Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Astrophysics and Chemistry with International Year

at Keele University United Kingdom

Our Environmental Science combined honours course at Keele draws on the expertise of scientists within the disciplines of life sciences, chemical sciences and geosciences to emphasise the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems. Alongside studying topical global environmental issues, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of practical, laboratory and field-based skills to take into future employment. You’ll also have the opportunity to do fieldwork and gain valuable work experience or study abroad at one of our partner institutions.

You’ll use mathematics to describe the physical world, and learn to plan and conduct investigations before reporting your results. Your course will be informed by the research interests of your teaching staff and laboratory sessions will enable you to investigate unfamiliar phenomena and acquire specialist techniques, but you’ll also develop invaluable transferable skills such as communication, IT and interpersonal skills. We are committed to supporting you throughout your studies, providing you flexible access to our staff to seek advice or feedback

This programme is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning you can gain free membership of the IES to support your personal and professional development in the environmental sector. The programme is also accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and therefore you may apply for free Student Membership of the IEMA which provides a range of benefits.

This course is aimed at developing your programming skills from a very basic level, using Python, so you can move onto more advanced programming concepts used in other modules. Our experienced lecturers will help you develop an advanced knowledge of software engineering methodologies, as well as data analytics and databases.

You will develop and extend the practical skills that are necessary for the designing, building, deployment and evaluation of distributed information systems and enterprise applications over the Internet, with a focus on security issues.

You’ll learn to use technology to create new opportunities and to solve a wide range of problems, benefiting every aspect of society from the home to business, government and beyond. Our teaching is informed by research, and we also reflect what’s happening now in industry.

You will follow a set of modules providing a specialism in information systems, evolutionary systems, or creative computing. You’ll have access to our own computing labs, based on Microsoft Windows and Linux, plus a wide range of software. This degree builds the essential skills which are in demand from employers looking for systems analysts, software engineers and consultants. You’ll graduate with a wide range of computing skills plus a highly developed approach to problem solving.

Our MSc in Geoscience Research is a research-focused masters programme designed to develop generic and subject specific research skills over a broad range of disciplines within Geology and Geoscience, providing a strong educational background for a career in research and development, or the public or private sector. 

This combined honours, Geography course at Keele allows you to focus specifically on your preferred area of human geography. Our staff's diverse research interests and creative methods reflect a modern human geography that can develop your skills to address contemporary societal issues such as climate change, sustainability, health and migration from political, economic, social and cultural perspectives. You will develop interdisciplinary perspectives, problem-solving skills and the ability to research, evaluate and synthesise information from diverse sources. What you learn here will equip you for future employment and for a lifelong appreciation of the world around you.

Politics is of vital importance to all of us in our daily lives. It concerns fundamental choices about the ways in which societies are organised and the way we are governed. Politics is not just the concern of politicians. It is about big issues such as the environment and human rights. Political engagement can change lives and encourage changes in government in the UK and elsewhere.

Politics at Keele seeks to understand society and the events and forces which shape it, engaging with questions of power, justice, conflict, legitimacy, accountability, and governance. You will explore a range of topics which may include why citizens are increasingly disillusioned with politics; what a democracy is; when and how it’s legitimate to protest; and the effects of different models of government. You can tailor your studies to your interests, whether theoretical, historical or oriented to specific issues. Politics at Keele is informed by our research expertise which currently includes environmental politics, security studies, European and American politics.

Does de-constructing narratives and considering the context of literary works capture your imagination? Do you enjoy analysing literature from the Renaissance through to the present day? Throughout your studies, you may study the work of William Shakespeare and Emily Bronte, explore new ways of reading texts from postcolonial or feminist perspectives, and engage in stimulating debates about the value of literature in the modern world. English Literature and Creative Writing at Keele encourages you to explore iconic literary works, whilst learning about the creative process, and compiling your own portfolios of creative writing.  In the beautiful surroundings of Keele Hall, you can enjoy readings from an exciting range of published poets and novelists.

This course aims to cover many topics which examine the geological and geophysical aspects of the Earth, its structure, formation, composition, history, processes, resources, hazards and materials. It aims to look at rocks, minerals and fossils, how they were formed, how they are found and exploited sustainably as a resource, and what they tell us about the history of the Earth. It also covers geological and geophysical processes such as earthquakes, volcanoes and plate tectonics.

Geophysics is a practical subject with applied problem-solving laboratory classes and field courses where you will learn how to collect, process and interpret geophysical data, and explore for future geological resources. This course aims to focus particularly on applied geophysical research skills and you will learn to carry out your own research using specialist geophysical software and equipment. Furthermore, you will complete a comprehensive and integrated fieldwork programme. All of our single honours students are offered a work placement module in year 2.

Our programme is designed as a balanced blend of mathematics, statistics and computer science, tailored to understand the business context of AI and data science applications. You will study fundamental statistical techniques alongside modern software development methods applicable in areas of business such as finance and econometrics. You will also explore the ethical, psychological and social aspects of such applications.

In our computing laboratories, you will have the opportunity to apply your learning immediately using authentic datasets. You will undertake significant hands-on projects, including a final year data science dissertation led by academics with research specialties currently in artificial intelligence, big data and statistical modelling. You will explore a range of advanced technical topics which may include game theory, or international finance, as well as academic research, and practical problem-solving in order to become a skilled professional able to manage data complexity in a field in high demand, both in industry and research.

Our Single Honours programme builds upon the core topics defined by the UK Institute of Physics to provide breadth of study, modules informed by the research of our astrophysics staff, with additional emphasis on mathematics and computing as tools for (astro)physical problem-solving.

The language of the universe is physics and mathematics. You will explore these, along with computational and statistical techniques, and apply these skills to tackling problems as diverse as stellar interiors, galaxies, black holes and the evolution of the universe itself.

You will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of physics and the essential ability to plan investigations, analyse results and present your work. Regular laboratory sessions, including access to our on-campus observatory, enable you to investigate unfamiliar phenomena and develop valuable transferable skills such as scientific writing and programming.

Our programme explores key themes around accountancy, which may include: organisational behaviour, financial and management accounting, operations and quality management, audit and business strategy.

Core modules, such as financial and management accounting, organisational behaviour, operations and quality management, audit, and business strategy, may be supported with options, such as, marketing, business law, economics, taxation, and international finance. This will allow you to explore new and different areas of study.