towards tackling the ecological crisis.

Environmental science and how data helps us gain new insights into the eco-systems that support our lives.

Climate justice and the role of environmental laws, regulation and policies in shaping our relationship with nature.

You’ll be part of a seminar-style international learning community, resulting in stronger peer networks with learning reinforced through one-to-one interaction with lecturers and researchers.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

You may take option modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

120 credits of compulsory modules, 0 credits of optional modules.

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
BEP1150 Environment, Society and Business 30
LAW1016C A Legal Foundation for Environmental Protection 15
BEP1070 Accounting 15
BEP1100 Understanding Work and Organisations 15
GEO1419 Introduction to data science 15
GEO1408B Global Issues in Environmental Science 15
POC1026 Power, Inequality and Global Justice 15

75 credits of compulsory modules, 45 credits of optional modules

 

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
BEP2060 Research Inquiry for Practice 15
BEP2150 Ecological Economics 15
BEP2040 Strategic Concepts for Business 15
BEP2210 Circular Enterprise Economy 15
BIO2406 Biodiversity and Conservation 15

Optional modules

a You must select at least 15 credits of optional modules from this list of Environmental modules

b You must select at least 15 credits of optional modules from this list of Business modules

CodeModule Credits
BSc Business and Environment optional modules S2 24-25 envinronment modules [See note a above]
GEO2440 Geographical Information Science and Systems 15
BIO2425 Introduction to Ecological Consultancy 15
GEO2441 Remote Sensing for Environmental Management 15
GEO2451 Ice Sheets: Glaciology, Climate and the Oceans 15
LAW2016C Environmental Regulation and Redress 15
POC2114 Green Politics in Theory and Practice 15
GEO2463 Hazards and Human Society 15
GEO2445 Rural Social Issues 15
GEO2444 Landscape Evolution 15
GEO2450 Biogeography 15
GEO2458 People and Nature 15
GEO2454 Waste and Society 15
GEO2456 Social and Cultural Geographies 15
ECE2001 Oceans and Human Health 15
BSc Business and Environment optional modules S2 24-25 business modules [See note b above]
BEP2050 Finance for Business 15
BEP2190 Understanding Financial Statements 15
BEP2030 Business Practice (Placement/Work Experience Project) 15
BEP2070 Social Enterprise Management 15
BEP2110 Workplace Wellbeing 15
LAW2115C Legal Foundations for Sustainable Business 15
BEP2120 Digital Technologies and the Future of Work 15
BEP2300 History of Black Entrepreneurship 15
BEP2020 Project Management 15
BEP2140 Business Analytics 15

This degree offers you the opportunity to spend a year working in a related industry or studying abroad.

If you choose one of these options your placement year will take place in your third year, before returning to complete your degree at Exeter in your fourth and final year of study.

You can apply directly to one of these options via UCAS, or you can apply to the standard 3 year course and transfer onto one of these options in the first term of your first year.

More about placement options

75 credits of compulsory modules, 45 credits of optional modules

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
BEP3011 Business and Climate Change 15
BEP3020 Practice-Based Consultancy Management 15
BEP3130 Biomimicry 15
BEP3050 Future-Facing Dissertation/Project 30

Optional modules

CodeModule Credits
BSc Business and Environment optional modules S3/4 24-25
GEO3455 Marine Climate and Environmental Change 15
BEP3090 Business Field Trip 15
BEP3010 Social and Technological Innovation 15
BEP3070 Crisis: Change and Creativity in Organisations 15
BEP3110 Marketing Strategy 15
BEP3171 The Economy of Space 15
BIO3428 The Complexity of Human Societies 15
BIO3411 Science in Society 15
BIO3415 Ecological Responses to Climate Change 15
GEO3437B Climate Change and Society 15
GEO3475 Sustainable Cities 15
GEO3461 Arctic Frontiers: Can We Preserve the Arctic Environment? 15
LAW3016C Legal Response to Environmental Destruction 15
GEO3470 Marine and Coastal Social-ecological systems 15
BEP3030 Globalisation and Internationalisation 15
BEP3040 Local-Global Innovation (Cornwall Research Seminar Series) 15
BEP3172 Future 17: Sustainable Development Goals Challenge 15
ECE3001 Living with Environmental Change 15
ECE3002 Frontiers of Global Health 15
BEP3003 Sustainability Accounting and Reporting 15

Course variants

Our Business and the Environment degree offers you the opportunity to spend a year working in a related industry or studying abroad.

