Course summary

So many of the world's current issues are all about geography, and the need for future geographers to help us understand them has never been greater in our increasingly inter-connected world. As Michael Palin has said, “Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future.” Our innovative BSc Geography degree helps young people into work, and many employers prize the knowledge and skills that our students develop. Our friendly programme gives a fresh, dynamic, and applied approach to studying Geography, offering an engaging way to examine key global challenges by exploring physical, human and environmental issues and the connections between them. With us, you will gain an integrated understanding of the interactions between people, places, and processes. You will also enjoy the flexibility to address specific human and/or physical geography topics as part of your degree. Our programme provides sound, all-round training, with flexibility to subsequently focus on those topics which interest you most. Following a common first year of interdisciplinary modules that tackle broad issues, you can tailor your Geography degree with a range of more specialist modules in the second and final years. This means you can choose to study the topics that interest you the most and graduate with the knowledge to secure your desired career. In addition, you can opt to study the course over 4 years by including a sandwich placement or a year studying at one of our many overseas partners. Our Geography team are dedicated and personable, and we treasure our informal, ‘family’ reputation and sense of community. Our staff know our students, and our regular small-group tutorials in first and second years set us apart from many larger departments. * Why choose Hertfordshire?*

• Our Geography programmes were among the first to be accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Our teaching and learning is aligned with professional development, and committed to your future using geographical knowledge, understanding, skills and approaches

• We've achieved the top Gold ranking in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2018

• Emphasis on fieldwork learning and practical application of knowledge, supported by specialist environmental field station, dedicated laboratories and facilities for geographical information analysis

• First and second-year field courses in the UK and Swiss Alps free of charge, and further field courses to a range of exciting overseas destinations

• High student satisfaction, excellent student-to-staff ratios, and a strong study community

• Beautiful, leafy campus and excellent facilities, less than 30 minutes from London

• Opportunities to use specialist equipment including geographical information systems (GIS), remote sensing, digital mapping software, unmanned aerial vehicles, and to develop vocational skills highly sought-after by employers

• Staff research strengths in future mobilities, minority rights and representation, development, outdoor education and access, water policy, glaciology, natural hazards, environmental and landscape change, among other areas, as well as close links with geotechnics and civil engineering

• Cutting-edge £50 million Science Building and outstanding learning resources, computing and online library facilities

• Regular opportunities for students to assist staff with research and to undertake fieldwork in pursuit of final year dissertations in locations including Iceland, Switzerland and the High Arctic

• Working with employers in Hertfordshire to address pressing environmental challenges, helping them save energy, reduce waste and put effective strategies in place to manage their environmental impact

• Working with local communities, trusts, charities and schools on issues such as outdoor education, development, planning and transition towns