BSc (Hons) Geography

When can you start this course? | UCAS code | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements

Why choose this course?

In the 2011 National Student Survey, 80% of our students said they were satisfied with the quality of our course. Check out the National Student Survey results.

You'll be able to choose from a wide range of modules, so you can focus on the areas that interest you and tailor the course to fit with your career plans.
We've built special links with universities overseas to give you the chance to spend a semester studying abroad to see geography from other perspectives.
It's a really practical course, with lots of field based study in the UK and overseas. We're also located right next to the Peak District National Park, which provides opportunities to put the theory into practice.
You can choose to take an optional work placement. It's a great experience and will really boost your CV.

About the course

You'll cover physical and human geography, development and globalisation. We'll help you to tailor your degree to reflect your interests and career aspirations through our wide range of optional and specialist modules. These include Climate Change, GIS, Food Security, Water and Terrain Evaluation.

Our lecturers are active researchers and consultants in the UK and overseas, so you'll be learning the very latest theories and will be kept up to date with what's new in geography. Their current research interests include flood and environmental risk assessment, climate change and population migrations and their impacts. We've also got the 'Centre for Land Evaluation and Management' and the 'Human and Physical Environments Research Group' based in our department, so you can be sure that your lecturers are at the leading edge of research and will pass that knowledge on to you.

Fieldwork is central to the course, and you'll have access to specialist field equipment such as Global Positioning System (GPS), total stations, augers and spectrometers. You'll also use laboratory facilities for testing and analysing specimens like vegetation, soil, water and rock samples. You'll be involved in lots of hands on experience which is highly valued by employers. You'll also have the chance to go on overseas field studies to places like Morocco where you'll do an in-depth investigation into landscape assessment and environmental management.

Some of our students study abroad for part of their second year in the USA or Canada. This will broaden your horizons, but to do this you need to meet certain academic standards in your first year. Take a look at what one of our students got up to on her study abroad.

Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...

Your career

One of our graduates, Ian Johnstone.

You'll have a great chance of getting a job when you graduate, over 80% of our graduates are working or in further study within six months of graduating. Some of our graduates are working for the following companies; Centro, National Trust, Yorkshire Water, Derby City Council, University of Leeds, Frazer and Frazer, Civil Service, Armedica Europe and many more.

You'll develop the knowledge and skills employers are looking for in areas like commerce, public service, research or industry. Some of our graduates have managed to get jobs as surveyors, land managers, business analysts, environmental officers, transport officers and civil servants. Lisa Watson, a senior marketing analyst, found that the human geography elements helped her to understand the GIS she uses daily. Watch a video of recent graduate Will Goring talking about his experience of studying Geograpahy here at Derby.

Graduate Ian Johnstone commented about the course saying:

"In studying Geography at Derby, I have experienced some teaching by staff who are knowledgeable, approachable and hugely supportive. The course offers a wide range of modules in both human and physical geography all of which are interesting, engaging and provide some great field trips along the way."

What our students say

Listen to what current student Amy Page thinks of studying Geography at Derby.

Amy Page, current student

"I would definitely recommend studying Geography here at Derby. The lecturers are incredibly knowledgeable and have lots of experience. They are friendly and approachable and are engaged in their own research outside of the University meaning they are up to date with new advancements in Geography which are then passed on to students."

How you'll learn

Each single module is worth 150 hours of student study. Class contact time (lectures, tutorials and practicals etc) could be anywhere between one and four 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 one hour lecture followed (after a coffee break) by a laboratory or group practical exercise session per week. The course is primarily delivered using lectures, hands on practicals / demonstrations, tutorials, self directed exercises and field work.

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.

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.

Anything else?

To be eligible to study abroad in the second year, you must meet a number of academic requirements during your first year. Apart from course fees, all costs associated with studying abroad must be met by you.

Start dates

If you're from the UK or EU you can apply to study this course in:

September 2012

If you're from a country outside the EU you can apply to study this course full time in:

September 2012

UCAS code

F800

Fees

This is a resource intensive course.

UK/EU students

Full time: £7,495 (each year)
Part time: £935 per module (you usually take 18 of these modules in total).

International students

Full time: £9,975 (each year)

*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2012 and August 2013. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.