Geography BSc
University Park Campus, Nottingham, UK
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note that we are currently updating our undergraduate prospectus pages for 2025 entry, so the information below is subject to change. We expect to have our pages fully updated by the end of March 2024.
Course information
Qualification : Bachelor of Science with Honours Bachelor of Science with Honours
Royal Geographical Society
This course is accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) .
- Start date : September 2025 September 2025
Entry requirements : 34 AAB
7.0 (no less than 6.0 in any element)
English language requirements
As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English. Check our English language policies and equivalencies for further details.
For presessional English or one-year foundation courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations.
If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a Presessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP) course . Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.
If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.
Check our country-specific information for guidance on qualifications from your country.
GCSE maths and English grade 4 (C) or above
General studies, critical thinking, and extended project qualification
Please note: Applicants whose backgrounds or personal circumstances have impacted their academic performance may receive a reduced offer. Please see our contextual admissions policy for more information.
All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements apply to 2025 entry.
Visa restrictions
International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.
Alternative qualifications
We recognise that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and follow a variety of pathways into higher education.
Consequently we treat all applicants with alternative qualifications (besides A levels and the International Baccalaureate) on an individual basis, and we gladly accept students with a whole range of less conventional qualifications including:
Access to HE Diploma
- Advanced Diploma
- BTEC HND/HNC
- BTEC Extended Diploma
This list is not exhaustive. The entry requirements for alternative qualifications can be quite specific; for example you may need to take certain modules and achieve a specified grade in those modules. Please contact us to discuss the transferability of your qualification. Please see the alternative qualifications page for more information.
RQF BTEC Nationals
- RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Diploma DDD
- RQF Level 3 BTEC National Diploma DD plus one A level grade A
- RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Certificate D plus two A levels grades AB
Applications are assessed on an individual basis. Where an offer is made, our standard requirements are:
- Access to HE Diploma 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 15 Level 3 credits at Merit
Notes for applicants
We are looking for students who have the ability and motivation to benefit from our courses, and who will make a valued contribution to the school and the university. Candidates are considered on the basis of their UCAS application.
All applications are considered equally on merit and students are usually selected on the basis of academic excellence and personal qualities. We do not rely on predicted grades alone but take into account the broader context of your achievements, primarily as reflected by your engagement with geography beyond studying it as an academic subject - as evidenced in your personal statement and reference. Applicants are not routinely interviewed.
Mature students
At the University of Nottingham, we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population. You can find lots of useful information on the mature students webpage .
- Access to HE Diploma 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 15 Level 3 credits at Merit
Contextual offers
We recognise the potential of talented students from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement at school or college. These offers are usually one grade lower than the advertised entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must have Home/UK fee status and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible .
- UCAS Code : F800 F800
Duration : 3 years full-time 3 years full-time
Study abroad
On this course, you can apply to study abroad at one of our partner institutions or at University of Nottingham China or University of Nottingham Malaysia.
If you are successful in applying to study abroad, you will get the opportunity to broaden your horizons and enhance your CV by experiencing another culture. Teaching is typically in English, but there may be opportunities to study in another language if you are sufficiently fluent.
You can choose to study similar modules to your counterparts in the UK or expand your knowledge by taking other options.
The school you are joining may also have additional study abroad options available. Please visit the school website for more information.
Please note: In order to study abroad you will need to achieve the relevant academic requirements as set by the university and meet the selection criteria of both the university and the partner institution. The partner institution is under no obligation to accept you even if you do meet the relevant criteria.
Optional placement year
If your course does not have a compulsory placement, integrated year in industry or compulsory year abroad where there is already an opportunity to undertake a work placement as part of that experience, you may be able to apply to undertake an optional placement year. While it is the student’s responsibility to find and secure a placement, our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout this process. Contact [email protected] to find out more.
The school/faculty you are joining may also have additional placement opportunities. Please visit the school/faculty website for more information.
