University of Portsmouth
Geography BSc (Hons)
University of Portsmouth

Course modalities offered

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews for 35 graduates of Geography BSc (Hons) at University of Portsmouth for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in physical geographical sciences.

Overall student satisfaction
88 /100
35 total respondents
The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in physical geographical sciences

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of physical geographical sciences at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £25000 £23500 £28000
25-75 percentile range £22500 - £26000 £18500 - £28000 £22500 - £34500


Salary of all UK Graduates of physical geographical sciences

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £24763 £23299 £28360
25-75 percentile range £21686 - £27929 £18473 - £28955 £21873 - £35518

Course Description

Overview

If you’re interested in the physical nature, characteristics and environment of the world, you can couple your interest with professional skills on this BSc (Hons) Geography degree course, accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS).

You'll discover the ways in which our planet and its natural elements work, and graduate ready for a career in everything from environmental management to teaching and academic research.

  • Use high-powered tech in our laboratories, including laser survey technology, drones, GIS and photogrammetry equipment and our environmental simulation cabinet – a controlled lab area that simulates different environmental conditions
  • Tailor your final year to your own interests and career ambitions by choosing from a fully optional list of modules, including conservation biogeography, hazardscapes and weather science
  • Immerse yourself in some of the landscapes and societies you’re studying through fieldwork, including in places such as Berlin, Malta, Sicily and Uganda
  • Choose to study abroad at one of our partner universities in Poland, Spain or France, or build experience on a work placement at an organisation like the Environment Agency or Natural England

Accredited by:

This course is accredited by the Royal Geographical Society.

Careers and opportunities

On this BSc (Hons) Geography, you'll study physical geography, how the natural environment was formed, what threatens it and how we can protect it. You’ll deepen your understanding of the world and develop professional skills in areas such as communication, problem solving, decision making and teamwork.

Once you complete the course, you'll be ready for a career in a wide range of important fields and sectors, with technical and professional skills many employers are looking for. Our previous students have gone onto work in areas such as environmental management, business management, public services, teaching and research.

What jobs can you do with a geography degree?

Roles our graduates have taken on include:

  • geographical information scientist
  • environmental monitoring technician
  • spatial analyst
  • coastal process scientist
  • urban planner
  • transport planner
  • geospatial consultant
  • GIS cartographer
  • quantity surveyor
  • geography teacher

Graduate destinations

Organisations our graduates have gone on to work for include:

  • Balfour Beatty
  • Arcadis
    • IBM
  • Ordnance Survey
  • Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
  • Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
  • The Environment Agency
  • The National Trust
  • MoD Civil Service

You could also go on to study at postgraduate level.

Placement year (optional)

Either before or following your third year, you can opt for a work placement year to gain valuable longer-term work experience in the industry. Placements give you the opportunity to apply what you've learnt so far in a real workplace, boosting your employability and making you attractive to employers after graduation.

You can work for a company or organisation here in the UK or overseas – some Geography students have chosen Australia, Spain or Malta for their placement year.

Whichever route you choose, you'll receive support and guidance. Our specialist team of Science and Health Careers advisors can help you with finding a work placement and improving your employability skills. They'll provide you with a database of placement vacancies, support with your job search – including help with applications and interviews – and support throughout your placement year.

You'll also hear guest speakers from potential employers and get support from students who have returned from their placements.

Potential placement destinations

Our students have completed placements at organisations including:

  • Atkins Global
  • Pfizer Research and Development
  • Hampshire Ecological Services
  • The Environment Agency
  • Natural England

Accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) for the purpose of recognising the delivery of geographical knowledge, understanding, skills, approaches and attributes expected of high quality geography graduates.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of Geography BSc (Hons) at University of Portsmouth

20% Business and public service associate professionals
15% Elementary occupations
15% Teaching Professionals
10% Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation
5% Sports and fitness occupations
5% Caring personal services
5% Therapy professionals
0% Secretarial and related occupations
0% Welfare and housing associate professionals
0% Business and public service associate professionals

You’ll be assessed through coursework, examinations, contributions to electronic discussion forums, web page design, posters, projects, presentations, portfolios. You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic) 6

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

PTE Academic 54

An overall score of 54 with a minimum of 51 in each skill.

TOEFL (iBT) 79

79 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.

Cambridge English Advanced

Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.

Cambridge English Proficiency

Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.

Trinity ISE

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components

Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Geography, BSc (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Tuition Fees Geography BSc (Hons)

EU £9250 year 1
England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
Channel Islands £9250 year 1
Ireland £9250 year 1
International £20200 year 1

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship

Placement Year and Year abroad:

UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £925 |

EU – £925 (including Transition Scholarship)|

International (Non-EU) – £2,000

Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice.

Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)
  • year 2
  • year 3

University Rankings

Positions of University of Portsmouth in top UK and global rankings.

Rankings of University of Portsmouth in related subject specific rankings.

Social Studies & Humanities

    • #54 
    • #401 
    Social Sciences
    THE World University Rankings by Subject
    [Published 26 October, 2022]

See all 29 university rankings of University of Portsmouth

About University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth is located on the United Kingdom’s only island city, Portsmouth. This public university, which was previously known as Portsmouth Polytechnic, forms part of the University Alliance, an organisation whose aim is to promote growth and innovation in the UK by putting an emphasis on links with business and industry.

List of 234 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Portsmouth - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Portsmouth

undergraduates:
18085
postgraduates:
5005
Total:
23090
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Where is this programme taught

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