Mia Morgan, a BSc Environmental Management and Sustainability student, is passionate about making a positive impact on the world. Mia shares how choosing the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø has brought her closer to that goal:
“I chose to study this course because I am passionate about addressing the critical environmental challenges our planet faces and wanted the opportunity to create solutions that promote sustainable development, protect ecosystems, and mitigate climate change.
The programme has offered me the chance to further my understanding of how to balance environmental, social, and economic factors in decision-making, and make a tangible difference in shaping a more sustainable world.”
Award Winning Green Spaces
The Green Flag Award-winning Whiteknights campus was a deciding factor that drew Mia to choose to study at ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø:
“The green space on campus is one of the best features of studying here at ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø. It’s a ready-made outdoor classroom that complements the practical learning in topics such as ecology. This has enabled me to collect and identify invertebrates to calculate biodiversity. Such hands-on fieldwork has helped me to apply ecological theories and biodiversity metrics in a real-world context, enhancing my understanding of local ecosystems and their environmental value.
Living on campus feels like a small town of students and is a great way to make friends. A few things I look forward to in my day are attending society events at the Student’s Union, going to the SportsPark, spending time with my friends, and trips into town.”
Tailored Experience
The BSc Environmental Management and Sustainability programme offered Mia the chance to specialise in areas that interested her the most alongside the core teaching by academics in the Department of Sustainable Land Management, based within the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development. Mia shares:
“I love that I had the chance to tailor my course to what I want to do and what I am interested in. While the compulsory modules on the programme are great, I also have the option to pick modules from other departments. I love the fact that I could choose modules taught by the School of Biological Sciences as well as modules in the School of Geography and Environmental Sciences.
Mia praises ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø:
“ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø is a great place to study as there is so much support and the staff are truly passionate about their subjects. They are enthusiastic and engaging.”
Work Experience
Encouraged to gain work experience alongside her degree, Mia completed mini work-placements both on and off campus. Mia shares:
“I worked as a Sustainability Consultant for TFT, an independent real estate and construction consultancy. I carried out sustainability audits and assessments and developed sustainability strategies, using legislation for carbon management and climate change mitigation, as well as assisting with reports.
The experience was very beneficial as I developed new skills such as energy auditing, data analysis, sustainability reporting, critical thinking, and professional communication. All valuable skills for future roles in environmental management and policymaking. It also gave me the opportunity to apply my learning in a work setting and made me acutely aware of the intensity and complexity of the role of a Sustainability Consultant.
In addition, I worked as an Energy and Sustainability Assistant for the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø, which enabled me to gain further hands-on experience relevant to my course. The role involved auditing energy usage across campus buildings to assess efficiency. I monitored lighting, heating, and occupancy levels, then reported findings and recommendations in a sustainability and carbon report to support energy reduction goals. Working over a four-month period, alongside my studies, I was able to gather data across various buildings and contribute to their sustainability report.”
Extra-Curricular Activities
Mia embraced student life and got involved in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities and professional development opportunities during her time at ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø.
“I have enjoyed so many extracurricular activities. Everything from participating in netball and dodgeball, to completing all three RED Awards, and being a Student Ambassador Team Leader for major events across campus. I was also a Course Representative on for my programme.
Mia adds:
“I’ve also completed the Students in Schools Scheme as a teaching assistant, through which I gained recognition for ‘Outstanding Achievement’.
The experiences I have had, and friends that I have gained from participating in these activities, has made my time at university very worthwhile.”