Please note: In order to undertake an optional placement year, you will need to achieve the relevant academic requirements as set by the university and meet any requirements specified by the placement host. There is no guarantee that you will be able to undertake an optional placement as part of your course.
Key information
Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university’s control. Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur.
Please note: In order to study abroad you will need to achieve the relevant academic requirements as set by the university and meet the selection criteria of both the university and the partner institution. The partner institution is under no obligation to accept you even if you do meet the relevant criteria.
The school/faculty you are joining may also have additional placement opportunities. Please visit the school/faculty website for more information.
Please note: In order to undertake an optional placement year, you will need to achieve the relevant academic requirements as set by the university and meet any requirements specified by the placement host. There is no guarantee that you will be able to undertake an optional placement as part of your course.
Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university’s control. Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur.
Fees : TBC £9,250 per year
For full details including fees for part-time students and reduced fees during your time studying abroad or on placement (where applicable), see our fees page .
If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .
Additional costs
All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .
As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.
You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies or more specific titles.
If you choose to take optional field trips, the costs vary depending on location but could range from £15 to £1,500.
Please note that these figures are approximate and subject to change.
Scholarships and bursaries
The University of Nottingham offers a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. These funds can provide you with an additional source of non-repayable financial help. For up to date information regarding tuition fees, visit our fees and finance pages .
International students
We offer a range of international undergraduate scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.
Home students*
Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary, worth up to £1,000 a year. Full details can be found on our financial support pages .
* A 'home' student is one who meets certain UK residence criteria. These are the same criteria as apply to eligibility for home funding from Student Finance.
Course overview
Are you passionate about creating a sustainable future for our world? If so, then our BA/BSc Geography course is perfect for you.
We'll dive into topics like climate change, globalisation, and our relationship with the earth. Moreover, you'll gain skills to analyse data related to the world in which we live.
With many fascinating and inspiring optional modules to choose from, you'll have the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice on field trips both in the UK and overseas. You can choose to analyse the impact of humans on the world's physical and built environments. You can explore the development of the global economy or solve geospatial problems. The choice is yours.
You'll have the option to spend a semester studying abroad or to spend a year on placement in industry. Our partner institutions are based in locations such as Canada, Europe and the USA or at our campuses in China or Malaysia.
You’ll study at our 300 acre, environmentally sustainable University Park campus; our largest, award-winning campus set around a lake in extensive greenery.
At the end of this course, you'll have the knowledge and skills you need for your professional career. Join us in working towards a more sustainable and just future and make a difference in the world.
Why choose this course?
- Accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)
- Field trip opportunities in the UK and overseas refine your practical skills
- Study abroad opportunities in locations such as Canada, Europe and the USA
- Access to a range of facilities including dedicated laboratories, computer room and a geographical map collection - all located within the geography building
- Study at our environmentally sustainable campuses , which have won many awards including the prestigious Green Flag Award
- Gain real experience with our placement and internships programme
- Be taught by world-leading experts in their field
Important information
This online prospectus has been drafted in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to course content) are likely to occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for the course where there has been an interval between you reading this website and applying.
Indicative modules
Careers Skills for Geographers
Exploring Human Geography
Geographical Field Course
Interpreting Geographical Data
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
Planet Earth: Exploring the Physical Environment
Exploring Place
Globalisation: Economy, Space and Power
On Earth and Life
Dissertation Preparation
Research Tutorial
- Cultural and Historical Geography
Earth Observation
Economic Geography
Living with Hazards
Patterns of Life
Political Geography
Rural Environmental Geography
Spatial Decision Making
Urban Geography
Dissertation in Geography
Environment, Development and Livelihoods
Environmental Modelling
Freshwater Management
Geographies of Money and Finance
Geographies of Violence
Global Climate Change
Health Geographies
Landscape, Culture and Politics
Tropical Environments in the Anthropocene
About modules
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. This content was last updated on Thursday 22 February 2024.
Language study as part of this degree
You may be able to choose to study a language as part of this degree.
Learning another language can open career opportunities around the globe and enriches your CV. It could also help you in your studies by being able to access learning materials in other languages.
