Physical Geography (Joint Honours)

Three years full-time or flexible part-time.

The course is flexible and allows students to follow a broad programme with modules drawn from across the subject of geography or to specialise in areas of interest.

We offer an innovative approach to enhancing the employability of our graduates. All our geography programmes feature The University of Northampton's innovative career planning modules, which focus on developing students' awareness of their subject specific and transferable skills and a reflective approach to learning. The modules give students' experiences of interviews in the presence of potential employers. We are confident that this experience gives our graduates the edge when applying for employment or postgraduate training.

We provide a coherent, up-to-date and relevant geography programme in terms of both subject knowledge and skills. Students study a broad range of issues and environmental processes in which space and location are key components. These can span both environmental and social sciences.

Stage one

At stage one, students take both the human and physical geography modules. These modules cover the principles and main research techniques of the discipline. Students also undertake a project-based module focussing on sustainability at a local to a global scale.

Stage two

The stage two programme allows the student to draw selectively from a range of physical and human subjects and includes a research methods module particularly suited to analysis of the wide-ranging scope of geography. The residential field course destination at stage two is currently South-West USA (Las Vegas, Arizona and Utah) where students study the physical landscape, tourism and resource management.

Stage three

At stage three there is wide choice of optional subjects from climate change and water resource management to urban geography. There are several opportunities to undertake foreign residential fieldwork in both human and physical geography. Students are required to undertake research on a dissertation topic of their choice.

• Flexible study programme
• Innovative approach to enhancing the employability of our graduates
• Opportunities to study abroad in Europe and the US
• Residential fieldwork opportunities (to South-West USA)
• Supportive and friendly learning environment

• Children's geographies
• Climate and society
• Geography and development
• Geomorphology
• Learning for sustainable development
• Leisure, people and the environment
• Principles of physical geography
• Society and environment
• Weather and climate

A wide range of assessment is used including essays, reports, oral presentations, field reports and time-constrained tests as well as end-of stage examinations. Stage one is assessed solely by continuous assessment and in the second and third stages the end-of-stage examinations comprise less than half of the total assessment.

Geography graduates are traditionally very successful in securing good employment in both the private and public sectors. Our geographers develop excellent communication and analytic skills and are found in a diverse range of jobs. Many of our graduates have gone on to further study, academic and vocational and have become teachers or specialists in related areas like environmental management and urban planning.