Program Overview

Our BA Geography with a Placement Year focuses on the human impact of a changing world. As the world develops – whether through changing technology, politics, culture or climate – our understanding of it must change too, as well as our ways of living within it. You will explore some of humanity’s most pressing problems, such as energy, food and water provision, the maintenance of biodiversity and the search for environmental sustainability.

You will enhance your studies and employability by spending your third year on an industrial work placement, giving you hands-on experience whilst developing your skills and knowledge.

Throughout this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge to understand and investigate these challenges, with an emphasis on the geographical dimensions of societal change through the study of communities, cultures and their environment.

The degree spans human and physical geography, but with an emphasis very much on the human side. You’ll develop a broad understanding of geographical concepts and issues, as well as how to formulate research questions, collect and interpret data, present results, and develop practical transferable skills. You’ll also take part in field work, and have the chance to work on group projects.

During your first year, you will gain a solid understanding of the challenges facing the natural environment and human society. As the course progresses, you will have the opportunity to develop valuable practical experience through fieldwork, and to acquire specialist theoretical knowledge in such areas as biodiversity conservation and human society, climate change or environmental politics.

You’ll have the chance to study with world-leading academics in cutting-edge facilities, and to take your pick from a wide variety of modules thanks to the diverse expertise in our departments.