If you are planning to travel or work abroad it will help you to broaden your cultural understanding.
Our Language Centre offers many languages, and you may start as a beginner or at a more advanced level.
Find out more about learning a language as part of your degree .
This module will be delivered by the school’s Careers Advisor and academics from the School of Geography.
You’ll cover:
- self-marketing and CVs
- preparing for interviews and assessment
- careers for geographers
- career planning
- postgraduate study (masters and PhD)
- guest lectures (for example, Royal Geographical Society - Institute of British Geographers)
You will be introduced to and encouraged to make regular use of the Careers and Employability Service to assist with your progress during the module, and to identify opportunities to further your career development.
You will critically examine the complex relations between people and places through key concepts in human geography.
Themes include:
- environmental
- development
The key themes may vary from year to year. This module provides a foundation for more specialised human geography modules at levels two and three.
This four-day residential field trip to the Lake District focuses on the rationale and techniques of field study in both human and physical geography. An emphasis is placed on the design, practice and analysis of research projects based on geographical issues.
Small-group teaching is central to this module. Students work in small groups and much of the teaching involves direct interaction between staff and students.
This module prepares you for the other field trips and techniques modules that take place in years two and three.
This module provides the basic statistical concepts and techniques required for the study of geography. Topics include:
- spreadsheets and statistical packages
- introduction to statistical concepts
- descriptive statistics and distributions
- exploratory data analysis
- parametric and non-parametric tests
- correlation and regression
Learn how to conduct basic spatial analysis by using a contemporary Geographic Information System (GIS).
- What is GIS?
- Applications of GIS
- Spatial data models
- Fundamental spatial analysis
- Cartographic principles behind GIS
- Presenting and sharing the results of GIS analysis
The module will be delivered through theory lectures and practical sessions, and you’ll be provided with associated textbook resources.
This module explores some of the key parts of the Earth’s dynamic physical environment. This typically includes issues connected with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, oceans and land surface. You’ll develop an understanding of global physical systems and how they affect people and the environment. You’ll consider topics such as:
- key processes such as hydrological cycles
- principles of Earth and geomorphological systems
- fluvial geomorphology and biogeomorphology
- biogeography and biodiversity
Small group tutorials during the autumn and spring semesters will include discussion, essay writing and seminar presentations based on topics from your first-year modules. The classes will develop your skills in problem-solving, communication and reasoning.
This module introduces you to geographical research on place, conveying current research in the field, including that carried out within the School of Geography. You will gain knowledge of key concepts and methodological approaches, with understanding developed through the examination of place-based case studies.
Lectures will outline developments in the geographical study of place in recent decades, and explore key themes such as place and memory, place and knowledge, and place and identity. The challenges and opportunities offered by the digital exploration of place will be outlined, using case studies of digital mapping and the public display of geographical information. Regional case studies will show how the research themes presented in the module can be brought together around the study of specific places and landscapes.
Throughout the module, staff will draw upon their own research as well as wider academic literature, giving students a sense of the possibilities of geographical research exploring place.
This module introduces you to contemporary and historical approaches to understanding economic globalisation and its spatial unevenness. You will develop knowledge relating to globalisation as a set of discourses and practices using case studies relating to key themes of relevance.
Lectures will outline the key debates relating to globalisation as a phenomenon and will interrogate the relevance of the concept through an examination of commodities, labour and work, governance and money and finance.
You will also explore the spatial unevenness of globalisation, and develop understanding of the ways in which globalisation has contributed to an increasingly unequal and differentiated society at a variety of scales. Alternatives to globalisation will also be discussed, focusing upon various counter-globalisation strategies in the forms of localism, activism and protest.
Throughout the module, staff will draw upon their own research as well as wider academic literature, giving you a sense of the complexity, and importance, of globalisation as a set of theories and a set of sited realities.
On Earth and Life explores the deep historical co-evolution of Earth and Life, and emphasises uniqueness of place and historical contingency. The module leads on from and complements Physical Landscapes of Britain in exploring geological, plate tectonic and palaeoenvironmental ideas and research, but at the global scale.
