Geography with a Year Abroad BA/BSc (Hons)

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Course Summary

Studying Geography with a Year Abroad gives you the opportunity to spend the year between your second and final year studying at a partner institution abroad.  You can choose from a wide range of courses, universities and country destinations, so that you can combine extending your subject knowledge with travelling and cultural immersion in a part of the world that really interests you.  Geography with a Year Abroad is a four-year course option, that sits within our core three-year course – the modules you study in your first, second and final years will be the same as those taken by peers on the three-year option.

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).

two students walking through a field

Become a Change Agent

Why You'll Love It

Accredited by the Royal Geographical Society

Our accreditation by the RGS confirms that our course meets the highest standards of excellence. You can be confident that your degree will equip you with the knowledge and skills for the career you want.

Shape your own path

Spend a year studying abroad in a country that fascinates you, extending your geographical understanding through cultural immersion and independent travel.

Understand your impact

Explore locations in the UK and overseas, developing your analytical skills to understand human impact on people and places.

Students on a trip in Norway

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.

When applying for this course with a specialist pathway, 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. 

Human Geography pathway

Group of students on a field trip looking at a map

Physical Geography pathway

A student looking through binoculars at the distant landscape.

Natural Hazard Management pathway

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 can choose to maintain a balance between human geography and physical geography, or you can choose a pathway, enabling you to focus on your specific interests.  If you opt to combine human and physical geography can choose two modules in addition to your core module. 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). 

MODULES

  • Geographical Research: Methods and Geomatics (40 Credits) Core
  • Society and Space (40 Credits) Option
  • Geopolitics: Prisoners of Geography? (40 Credits) Option
  • Environmental Change: Minutes to Millennia (40 Credits) Option
  • Dynamic Earth (40 Credits) Option
  • Experiential Learning Option
  • Work Placement 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.  You will extend your geospatial data science skills alongside applying the knowledge acquired throughout your studies to develop your understanding of complex geographical issues.  If you opt to combine both human geography and physical geography modules throughout your course, in your final year you will be able to choose two modules in addition to your core modules. 

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) Option
  • Excluded Peoples (20 Credits) Option
  • Catchment to Coast (20 Credits) Option
  • Sustainable Futures: From Theory to Action (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.

How You'll Learn

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The majority of teaching takes place in lectures, tutorials and fieldwork

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You will be assessed in a variety of ways

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Be part of a learning community, contributing to and learning from your peers and tutors

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This course is designed around in-person study

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
Prof Ruth Healey

Dr Daniel Bos

Senior Lecturer in Human Geography and Combined Honours Geography Programme Leader
Dr Daniel Bos

Dr Rebecca Collins

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

Dr Katharine Welsh

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography and University Innovation Fellow
Dr Katharine Welsh

Dr Andrew Miles

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography & GIS
Dr Andrew Miles

Dr Namrata Bhattacharya-Mis

Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Natural Hazard Management
Dr Namrata Bhattacharya-Mis

Dr Graham Wilson

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

Dr Dami Akosile

Lecturer in Human Geography
Dr Dami Akosile

Prof Derek France

Professor of Pedagogy in Geographical Sciences
Prof Derek France

Dr Philip Marren

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography
Dr Philip Marren

Dr Amanda Williams

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography
Dr Amanda Williams

Dr Jane Bevan

Laboratory and Fieldwork Manager
Dr Jane Bevan
Rebecca Collins - Learning for Social and Environmental Justice video still

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

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

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.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

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

Exton Park is close to the city centre of Chester, a city like no other and an amazing place to live as a student. While it is undoubtedly beautiful and packed with history, Chester is also a bustling 21st-century city balancing big-name shopping, eating and living with a thriving independent scene.

Modern learning resources and library

We have dedicated resources and IT services across campus, as well as our Seaborne Library; home to an extensive selection of books, e-books and e-journals, as well as bookable multimedia rooms, video conferencing space, 24-hour access computer labs, and The Hub; a comfortable two-floor study zone, suitable for independent and group study.

Seaborne library, seating and reception area.

Student Services

Exton Park is home to a number of our central support services, including Disability and Inclusion, Careers and Employability, and Student Support.

Fitness facilities

Exton Park boasts an impressive choice of indoor and outdoor sports and leisure facilities, which are used for both competitive and recreational sports. Our facilities include a swimming pool, gym, squash, and tennis courts, running track and two floodlit pitches.

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

Chapel, chaplaincy and multi-faith spaces

Built in 1847 by former students, the University Chapel offers regular services and a venue to services. The University of Chester also has multi-faith spaces across the campus for prayer or quiet reflection.

Accommodation

Most of our student accommodation is located either on or near Exton Park.

Catering

We have several catering outlets available onsite, offering a wide selection of hot and cold food to students and visitors. Term-time Meal Schemes are also available for those students interested in non-residential catering schemes.

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: 

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.

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