- 8th in the UK for world leading research in Geography and Environmental Studies1
- 9th in the UK for graduate level employment or further study2
- 88 per cent for Overall Satisfaction in the National Student Survey (2012)3
- Programmes available in Cornwall and Exeter
- Flexible degree structures and pathways
- Opportunities to study abroad
- Field study in the UK and overseas
- Excellent teaching and research facilities including a £3.7 million sediment research centre in Exeter and the £30 million Environment and Sustainability Institute in Cornwall
Geography is a broad and diverse subject that gives you a deep understanding of the world around us. It is central to the key issues facing contemporary societies and seeks to explain the relationships between events and their impact, both locally and worldwide. By understanding these relationships, and drawing on historical experiences, the skills gained by studying Geography help prepare for, and shape, our global future.
Geography at the University of Exeter offers world-class research and teaching at the interface of the social and natural sciences. Our programmes aim to develop your ability to better understand the world, as well as the knowledge and skills to shape solutions for the future. We aim to inspire in you an interest and enthusiasm in geography that will shape your life and careers well beyond graduation. You can apply to study at either the Streatham Campus in Exeter, or at the Cornwall Campus near Falmouth.
Through our programmes you’ll be encouraged to develop an understanding of human societies and natural environments. As well as building on familiar aspects of the physical and social world, such as the environment, population change and resource management, you’ll consider the critical global issues and challenges of the 21st century which are likely to affect environments and societies in the coming years. You will encounter exciting fields of enquiry such as climate modelling, vegetation and rivers, satellite mapping, environmental change, climate change, biosecurity, heritage, landscape, health geographies and non-human geographies.
You’ll gain a good understanding of the breadth of the discipline and complement this with detailed study of specific areas of geographical research. This involves the development of specialised observational skills, critical judgements and empirical measurements.
We also teach you more than just geography: in the course of your degree, we’ll help you acquire and develop a range of transferable skills, including core academic skills, IT, personal and key skills, all of which are highly sought after by employers.
Geography: Streatham Campus (E)
Our programmes delivered in Exeter offer you choice from a range of optional modules allowing you to tailor your programme to suit your developing interests. In the first year you will study human and physical geography modules and develop key skills ensuring you have an excellent foundation and are well placed to progress successfully through the degree. The second and final years offer you more flexibility to specialise, with optional modules that draw on our research strengths.
At the Streatham Campus you will join a large community of Geography students and staff presenting a thriving and vibrant environment in which to study. You’ll be taught by internationally recognised academic staff whose research feeds directly into challenging new modules, providing you with knowledge that is at the forefront of geographical thought.
Academic staff based at the Streatham Campus are all actively involved in research covering a wide range of topics in both human and physical geography and you’ll benefit from direct access to the latest thinking in your subject. Our research interests cover most aspects of modern geography, with a particular strength in hydrology, geomorphology and earth surface processes, Quaternary environmental and climatic change, GIS, historical geography, rural geography, nature-culture relations, and cultural and political geography. We have strong links with international, national and local research projects including those in the UK and Europe, Iceland, the Middle and Far East, the Pacific Rim, the former Soviet Union and southern Africa, as well as North and South America.
We offer well-equipped experimental laboratories for physical geography to support student research, including a £3.7 million sediment research centre, a 75-seat GIS lab with high-spec workstations, a cartographic studio and a technical workshop. These facilities are managed by experienced and dedicated technical support staff.
Numbers
Exeter
Entrants: 217
Applicants: 1206
Geography: Cornwall Campus
Geography programmes at the Cornwall Campus give you an integrated and all-round understanding of the subject in order to equip you with the knowledge and skills to address the key issues facing humans and our planet today and in the future.
You will be taught by expert staff who are actively engaged in research on a wide range of human and physical geography specialisms. These include: climate change; remote sensing; landscape evolution; society and space; environment and sustainability in the past and present; and energy policy. Teaching and research activities emphasise the value of interdisciplinary thinking – looking beyond traditional boundaries to the complex interactions between human societies and non-human environments.
Cornwall is an exceptional place in which to study Geography. The county is a perfect living laboratory that offers a diverse range of marine and terrestrial habitats, a wealth of natural resources and a number of unique social landscapes. The University’s new Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) is located on the Cornwall Campus and further inspires the research and teaching in Geography. The ESI leads cutting-edge interdisciplinary research into solutions to problems of environmental change. In so doing it enhances people’s lives by improving their relationships with the environment.
The Cornwall Campus presents an intimate and welcoming environment in which to study. In Geography, you’ll benefit from excellent student:staff ratios, small group tutorials and friendly, accessible and supportive staff. You’ll be encouraged to share our enthusiasm and passion for the subject and follow your interest in the global challenges geographers seek to address.
We offer outstanding analytical and experimental laboratories for environmental change and process studies, including a high-performance computing facility and a dedicated geographical information systems (GIS) suite for geospatial modelling activities and remote sensing. Our facilities are supported by an expert team of laboratory, research and computing technicians.
Numbers
Cornwall
Entrants: 50
Applicants: 252
Geography has always been my favourite subject and I liked the variety within the degree at Exeter. For example, in addition to lectures and essays, there were opportunities for field work.
The teaching on my degree has been very good. I have found the online support very useful as it provides us with lecture slides and gives us the opportunity to discuss material with other students and lecturers very easily. Another good thing about studying here are the great facilities. Most material mentioned by lecturers can be found in the library and University staff have always been helpful.
I’ve found that the Geography Department is well organised, giving plenty of notice if lecture times or venues have been changed. They are also very approachable and are able to answer questions about the course.
For both years I have been a member of the Geography society which organises many nights out for students. I am also a member of Community Action, a society with many opportunities for volunteering in and around Exeter, and in my first year I was a member of the Netball Team.
Sarah Edmunds, 2nd year Geography
1 Research Assessment Exercise 2008 based on percentage of research classified as 4*
3 88% of Geography students agreed they were satisfied
