BSc Hons Geography

With its focus on environmental geography, the course explores the interaction between people and the environments in which they live. Concepts of place, space and time are used to explore peoples, cultures, landscapes and environments across the world and the crucial links between them. The course emphasises the need for sustainable development, social justice, the impacts of the global climate emergency and the exciting opportunities provided by the rapid development of geospatial technologies.

 

The course allows you to specialise in your second year of study and beyond with the Physical Geography pathway. A range of optional modules also offer you the opportunity to personalise your degree to your own interests. You will graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to solve a range of complex environmental problems.

 

Topics this course covers include:

• Managing natural hazards and disasters
• Agriculture and food security
• The global climate emergency
• Sustainable development
• Natural resource management
• Inequality and social justice
• GIS and remote sensing
• Renewable energy
• Land degradation and desertification

 

These are all areas where geographers make a significant contribution to understanding, decision-making and policy development.

 

The Physical Geography pathway is designed for anyone interested in the Earth’s surface processes and the physical environment that surround us. More specialised than the Geography route, you will focus on a range of environmental issues, including scientific knowledge of the Earth's surface, it's spatial variation, and its evolution over time.

 

Year 1

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
Learn about the Earth's surface systems and process, and develop your understanding of how the physical landscape is shaped.

 

Geographical Fieldwork
Develop problem-solving skills in a range of issues in human and physical geography. Gain an awareness of different environments, both locally and overseas. Fieldwork is currently undertaken both in the UK and in the province of Almería, south-east Spain.

 

Practical and Professional Skills
Develop an understanding of the range of skills required in Geography, such as geographical data collection, data analysis and report writing.

 

Geographies of Global Change
Explore the geopolitical and cultural framework in which the world moves today, and investigate trends, transactions and patterns in environmental governance. Topics include globalisation, the geography of trading, and the changing status of women in the global economy.

 

Global Environmental Issues
Study contemporary global environmental issues and their underlying causes, including how humans impact the environment and how the natural environment impacts human society.

 

Atmosphere, Weather and Climate
Explore the Earth's climate system, weather patterns and the ways in which these are being altered by human activity to cause the global climate emergency.

 

Year 2

BSc (Hons) Geography
Principles and Practice in Geography
You’ll use a number of case studies – including a local one you’ll conduct yourself – to become familiar with, and learn the key approaches and issues associated with, practising geography.

 

Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Analysis
Study the mapping and analytical techniques used in geographical information systems (GIS). Explore the applications of technology across a wide range of topic areas.

 

Global Climate Emergency
Climate change and our response to it is arguably one of the most pressing issues affecting the earth in modern history. In this module you will address the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, food production, water resources, energy use and many other issues. The module focuses on the science and perceptions of climate change, and how we respond and adapt to it.

 

You'll also chose three optional modules.

Sustainability
Explore the meaning of sustainability and how this impacts our relationship with the natural world. You’ll learn about the conflicts that persist within this between rich and poor countries, those that wish to exploit resources and those that wish to conserve them. You'll also look at the development needs of current and future generations.

 

Natural Hazards and Disasters
This module explores environmental hazards which directly threaten human life or economic well-being. You’ll examine their physical causes and social impacts alongside assessing the threats they pose. You'll also explore the actions needed to manage the aftermath of environmental hazards and reduce disaster potential.

 

Fluvial Geomorphology and River Management
Learn about the physical basis of landform development in fluvial environments. Examine the role of rivers and lakes, including the transport and storage of water and sediment. You'll develop the skills needed to undertake surveys for monitoring fluvial systems, and will discuss the importance of geomorphology to society. You’ll also get the opportunity to investigate river and flood management, including recent approaches to river engineering, restoration and rehabilitation.

 

International Development and Social Justice
You'll critically explore international development by looking into the histories of development and the relationship between development and colonialization. This will involve unpacking the links between contemporary international development discourse, foreign policy, and social justice.

 

Law and Policy
Throughout this module you’ll investigate the development, implementation and impact of environmental policies and laws. You’ll explore the protection of the environment through environmental politics, policy processes and generation of specific environmental legislation.

 

Physical Geography pathway
Principles and Practice in Geography
You’ll use a number of case studies – including a local one you’ll conduct yourself – to become familiar with, and learn the key approaches and issues associated with, practising geography.

 

Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Analysis
Study the mapping and analytical techniques used in geographical information systems (GIS). Explore the applications of technology across a wide range of topic areas.

 

Global Climate Emergency
Climate change and our response to it is arguably one of the most pressing issues affecting the earth in modern history. In this module you will address the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, food production, water resources, energy use and many other issues. The module focuses on the science and perceptions of climate change, and how we respond and adapt to it.

 

Natural Hazards and Disasters
This module explores environmental hazards which directly threaten human life or economic well-being. You’ll examine their physical causes and social impacts alongside assessing the threats they pose. You'll also explore the actions needed to manage the aftermath of environmental hazards and reduce disaster potential.

 

Fluvial Geomorphology and River Management
Learn about the physical basis of landform development in fluvial environments. Examine the role of rivers and lakes, including the transport and storage of water and sediment. You'll develop the skills needed to undertake surveys for monitoring fluvial systems, and will discuss the importance of geomorphology to society. You’ll also get the opportunity to investigate river and flood management, including recent approaches to river engineering, restoration and rehabilitation.

