BSc (Hons) Geography
University of Portsmouth
Key Information
Campus location
Southsea, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 - 4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,250 / per year *
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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* for UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students/EU residents | £18,300/year: international students
Scholarships
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Introduction
If you’re interested in the physical nature, characteristics and environment of the world, you can couple your interest with professional skills on this BSc (Hons) Geography degree course, accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS).
You'll discover the ways in which our planet and its natural elements work and graduate ready for a career in everything from environmental management to teaching and academic research.
Course highlights
- Use high-powered tech in our laboratories, including laser survey technology, drones, GIS and photogrammetry equipment and our environmental simulation cabinet – a controlled lab area that simulates different environmental conditions
- Tailor your final year to your own interests and career ambitions by choosing from a fully optional list of modules, including conservation biogeography, hazardscapes and weather science
- Immerse yourself in some of the landscapes and societies you’re studying through fieldwork, including in places such as Berlin, Malta, Sicily and Uganda
- Choose to study abroad at one of our partner universities in Canada, Poland, Spain or France, or build experience on a work placement at an organisation like the Environment Agency or Natural England
Accredited by:
This course is accredited by the Royal Geographical Society. This shows the teaching on this course is of the highest quality and has been approved by an independent body of academics and industrialists.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
Modules
Year 1
Core modules
- Academic Communication Skills – 20 credits
- Environmental Processes and Hazards – 20 credits
- Global Environmental Challenges – 20 credits
- Practical Fieldwork Skills – 20 credits
- Society and Place – 20 credits
- Tools for Geographical Enquiry – 20 credits
Year 2
Core modules
- Research, Fieldwork and Professional Skills – 40 credits
Optional modules
- Environmental Change – 20 credits
- Geographies of Development – 20 credits
- GIS and Remote Sensing – 20 credits
- Glaciers and Glaciation – 20 credits
- Introduction to Teaching – 20 credits
- Modern Foreign Language (IWLP) – 20 credits
- Overseas Study – 60 credits
- Overseas Study Research and Fieldwork Skills – 20 credits
- River Processes (Level 5) – 20 credits
- Sustainable Environmental Management – 20 credits
- Transport and Sustainability - 20 credits
- Uneven Cities, Planning and Design - 20 credits
Year 3
Core modules
- Dissertation - 40 credits
Optional modules
- Climate Change – 20 credits
- Coastal Recreation: Planning and Management – 20 credits
- Cold Environments – 20 credits
- Conservation Biogeography – 20 credits
- Creative Economy and Urban Placemaking – 20 credits
- Environment and Society - 20 credits
- Environmental Assessment and Management – 20 credits
- Environmental Pollution and Waste Management – 20 credits
- The Green Economy – 20 credits
- Hazardscapes – 20 credits
- Introduction to Teaching – 20 credits
- Quarternary Geology & Geomorphology – 20 credits
- Weather Science - 20 credits
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry, and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Placement year
Either before or following your third year, you can opt for a work placement year to gain valuable longer-term work experience in the industry. Placements give you the opportunity to apply what you've learnt so far in a real workplace, boosting your employability and making you attractive to employers after graduation.
You can work for a company or organisation here in the UK or overseas – some Geography students have chosen Australia, Spain or Malta for their placement year.
Whichever route you choose, you'll receive support and guidance. Our specialist team of Science and Health Careers advisors can help you with finding a work placement and improving your employability skills. They'll provide you with a database of placement vacancies, support with your job search – including help with applications and interviews – and support throughout your placement year.
You'll also hear guest speakers from potential employers and get support from students who have returned from their placements.
Potential roles
Previous students have taken placement roles such as:
- environmental scientist
- research scientist
- environmental assessment officer
- surveyor
- flood risk assessor
- teacher
Potential destinations
They've completed placements at organisations including:
- Atkins Global
- Pfizer Research and Development
- Hampshire Ecological Services
- The Environment Agency
- Natural England
Study abroad
You’ll also have the chance to study abroad at one of our partner universities in Canada, Poland, Spain or France, which is a fantastic opportunity to explore a new destination and experience the world as an international student.
Many of our students describe their time spent studying overseas as truly life-changing, as well as an excellent way to stand out to future employers.
Career Opportunities
In this BSc (Hons) Geography, you'll study physical geography, how the natural environment was formed, what threatens it and how we can protect it. You’ll deepen your understanding of the world and develop professional skills in areas such as communication, problem-solving, decision making and teamwork.
Once you complete the course, you'll be ready for a career in a wide range of important fields and sectors, with the technical and professional skills many employers are looking for. Our previous students have gone on to work in areas such as environmental management, business management, public services, teaching and research.
As the Royal Geographical Society state, 74.8% of geography graduates enter professional-level jobs after graduation, compared to an average of 60.8% for the social sciences in general.
It also notes data from the Department for Education that puts geography among the top subjects for graduate earnings.
What jobs can you do with a geography degree?
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- geographical information scientist
- environmental monitoring technician
- spatial analyst
- coastal process scientist
- urban planner
- transport planner
- geospatial consultant
- GIS cartographer
- quantity surveyor
- geography teacher
Graduate destinations
Organisations our graduates have gone on to work for include:
- Balfour Beatty
- Arcadis
- IBM
- Ordnance Survey
- Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
- The Environment Agency
- The National Trust
- MoD Civil Service
You could also go on to study at the postgraduate level.
Ongoing careers support
After you graduate, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability Service as you advance in your career.
Facilities
Student Testimonials
English Language Requirements
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