Course in brief

Combining the study of current geographical issues such as climate change and global sustainability with a grounding in archaeology, this course provides opportunities to investigate the relationship between human societies and their physical and social environments over time.

You will develop knowledge of archaeological field and laboratory skills and an understanding of the principles and methods of acquiring, analysing and archiving archaeological data.

You will explore contemporary archaeological and environmental issues, informed by international archaeological research projects in areas such as human evolution, African Iron Age dynasties and environmental degradation.

There is a focus on employability, transferable skills and applied learning. Trips to destinations such as Greece and Sicily help you develop your field skills, while the placement year allows build experience and a network of professional contacts.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code FF84

Full-time 3 years
With placement year 4 years

Apply now with UCAS for 2019 entry

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBC–CCC (112–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

A-levels must include geography. BTEC must include geography or a science-related subject.

We will generally make you an offer if your predicted grades are at the top of this range. If your predicted grades are towards the lower end of this range we may still make you an offer if you have a good GCSE (or equivalent) profile or relevant non-academic achievements.

International Baccalaureate
28 points to include three subjects at Higher level to include geography or a science-related subject. 

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Must include level 3 units in geography, geology or science. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at merit or above.

GCSE
At least English language and maths at grade 4, and science at grade C.

Foundation degree/HND
International foundation may be considered. Applicants with an HND or foundation degree may be considered for year 2 entry.

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. 

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 6.0 overall, 6.0 in writing, and a minimum of 5.5 in the other three parts.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country
 
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 institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Course in detail

Course structure

This integrated course combines the related subjects of geography and archaeology. 

For the geography component, you will study both human and physical geography, though you are later able to specialise in one area over the other. There are also opportunities to take optional modules in the associated sciences and geology.

For the archaeology component, you will develop skills for archaeological investigation and environmental reconstructions through a range of modules that investigate human impacts and reactions to changing climates through time.

You'll experience a number of field trips, including to Greece in your first year and Sicily in your second, giving you the opportunity to apply your knowledge to real-world concerns.

Students in field

Year 1

The first year introduces key themes in human, physical and environmental geography, with core modules that cover the impact of socially divergent views of the world, the human modification of environmental processes and the physical forces of landscape change. Interwoven through these core modules are perspectives and examples from the archaeological record, allowing you to experience how the two subject disciplines perfectly complement each other. 

Fieldwork includes a trip to Greece.

Modules

  • Fundamentals of Physical Geography
  • Global Environmental Issues
  • Human Geography
  • Academic and Field Research Skills
  • Statistical and Spatial Data Analysis

Option modules*

  • Urban Geography
  • The Global Earth and Ocean System
  • Introduction to Ecology and Conservation
Students on a field trip in Greece

Year 2

Year 2 advances your understanding of the physical and human geography worlds as well as introducing you to more specialised archaeological modules. 

Fieldwork includes a trip to Sicily. 

Modules

  • Human Origins and Evolution
  • Prehistoric and Societies
  • Practising Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Sciences
  • Research Design and Analysis with Dissertation Planning
  • Geography Fieldwork, Sicily

Option modules*

  • Earth Surface Processes
  • Ice Age Earth
  • Environmental Pollution
  • Climate Change
  • Biogeography
  • Sustainable Development
  • Community Engagement
  • Social and Cultural Geography
  • GIS and Remote Sensing
  • Basic Expedition Leadership
  • Palaeoenvironments

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

Students on field trip

GeogGeol-studentscomputer_028

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.

Other students have secured placements with environmental firms and consultancies, a multi-national telecommunications company and a renewable energy research centre in Spain.

Geog Info Systems-student_007

Final year

The focus for your final year 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 the first two years of your course. Option modules enable you to tailor your programme of study to support your dissertation and your future career aspirations.

You'll also have the opportunity of fieldwork in Brazil.

Modules

  • Dissertation

Options*

  • Humans of Ice Age Britain
  • Geographies of Heritage
  • Oceans and Coasts
  • Aquatic Environments
  • Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Environmental Management: Air and Waste Management
  • Cold Environments: Land systems, Processes and Environmental Change 
  • Water, Sanitation and Health
  • Gender, Space and Embodiment
  • Political Ecology
  • Territory, Power and Security
  • Community Engagement
  • Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing 
  • Research Field Skills Course, Brazil
  • Evolution and the Fossil Record

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

Students around a table, one taking notes

Geography Fieldwork Survey

Course statistics

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Careers and employability

With modules that span the human and physical sciences, a degree in archaeology and geography from Brighton demonstrates a wide range of transferable skills in research and data analysis.

The course helps to prepare you for careers across the geographical and archaeological sectors, for example as a field archaeologist, archivist, cartographer, environmental consultant, GIS officer, heritage manager, or planning and development surveyor. It will also prepare you for postgraduate research and study.

GeogInfoSysstudentcomputer_008

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,460 GBP

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,230 for home students and £2,060 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2019–20.

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/EU 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.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

i360 and ticket booth on the seafront What to expect enriching experiences

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus began in summer 2018. By the time the Big Build is complete, there’ll be new halls of residence, academic building, and Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits. Find out more...

 

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The Big Build

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

We have halls of residence across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • Eligible students can apply for any of these options. Find out if you are eligible…
  • You’ll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Varley Park and Moulsecoomb Place halls.
    • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms and catering options. Varley Park 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 catered and are located on campus.

We also offer Unihomes and Unilets, student houses that we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option provides the most choice and flexibility and can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments.

There’s plenty of support if you choose private rented accommodation. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. And we run our housemates service over the summer for students, new and returning, looking for a place to live.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages.

Moulsecoomb Place Halls

Moulsecoomb Place accommodation close to the Moulsecoomb campus

Student in the Moulsecoomb Place hall of residence

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Find out more

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