Field courses
All of our students go on a field course between second and third year. We give you a choice of fascinating habitats to explore, from dramatic landscapes in remote corners of the globe, to complex ecosystems operating right under our noses. The field courses are a fantastic opportunity for you to carry out your own research and develop an understanding of the ecology and biodiversity different habitats across the globe. You will also get to improve your analysis and presentation skills, and interact with our expert academic staff alongside other students on your course. There's also lots of field work built into the rest of your degree. All of our students spend the first week of first year on a field trip exploring Sheffield's green spaces, and there are regular visits to zoos, aquariums and nature reserves. |
Environmental ScienceStudents on the Environmental Science courses led by the Department of Geography will also do a freshwater ecology field course across Sheffield's waterways between first and second year, and an environmental science field course at Petersberg Outdoor Education Centre in County Mayo, Ireland, in their second year. |
The Danum Valley Field Centre is at the edge of 400km2 of rainforest, where you can often see orang-utans, elephants, gibbons, clouded leopards and many species of bird. Students learn about threats the rainforest faces, and efforts to save it. |
Arctic ecosystems and climate: Sweden Students go to the Abisko Research Station during a period of 24-hour daylight. Based on the shore of the Torneträsk lake, 200km north of the Arctic Circle, you'll be able to study a range of organisms, from carnivorous plants to grazing reindeer. |
The area around the Quinta de Sao Pedro Field Centre is full of insects that students can study. The setting offers a unique opportunity to study how different species behave, interact and evolve. |
This course is a chance to look at marine intertidal and coastal ecosystems. Students are based at an adventure field station right by the sea, and visit seabird colonies and coastal habitats. |
More than 400 bird species are found here, in an area smaller than Birmingham. The trip includes bird and plant surveys, and a day is be spent on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro. |
Animal ecology and Behaviour: Peak District This course focuses on insect diversity, so students are tasked with assembling their own insect collection. You'll learn about the many conflicting pressures that affect the management of biodiversity in the Peak District. |