Geography BA/BSc Hons | University of Chester

Accreditations

You are viewing Course summary

Course Summary

Our Geography degree, ranked in the top 20 in the UK for Geography (Guardian League Table 2025) and accredited by the Royal Geographical Society, equips you with the knowledge and skills to tackle pressing global challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and resource insecurity by offering a unique blend of hands-on learning, international experiences, and practical skills. Voted first for Learning Opportunities and Organisation and Management (NSS 2024), our course provides the opportunity to explore and understand the issues and environments you care about.

At the University of Chester, our proximity to the natural, social and cultural landscapes on our doorstep enables us to incorporate fieldwork throughout our course so that you can explore key geographical issues first-hand. You’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in hands-on fieldwork in North Wales and gain international perspectives through opportunities in vibrant locations like Almeria (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), and Naples (Italy). In the field and in the classroom, you will develop essential transferable and technical skills including in GIS, remote sensing, big data analysis, social science research methods, critical thinking and problem-solving. These skills are extended at the end of Year 2 through formal workplace experience gained via a core work-based learning module.

Our Geography BA/BSc (Hons) degree provides the ultimate flexibility. You can choose to maintain a combination of human and physical geography modules throughout your course, or you can specialise by selecting one of our named pathways in Human Geography, Physical Geography, or Natural Hazard Management, ensuring your course is completely aligned with your interests and career goals. At the end of your course, your final degree award is determined by your choice of pathway or the balance between human and physical modules - more human geography modules will lead to a BA, more physical geography modules will lead to a BSc. Whichever route you choose, you will be learning in an environment rated in the top 10 in the UK for Academic Support, Assessment and Feedback, and Learning Resources (NSS 2024).

With options for both BA and BSc awards, and the possibility of an optional Year Abroad or in Industry, you can shape your education to fit your ambitions and make a meaningful impact on the world.

Become a Change Agent

Why You'll Love It

Accredited by the Royal Geographical Society.

Shape your own path.

Gain in-demand skills for the future.

Optional Specialist Pathways

A specialist pathway is your opportunity to further tailor your studies to become an expert in your chosen field. Our pathways provide you with specific modules and opportunities to enable you to tailor your studies towards areas you are passionate about, and to have that reflected in your degree title e.g. BSc Geography (Natural Hazard Management).

When applying for this course with a specialist pathway, you will do so via UCAS. It is important to search for and submit your application for 'Geography BA/BSc (Hons)'. Your chosen pathway will be confirmed post-application and this will be the award that you complete your studies with ie. Geography (Human Geography) BA (Hons); Geography (Physical Geography) BSc (Hons); and Geography (Natural Hazard Management) BSc (Hons). If you choose to study this course without a pathway, your award on completion will be Geography BA or BSc (Hons), depending on the modules studied.

What You'll Study

The BA/BSc Geography course contains core modules at each level of study. At Level 4 (Year 1), you will be introduced to core content, concepts and issues in human and physical geography. You will also have the opportunity explore contemporary challenges of sustainable development and engage in an extended period of fieldwork.

Level 5 (Year 2) builds upon this foundation, enabling you to focus your studies on human geography, physical geography, or continue to do modules in both sub-disciplines.  Module content covers themes including social difference and geopolitics (in human geography) and environmental change and earth surface processes (in physical geography). Whichever modules you choose you will experience more complex learning that integrates and applies geographical knowledge to different contexts culminating in the production of a proposal for an extended geographical project at Level 6 (Final Year).

If you have chosen to study a year abroad/in industry, this will take place at the end of Level 5 (Year 2), before entering your final year of study.

At Level 6 (Final Year) you will tackle a large-scale independent project and apply practical geographical research skills through fieldwork with a focus on professional ethics and risk management.  You will extend your geospatial data science skills alongside applying the knowledge acquired throughout your studies to develop your understanding of complex geographical issues.  In addition, you have the opportunity to select further optional modules covering topics including: climate change and the anthropocene; asylum and refugee experiences; practical applications of sustainability; and river and coastal management. Optional module availability may change from year-to-year according to the availability of staff expertise and individual cohort sizes.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

The course comprises learning via a combination of the following: lectures, tutorials, fieldwork, laboratory work, computer practicals, workshops, simulations, and other forms of active learning, as well as through one-to-one work with tutors in the case of dissertations and individual project work.

You can typically expect around 40 hours of contact hours per 20 credit module (around double this for 40 credit modules). For some modules this is supplemented by asynchronous learning via pre-class tasks, e.g. watching a short pre-recorded video introducing key concepts for the week.

Most modules require self-study of around 160 hours per 20 credit module. Exceptions to this include the Work-Based Learning (WBL) and Experiential Learning (EL) modules at the end of Level 5 (Year 2). The WBL module, for example, is placement-based and therefore incorporates substantially more ‘contact’ time in the workplace.

You will be provided with regular formative feedback to help support your learning throughout the course. Clear summative feedback will be provided on all assessed work at the end of modules. You will be guided in how to engage with and apply that feedback to enhance your performance in subsequent assessments.

