Geography BSc (Hons)

Key Facts

  • UCAS Code

    BSc: F800
    BSc with Foundation: F801

  • Level

    Undergraduate

  • Duration

    Full Time: 3 years
    Full Time Foundation: 4 years
    Part Time: 4 years

  • Starting

    September

  • BCC at A-Level or,
    DMM at BTEC

  • Fees UK 24/25

    Full Time: £9,250
    Part Time: £1,540 (per 20 credits)
    Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250

  • Fees International 24/25

    Full Time: £15,200
    Integrated Foundation Year: £15,200

  • Location

Get in touch


For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:

UK/EU Students enquiries

study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772

International Students enquiries

international@northampton.ac.uk
+44 (0)1604 893981

Overview


What physical and human factors impact on our environment? How are they being addressed at local, national and international levels? How can we influence change?

Our BSc Geography degree at UON explores these questions, using small group teaching and one-to-one tutorials to ensure you get individual support from our team of enthusiastic, experienced and research-active academic staff. There are opportunities to attend field trips throughout the degree, and you will complete a short work placement in your final year. There is flexibility in the programme, enabling you to specialise in human geography or physical geography in the second and third years of their degree if you wish to.

This geography degree has been accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in geographical knowledge and skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of the world beyond higher education. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.

RSB Accredited Programme logo- Blue

Updated 18/03/2024

Highlights


  • Small class sizes, enabling us to provide high levels of individual support.
  • Employability and career planning support incorporated into the curriculum, with a work placement in the final year.
  • Accredited by Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).
  • Fieldwork and visits, including optional international fieldtrip
  • Opportunities to network with employers and our own graduates through events on campus, online, and our dedicated social networking site
  • HP laptop and software included with this geography degree for eligible students (see Eligibility criteria and Terms and Conditions)
  • Guaranteed paid internship with the Northampton Employment Promise.

Course Content


  • The BSc Geography degree at the University of Northampton has been designed to contribute towards achieving the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDG7: Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG13: Climate Action, SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG15: Life on Land.

    Our Geography BSc degree includes a mix of human geography and physical geography modules. Topics may include social and economic inequalities, climate change, migration, sustainable development, weather, water resource management, geographies of sport. There is a choice of modules at Stages 2 and 3, with flexibility to enable you to specialise in human geography or physical geography if you wish to.

    Stage 1

    There are six compulsory modules at Stage 1, ensuring geography degree students have a solid foundation in key aspects of the subject:

    • Introducing Human Geographies. Provides an introduction to key geographical issues such as place, scale and social relations, drawing upon examples from migration, tourism and social geography.
    • The Physical Environment. Outlines the principal processes operating at the surface of the Earth.
    • A Sustainable Community. Introduces the goals of sustainable development and how they can be addressed at local scales.
    • Geohazards. Explores the main causes of and responses to a broad range of natural hazards.
    • Geographical Issues in the Majority Global South. Considers social and economic inequalities at regional, national and international scales.
    • Geographical Techniques. Introduces methods of data collection and analysis used in geographical research.
    Stage 2

    There are three compulsory modules at Stage 2:

    • Geography Field Module. Develops field skills in both human geography and physical geography.
    • Issues in Human Geography. Provides insights into contemporary issues within the UK and Europe, with a focus on social inequalities, deprivation, and changing urban spaces.
    • Geographic Information Systems. Introduces students to the theory and use of GIS for storing, manipulating, analysing and visualising data.

    In addition, you choose three from the following modules:

    • Weather and Climate
    • Populations and Migrations
    • Landscape Processes
    • Biogeography
    • Transport and Mobility
    • Health, Wellbeing and Place
    Stage 3

    There are two compulsory modules:

    • Geography Dissertation. An opportunity to undertake a personal study of a geographical topic you want to investigate.
    • Career Planning and Employability. Develops awareness of jobs you can do with a Geography degree, recruitment processes, and your own subject-specific and transferable skills. This module includes a short work placement.

    You choose three of the following modules:

    • Communicating Climate Change
    • Geographies of Sport
    • Water Resource Management
    • Children’s Geographies
    • Monitoring the Earth’s Surface
    Fieldwork and Career support

    Fieldwork is key to understanding geographical issues and developing transferable skills. Our university geography students conduct fieldwork at all stages of the programme. This might involve visits to sites of geographical interest, individual or group projects, or optional international fieldtrips. Locations of optional fieldtrips in previous years have included the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Barcelona. We fund the travel and accommodation costs of compulsory study trips on our BSc Geography course. There are additional fees for optional trips.

    UON Geography degree students have opportunities to network with employers and our own graduates through events on campus, online, and through our dedicated social networking site. This provides our students with insights into the wide range of careers university Geography graduates enter. In addition, students take part in a number of career planning workshops and take a dedicated employability module.

    Module information can be found on the Award Map.

  • A typical offer to study BSc Geography at the University of Northampton would be:

    • BCC at A-Level or,
    • DMM at BTEC/Cambridge Technical or,
    • Pass (C and above) at T Level

    We welcome international applicants and applications from students with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications.

    We welcome applications from students with a mix of A levels and BTEC/Cambridge Technical qualifications.

    For more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.

    If you are an International student and would like information on making an application, please see our How to Apply page.

    Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) Entry Requirements

    Admission to this geography degree foundation programme is normally:

    • DEE at A Level or,
    • MPP at BTEC or,
    • Pass (D or E) at T Level

    However, we would also like to hear from you if you have professional or industry experience instead, a range of other qualifications or self-developed subject knowledge that relates to the programme you wish to study.

