Why study Geography at Aberystwyth University?

This programme has been accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

As a large dynamic Geography community we are able to offer you an extremely broad range of geographical specialisms, opportunities and facilities:

• river catchment processes
• glaciology
• biogeography
• quaternary environmental change
• current trends in geohazards
• urban sustainability
• regional development
• political and cultural geography
• fieldwork opportunities in New Zealand, Crete, New York, and Ireland
• travel awards available each year to fund your own adventures (up to ￡400)
• state of the art teaching facilities with the latest technology to enhance learning
• fully stocked laboratories with an array of analytical instruments e.g. mass spectrometers and core scanners of which can be used for fieldwork and independent study.

Our Staff

Department of Geography and Earth Science: lecturers are all qualified to PhD level or working towards a PhD.

Employability is embedded within all courses provided by us. Our degrees provide a solid foundation for a vast array of careers across a range of sectors. In a rapidly shifting global economy, our graduates are adaptable and able to draw on a range of transferable skills, ensuring that they are always in demand.

The skill sets include:

• enhanced mathematical and computational skills
• effective problem solving and creative thinking skills
• information technology skills
• the ability to work independently and as part of a team
• time-management, organisational skills
• communication skills both written and oral
• self-motivation and self-reliance

What can I do with a degree in Geography?

Our graduates have, for example, found employment as environmental consultants, planners, civil servants, surveyors, and in education to name a few.

Work opportunities:

If you are interested in undertaking valuable work experience during your degree, then perhaps our sister course?(F803)?may be some interest to you. This course combines the identical syllabus as F800, however you will undertake your work placement in-between your second and final year.?

International Opportunities:

If you would like to study abroad during your degree, then our sister course?(F802)?may be for you. You will have the opportunity to study in any of our partner Universities across the world in-between your second and final year.

DGES has also established Erasmus Exchange Programmes with the University of Bergen, the University of Oulu, Finland, and the University Centre in Svalbard, giving students the unique experience of studying in one of the world’s most extreme environments. We also have strong links with a number of universities in North America, where students can complete their second year of study. In recent years, our Exchange coordinator?has overseen placements at Purdue University (Indiana), the University of Alabama, the University of Georgia, the University of Montana and the University of Ottawa in Canada.

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the three year degree scheme.

In your first year you will be introduced to:

• key concepts in geographical study
• issues and techniques in the collection, analysis and presentation of geographical data
• climate change
• landscape processes
• economic development
• globalization

In your second year you will develop further in:

• laboratory and computer research skills in preparation for your independent research project
• you will learn how to analyse quantitative and qualitative datasets
• produce maps and other graphical representations of geographical data
• participate in a residential field trip in the UK or overseas

You can also choose optional modules to specialise or simply maintain a broad interest across Geography.

In your third year:

• you will undertake an independent research project involving collection, analysis and interpretation of your own data
• you will be allocated your own advisor who will provide expert guidance
• optional modules as diverse as glaciology, hydrology, volcanic hazards, past climate change, urbanisation, and rural change will enable you to tailor your study to suit your interests

How will I be taught?

Our courses are taught through lectures, seminars, laboratory and computer practical classes, small group tutorials, field courses and individual supervision of project work.

How will I be assessed?

We assess our students through a different range of methods. Some modules are assessed in part through traditional exams, but some have elements of coursework. We also have some modules that may require the student to produce practical reports, oral presentations, the design of web pages, production of short films, or contribution to online discussion forums. Some modules, notably the tutorials and field courses are assessed entirely through coursework.?

I love Geography (F800) at Aberystwyth due to the amazing opportunities it has given me that were not offered at other universities. Last semester I was lucky enough to be chosen to study in Svalbard for 4 months where I studied Arctic Technology and learnt how to use a rifle to protect against polar bear attacks! It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I have also been on a fieldtrip to New Zealand with the university and learnt so much about both physical and human geography. I would recommend this course to anyone! Emily Louise Strub

Glaciers in New Zealand, mountains of the Himalayas, the world’s tallest building in Dubai, the sustainable city of Curitiba in Brazil, or energy resources in the UK; Geography is the study of the whole Earth’s processes, natural and human, and has the ability to take you anywhere. Through Geography you can learn how nature’s systems interact with today’s changing society, and how we can plan for the future. My degree has allowed me to further expand my knowledge through lectures, tutorials and fieldtrips on elements such as tourism and demographics, as well as river systems, climate, and geo-hazards. Lynne Potter

Geography at Aberystwyth is a match made in heaven. With two rivers running through the town, being a coastal environment and a tourist town as well as breath-taking scenery, the possibilities for research are endless. There are a vast amount of options you can study, all taught by world renowned experts who are happy to give you help whenever you need it. It can be summed up as the perfect place to study! Thomas Cottrell