Study with us

The environmental challenges we are currently facing – global warming, pollution, acidification, and a host of others – can feel overwhelming. Environmental science tackles these problems holistically and combines scientific disciplines (biology, geology, chemistry, physics, social science, ethics, etc.) to work towards solutions.

If you would like to take action to improve our world and environment and want a challenging, top-rated course of study that expands across disciplines and prepares you for a wide range of careers, then environmental science may be right for you. We offer degree programmes at the bachelor level, three masters’ programmes and a PhD programme.

Our courses and programmes

Rewarding and varied study environment

While every class and every student’s journey are different, there are core values that carry through our education. We put a high value on supporting each student in their learning, and smaller class sizes ensure that you have the foundation to expand your knowledge through direct contact with your teacher. Group projects encourage you to learn from and connect with your fellow students, and prepare you for careers where teamwork is highly valued. There is a robust blend of theoretical and hands-on work which allows you to apply and deepen your knowledge in the laboratory and out in the field.

Student life at Stockholm University

Strong research connection

At Stockholm University, our researchers are your teachers, and their cutting-edge research has a global impact. The four main areas of research are chemical contaminants, atmospheric aerosols, biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients, and (eco)toxicology.

Research at the Department of Environmental Science

Highly ranked programme

While we think that the excellence of our education is shown through the continuing success of our students, we can also point to the high rankings within the field of Environmental Science.

Stockholm University in world ranking tables

In 2022 QS World Rankings ranked our education in environmental science as the best in Sweden and top 30 in the world. Natural sciences at Stockholm University as a whole were also ranked number one in Sweden.

Stockholm University rankings

Sustainable Development Goals

The Department of Environmental Science offers two master's programs in Environmental Science, with different dedicated focuses - Atmosphere, Biogeochemistry and Climate (ABC) and Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (ETC). Both programs tackle environmental issues described in several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the ABC program you will learn about large-scale environmental systems – land, atmosphere and oceans – what they are composed of and how they are intertwined and interact; how human perturbations upset the balances between them; and potential solutions to the problems that result (SDG 6, 11, 12, 13, 15). The emissions of chemical pollutants, greenhouse gases and aerosols, as well as land-use change all disturb the natural system and produce effects in various ways, including climate change and the degradation of air and water quality which reverberate outward, changing how the Earth system works.

In the ETC program, the focus is on chemicals, from their production, use and fate to their distribution, toxicology, transformation and impact on living organisms and ecosystems. Strategies for environmental sampling, chemical analysis, modeling their fate in the environment and living organisms, risk assessment and regulation will be combined to address challenges described in the SDGs (3, 6, 12, 14 and 15). In addition, this program also introduces you to European and international regulatory systems designed to protect human and environmental health by e.g. providing safe and sustainable products and societies (SDG 11 and 12).

Both the ABC and ETC programs aim to ensure high level education founded in natural sciences towards a future balanced between growth and prosperity and staying within the planetary boundaries. Understanding the environmental science perspective of these problems, and how it impacts societal issues, will equip you with the tools to look for solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems (SDG 10-11 and 16).

Meet our students

Miranda Nilsson

For Miranda Nilsson, finding employment after her studies was a breeze. Her internship during the final year of her master's program in environmental science led to a permanent position as an environmental consultant once her thesis was completed.

Julia Asplund

Julia has a background in Physics and did a 45 credits thesis entitled “Evaluating Estimates of Urban Aerosol Emissions”.

The department has a nice vibe and professors and researchers are very accessible when you want to talk to them about research.

Julia is now a PhD student at the department of Environmental Science

Berndt Wendler

Bernd has background in engineering and he did a 60 credit Master thesis entitled “Susceptibility of Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in Northern Circumpolar Permafrost Peatlands to Plant-induced Priming”

People come from all sorts of disciplines which makes our discussions very inspiring and interesting.

Contact

Contact the Study councellors if you have questions or need support.

studeranu@aces.su.se

Last updated: 2026-02-19

Source: Department of Environmental Science