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:

• 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, abilities and expertise to face and engage with the challenges facing society today.?

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 year spent in industry as part of this degree will, however, provide you with specific skills and experiences that will be directly relevant to particular career paths.

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 among many other things.

International Opportunities

Alongside employment experience, independent travel is also acknowledged as a key ingredient in student development. To support this, we offer bursaries to support undergraduate travel. Recent destinations have included Uganda, Madagascar, Peru, Mount Etna and the United States.

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 Co-ordinator 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 four 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 your:

• laboratory and computer research skills in preparation for your independent research project
• skills of analysing quantitative and qualitative datasets
• knowledge of producing maps and other graphical representations of geographical data;

You will also participate in a residential field trip in the UK or overseas, and can choose optional modules to specialise or simply maintain a broad interest across Geography.

In your third year you will embark on your Integrated Year in Industry.

In your final year you will:

• undertake an independent research project involving collection, analysis and interpretation of your own data
• be allocated your own advisor who will provide expert guidance
• take optional modules as diverse as glaciology, hydrology, volcanic hazards, past climate change, urbanisation, and rural change which 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.?