It emphasises the role of life in creating past and present planetary environments, and conversely the role of environment and environmental change in the evolution and geography of life. The module also serves to prepare the ground for and contextualise several second and third year geography modules, especially Environmental Change and Patterns of Life.
This module is taught by formal lectures, scheduled preliminary fieldwork, and supervision meetings with your dissertation tutor. It covers the following:
- Introduction to the dissertation process and procedures
- What is a dissertation?
- Ethics, risk and safety implications when conducting geographical research
- Preparing a dissertation proposal
- Writing and presenting a dissertation
- Evaluation of past dissertations
This module will cover the breadth of world-leading research being carried out in the School of Geography and is reflected in the school's research themes:
- Economic Worlds
- Environment and Society
- Geosciences
For students taking Geography with Business or Environmental Sciences, content of tutorials will be restricted to meet the aims of these courses.
This module introduces you to cultural and historical geography, including the:
- development of cultural and historical geography as sub-disciplines
- key thematic areas of contemporary cultural and historical geography, including landscape, identity, culture, power and knowledge
- theoretical underpinnings of cultural and historical geography
- links between cultural and historical geography and other fields of enquiry in the humanities and social sciences
- methods and sources used in cultural and historical geographical research, including archives, texts and images, and field study
- work of key figures from the sub-disciplines past and present
This module provides a general introduction to the subject of earth observation. This involves analysing remotely sensed images, typically acquired from instruments on board satellites or aircraft, to investigate spatial phenomena on the Earth's surface.
Example topics include the use of global image data sets to investigate climate change, analysis of satellite sensor imagery to identify wildlife habitats and conservation concerns, and urban land use mapping from detailed aerial photography. Theoretical lectures cover the concepts underpinning remote sensing, including the physical principles determining image creation, fundamental image characteristics, methods of image analysis and uses or applications of earth observation.
There is also a strong practical component to the module, with regular practical exercises on various forms of digital image analysis.
This module will cover the following topics:
- Changing economic geographies of the world economy during the 20th and 21st centuries
- Global cities, financial geographies and advanced producer services
- Alternative economies and labour resistance
- Economic geographies of the Global South
- Economic geographies of forced labour and migration
- Feminist economic geography
The course focuses on patterns in the distribution of organisms in space and time, and theories proposed to explain those patterns. The main themes are listed below. Teaching is via a mixture of lectures and small-group discussions, centred on discussion of current research. Exemplar topics include:
- Biodiversity patterns
- Island biogeography
- Biodiversity dynamics
- Speciation and extinction
20 credits in the Spring semester.
This module offers a comprehensive overview of the sub-field of political geography, including its history, key concepts and recent developments. It also investigates how geographical approaches can help explain the complexities of political life, more broadly defined. To do so, the module draws from self-titled political geography literature, whilst also exploring how political questions have come to animate the wider field of human geography.
Themes covered in the module include:
- nationalism
- internationalism
- empire and the state
- geopolitics
- war and violence
- neoliberalism and political economy
- identity politics (e.g. race, class, gender, sexuality)
This module explores a range of rural environmental issues in the global South and modern Britain from the perspective of a range of different stakeholders. Particular attention is placed on how environmental use and management varies over time and space and in relation to socio-economic status, gender and community. Key topics examined are:
- the growth of environmentalist and conservationist thinking
- the evolution of development thinking
- the impacts of colonial policy-making on rural environments in the global South
- agrarian change, the green revolution and sustainable agriculture
- different types of environmental knowledge, including indigenous and certified expertise
- gender, environmental use and management
- participatory appraisal approaches in the global South
- the ways in which policy has shaped the British countryside since the post-World War II period
- the rise of agri-environmentalism
- rural sustainable development
- rural resource conservation
- the prospects for future landscape change in Britain
This module provides a consideration of the following:
- Introduction to GI science/systems/studies/services
- Spatial data types and sources
- Vector processing algorithms
- Raster processing algorithms
- Spatial analysis and decision making
- Professional training in ArcGIS
This module introduces you to urban geography, including the:
- historical development of urban geography as a sub-discipline
- key thematic areas of contemporary urban geography, including research in the social, economic and cultural and historical geographies of cities
- theoretical underpinnings of approaches to urban geography
- importance of cities in understanding social difference, cultural landscapes and economic development in the Global North and South
This is a 10,000 word individual project based on a geographical topic involving fieldwork and/or secondary data, and agreed by the candidate with their tutor and a specialist supervisor.
