Intro

Discover how the physical, natural and built environments connect with human society. Our Geography BSc(Hons) with integrated foundation year degree examines issues including the climate crisis and human impacts on the environment, global sustainability and the circular economy.

With an extra year of foundation level study, this course opens up opportunities in the sciences if you don't hold the required scientific A-levels or equivalent qualifications to go straight on to the Geography BSc(Hons) degree, want to change career or simply feel you want to explore the options offered by university-level science before deciding on your specific pathway.

On successful completion of the foundation year, you can progress to our accredited Geography BSc(Hons) degree.

There is a strong emphasis on applied learning. You'll conduct fieldwork throughout the course, both overseas and in the coastal, fluvial, downland and urban environments our location provides. And you'll learn with researchers who are tackling global problems including sustainable river managment and air quality.

Career development is built in with modules that develop professional practice to address global challenges, and develop your practical skills in our specialist labs. You also have the option of a placement year.

See our upcoming events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code F801

Full-time 4 years
With placement year 5 years

BSc(Hons) accredited by the Royal Geographical Society with IBG

New for 2023

This new course is in the final stage of development and may change. Check back for the latest information.

Apply now with UCAS for 2023

Course content

Course structure

Our Geography BSc(Hons) with integrated foundation year degree allows you to develop a programme of study that matches your interests and career ambitions. You will be able to follow a broad combined syllabus with elements of physical, human and environmental geography, or to focus on areas such as geomorphology, landscape change, environmental hazards and environmental management.

Teaching methods consist of lectures, practical classes, fieldwork and seminars, but real-world experience is at the heart of the curriculum. As such you will experience fieldwork throughout the course including a field trip to Sicily designed specifically to provide training in biogeography, volcanology and general field techniques. This practical fieldwork component allows you to apply your knowledge to real-world concerns.

Our expert staff will support your subject-specific knowledge development and teach you the research, technical, practical and transferable skills that you need to get you ready for your career.

Students working on a boat during a field trip to NI

Foundation year

During your foundation year you’ll be introduced to key concepts in biology, geography, environment, geoscience and data handling to prepare you for study at undergraduate level. You’ll also develop your practical skills in the lab as well as problem solving, analysis and communication.

The range of topics provide a basis for identifying and providing sound scientific solutions to current and future problems affectin society.

Modules

Foundation Biology
Geography, Earth and Environment
Data Handling
Study Skills

Students and lecturer working with the flume

Year 1

The first year introduces key themes in physical, human and environmental geography, with core modules that cover the physical forces of landscape change, the impacts of environmental change on the physical and human environments and the human modification of environmental processes.

Modules

Core modules

Options*

Students carrying out fieldwork at the beach

Year 2

In your second year you can choose modules across physical, environmental or human geographies or choose to specialise in physical or environmental geography. Fieldwork includes a trip to Sicily.

Modules

Professional Practice for Global Challenges
Research and Field Skills

Option modules*

Earth Surface Processes
Ice Age Earth
Human Origins and Evolution
Prehistoric and Ancient Societies
Environmental Pollution
Climate Change
Sustainable Futures
Critical and Digital Geographies
Social Justice in Everyday Spaces
GIS and Remote Sensing: Principles and Practice

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Dr Chris Carey with four students in front of stone circle

Placement year

A placement year offers you a great opportunity to:

build knowledge of real-world businesses and organisations
develop existing skills and discover new ones
make contacts in industry and commerce
increase your confidence
improve your time management.

In recent years, our students have been successful in competing for nationally advertised positions with the Department for Energy and Climate Change, Transport for London and the Field Studies Council.

Two geography students on placement working with colleague in lab

Final year

The focus for the final year of your degree is your independent dissertation. You will work closely with an expert academic to investigate a topic of your choice, applying the research methods and analytical skills covered in your studies.

Option modules enable you to tailor your programme of study to support your dissertation and your future career aspirations.

You also have the opportunity of fieldwork in Brazil.

Modules

Dissertation

Option modules*

Tectonic Geomorphology
Rivers, Coasts and Wetlands: Assessment and Management
Humans of Ice Age Britain
Dynamic Landscapes
Environmental Impact Assessment
The Frozen Planet
Water, Sanitation and Health
Atmosphere, Weather and Climate
Waste Management and the Circular Economy
Geographies of Genders and Sexualities
Political Ecology: Contested Environments
Confronting Coloniality and Racism: Political Geographies of Territory and Security
Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing
Community Engagement
Research Field Skills, Brazil

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Meet the team

Dr Chris Carey
I have over 15 years’ experience working within the archaeological and environmental sectors with a particular focus on human environmental dynamics in the Holocene, archaeometallurgy and prehistory.