If you choose one of these options your placement year will take place in your third year, before returning to complete your degree at Exeter in your fourth and final year of study.

You can apply directly to one of these options using the UCAS codes below, or you can apply to the standard Business and the Environment course and transfer onto one of these options in the first term of your first year.

UCAS code: N118

Why choose a year in industry?

  • Gain a proven work history that is excellent to discuss at job interviews and gives you a head start in the working world
  • Get paid! Typical salaries range from £19,000 to £23,000 but can extend from £15,000 to £52,000
  • Over 50% of students are offered graduate jobs from their placement employer
  • 97% of With Industrial Experience graduates were in graduate employment or postgraduate study within 6 months of graduating, compared to 93.5% of non-WIE graduates (DLHE 2017)
  • Increase your confidence and resilience, and make friends for life

What does a year in industry mean for me?

The ‘With Industrial Experience’ (WIE) pathway is a four-year version of your degree, in which your third year is spent in a professional placement before returning to university for your fourth and final year. The Business School Careers Team supports you every step of the way, helping you identify placement providers, create a strong application, practice interview techniques, and support you while you are in placement. The placement year assessment currently comprises of:

  • Progress reports provided by employers
  • A reflective essay
  • A business report

How do I secure a placement and where can I go?

You are responsible for sourcing and securing a work placement, but you will be supported throughout by the Business School Careers Team and assigned an academic tutor for the duration of your placement. Placements are available internationally. Previous placement providers include Adidas, Apple, ASOS, Bank of England, Deloitte, Disney, EY, GlaxoSmithKline, Goldman Sachs, PwC

Does it count towards my degree?

The placement year is assessed and contributes 1/7th of your final degree classification when you graduate.

Does it affect my tuition fee?

During your placement year you will pay a reduced tuition fee of approximately 20% of the maximum fee for that year. Find out more on our tuition fee webpages.

How do I apply?

‘With Industrial Experience’ is available on all our undergraduate programmes. You can apply through UCAS or ask to transfer onto WIE in the first term of your first year. Find out more on our Careers pages.

Other work experience options

If you choose not to undertake the four-year WIE pathway, there are other ways to gain work experience, from the Business Internships and Placements Module, to summer internships. Find out more on our careers pages.

UCAS code: N117

Why choose a year abroad?

  • In a complex and hyper-connected world, it is more important than ever to demonstrate a global outlook to employers
  • A report by Universities UK International shows that graduates who are mobile during their degree are more likely to earn more than non-mobile peers
  • Broaden your perspective in a way that benefits you for life: accelerating your resilience and flexibility, developing your ability to communicate across cultures, and demonstrating that you take the initiative
  • We find students return from their year abroad with heightened self-confidence and an impressive work ethic.

What does a year abroad mean for me?

The ‘With Year Abroad’ (WYA) pathway is a four year version of your degree, in which your third year is spent studying at one of our 60 partner universities (spanning 26 countries), before returning to university for your fourth and final year. There is also the opportunity to combine study and work abroad, doing a semester of study at one of our partner universities followed by a semester of work in a placement that you secure anywhere in the world. The Business School Study Abroad Team supports you every step of the way, helping you to decide where to go, create a strong application, and supporting you while you are abroad.

Where can I go?

We have partners in: Canada, USA, Mexico, Peru, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand

Does it count towards my degree

The placement year is assessed and contributes 1/7th of your final degree classification when you graduate.