This module investigates key linkages between development, livelihood and environmental issues in the global South, with particular reference to competition and conflict over environmental resources. Attention is placed on exploring these from the perspectives of different income, gender and community groups and contrasting their everyday realities with key development concepts and aggregate statistics.
Major themes include:
- linkages between poverty, environmental quality and livelihoods
- integration of environmental issues into development thinking and practice
- debates about overpopulation versus overconsumption
- urban environmental issues, slums and informality
- water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and livelihoods
- industry-related environment, development and livelihood issues
- competition and conflict in agrarian environments
- forest-based development and livelihood issues
This module will expose you to current practices, technologies and ideas existing at the forefront of environmental modelling. The module offers an opportunity for you to experience the theory and practice associated with key developments that are occurring in major modelling domains and the most recent advances from the research community.
The module will comprise four parts:
- Introduction
- Modelling the impacts of climate change
- Modelling biogeography
- Hydrology and hydroinformatics
This module considers human attempts to manage and restore freshwater environments, specifically rivers, lakes and wetlands. It considers changes in the fluvial system that occur in response to river management and engineering and examines approaches to restoring the natural functions of rivers that have been heavily degraded by human impacts.
The module examines some of the main stressors on lakes and wetlands, and approaches for their management using an ecosystem-scale approach. The principles by which restoration practice is guided will be considered, and criteria for selection between alternative strategies will be introduced. The module will consider water quality and legislative requirements for freshwater bodies.
The module includes a field trip where you will visit a local nature reserve and develop a management plan with input from management practitioners and land-owners. You will also be able to engage with river management practitioners in a series of guest lectures.
This module explores the economic geographies of money and of contemporary processes of financialisation. Competing theories of money, and the changing landscapes of finance and the financial services industry are explored at a variety of spatial scales.
Spaces examined include the global financial system, the UK retail financial market, the City of London and the emergence of local currency systems. More specifically, the following core topics are covered:
- Financial crisis
- The history and theory of money
- Financial services and financial intermediation
- Globalisation and the international financial system
- The City of London as international financial centre
- Landscapes of retail financial services
- Alternative and imagined landscapes of money
This module will cover:
- political, historical, and cultural geographies of war
- spaces of internal violence and non-violence relating to colonialism, anti-colonialism, religious nationalism, and decolonisation/partition
- spaces of terrorism and the war against terror
- case studies from a variety of national and international contexts
The module covers the following:
- A review of modern climate systems and forcings
- Climate modelling, projections of future climate change and their uncertainty
- Controversies around climate change, the argument between believers and sceptics and the ways in which climate change is communicated to and perceived by the public
- The impact of climate change on the world's physical and built environments, water and food resources, and human health
- Mitigation and adaptation to future climate change including the role played by policy markers and NGOs
This module explores the relationships between health and place. The module is organised thematically in two broad sections. The first section considers the historical growth of institutions such as the asylum and the hospital, as well as the development of sanitary science and the public health movement. It uses these to consider who is responsible for health.
The second section is devoted to critical health geographies, with a focus on topics such as gender, physical activity and obesity. It examines the role of power and place relationships in shaping health outcomes and the experience of health.
The module brings together cultural and political geography to examine the connections of politics, culture and landscape. The focus is on England, where landscape has long been central to questions of power and identity, whether at local, regional, national, international or imperial scales. Relations of power shape landscapes, and the identities of those who inhabit them and move through them. From the agricultural and industrial ‘revolutions’ and the empire of trade in the 18th century, down to the political and cultural upheavals of the 21st century, landscape has played a key role in shaping national identity, in England as elsewhere.
