Skip to content

Environmental Studies Schools and Programs in Spain

40 schools in Spain teach Environmental Studies.

Environmental Management

Nowadays, the human effect is a chief variable of environmental change both at the local and the international levels. The management of this effect is of vital importance for human, social and economic well-being. Environmental management needs clear scientific knowledge in addition to social, political and economic analysis abilities. Bircham University’s Environmental Management program shows how such abilities can and have been applied in a broad range of environmentally important settings. Subjects covered on this course include: Environmental Science, Natural Resource Economics, Environmental Policies, Habitat Conservation Planning, Natural Ecosystem Management, Environmental Impact, Water & Waste Sanitation, Solid Waste Management International Environmental Law, Pollution Management and Environmental Management. Subjects account for 3 academic credits each. The Environmental Management course is available at Specialist, Expert, Bachelor's, Master's & Ph.D. (Doctoral) Degree program levels.
Level: Undergraduate Bachelors  
Language of instruction: English  
Location: Villanueva de la Cañada

Environmental Studies Studies in Spain

Environmental studies in Spain are taught mainly through the official bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences (Grado en Ciencias Ambientales), an interdisciplinary programme that combines natural sciences with technology, economics and law to analyse and manage environmental problems. Graduates are trained as environmental scientists (ambientólogos), and further routes lead through master's degrees and vocational training (FP).

How the degree is organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, Spanish bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees 60, 90 or 120 credits. The Grado en Ciencias Ambientales therefore lasts four years. At the Universidad de Salamanca, for example, the programme is grouped into modules that start with basic sciences and natural environment sciences and continue with social, economic and legal sciences, environmental technology, environmental management and quality, and conservation and land-use planning. Electives (18 ECTS) include work placements in companies, and the final project (trabajo fin de grado) carries 12 ECTS.

Where to study environmental sciences in Spain

A search for "Ciencias Ambientales" in RUCT, the Ministry's register of official degrees, returns 39 records, including some older plans that are being phased out. Barcelona and Madrid have the most schools in our directory. Examples of universities with an official Grado en Ciencias Ambientales in RUCT:

  • Madrid region: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and Universidad de Alcalá
  • Catalonia: Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Bellaterra)
  • Andalusia: Universidad de Almería, Universidad de Cádiz, Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Huelva, Universidad de Jaén and Universidad de Málaga
  • Castile and León: Universidad de Salamanca, Universidad de León and Universidad Católica de Ávila
  • Other regions: Universitat de València, Universidad Miguel Hernández (Elche), Universidad de Murcia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Universidad de Vigo, Universidad de Navarra, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Universidad de Extremadura and the Universidad del País Vasco
  • Distance learning: Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)

Most degrees are taught in Spanish; the Universidad de Salamanca, for example, teaches in Spanish and offers 100 first-year places for 2026-27. IE Universidad's degree is registered in RUCT under the English name Bachelor in Environmental Sciences for Sustainability. In Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country some classes may be taught in the co-official language.

Admission

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply first to UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' records and runs the tests needed to enter Spanish bachelor's degrees, and then apply to each university within its deadlines. Each university sets its own admission criteria.

Master's degrees and specialised training

The environment is a broad field at master's level: a RUCT search for "Ambiental" returns 170 master's records. Examples of official master's degrees (máster universitario) include Ciencias Ambientales at the Universidad de Salamanca, Análisis y Gestión Ambiental at the Universidad de Málaga, Agrobiología Ambiental at the Universitat de Barcelona, Ciencia y Tecnología Agroalimentaria y Ambiental at the Universidad de Vigo, and Ciencias Agroambientales y Agroalimentarias, run jointly by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and UNED.

In Zaragoza, the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute (IAMZ-CIHEAM) runs two-year, full-time Master of Science programmes of 120 ECTS, among them one on sustainable water management and governance. According to the institute, the Spanish state has granted its Master of Science equivalence with the official Spanish master's degree.

Vocational training (FP)

Not every environmental career starts at university. In the FP family Seguridad y Medio Ambiente, the higher-level cycle Técnico Superior en Educación y Control Ambiental takes 2,000 hours; the family also includes Técnico Superior en Química y Salud Ambiental and the intermediate-level Técnico en Sanidad Ambiental Aplicada.

Recognition and careers

Royal Decree 889/2022 regulates the recognition of foreign degrees in Spain: a declaration of equivalence certifies the academic level (bachelor's or master's), while homologation is needed only for regulated professions. A Spanish degree used abroad is recognised under the rules of the country concerned.

According to the Universidad de Salamanca, the degree qualifies graduates for the profession of environmental scientist (ambientólogo). Typical fields are environmental education, environmental quality management systems in companies and organisations, environmental audits, consultancy and environmental impact assessment, industrial environmental technology and management of natural areas.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an environmental sciences degree take in Spain?

The Grado en Ciencias Ambientales has 240 ECTS credits and lasts four years. An official master's degree adds 60 to 120 credits.

Can I study environmental sciences in Spain in English?

Most degrees are taught in Spanish. IE Universidad's degree is registered in RUCT with the English name Bachelor in Environmental Sciences for Sustainability; check the language of instruction with each university.

Is there a shorter, more practical option?

Yes. The vocational cycle Técnico Superior en Educación y Control Ambiental takes 2,000 hours, and the FP family Seguridad y Medio Ambiente includes other environmental qualifications.

What jobs do environmental science graduates do?

The Universidad de Salamanca lists environmental education, quality management systems, environmental audits, consultancy and impact assessment, industrial environmental technology and management of natural areas.