The three years of the degree courses comprise respectively the Qualifying Year, Part I and Part II. Only marks for Part I and Part II contribute to the degree and are weighted in the ratio 35:65.

All degree courses have a compulsory core/skills component (pathway) which is taken over the three years of study. However, the hallmarks of the Geography degree structures at Nottingham are their breadth and flexibility. The Qualifying Year acts as a foundation programme and for single honours gives equal emphasis to human geography, physical geography and geographical information science. The Geography “with” degrees have similar modules in their associated disciplines.

In Part I and Part II students may choose to specialise in particular fields or maintain a balance of interests. This flexibility is achieved via a number of optional pathways (Regional Geography, Economic Geography, Medical Geography, Urban Geography, Environmental Geography, Cultural Geography, Biogeography, Environmental Change, Fluvial Studies, Dry Regions Studies and Geographical Information Science). Single Honours students can follow up to five optional pathways in Part I and three in Part II. Again the Geography “with” degrees are a little more prescribed with regard to optional pathways than the single honours degrees to allow for learning in the associated disciplines.

Since the courses are modular, there is some freedom to select from a wide range of modules both from within Geography and more broadly across the entire University. Pathways are not necessarily prescribed by the degree for which you are registered.  Taking a single honours BA degree, for example, does not preclude you from specialising in the more environmental side of the discipline, nor from opting for some physical geography modules throughout your three years.