Geography

Description

Geography at Birmingham, combines a sound academic training with an insight into practical, social, economic and environmental issues. You will refine your perspectives and develop skills in a degree programme that encourages the use of imagination and observation to resolve real problems affecting people and environments.

This is one of the UKs biggest Geography departments, with a large number of staff offering you a wide range of specialisms. Excellent facilities, including a large computer cluster, support your learning. There are well-equipped laboratories including state of the art water quality and isotope facilities, microscope rooms, a map library containing over 200,000 maps from all over the world and our new Earth Imaging Laboratory.

You should note that, regardless of whether you apply for the BSc or BA programme, all modules are available for you to choose from. This allows you to select from the widest possible choice as your interests develop.

Career opportunities

Geography graduates are highly valued by employers for their impressive range of skills and knowledge. You will have developed your abilities to collect and analyse data, to express yourself clearly and logically in both written and oral forms, and to present supporting evidence graphically.
Many of our graduates go on to further training in areas as diverse as planning, management, environmental consultancy, water quality, meteorology and teaching. Others go directly into employment in a variety of sectors including banking, surveying, recreational planning, the water industry and international charities working on human and environmental problems in the developing world.

Detailed Course Facts

• EUR 3830 Year (EEA)
• EUR 12870 Year (Non-EEA)

£3375, for EU (and home) / £11,340 -Overseas students

• English

Course Content

First year

The modular structure allows you maximum flexibility in developing your own interests without channeling you into decisive choices too early. In the first year you will be exposed to the main principles of human and physical geography, to global environmental issues, and various practical skills. You also explore the contemporary problems of Birmingham, using the city as a real-world laboratory. The first semester also features residential fieldwork in human and physical geography.

Second year

During the second year you will be introduced to specialist techniques such as computer cartography and the use of databases and spreadsheets. You learn how to develop a research proposal, which may be the starting point for your dissertation in the final year. Training in more advanced fieldwork skills is provided by courses held in European centres. You also choose from optional modules in many different branches of Geography.

Third year

In your final year you select from a wide range of modules that provide more specialised knowledge and skills in the areas of Geography that appeal to you. You also undertake a supervised dissertation on a topic of your own choice.

Teaching and assessment

We recognise that students respond to different methods of teaching. Various approaches are used from lectures to seminars and fieldwork as well as online study. You meet regularly with academic tutors in small groups.
Essay and project work form a significant part of the assessment for all modules offered by the department. Alongside examinations, we also assess your seminar presentations, laboratory or practical exercises and poster presentations.

English Language Requirements

CAE score : 80(Grade A)

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

Number of A levels required: 3

Typical offer: AAB

Required subjects and grades: Geography at grade A

General Studies: not accepted

Additional information:

Other qualifications are considered

International students:

International Baccalaureate Diploma: 34-36 points including 6 at HL Geography plus 6 and 5 in 2 additional HL subjects and a minimum of 5 in SL English and Mathematics

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Birmingham.