The module traces the history of landscape, culture and politics in England, and shows how legacies of the past shape debates today. From political disputes over the UK’s relationship to Europe, to anxieties over our relationship to land and environment, to the ways in which legacies of empire and slavery inform landscape and recast English identity, the module shows how cultural, historical and political geography helps to make sense of a transforming world.
How you will learn
Teaching is via a range of methods and approaches including seminars, tutorials, and laboratory, practical and field trips.
Field trips are an exciting opportunity for you to gain hands-on experience in a range of topics and enhance the skills and techniques you'll need for your professional career. There are a number of field trips throughout years two and three depending on your module choices.
Our Cartography Unit offers student support, whether it's sourcing maps, designing maps or drawing maps. You will be taught the fundamentals of good map design and all students are encouraged to map their own research.
Teaching methods
- Field trips
- Computer labs
How you will be assessed
We use a wide range of assessment methods including formal examinations, essays, project reports, lab reports, field notebooks, posters, verbal presentations, video diaries, and dissertations. Overall, most of our graduates will have experienced about 60-70% coursework and 30-40% examination assessments.
Assessment methods
- Dissertation
- Examinations
- Field books
- Lab reports
- Presentation
- Project work
Contact time and study hours
Students in their first and second year can expect to receive an average of 9 to 11 hours of contact time via lectures, seminars, tutorials (with their academic tutor), practicals and other small group teaching. This can increase when taking into account optional field courses, laboratory work and our open door policy that allows students to meet up with academic staff in an informal one-to-one environment.
In their third year students spend, alongside lectures, a greater proportion of their time on independent research as part of their undergraduate dissertation projects – supported throughout by their dissertation supervisor.
For the rest of the time you will be working independently, doing the necessary reading in preparation for tutorials, writing essays or working on seminar presentations.
Careers overview
Geography graduates are very popular with a diverse range of employers who appreciate the personal and transferable skills they offer.
You'll gain valuable skills including data analysis and statistics, field work techniques and quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Our first-year Careers Skills for Geographers module includes guest lectures from organisations such as the Royal Geographical Society, and a programme of career networking events.
Graduate destinations
Our graduates go on to a wide range of careers . Some enter roles that have a direct correlation to their degree, including conservation and heritage protection and land surveying. Others utilise their transferable skills in sectors such as management consultancy, PR, marketing and financial services.
Recent graduates have gone on to work for organisations such as the British Geological Survey, Capita, Historic England, Network Rail, Swiss Re, Teach First, and Tesla Motors.
Job prospects
Average starting salary and career progression.
85.70% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £29,197.
HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017-2021 cohorts). The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.
Careers advice
Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.
Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.
Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.
The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2020, High Fliers Research).
University Park Campus
University Park Campus covers 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings and modern facilities. It is one of the UK's most beautiful and sustainable campuses, winning a national Green Flag award every year since 2003.
The most exciting element about the BSc Geography degree is the opportunity to carry out a variety of fieldwork in fantastic locations. The course offers extremely memorable field trips that equip students with vital skills and relevant research experience.
Emily Richardson
BSc Geography
Course data
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Geography Case Studies
All of our geography case studies in one place
Coastal Erosion
Use the images below to find out more about each case study.