Modules are assessed via a range of coursework and practical assessment methods, many of which are designed to replicate forms of work common in the types of professions Geography graduates enter. These include (but are not limited to): presentations, reports, project proposals, infographics, podcasts, essays, and debates.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Who You'll Learn From

Prof Ruth Healey

University Innovation Fellow, Professor of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Dr Daniel Bos

Senior Lecturer in Human Geography and Combined Honours Geography Programme Leader

Dr Rebecca Collins

Deputy Head of Humanities, Cultures and Environment; Sustainability and Environment RKEI Director

Dr Katharine Welsh

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography and University Innovation Fellow

Dr Andrew Miles

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography & GIS

Dr Namrata Bhattacharya-Mis

Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Natural Hazard Management

Dr Graham Wilson

Senior Lecturer, Single Honours Geography Programme Leader and Department Research co-ordinator

Dr Dami Akosile

Lecturer in Human Geography

Prof Derek France

Professor of Pedagogy in Geographical Sciences

Dr Philip Marren

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography

Dr Amanda Williams

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography

Dr Jane Bevan

Laboratory and Fieldwork Manager

Learning for Social and Environmental Justice

Entry Requirements

112UCAS points

UCAS Tariff	112 points
GCE A Level	Typical offer – BCC-BBC
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM
International Baccalaureate	28 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers - H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 Scottish Highers - BBBB
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above
T Level	Merit
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: DMM
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS points

UCAS Tariff	72 points
GCE A level	72 points overall, including grade D in A level
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP
International Baccalaureate	24 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 Scottish Highers: CCDD
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall
T Level	T Level: Pass (D or E on the core)
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: MMP
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree.

Fees and Funding

£9,250per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course.

This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials.

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

Students will require suitable clothing for fieldwork, including good quality waterproofs and walking boots. Depending on student demand, in this course there is the option to choose between two international field trips at Level 6 which currently go to Barcelona and Almeria in Spain. The cost of these field trips varies. Students may be asked for a financial contribution towards international fieldwork costs. Most recently contributions have been £200; this figure will increase annually to take account of inflation. These field trips are optional and students are not required to participate in order to successfully complete their course.

Where You'll Study Exton Park, Chester

The location

Modern learning resources and library

Seaborne library, seating and reception area.

Student Services

Fitness facilities

A male student wearing goggles is swimming in the training pool between the red rope lane marker lines.

Chapel, chaplaincy and multi-faith spaces

Accommodation

Catering

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

The knowledge, skills and understanding you will gain during the course will allow you to pursue a wide range of careers. Our graduates work in professions across a range of sectors, including environmental management, consultancy, teaching, town planning, renewable energy, sustainability, flood risk management and surveying. Some of our graduates continue their studies and go on to gain PhDs, Master's degrees and professional qualifications.

A degree in Geography BA/BSc (Hons) and associated specialist pathways, can open a range of careers in multiple industries. Some of our recent graduates are working in:

Banking & Finance - Aviva, HSBC, Lloyds Banking  
Data Engineering - Stantec
Development Management - Peel NRE
Educational Publishing - twinkl
Energy & Renewables - Community Windpower, Ørsted, WSP in UK
Environmental Consultancy - BWB Consulting, Delta Simons, Ecologia -environmental, Environment Agency, Ramboll, RSK, TEP-The Environment Partnership, Tetra Tech Europe, WSP in UK
Environmental Testing - ALS Environmental 
Field Surveying - Ordnance Survey
Flood Risk Analysis / Consultation / Management - Betts Hydro, Cole Easdon, JBA Consulting, Natural Resources Wales, Warrington Borough Council, Waterman Aspen, Stockport Council, Weetwood, WSP in UK
GIS Analysis / Research - Anglian Water, Arup, Atkins, Chester Zoo, Environment Agency, Stantec, JBA Consulting, United Utilities 
Human Resources - Imperial Brands, The HR Dept
Hydraulic Modelling - Waterco
Hydrology - Enzygo
Insurance Hazard and Risk Management - RAS
Operations Team Leadership - Yorkshire Water
PhD Research - The James Hutton Institute, University of Chester
Planning, Development and Regeneration - Bury Council, Cheshire West and Cheshire Council, DLP Consultants, Gateley Hamer, Pegasus Group, Trafford Borough Council, Shetland Islands Council
Policy – Derbyshire County Council
Project Planning / Management - AECOM, Aptus, DAS, ISG, Robertson, Staffordshire County Council, Telford & Wrekin Council
Research - House of Commons
Resilience and Emergency Planning - JBA Consulting, RAB Consultants, Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Sustainability Consultancy / Management - AECOM, Arup, Mainer Associates, Natural England, Scotch Partners, Yordas Group
Transport & Logistics - Devon County Council, Leicestershire County Council, Network Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester, University of Chester. 
Water Consultancy - Ramboll Water Quality and Catchment Management - CREW, Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, United Utilities
Other - Aerial Surveying (Environment Agency), Constituency Support, Fire Service, Millitary, Ordnance Survey, Site Environmental Coordination, Teaching (primary and secondary)

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Geography BA/BSc (Hons)

Available with: