Geography with Year Abroad

Description

Geography at Birmingham combines a sound academic training with an insight into practical, social, economic and environmental issues. You refine 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. Modern, state-of-the-art facilities, including a large computer cluster, support your learning. There are well-equipped laboratories including 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.

UCAS code: L701

Duration: 4 years

Start date: September 2012

Places available: 132 (BA and BSc Geography courses)

Applications in 2010: 978

Detailed Course Facts

• EUR 3805 Year (EEA)
• EUR 12790 Year (Non-EEA)

Home/EU £3,375; International £11,340

• English

Course Content

First year

The modular structure allows you maximum flexibility in developing your own interests without channelling you into decisive choices too early. In the first year you are 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

You are now 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 the 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.

Year abroad

You will have a year abroad between your second and fourth years using the Erasmus scheme (for EU countries) or Universitas 21 for elsewhere in the world.

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.

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.

Related links

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences website: www.gees.bham.ac.uk

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6 CAE score : 80(Grade A) TOEFL iBT® test : 93

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 and a minimum of grade B at GCSE level in an appropriate foreign lanugage (French, German or Dutch)

General Studies: not accepted

Additional information:

Other qualifications are considered

International students:

International Baccalaureate Diploma: 34-36 points including 6 a

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.

The Bachelor of Science in Geography with Year Abroad at the University of Birmingham offers students a comprehensive exploration of the physical and human aspects of the world. This program is designed to provide learners with a deep understanding of geographical processes, spatial relationships, and the environmental challenges facing our planet today. Over the course of the degree, students engage with a diverse curriculum that covers areas such as physical geography, human geography, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), cartography, environmental management, and urban planning. A distinctive feature of this program is the Year Abroad, which typically involves studying at a partner university overseas for an academic year. This international experience aims to enhance language skills, cultural awareness, and global perspectives, making graduates more competitive in the global job market. The Year Abroad is integrated into the third year of study, and students are supported throughout the process by dedicated academic staff to ensure a smooth transition abroad. The program emphasizes practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge, with opportunities for fieldwork, data analysis, and project-based learning. Graduates of the program often pursue careers in environmental consultancy, urban planning, cartography, GIS specialists, government agencies, research, and academia. The University of Birmingham’s Geography degrees are well-regarded, and the program’s strong emphasis on employability, research skills, and international experience equips students with the tools needed for contemporary challenges related to global environments and societies. The program is suitable for students with a keen interest in understanding the complexities of the Earth’s systems, human-environment interactions, and sustainable development.