Undergraduate Careers
The broad sweep of geography as a discipline and the range of options available within the undergraduate programme at Nottingham ensure that our geography graduates have a wide range of career opportunities open to them.
Geographers look at issues from a wide perspective, which means our graduates are very popular with a wide range of employers who appreciate the range of personal and transferable skills they offer.
We have a comprehensive careers programme that includes:
- informal careers networking events with employers
- one-to-one CV workshops
- weekly careers e-newsletters tailored for geography students
- regular careers talks from school alumni
John Pearson, geography alumnus, talks about the career routes into the Foreign Office.
Embedding employability within the course
Our Careers Skills for Geographers module embeds employability within all School of Geography courses. The module includes dedicated advice and feedback on:
- writing a successful CV
- putting together cover letters
- searching for jobs
- what to expect at assessment centres
- advice on job interviews
Graduate destinations
A number of graduates enter connected professions such as consultancy, public service, law and teaching. Some students enter media organisations, finance and the IT sector.
Others stay on at university to study for a higher degree (MSc, MA or PhD) in fields directly related to their degree, such as biodiversity and conservation, environmental management and climate change, while others have chosen postgraduate study in order to pursue careers in medicine, journalism, teaching and law.
Many opt for graduate employment careers in blue-chip organisations, while others enter the voluntary sector or work overseas in development or aid organisations.
There are no boundaries to what our graduates achieve or the career paths they choose to pursue.
Recent graduate destinations
- British Geological Survey
- Capita
- Grant Thornton
- Historic England
- Network Rail
- Swiss Re
- Teach First
- Tesla Motors
85.70% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £29,197.
HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017-2021 cohorts). The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.
Optional placement year
The University of Nottingham offers an optional placement year for undergraduate students whose course does not have a compulsory placement or study abroad element.
Placement years are offered by many companies to give you in depth exposure to an organisation and its opportunities. A successful placement year will often result in a graduate job offer as organisations seek to identify talent.
Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university's control. Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur.
Careers and Employability Service
The Careers and Employability Service offers excellent careers guidance, information and resources, and holds workshops on CV writing, completing application forms and interview techniques. As a University of Nottingham graduate, you can receive lifelong support from the service. Find out more about careers in geography.
Nottingham Advantage Award
The Careers Skills for Geographers module is also part of the award-winning Nottingham Advantage Award which recognises and rewards your extracurricular activities. With a choice of over 200 modules across all our campuses, you can hone the key skills employers want and unlock your potential. You will leave university with demonstrable experience that sets you apart from your competitors.