OVERVIEW

Why choose this course?

• 100% of our students agree staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2022)
• Gain a degree accredited by the Royal Geographical Society
• Residential field trips (Switzerland, Berlin, Lake District etc) are included in student fees

• Outstanding graduate employability levels
• High student satisfaction, accessible staff and small class sizes
• A vibrant student society and very friendly student-staff community
• Pay no extra fees to study abroad in Europe, N America, Australia, Singapore
• Regular opportunities for students to assist staff with field research and to undertake fieldwork in pursuit of final year dissertations in locations that have included Iceland, Switzerland and the High Arctic
• Excellent work placement links with local and national employers

How will I study?

The Herts Geography BSc degree combines traditional lecture theatre and classroom learning with highly interactive laboratory and field experience. With our own 40-hectare environmental field centre nearby you will have unique opportunities to put into practice in the field what you learn in the lecture-theatre. What's more, you will have abundant opportunities to do fieldwork as well as develop and undertake your own research projects.

Our modules include lectures, workshops, practicals, seminars, and field visits. This variety of teaching combined with access to state-of-the-art facilities will allow you to develop academically, professionally and as both an independent and team-worker.

Assessments on our course are widely varied and focus on developing your research, communication and digital skills. These range through written coursework, verbal presentations, practical portfolios of work, exams and a research dissertation.

Through our personal tutoring system you will be allocated a tutor who will be your academic mentor and first port of call on any academic or personal matters you need to discuss from Day 1. Staff are regularly available for students beyond timetabled sessions and one-to-one or small group support is often available.

What's the course about?

The Herts Geography BSc degree will give you a deep and critical understanding of the pressing issues our world is facing from social, economic, political and scientific perspectives. Whether it’s the climate crisis, environmental hazards, food security, migration or geopolitical conflict, our teaching will equip you with the tools to help tackle these contemporary challenges.

Fieldwork and self-driven research will be fundamental to your studies and you will develop skills and gain experience directly related to a variety of career paths. Our residential field courses to the Lake District and the Swiss Alps (and many day visits) are fully-funded and encompass both the physical and human environment. You will have access to our specialist laboratories and our environmental field centre at Bayfordbury, where you will receive extensive field and lab training. Our GIS teaching in our state-of-the-art computer facilities will equip you with cutting edge geographical skills for the digital age.

Our degree gives you the choice to learn physical and human geography, or to specialise in either. You will have the opportunity to study a wide variety of topics founded around staff expertise in sustainability, climate change, the cryosphere, urbanism and transport. With a Herts Geography BSc degree you will gain an abundance of skills and knowledge, preparing you for your future career.

What's next for my career?

• Geography graduates are highly sought after in a wide range of professions. Our graduates have found successful careers within local government, town and country planning, recreational and habitat management, environmental resources management, teaching and private environmental consultancies as well as more general graduate recruitment schemes and postgraduate study.

  Our graduates are highly employable and have excellent opportunities in a wide range of careers because of our varied curriculum, strong emphasis on field and practical experience, industrial placement year or year abroad opportunities and our strong ties with professional bodies and employers in business, industry and Government.

  Our graduates are highly sought after in a wide range of professions within local government, the civil service, town and country planning, regeneration, environment agency work, water companies, recreational and habitat management, environmental resources management, teaching and environmental consultancies. Our graduates also join more general graduate recruitment schemes and go on to postgraduate study.

  Typical job titles of recent graduates

  Assistant Surveyor, Conservation Officer, Environmental Consultant, Environmental developments Officer, Environmental Management Systems Developer, Environmental Manager, Environmental Officer, Environmental Support Officer, Estates manager, GIS assistant, Land Charges Assistant, Planning Officer, Production Systems Development Engineer, Senior GIS Technical Officer, Trainee Emergency Ambulance Technician, Trainee Logging Geologist, Transport Coordinator, Transport Planner.

  Typical employers of recent graduates

  Affinity Water, Buildings Research Establishment, Banks Cargil Agriculture Ltd, Beds and Herts Ambulance and Paramedic Service, Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Coors Brewers, Datalog Technology Ltd, Environment Agency, Granada Business Technology, Merck Sharp & Dohme, National Grid, Veolia Water, South-East Water, Sustrans, University of Hertfordshire, Vauxhall Motors, Vivendi Water.