Physical Geography BSc (Hons) pathway
The Geography (Physical Geography) BSc (Hons) pathway provides you with a broad foundation in Physical Geography, Human Geography and Natural Hazard Management in Level 4 (Year 1), and then allows you to specialise in physical geography in Levels 5 and 6 (Year 2 and 3). Subjects covered in this pathway are wide-ranging and currently include, for example, climate and sea-level change, coastal processes and management, river processes and flooding, glaciers and glaciation, biogeography, carbon sequestration and storage, arid geomorphology, palaeoclimatology, environmental pollution, GIS and remote sensing, natural and human-induced environmental change over recent and millennial timescales.
Physical Geography BSc at the University of Chester
What You'll Study
The Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation Year route offers you an important preparation year as part of your four-year degree.
Humanities and Social Science subjects, you will explore people and societies and their beliefs, cultures, power structures, stories and narratives, as well as critical inquiry into societal issues and global affairs with contemporary and historical perspectives.
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.
In your first year of study, you will cover a wide range of geographical topics and begin to develop key skills in fieldwork, data collection and analysis.
MODULES
- Changing The World (20 Credits) Core
- Global Hazards and Risk (20 Credits) Core
- Earth and Environment (20 Credits) Core
- People and Places (20 Credits) Core
- Researching Environments (20 Credits) Core
- Sustainable Development: Foundations for Sustainable Futures (20 Credits) Option
- Language Option (20 Credits) Option
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.
In your second year, 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).
MODULES
- Geographical Research: Methods and Geomatics (40 credits) Core
- Environmental Change: Minutes to Millennia (20 credits) Core
- Dynamic Earth (20 credits) Core
- Experiential Learning (40 credits) Option
- Work Placement (40 credits) Option
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.
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.
MODULES
- Dissertation (40 Credits) Core
- Geospatial Data Science (20 Credits) Core
- Exploring Places: Field Experience (20 Credits) Core
- Earth’s Climate: Trends and Tipping Points (20 Credits) Core
- Catchment to Coast (20 Credits) Core
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.
You will develop a range of surveying, environmental monitoring and advanced laboratory analytical skills, which are much sought-after by graduate employers. Examples include using GPS and remote sensing to monitor coastal change, to map wildfires or the optimum positioning of solar panels and wind farms, or using advanced laboratory geochemical and biological analytical techniques to detect water contamination.
Chester is situated in close proximity to the rivers, lakes and mountains of the Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), the forests, lakes and peatlands of Delamere, and the beaches, dune systems, estuaries and saltmarshes along the Cheshire and North Wales coastline. You will make good use of these locations to further develop your knowledge and practical field skills. Your confidence and experience as a researcher will build throughout the pathway, through working as part of a research team in Year 1 to investigate local environments, by developing skills in environmental monitoring and statistical analyses of large datasets in Level 5 (Year 2), and from the production of an independent piece of original research in Level 6 (Final Year).
On completion of the pathway you will have an in-depth knowledge of a wide range of physical environments, including their formation and how they have changed in response to natural and human processes. You will gain a deeper understanding of some of the most pressing global environmental issues and have the necessary skills and confidence to help address these challenges in your future career.
Our physical geography pathway may include either a Year Abroad or Year in Industry. This will take place during the third year of study following completion of Level 5 (Year 2), with students returning to the University of Chester in their fourth year to complete Level 6.
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 i.e. Geography (Physical Geography) BSc (Hons).
Go back to Geography BA/BSc course page