Through teaching I want students to share my passion for human interaction with the environment, especially in prehistory. To facilitate this many of my modules involve fieldwork. The modules I teach on include Ice Age Earth, Prehistoric Societies of Europe, Earth Surface Processes and Statistical and Geospatial Data Analysis. Through studying these modules I hope students find a different perspective and gain new insights into prehistoric societies, climate change and human-environment interaction.

Professor David Nash (Professor of Physical Geography)

Podcast: Prof Nash talks about his research the origin of the giant sarsen stones at Stonehenge that made headlines worldwide, as well as the climate crisis.

Find out about the rest of the course team

Careers

Professional accreditation

Our Geography BSc(Hons) degree is accredited by the Royal Geographical Society with IBG. This is independent recognition that the knowledge, skills and other attributes expected of high-quality geography graduates are delivered by our course.

Graduating from an accredited course can also lay the foundation for professional registration as a Chartered Geographer if you choose to embark on a career in a geography-related field.

Prepare for your career

In your career you need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.

Apply your learning and consolidate your geographical scientific knowledge and skills in the lab and in the field.

Strengthen transferrable skills in time management, group working, communication, presenting, designing solutions and software skills. All of which help to prepare you for your career.

Learn with staff who are active in research and consultancy, you’ll build your specialist research skills and gain more in-depth knowledge in the areas that interest you most.

Gain real-world, related experience and make a difference getting involved with community groups and voluntary organisations.

Geographical Information Systems MSc _003

Placement

Taking an optional placement year offers lots of advantages.

You get to:

apply your learning to real-life situations and challenges
develop your existing skills and gain new ones
explore career options, helping you think about what you don’t want to do as well as what you do
boost your confidence, time-management and organisational skills
make contacts while working in a professional environment
come back for your final year more focused, more organised and more confident.

Facilities for learning

You will gain valuable, hands-on experience in our specialist labs and using our field equipment, including:

Environment and Public Health Lab
Soil and Water Analysis Labs
Soil and Sediment Analysis Lab
Hydraulics Lab
Environmental Simulation Lab
Scanning Electron Microscopy facility
Air quality lab
School of Applied Sciences computer suites running GIS and other professional software
Equipment for field-based geophysical surveying
Field collection equipment

Click to view a virtual tour of some of our biosciences facilities.

Professional links

Research informs our teaching, helping our students to think and learn like professionals. You will learn with Brighton-based researchers who are tackling global issues such as sustainable riverine management and air quality. Our research spans Environment and Public Health, Society, Space and Environment, and also includes the Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Culture Politics and the Centre for Aquatic Environments.

Guest lectures from industry experts and our own graduates enhance your learning, giving you valuable insights into real-world working environments as well as networking opportunities.

Graduate destinations

Our Geography graduates have gone on to careers in organisations including the Environment Agency, Southern Water, Low Carbon Europe, GIS consultancies. They are working in roles such as GIS officer, environmental consultant, energy consultant, sustainability manager, performance analyst, archaeologist, heritage manager, and planning and development surveyor.

Further study

We have opportunities for further study at postgraduate level in this field:

Female student and female lecturer with net collecting samples from river

Supporting your employability

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Emlployable

Entry criteria

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

Graphic with the text 'Potential + possibility'

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff
72 tariff points. Level 3 Key Skills and General Studies will count towards the tariff.

A-levels
DDD including two full science A-levels.

International Baccalaureate
24 points, with two subject at Higher level.

Other qualifications
If you have completed an Access course or BTEC diploma we'll consider your application on an individual basis; relevant experience may also be taken into account.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
English and maths.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Why choose an integrated foundation year?

This integrated, preparatory course is suitable for applicants with a wide range of backgrounds and qualifications who, for a variety of reasons, may not feel ready to begin study at undergraduate level. This may apply to mature students who have had a break from education and may have vocational experience in addition to academic qualifications. Students who do not have the subject-appropriate A-levels or equivalent qualifications for the undergraduate course may also benefit.

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 15,300 GBP

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2023–24.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Over the last four years Moulsecoomb has undergone a major transformation, planned with accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability in mind.

Over 900 students live here in our halls, Moulsecoomb Place and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

On campus you’ll find professional-standard facilities and learning resources for all of our subjects and a brand new academic building Elm House, alongside the library, student centre, fitness facilities and the Students’ Union.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains and to all the exciting things happening in our home city.

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Moulsecoomb Place, Mithras halls and Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
- Varley Park offers a mix of rooms. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
- Moulsecoomb Place halls are all self-catered and are located right on campus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Park

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Students eating at the Hub

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

Loading maps...

Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition.

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.