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BSc Geography at Manchester is about understanding the physical processes that shape our planet, and the ways people, places and environments are connected. You’ll explore some of the biggest challenges facing the world today, from climate change, carbon cycling and landscape change to biodiversity loss, pollution, sustainability and environmental restoration.

The course gives you a strong foundation in both physical and human geography before allowing you to focus on the areas that interest you most. In your first year, you’ll study environmental processes, human geographies, global environmental challenges and data science, while developing the academic and practical skills you’ll need for the rest of your degree.

As you progress, you’ll build more advanced skills in fieldwork, laboratory work, GIS, data analysis, digital tools and research design. You’ll learn how geographers collect, interpret and communicate evidence, and how these skills can be used to understand real-world environmental and social challenges.

You’ll also have the flexibility to shape your studies through optional units. As a BSc student, you’ll focus more on physical geography and scientific approaches to research, while still having opportunities to explore human geography topics. Options are linked to themes such as climate, environment and sustainability; dynamic environments; geographical data science; cities; and social and cultural geographies.

Fieldwork is a key part of Geography at Manchester. You’ll begin with our long-running pre-course field trip to the Lake District, which helps you meet other students, get to know staff and start building field skills before teaching begins. You’ll then continue to learn through local field visits and a second-year residential field course.

In your final year, you’ll study specialist, research-led topics and complete an independent dissertation with support from an academic adviser. By the time you graduate, you’ll have developed subject-specific skills in physical geography, data-handling, GIS and research, alongside transferable skills in communication, teamwork, project management and problem-solving.

On the BSc Geography with International Study, you’ll spend your third year studying at one of our partner universities overseas before returning to Manchester for the final year of your degree. This is an opportunity to experience life in another country, broaden your perspective and develop skills that can support your future career.

Fieldwork from the start

Begin your degree with our long-running pre-course field trip to the Lake District, then continue to build your skills through local field visits and a second-year residential field course. Recent destinations have included the Pyrenees, Morocco, Crete, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Prague.

Build data-handling, GIS and digital skills

Develop practical skills in data science, GIS, data visualisation and digital tools used by geographers to understand landscapes, environments and global challenges.

Study abroad in your third year

On the BSc Geography with International Study, you’ll spend your third year studying Geography at one of our partner departments around the world before returning to Manchester to complete the final year of your degree. This is an opportunity to live and study in another country, broaden your outlook, gain new cultural experiences and build skills that can support your employability. Current partner locations include Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico.

Teaching methods include fieldwork, lectures, seminars, small-group learning, individual tutorials, and team work.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.
The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

We're one of Europe's best-equipped universities for Geography, with outstanding computing, laboratory, cartography and library facilities that are used for teaching and research and are available for our students, including:

• World-leading Geography Laboratories with a wide range of advanced capabilities for studying water, soils, sediments and microplastics, including major and trace elemental analysis, spectroscopy, microscopy and X-ray Fluorescence.
• A Geocomputational Suite supporting world-class work in GIS and Remote Sensing, with access to UAVs, and survey tools.
• A Geography Virtual Reality lab for undertaking human and physical geography research and teaching.
• Advanced computing for social sciences coding development.

The University's Main Library is is one of only five National Research Libraries and is a great place to study. It is also home to the University Map Collection, comprising around 100,000 maps of every part of the world.

Geography graduates are valued for their ability to understand complex problems, work with evidence and communicate ideas clearly.

On our BSc Geography course, you’ll develop practical skills in fieldwork, laboratory work, GIS, data analysis, digital tools and geographical research. You’ll also build wider skills in teamwork, communication, project management, problem-solving and independent working.

These skills can open up a wide range of career paths. Our graduates go on to work in areas such as:

• environmental management and sustainability;
• climate, ecology and conservation;
• planning and urban development;
• GIS, mapping and data analysis;
• consultancy;
• research and policy;
• government and public sector roles;
• education;
• media, marketing and communications;
• business, project management and graduate schemes.

Recent graduate employers have included Accenture, HSBC, Manchester City Council, Network Rail, PwC, Sky, the BBC and the Environment Agency.

You’ll be supported to think about your future throughout the course. Careers activities are built into the programme at key points, helping you explore career options, understand your strengths, develop your CV and prepare for applications. Geography also hosts the , giving students opportunities to work with external organisations on real-world sustainability challenges.

The University has an award-winning AGCAS-accredited that you can access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.

For more information, see .