Does it affect my tuition fees?

If you spend a full academic year studying abroad you will pay a reduced fee of approximately 15% of the maximum fee for that year.

How do I apply?

Year abroad options are available on all our undergraduate programmes. You can apply for the four year ‘With Year Abroad’ variant of your degree through UCAS or ask to transfer onto the WYA programme in your first year. Acceptance is dependent on satisfactory academic performance and the level of research you have undertaken into your chosen institution. Find out more on our study abroad webpages.

Other study abroad options

If you choose not to undertake the full year studying abroad, there are other ways to gain a taste of the study abroad experience. You can spend two to six weeks at one of our international partner universities. Find out more on our study abroad webpages.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

UK students: £9,535 per year
International students: £24,700 per year

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*. Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.

* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Find out more about tuition fees and scholarships

I have loved living in Cornwall, I truly understand what attracts visitors to it during the holidays: the friendly locals, beautiful beaches, locally owned businesses and great food. Cornwall’s diverse geological landscape makes it an ideal terrain to study the many natural science and ecological degrees offered on campus. 

My programme has an overarching Business and Environmental Science focus made up of relevant transdisciplinary modules, which I believe is not only crucially relevant and important within the challenge of climate change we are currently experiencing, but also allows for obtaining unique skills and perspectives which can be applied in any type of business setting.

Read more from Liné

Liné

BSc Business and Environment

Learning and teaching

How will I learn?

Although lectures are one of the main forms of teaching, you will also learn through participation in workshops, tutorials and seminars. As well as tackling case studies, discussing current issues in business and debating key theories, you will also develop presentation, team working, communication and problem solving skills. You’ll have a personal tutor who is available for advice and support throughout your studies.

Study hours

Timetabled contact hours, made up of lectures, seminars and tutorials, vary over the duration of programmes and between programmes and are on average between 11 and 14 hours. In addition, you will be expected to complete an average of 20-25 hours of independent or group study per week.

How will I be assessed?

Modules are assessed through a mixture of:

  • Group work
  • Coursework
  • Project work
  • Presentations
  • Examinations

The weighting of these components varies according the module. Coursework is typically between 2,500 and 6,000 words in length, and exams are usually held at the end of the module in January and May/June.

First year assessments

You have to pass the assessments in your first year to proceed to the second year but they do not count towards your final degree classification.

Where will I study?

You will study on our beautiful Penryn Campus in Cornwall, the South of England.

Optional modules outside of this course

Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.

Proficiency in a second subject

If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.

  • A Foreign Language
  • Data Science
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
  • Law (Penryn Campus only)
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Social Data Science

Find out more about proficiency options

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Your future

The University of Exeter Business School provides a range of careers and employability support for Undergraduate students. Visit the Business School Career Zone web page for more information.

Global opportunities

The BSc Business and Environment degree adopts an international outlook meaning you will develop an understanding of the global business environment. Combined with the opportunity to study abroad or work a year in industry, you will be well-placed to work for local or international companies.

Careers

The wide range of business, management and environmental skills developed throughout the Programme will result in flexible employment options including roles such as project manager, marketing manager and sales manager. You will have employment advantages in private companies, public organisations, investment banks, NGOs, and third-sector industries, including key areas for Cornwall such as, water, renewables and food supply chain.

This combination of ethical, work-based, and global skills will create students who can compete at the highest levels and progress onto graduate Programmes to become CSR managers, change managers and environmental consultants.

Your degree demonstrates that you have the following professional skills

  • Understanding of organisations and the environment they operate within, with an appreciation for the changing needs of modern business.
  • Proven ability to work with modern data technologies and critically appraise challenges.
  • Being able to identify and confidently communicate management strategies to provide sustainable solutions to complex business problems
  • Excellent teamwork and communication skills including negotiation as well as sensitivity to the diversity of people and cultures.
  • Project management, leadership and consultancy skills applicable to a range of fields.

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