Geography (Joint Honours)

UCAS code: Y002

Start date: September

Course length: full time: three years, part time: up to six years.

Campus: Kedleston Road, Derby

This course is available to international students

Geography is an exciting and challenging subject which studies the complex relationships between human beings and their environment. It provides you with an understanding of both physical processes and socio-cultural systems and their roles in environmental change.

After the first stage, you'll have a wide choice of modules in the physical, human and development aspects of Geography or a combination of these. This course allows you to specialise in either the physical or human areas of geography, or you could do a mix of both through our wide range of optional modules. In both major and joint degree combinations, you'll study geographical data handling/research methods and complete fieldwork, which you can choose according to your modules. We offer Geography as either a major, joint or minor subject.

• BA (Hons) in American Studies and Geography
• BSc (Hons) in Applied Criminology and Geography
• BSc (Hons) in Architectural Design and Geography
• BSc (Hons) in Biology and Geography
• BA (Hons) in Business Management and Geography
• BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Geography
• BA (Hons) in English and Geography
• BSc (Hons) in Environmental Hazards and Geography
• BSc (Hons) in Geography and Geology
• BA (Hons) in Geography and History
• BSc (Hons) in Geography and Human Resource Management
• BSc (Hons) in Geography and International Relations & Global Development
• BA (Hons) in Geography and Law
• BA (Hons) in Geography and Popular Music Production
• BA (Hons) in Geography and Property Development
• BA (Hons) in Geography and Sociology
• BA (Hons) in Geography and Sport & Exercise Studies
• BA (Hons) in Geography and Theatre Studies
• BSc (Hons) in Geography and Third World Development
• BSc (Hons) in Geography and Zoology
• BA (Hons) in Media Studies and Geography
• BA (Hons) in Professional Writing and Geography

Stage one

You'll study a selection of these modules:

• Physical Geography of the Human Realm
• Key Skills for Physical and Social Sciences
• Introduction to Human Geography
• Cartography and Mapping
• Geographical Methods
• Environmental Conservation

Stage two

You'll study a selection of these modules:

• Geography and Geographers
• Introduction to Remote Sensing and GIS
• Mediterranean Environments: Geomorphological and Human Perspectives
• Conservation Biogeography
• Research Methods in Physical and Social Sciences
• Water: Resource, Hazard, Commodity
• Population Geography
• Geomorphology
• Environment, Society and Development
• Transport Geography

Stage three

You'll study a selection of these modules:

• Research Study in Geographical, Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Terrain Evaluation
• Applied Transport Geography
• Habitat Management
• Environment, Landscape and Place
• Climate Change: Adaptation and Mitigation Perspectives
• Theories and Concepts of Development
• Global Food Security and Food Futures
• Applied GIS
• Vocational Module

Our entry requirements are usually 260-300 UCAS points from A levels, including Grade C in A level Geography, Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Sociology or Psychology, or equivalent qualifications such as a BTEC National Diploma, Scottish Highers etc. If you've completed an Access/Foundation course, we also accept these qualifications.

The UCAS tariff points are a guide - we'll also consider all the information that you've included in your application. We'll also want to see that you're enthusiastic and motivated to take this course and that you have the potential to benefit from coming to university.

General undergraduate entry requirements

Fees for 2013/14

This is a resource intensive course.

UK/EU students

Full time:

• If you combine this subject with a classroom based subject it will cost £7,700 per year.
• If you combine this subject with another resource intensive subject it will cost £8,250 per year.

Part time:

• If you combine this subject with a classroom based subject it will cost £965 per module, (you'll usually take 18 of these in total).
• If you combine this subject with another resource intensive subject it will cost £1,030 per module, (you'll usually take 18 of these in total).

International students

Full time:

• If you combine this subject with a classroom based subject it will cost £9,945 per year.
• If you combine this subject with another resource intensive subject or a specialist subject it will cost £10,225 per year.

*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2013 and August 2014. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.

You will be taught by lecturers who are active researchers and consultants in the UK and overseas so you will be kept right up to
date with what’s new in geography. Current research interests include flood and environmental risk management, climate change and population migration. You will learn through lectures, workshops, field study and practical sessions, as well as tutorials and
one-to-one sessions.

Each single module is worth 150 hours of student study. Class contact time could be anywhere between 1 and 4 hours per week for each module. The remainder of the time is spent undertaking directed reading, making notes and doing assignments. A typical module may consist of a 1 hour lecture followed (after a coffee break) by a laboratory or group practical exercise session per week.

How you're assessed

All Geography modules are either 100% coursework or 50% coursework and 50% written examination. Coursework assignments vary considerably in nature as we try to ensure students are exposed to a range of assessment methods. Coursework assignments can be individual or group based and typically include essays, reports, oral presentations, posters and computer based tests. We use both seen and unseen written examinations. You may be assessed individually or as part of a group. We’ve mapped our assessments against key graduate skillsets that employers require.

Fieldtrips

Field work is an important part of the programme. All fieldwork is associated with particular modules, many of which are optional. Most fieldwork involves half or full day trips to locations around the region (including Derby, Nottingham and the Peak District). In the first year there is a weekend residential field course to Skegness, Lincolnshire (Geographical Methods). In the third year, overseas residential fieldwork destinations include Brussels, Belgium (Applied Transport Geography) and Agadir, Morocco (Environment, Landscape and Place).

Work placements

An optional vocational (work placement) module is available by negotiation in the third year.

Around 90% of our graduates are working or in further study within six months of graduating. Companies who have recently employed our graduates include Clear Environmental Consultants Ltd, the National Trust, Caterpillar UK, Yorkshire Water, Derby City Council and the Civil Service.

"Best three years of my life with wonderful supportive lecturers and tutors who made the course enjoyable and entertaining. The choices of modules allowed you to focus on the aspects of Geography you were really interested in but included a broad range of topics so you didn't limit your study. I particularly enjoyed the field studies abroad where you obtained your hands on experience, which is essential with understanding Geography."