The Holderness Coast
The Dorset Coast
Happisburgh
Coastal Management
Sandscaping at Bacton, Norfolk
Coastal Realignment Donna Nook
Coastal Realignment Medmerry
Coastal Deposition
Spurn Point
Blakeney Point Spit
Earthquakes
Amatrice Earthquake Case Study
Chile Earthquake 2010
Christchurch Earthquake
Haiti Earthquake
Japan Earthquake 2011
L’Aquila Earthquake
Lombok Indonesia Earthquake 2018
Nepal Earthquake 2015
Sulawesi, Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami 2018
New Zealand 2016
Malaysia Causes of Deforestation
Malaysia Impacts of Deforestation
Alaska Case Study
Epping Forest Case Study
Sahara Desert Case Study
Svalbard Case Study
Thar Desert Case Study
Western Desert Case Study
Energy Resources
Chambamontera Micro-hydro Scheme
Extreme Weather in the UK
Beast from the East Case Study
Storm Ciera Case Study
Food Resources
Almería, Spain: a large-scale agricultural development
The Indus Basin Irrigation System: a large-scale agricultural development
Sustainable food supplies in a LIC – Bangladesh
Sustainable food supplies in a LIC – Makueni, Kenya
Landforms on the River Tees
Landforms on the River Severn
Indus River Basin (CIE)
River Flooding
Jubilee River Flood Management Scheme
Banbury Flood Management Scheme
Boscastle Floods
Kerala Flood 2018
Wainfleet Floods 2019
The Somerset Levels Flood Case Study
UK Floods Case Study November 2019
River Management
The Three Gorges Dam
Mekong River
The Changing Economic World
How can the growth of tourism reduce the development gap? Jamaica Case Study
How can the growth of tourism reduce the development gap? Tunisia Case Study
India Case Study of Development
Nigeria – A NEE
Torr Quarry
Nissan Sunderland
The London Sustainable Industries Park (London SIP)
Tropical Storms
Beast from the East
Hurricane Andrew
Cyclone Eline
Cyclone Idai Case Study
Typhoon Haiyan 2013
Hurricane Irma 2017
Typhoon Jebi 2018
Hurricane Florence 2018
Typhoon Mangkhut 2018
Urban Issues
Birmingham – Edexcel B
Urban Growth in Brazil – Rio de Janeiro
Urban Growth in India – Mumbai
Urban Growth in Nigeria – Lagos
London – A Case Study of a UK City
Inner City Redevelopment – London Docklands
Sustainable Urban Living – Freiburg
Sustainable Urban Living – East Village
Sustainable Urban Transport Bristol Case Study
Bristol – A major UK city
Volcanic Eruptions
Eyjafjallajokull – 2010
Mount Merapi – 2010
Mount Pinatubo – 1991
Sakurajima Case Study
Nyiragongo Case Study
Water Resources
Hitosa, Ethiopia – A local water supply scheme in an LIC
The South-North Water Transfer Project, China
Wakal River Basin Project
Lesotho Large-Scale Water Transfer Scheme
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- BSc (Hons) Geography
Geography BSc (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- Typical Offer: 104 - 112 UCAS tariff points
- UCAS Code(s): F801 / F800
- Start Date(s): September 2024
- Duration: Three years full-time / four years with a placement
- Study Mode(s): Full-time / Sandwich
- Campus: Brackenhurst Campus
Find us on:
- Connect through Facebook
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Introduction:
Disaster relief, the climate crisis, diminishing resources, and social inequity: where others see questions, geographers find answers. Our course attracts everyone from the environmentally curious to the ecologically inspired; people who are naturally passionate about how humans interact with the environment, and vice versa. With us, you won’t just learn how the world works — you’ll find out how to make a meaningful difference to it.
Delivered at our stunning Brackenhurst Campus, this highly practical degree is packed with fieldwork, trips and opportunities to get your hands dirty. Geography’s a broad discipline, and that’s why you’ll be able to choose what areas of geography you study – your degree, your choice. You could complete an industry placement on the sandwich route, and study in locations such as Australia or Canada as part of our international exchange programme. We’ve built this course around exciting real-world experiences, because we think you should graduate with more than just a qualification.
Geography students are prized for their versatility, and the subject has one of the UK’s highest employment rates. You’ll develop an impressive portfolio of technical and transferable skills, becoming a natural writer, and an inquisitive researcher who’s great with data. Our grads work as everything from environmental risk assessors to sustainability consultants, from corporate roles in big multinationals to on-the-ground disaster aid with NGOs. With a great geography degree, your choices are almost endless!
