You will need to complete a series of compulsory and optional units all designed to give knowledge, skills and experience that will help to equip you for life, learning and work. (See the tables below) You will learn using real-life examples or in a realistic workplace environment.

Principal Learning
Depending on the Level you have chosen, you will study compulsory topics to give you a broad understanding of the different Environment and Land Based work sectors and the way they inter-relate.

These are organised as themes which will introduce you to:

• productive and working environments
• plants and animals
• principles of developing a sustainable environment

For example at Foundation Level you will look at how plants and animals impact on the world around us and the workings of the natural environment.  Higher-level students will develop more detailed knowledge, skills and understanding within these themes. For example, you may consider the environmental influences upon ecosystems and production zones, plant or animal nutrition, growth and breeding, environmental monitoring, and sources and uses of energy. You may carry out a pollution assessment at a local business or look at what is being done to protect endangered species.

Student Project
All Diploma students will need complete a project to demonstrate the skills and knowledge acquired. You can choose your own project. For example, a project that assesses water quality downstream from a factory and looks at the actions that could be taken to reduce any environmental impact on the biological resources within the water. Or, you might want to explore the social and economic value of a farm diversification project, such as a farm shop or market.

The range of projects is enormous!!!!!!!

Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills
Mastering essential life and work skills is crucial in today's competitive job market. So you will be encouraged to develop skills like teamwork and self-management as part of your course. You will learn how to express yourself confidently and how to apply your knowledge and skills creatively in a work environment.

Work Experience
You will need do a minimum of 10 days' work experience.  You will also get the chance to learn and be mentored by professionals working in their chosen field. For example, you might work in a national park or nature reserve visitors centre, supporting permanent staff with visitor entry to the reserve, providing reserve information/leaflets, supporting visitor guides, taking part in behind the scenes analysis of visitor and business data, and supporting the development of visitor packs.

English, Maths, and ICT (Functional Skills)
You will need to achieve a minimum standard in English, maths and ICT. These subjects can be studied as part of the Diploma or can be taken as a GCSE alongside it.

FOUNDATION Summary of themes and topic titles
Themes and topics	GLH
Theme A:  The productive and working environments
Topic 1.1 Components of the natural environment Topic 1.2 Environmental and land-based production, systems and services Topic 1.3 Introduction to working in the environmental and land-based sector	30 30 30