Department of Natural Sciences
Interdisciplinary expertise across biology, chemistry, environmental science and geography. Our education and research create a more sustainable, healthier environment.
About the Department
Experts in our fields
We are a hub of interdisciplinary research focused on tackling global challenges associated with:
- clean energy
- environmental change and sustainability
- species conservation
- healthy ageing
- socioeconomic, cultural and political change.
We ranked 5th for the real-world impact of our research in the Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences category of the UK’s most recent Research Excellence Framework review (REF2021).
Our state-of-the-art facilities support research and industrial collaborations. These include:
- Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre
- Print City
- Core Analytical Centre
Our connections
We work closely with policy makers and organisations, both locally and across the world. We also work with over 50 employers through our laboratory scientist degree apprenticeships. These courses develop the skills to support our employers in addressing key industrial challenges.
Our partnerships inform the design of our courses to ensure our graduates can contribute to solving future challenges. We’re embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and our pioneering carbon literacy training into the student experience.
Our community
We’re a part of a global student community, including our students at our Joint Education Institute with Hubei University in China. Many of our undergraduate and postgraduate courses offer fieldwork or study abroad, giving students practical experiences across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.
Our disciplines
Inside our department
We’re driven by our ambition to make a real-world impact to solving global challenges such as clean energy, environmental sustainability, species conservation, healthy ageing and societal change through our research and our students.
We’re driven by our ambition to make a real-world impact to solving global challenges such as clean energy, environmental sustainability, species conservation, healthy ageing and societal change through our research and our students.
Explore our research strengths
Our achievements
Our accreditations