We also offer BSc (Hons) Geography (with foundation year) . Our integrated foundation degrees offer a unique gateway to our BSc courses for those who currently don't meet the degree-level entry criteria.
What you’ll study
The course focuses on environmental geography. Those environments can be physical, and they can be cultural — the societies we have built, and the Earth they exist upon. We’ll look at the issues that define these different worlds, plus the key trends and connections that bind them all together.
Along the way, there’ll be domestic and international trips, plus constant fieldwork at Brack – our own 200-hectare outdoor classroom. In the past, we’ve explored the volcanic moonscapes of Tenerife, visited the rolling countryside of north Wales, and taken fresh perspectives on some renowned UK destinations. We have adopted and signed the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Principles for Undergraduate Field Courses .
The course culminates in a dissertation: your own independent study project, inviting you to take a deep dive on a subject of your choosing. You can do this on home soil, or venture further afield — previously, our grads have conducted their projects in places as varied as California, Texas, Iceland, and Italy.
Whatever your preferred route, our range of elective modules gives you a genuine opportunity to personalise your studies in line with your own ambitions. You’ll customise your degree experience by choosing from areas such as:
- 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.
Study with us, and you’ll graduate as a truly global citizen, with worldwide geographical perspectives. Our course is theoretically rigorous, but also very hands-on. We’ll build up your confidence by encouraging you to try new things. As well as landscapes at home and abroad, you’ll explore your own mind, as you examine what it is to be a geographer, and why the subject matters. But most of all, you’ll be part of a genuine and inclusive community — even getting the chance to work with our own academics on real research projects.
Here’s a detailed, year-by-year breakdown of the modules you’ll study:
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.
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.
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.
Earth Systems
Learn about the Earth’s surface systems, processes and geology and develop your understanding of how the physical landscape is shaped.
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.
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.
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 choose 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.
River Dynamics and Management
Understand the controls and process-form interactions within river systems, together with the applied aspects of river management. Via a combination of lectures, practical sessions and fieldwork you will undertake surveys and monitoring in river environments. You'll examine how to link theory to practical application and how this fits in with current national and international concerns with regard to river dynamics.
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.
Environmental Change (Fieldwork)
This module covers aspects of environmental change that have taken place during the parts of the Quaternary Period, which is the last c. 2.6 million years of Earth’s recent history, and through to contemporary environmental change. This includes landscape evolution, challenges managing a national park, and evolving energy generation sources in the context of the UK’s carbon emissions. The delivery of the module is currently via residential fieldwork, previously undertaken in north Wales.
This is a placement year for students on the four-year course
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.
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 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.
Glaciers and Glaciation
Develop your understanding of glaciers and ice sheets in the context of current climate change. You'll also look at the importance of glaciers and ice sheets from both a hazards and resource perspective. A key aspect in the delivery of this module is the practical use of data sets from currently glaciated environments such as Svalbard, Iceland, and the Alps.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Our current students and recent graduates tell you all about their time at NTU and what they've gone on to do next.
Student Profiles
Paige gilliot.
Soon after I applied to NTU, I was offered a sport scholarship which I was very excited to accept. It provides me with all the support in my student athlete lifestyle that I could hope for.
Joe Donnerstag
It's all about identifying how you work best and what you do and don’t enjoy as work. From this you can work out how to get the most out of yourself and target those career opportunities in the future.
Cerise Dowson
Throughout the course, you learn which areas are most interesting to you and which you want to carry on into your professional career.
Phillip Gwynn
My advice would be to take on every opportunity and even when it seems challenging, always have the hope that you will get there and I promise you that you will end up shocking yourself with your abilities.
Joe Morrell
Being a five-minute walk from open fields, lakes and streams is a physical geographer’s paradise at Brackenhurst and I feel very fortunate to be able to study in this environment and style of learning.
Ché Sakaria
My experience at Brackenhurst has taught me to step out of my comfort zone and take risks.
Student Work
Video Gallery
--> <-- field trip to almería.
Find out more about the field trip to Almería offered as part of this course