    English Language Requirements

    All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

    • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands
      for study at undergraduate level

    For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

  • 2024/25 Tuition Fees

    Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

    • UK Full Time: £9,250
    • UK Part Time: £1,540 per 20 credit module
    • UK Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250
    • International Full Time: £15,200
    • International Integrated Foundation Year: £15,200
    Additional Costs

    Our Geography degree includes residential and day fieldwork trips within the UK. These opportunities help you to develop your skills and also visit sites that may be restricted for the general public.

    As well as local area visits, there may be opportunities for overseas fieldwork.

    There is no charge for compulsory field visits within the UK, however the optional overseas trip would incur an additional to be confirmed by your tutor.

    2023/24 Tuition Fees

    Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

    • UK Full Time: £9,250
    • UK Part Time: £1,540 per 20 credit module
    • UK Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250
    • International Full Time: £14,750
    • International Integrated Foundation Year: £14,750
    Additional Costs

    Our Geography degree includes residential and day fieldwork trips within the UK. These opportunities help you to develop your skills and also visit sites that may be restricted for the general public.

    As well as local area visits, there may be opportunities for overseas fieldwork.

    There is no charge for compulsory field visits within the UK, however the optional overseas trip would incur an additional to be confirmed by your tutor.

     

    For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

    For more information about possible funding options, please visit our Fees and Funding pages.

  • At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

    If you join this full-time BSc Geography degree at Northampton, you will receive a laptop when your course begins*. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

    Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your geography degree, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

    To check out the full list of perks, visit our Student Perks page or dedicated International Perks page.

    *UK fee payers only (see Terms and Conditions for further details).

  • The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

    If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements for BSc Geography we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year programme which includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.

    Featuring a reduced tuition fee in the first year, our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.

  • How will I be taught on the Geography Degree?

    Face-to-face sessions are organised as interactive classes with discussion and activities. For some modules on BSc Geography, there are workshops in the laboratory or computer room. Classes are supported by online and technology-enhanced learning to ensure you have the best possible study experience to achieve your potential.

    How many hours per week of teaching/personal tutoring?

    Geography students typically have 12 hours contact time per week, in addition to 20-25 hours per week of independent study. Students are encouraged to meet with staff on a one-to-one basis to get additional study support, and also receive timetabled personal tutor meetings each term.

    How will I be assessed on the BSc Geography degree?

    Each module generally has two items of assessment. Assignments are designed to develop your skills, as well as test your knowledge and understanding. There is a range of written assignments, including reports and essays. You may also be asked to analyse data or reflect on your learning. In some written assignments you will be tasked with writing in a style appropriate to a particular audience. Presentations, debates and discussions are used to assess your verbal communication skills. There are no formal examinations, but there are a small number of class-based tests. A detailed set of instructions is provided for every assignment. Students are encouraged to meet with academic staff to get one-to-one support.

    What careers can I go into from studying this course?

    The BSc Geography degree equips students with a broad knowledge base and a wide range of skills that are attractive for many careers requiring graduate skills. Our graduates gain employment in range of sectors such as planning, environment, transport, education, energy, insurance, and local government. Opportunities to network with graduates are incorporated into the programme.

    Are there any study trips?

    Fieldwork is key to understanding geographical issues and developing transferable skills. Many of our modules include part- or full-day field trips. Typical locations include London and the Midlands. In addition, we often conduct fieldwork on and around campus. There are UK residential trips at Stage 2. Recent trips have included five days in Devon studying physical geography techniques and topics, and two days in Sheffield exploring urban geographies. There may be optional overseas trips. Locations in previous years include Barcelona, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. We fund travel and accommodation costs on compulsory study trips. There are additional fees for optional trips.

Staff


Greg Spellman, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science
Greg Spellman

Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science


Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology

Discover
Chris Holt, Senior Lecturer in Geography
Chris Holt

Senior Lecturer in Geography


Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology

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Toby Tonkin, Lecturer in Environmental Science
Toby Tonkin

Lecturer in Environmental Science


Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology

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Careers and Employability


We offer an innovative approach to enhancing your employability. Career planning workshops take place in all years of study. In addition, there is a career planning module, which focuses on developing your awareness of jobs you can do with a Geography degree, recruitment processes, and your own subject-specific and transferable skills. The module also includes a short work placement. We work closely with careers advisers to ensure students get one-to-one career guidance and support.

Guest speakers from a range of businesses and organisations – including lots of our own Geography graduates – contribute to the curriculum. This gives you ‘real-world’ insights into current issues, provides up-to-date information about the workplace, and gives opportunities for networking with potential employers.

Our geography degree graduates gain employment in a wide range of sectors such as planning, environment, transport, education, energy, insurance, and local government.

Examples of the roles secured by recent graduates include: Flood and Coastal Risk Management Officer; Sustainability Projects Officer; Net-Zero Data Analyst; Graduate Transport Planner; Geography Teacher; Trainee Land Surveyor; Graduate Planning Officer; Community Protection Officer; Graduate Project Officer; GIS Technician; Researcher.

Facilities


Field survey equipment

You will learn to use a wide range of field survey equipment throughout your geography degree, mapping changes to our dynamic environment. We will provide you opportunities to use specialist equipment that you may use in your future career. This includes survey-grade Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for precision topographic surveying and a Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) for 3D imaging.

Specialist IT provision and software

You will have access to a range of modern and well-equipped IT laboratories across the Waterside campus. As part of your studies you will also get an ESRI ArcGIS software license to use at home. This will help you develop highly desirable digital skills using an industry-standard Geographic Information System (GIS) for mapping and spatial analysis. As part of your studies, we will also provide you with access to historical and contemporary Ordnance Survey mapping data via the Edina Digimap service.

Specialist laboratories

You will have access to our Geographical and Environmental Sciences laboratory, allowing you to work on projects alongside our team of active internationally-recognised researchers. Our laboratories are well equipped and include a laser granulometer and gamma-ray spectrometer that you can use for environmental surveys and assessments.