What is geography?
Bridging the sciences and the humanities, geography is the ideal subject for anyone keen to maintain a broad interest in the world around them. It is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks to understand the world and all of its human and natural complexities. Our degree courses provide flexible programmes of study that span the discipline of geography, while allowing you to tailor the content to their own particular interests and aspirations.
How will I study?
Rated excellent in an independent review of teaching quality, teaching and learning in the School involves lectures, practical classes, field work, seminars and tutorials, supplemented by independent and group study by students in the library, student resource centre and online. All students go on a residential field course in the first year and there are other field classes linked with particular second and third year modules. All final year students carry out a major personal research project which culminates in the production of a dissertation.
The School houses a specially-equipped laboratory for the chemical and physical analysis of soil, water and vegetation samples, as well as two computing labs and a visualisation suite. You will also benefit from an extensive map collection and the School's own student resource centre, which contains teaching support resources that complement those of the University libraries.
Assessment
A wide range of assessment methods are used in the School, including coursework and exams. The first year of the undergraduate course is a qualifying year, which you need to pass to progress to the second year. However, the marks obtained do not count towards the final degree classification. Marks obtained in the second year form 33 per cent of the final degree and final year examinations and assessments provide the remaining 67 per cent.
Studying abroad
There are opportunities for you to study for one semester at a partner university in Australia, China, France, Germany, Spain, North America, Hong Kong, Singapore or New Zealand.
Further information can be found on our study abroad web pages.
Career prospects
The broad sweep of geography as a discipline, the range of options available within our courses, and the skills gained through studying in the School, ensure that our geography graduates have a wide choice of career opportunities open to them. In addition to management jobs throughout industry, commerce and the public sector, geography graduates are qualified for specialised and more distinctly 'geographical' work in a variety of areas, including marketing, conservation, environmental management, planning, teaching and research.
Application and interview
Offers are normally made without an interview. All applicants are welcome to discuss any queries with the School. Students with non-standard entry qualifications, including mature students, may be invited for an informal discussion with the Undergraduate Admissions Tutor.
We welcome applications from students with non-standard entry requirements, including mature students. The School is committed to Widening Participation and may make lower offers to qualifying applicants.
Open days
Visit days for students offered a place are normally held in February and March. You are welcome to visit at other times – please contact the
School of Geography for dates of University-wide open days or visit
www.nottingham.ac.uk/opendays.