 

Quaternary Environments (Fieldwork)
Explore the climatic and environmental changes that have taken place during the Quaternary Period (the last c. 2.6 million years of Earth’s recent history) with fieldwork in north Wales.

 

Year 3

BSc (Hons) Geography
Dissertation
Undertake independent research under supervision. Focus on your own area of interest within geography.

 

Contemporary Topics in Geography
You'll combine your learning on the course and your wider experience to delve deeply into a social or environmental issue that matters to you. Develop ideas that could be used to positively impact an organisation grappling with this issue and reflect on your future aspirations and employability.

 

You'll also choose four optional modules.

Water Resources
Study the process by which water and solutes move through a drainage basin, alongside basin management, land use management, and water quality issues. You’ll also look at sustainable drainage basin management for supplying drinking water, covering current national and international concerns in water resources.

 

Natural Resource Management
Throughout this module, you’ll study the exploitation of natural resources in a range of environments. You’ll also explore both the scientific principles and political, economic and social structures needed to explore the management of natural resources.

 

Drylands
Drylands embrace a number of environments, ranging from sandy deserts to temperate grasslands and savannas. This module explains why the myth that drylands are empty, barren places with little economic value is flawed, and explores their global socio-economic importance.

 

Global Agriculture and Food Security
Gain an insight into the global agricultural industry and investigate the concepts of production in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. You’ll learn about the current agricultural practice and policy in the UK and EU, investigate current scientific advances, explore issues relating to harvesting and production of food from sustainable sources, and consider global food security.

 

Applications of Remote Sensing
This module will build on your knowledge of managing geographical information learnt in your first and second year. You’ll learn how to process, analyse and interpret information from a range of existing remote sensing techniques. You'll also obtain information for mapping and spatial analysis using data from both historical and the very latest high resolution sensors.

 

Energy for a Low Carbon Future
Investigate how to harness and distribute safe, clean energy from sources that do not deplete with use. Consider the depletion of fossil fuels and the increasing demand for energy and evaluate the choices available for the future.

 

Physical Geography pathway
Dissertation
Undertake independent research under supervision. Focus on your own area of interest within geography.

 

The Cryosphere
Study the physical basis of the cryosphere, including glacial and former glacial environments. Topics include glacial thermal regime, glacial motion and erosion, the development of glacial landforms and the impact of climate change on the cryosphere.

 

Contemporary Topics in Geography
You'll combine your learning on the course and your wider experience to delve deeply into a social or environmental issue that matters to you. Develop ideas that could be used to positively impact an organisation grappling with this issue and reflect on your future aspirations and employability.

 

You'll also chose three optional modules:

Water Resources
Study the process by which water and solutes move through a drainage basin, alongside basin management, land use management, and water quality issues. You’ll also look at sustainable drainage basin management for supplying drinking water, covering current national and international concerns in water resources.

 

Natural Resource Management
Throughout this module, you’ll study the exploitation of natural resources in a range of environments. You’ll also explore both the scientific principles and political, economic and social structures needed to explore the management of natural resources.

 

Drylands
Drylands embrace a number of environments, ranging from sandy deserts to temperate grasslands and savannas. This module explains why the myth that drylands are empty, barren places with little economic value is flawed, and explores their global socio-economic importance.

 

Applications of Remote Sensing
This module will build on your knowledge of managing geographical information learnt in your first and second year. You’ll learn how to process, analyse and interpret information from a range of existing remote sensing techniques. You'll also obtain information for mapping and spatial analysis using data from both historical and the very latest high resolution sensors.

 

Energy for a Low Carbon Future
Investigate how to harness and distribute safe, clean energy from sources that do not deplete with use. Consider the depletion of fossil fuels and the increasing demand for energy and evaluate the choices available for the future.

• A-levels – BBB, including Geography or a relevant Science subject
• BTEC Extended Diploma – DDM including relevant modules; or
• 120 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications, including an A-level equivalent in Geography or a relevant Science subject; and
• GCSEs – English and Maths grade C / 4.

 

Relevant science subjects include: Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Geology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. We will also accept History.

 

Applicants without A-levels will have their applications assessed for subject compatibility.

 

We accept a range of English language qualifications, including IELTS.

You’ll need to achieve the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS.

Please note there are different types of IELTS test available, and it is important that you take the correct one.

 

Alternative English language tests accepted by the University

We accept any of the qualifications listed here as an alternative to IELTS.

In most cases the grades specified are acceptable for courses requiring an IELTS 6.5 (with 5.5 in each component) unless otherwise stated.

Tuition fees for September 2022 entry

 

Mode of study	International tuition fee
Full-time	£15,600
Full-time with placement	£15,600 + £1,385 (placement year)

 

 

Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your undergraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

Your future career

You'll graduate with transferable skills, including numeracy, teamwork, analytical and laboratory skills, putting you ahead of the graduate employment market.

 

Our graduates have gone on to work in roles with companies as diverse as:

 

• ADC Infrastructure
• Chubb Marine Underwriting
• BrewDog
• the Environment Agency
• in national and local government
• non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Geographers are employed in a vast array of roles including:

 

• aid coordinators
• project managers
• environmental consultants
• risk assessors
• hydrologists