Why Study Geography?
Geography today is so much more than the study of places and capital cities. It is about the dynamic interplay of processes that shape our world and its peoples - encompassing everything from the surface and subsurface processes that model our physical landscape, to the social, economic, cultural and political forces that mould the societies in which we live.
The field techniques of the modern geographer range from long-established tools - such as tape measure and compass, questionnaire and clipboard - to devices that embrace the latest technologies, such as the PDA (hand-held digital mapping unit), high resolution digital imaging, GPS (Global Positioning System) and the iPod.
Geographers in the laboratory at Chester are as likely to be sieving soils and sediments or studying cultural interpretations of landscape in a tourist brochure, as to be using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to plan a market research campaign or map the carbon footprint of a rural community (e.g. see www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk). All this ensures that the knowledge and skills of the geographer continue to be of relevance to today's employment needs, and makes Geography a popular degree with a wide range of employers.
Why study Combined Honours Geography at Chester?
Our Combined Honours Geography degree is designed to give you a balanced experience of the subject, while offering the opportunity for specialist degree training in contemporary aspects of (applied) physical and/or human geography.
The programme includes a dedicated field and laboratory skills training strand that equips you for specialist project work in your final year, and employment beyond that. This includes a residential field trip to mid-Wales in Year 1, an optional field trip to Spain or New York in Year 2 and an expedition to Norway in Year 3. The department is also seeking to introduce a Year 3 fieldtrip to New York for human geographers.
In summary, distinctive features of the course include:
- Specialist modules in applied aspects of physical and human geography
- Investigation at a range of scales, from global to local
- Residential fieldwork in the UK, with various opportunities for overseas fieldwork in Years 2 and 3
- Use of a broad variety of assessment modes, including: poster presentation, digital story, e-postcard, ‘press release', consultancy report, group and individual oral presentations and video presentation
- Focused personal development and careers guidance within core modules
- Combines well with a wide range of non-geography subjects.
Plus:
All this, in a department that is the only department of geography in the country to have scored 100% for student satisfaction for two years running, in the National Student Surveys of 2007 and 2008!
Programme Structure:
You study three modules of geography in your first two years, and up to four modules in the final year - the majority of these modules run from October through to April/May. The First Year is a foundation year that exposes you to a wide range of geographical skills and knowledge, from which to specialise in Years 2 and 3.
Level 4 (First Year)
This is designed to give you a balanced introduction to key geographical knowledge and skills, from which to progress to more specialist work in Level 5. You study modules in three core areas: Introduction to Physical Geography and Geology, Introduction to Human Geography and Foundations for Successful Studentship - the latter is designed to help you make an effective transition into study in higher education, and includes a residential field course to mid-Wales to develop foundation field and laboratory skills.
Level 5 (Second Year)
Combined Honours students take modules in two core areas. The first, Geographical Enquiry and Research Design, enhances field and laboratory methods in human and/or physical geography, before focusing on the process of designing an extended research project (which might ultimately translate into a final year Dissertation). The second provides a choice between Themes in Physical Geography or Exploring Human Geography.
In the summer term, all students choose between experiential learning and a four to six week WBL (Work Based Learning) placement. This can be related to your geographical interests (e.g. work for an environmental body, local authority, or development NGO in the UK or abroad), or can explore some other career path of interest (e.g. the police, teaching, media). A second WBL option is our Fieldwork Applications experiential learning module involving a fieldtrip to the badlands (drylands) of southern Spain, where students are based in a research centre and work on applied physical geography research projects (e.g. slope stability, soil erosion, vegetation change). A third WBL option is our Fieldwork Applications New York to investigate immigration in the Lower East Side and urban regeneration in the Bronx and Harlem. Finally, the department also runs an optional Norway Expedition at the end of Level 5, for students interested in completing a final year Dissertation on a glacial/climate change theme.
Level 6 (Third Year)
In the final year, Combined Honours students have the option to major in Geography (four modules), minor in Geography (two modules), or to continue to study their two subjects in equal proportions (three modules of each).
Combined Honours students majoring in Geography complete a Geography Dissertation (extended project in human or physical geography) on a topic of their choice. The remaining modules at Level 6 are a selection of taught options reflecting the research interests of the lecturers and the diversity of the subject.
Currently these include techniques-oriented module (e.g. Climate Change: Recent Record and Future Prospects), studies of regional areas (e.g. Emerging Nations: China and India), and systematic studies covering various areas of specialist geographical enquiry (e.g. City & Countryside: Trends and Prospects, Excluded Peoples: Migrants and Refugees, and Sustainable Futures).
Most final year modules involve collaboration with external agencies/practitioners in course delivery and assessment.
You learn through a combination of lectures, practicals, seminars, tutorials, group projects, fieldwork, laboratory work and on-line digital resources - as well as through one-to-one work with tutors in the case of dissertations and individual project work. The actual mix varies with topic, but at Level 4 (Year 1) a module typically involves two-three hours contact per week, one hour in a lecture and one-two hours practical. At Level 6 (Year 3) the norm is a two-hour session with a mix of lectures and practicals.
Assessment is through a combination of examination and continuous (coursework) assessment. In Year 1 the majority of modules use a 50:50 examination/coursework assessment pattern, although Foundations is assessed entirely through coursework - much of this based on fieldwork activities.
In Year 2 approximately 60% of all assessment is through coursework, while in Year 3 up to 75-80% of assessment derives from coursework. The department engages in a wide variety of innovative and imaginative coursework assignments, from podcasting, video presentations and posters to briefing papers, consultancy reports and essays.
Your final degree is calculated on the basis of results from your second (33% of overall final mark) and third (67%) years of study. The choice between - and within - your Geography modules increases through the three years of your degree to allow you to specialise to suit your interests, abilities and career aspirations.
The knowledge and skills acquired in studying Geography today have broad vocational relevance. The experience of project work (developing, for example, skills in group dynamics, leadership and negotiation), familiarity with information technology, experience with quantitative and qualitative analysis and confidence in problem solving, mean that Geography graduates have a wide range of careers open to them in the public and private sectors.
These opportunities include careers in: marketing, local government, planning, transport, environment, regional development, management, administration and teaching. Some of our graduates continue their studies to Masters level, either in academic areas or in applied fields such as development studies, Geographical Information Systems, recreation, tourism, transport, planning and environmental management.
Every two years the Department hosts a very successful employability conference that welcomes back previous students to share their work experiences with current undergraduates.
Combined Honours
| UCAS points |
A minimum of 260-300 UCAS points from GCE A Levels, including a grade C or above in one of the subjects recommended by the department
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| GCE A Level: |
The department requires one of the following subjects as essential for entry:
- GCE A Level: Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Social Science, World Development
- GCE Applied A Level: Applied Science
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| BTEC: |
Diploma/Certificate (Applied Science - Environmental) - merit/distinction profile |
| Irish/Scottish Highers: |
B in 4 subjects including Geography or Geology |
| International Baccalaureate: |
28 points, including 5 or above in Geography |
| QAA: |
QAA recognised Access to HE Diploma (must include Geography or Environmental Science at Level 3), Open College Units or Open University Credits |
| OCR: |
OCR National Extended/Diploma: merit profile plus one of the GCE A level subjects listed above |
| Extra Information: |
The Advanced Diploma: acceptable in combination with one of the GCE A Level subjects listed above
Welsh Baccalaureate (core) will be recognised in our tariff offer.
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