DISCUSSING THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
LEARN HOW WORKING IN THE FIELD CAN IMPROVE YOUR SKILL SET WORK-BASED LEARNING MODULES FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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It’s never too early to start thinking about what you would like to do after school or college, or if you are thinking of a career move! At Plymouth, we know that choosing a university and course is a big decision. If you have a career aspiration or an inkling into which profession or industry you would like to enter into but are unsure of what to do next, then this is where our handy subject guide comes in.
Meet some of this issue’s contributors:
Dr Nicky Harmer Geography Admissions Tutor, Lecturer in Human Geography and International Exchange Coordinator Nicky shares 10 reasons why you should choose to study Geography at Plymouth. P4
Amy BSc (Hons) Geography Amy talks about what she’s achieved since graduating. P12
Dr Alan Smith Lecturer in Environmental Management
Alan discusses the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals . P26
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FEATURES:
P. 8 Which degree is right for me? Which Geography courses are available?
P. 10 Out in the field
Learn how working in the field can improve your skill set.
P. 17 Work experience
Learn about our work-based learning modules for your professional development.
P. 18 Real life experience
Joshua talks about his experiences at Plymouth.
P. 24 Mapping a career
Learn more about what careers are available in Geography.
P. 26 Geographers addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Read about how we align with these goals in our teaching.
If you’ve picked up this brochure and have started reading this line, then you’ve already begun a journey that could quite possibly change the world.
I would imagine that at this stage, you have a mixture of emotions as you're going through this process: one perhaps of excitement, maybe nervousness or even stress. This may not be the first guide you've looked through saying similar things, and you're probably overwhelmed with a lot of choices that need to be made.
Well let's see if I can help you. Here are my top 10 reasons for studying with us!
Dr Nicky Harmer, Lecturer in Human Geography and International Exchange Coordinator
Studying the connections between society and the environment, geographers are uniquely placed to understand the connections between humans and the world around us, and to help provide solutions to many of the planet’s most pressing problems.
Your lecturers are part of a friendly academic team who are passionate about their research. They draw on their cutting-edge expertise in their field to inform their teaching and share their knowledge with you.
Our flexible BA (Hons) and BSc (Hons) Geography courses allow you to tailor your degree to your interests as you customise your degree through your module choices in your second and third years.
Plymouth offers vibrant city living with our main campus conveniently located in the heart of the city centre with the wide open space of Dartmoor and the miles of coastline and beaches easily accessible for students. A range of student societies make use of the location and offer something for everyone, including GeogSoc, which provides social and sporting activities and helps create a lively and friendly community of student geographers.
Choose from our wide range of human, physical, environmental and spatial geography modules. Our degrees offer practical and hands-on learning so that you will gain many skills which are so sought after by potential employers.
Our degrees are accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), reflecting their quality and relevance in today’s society.
You’ll have full access to our well-equipped teaching and IT labs, including LABplus and our GeoMapping Unit. You’ll also benefit from our new, state-of-theart Nikon lab.
You will attend a residential international field trip in your second year of study from a choice of exciting locations. Previous trips have included: Sweden, USA, Australia and Hong Kong.
*The
Take advantage of a wide range of work placement positions and the chance to study at a university overseas in mainland Europe and North America.
We have taught Geography degrees since the geography department was established in 1969. For over 50 years we have been supporting and carrying out world-class research and teaching right here in Britain’s Ocean City.
BSc (Hons) GEOGRAPHY
Our BSc (Hons) Geography degree explores the relationships between physical processes, nature and environmental change. You’ll learn from expert, accessible and supportive staff who are skilled researchers in their field. Plymouth is the ideal setting as a vibrant urban environment surrounded by iconic rural and coastal landscapes.
BSc (Hons) GEOGRAPHY WITH OCEAN SCIENCE
This degree allows you to focus on physical geographical processes while also studying ocean science. Plymouth’s coastal location, close to Dartmoor and flanked by two major estuaries, is the perfect setting to study marine and terrestrial environments.
BSc (Hons) ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY
Environmental geography is a subset of the discipline that explores the relationship between humans and the natural world through the investigation of environmental issues. This degree combines a unique combination of environmental and geographical modules.
BA (Hons) GEOGRAPHY
Our BA (Hons) Geography degree explores the impacts of humans on societies, mobilities and environmental governance. All our Geography degrees have modules that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to provide you with the knowledge and skills to understand and tackle the biggest global challenges facing the planet and humanity.
Find
BA (Hons) GEOGRAPHY WITH INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Discover the core principles of human geography while also exploring key international political and economic issues. You’ll study the relationships between people, place and environment in your Geography modules, while in International Relations the focus is on understanding the international political landscape.
Find
BSc (Hons) GEOGRAPHY WITH FOUNDATION YEAR
This course provides the opportunity for progression onto any of our Geography degrees on successful completion of the foundation year. This option is aimed at those returning to education or if their current qualifications do not allow direct entry onto a three-year course.
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BSc (Hons) GEOGRAPHY WITH GIS AND DATA SCIENCE
This degree uses data and analytics to explore the relationships between people, places and the environment in a variety of global contexts, helping to solve social and environmental challenges at various spatial scales.
Find out more About our BSc (Hons) Geography with GIS and Data Science
“A key focus of the BA and BSc Geography courses at Plymouth is the flexibility that they afford in allowing you to pursue the aspects of the discipline you find interesting. A valuable element of the course is the range of fieldwork you can engage in, taking advantage of our local environment both in terms of the physical environments on our doorstep as well as Plymouth’s complex coastal urban and social geographies.”
Dr Mark Holton, Geography Programme Lead.
“As a result of the course's flexibility I developed a well rounded understanding of our physical environment and crucially, how we as humans interact with it."
Alex, BA (Hons) Geography
“Studying at Plymouth completely shaped my career plans. It opened so many doors and enabled me to be employed in my dream job just one week after graduating! It was from an employability talk I attended in my final year that I was able to get in touch with Plymouth City Council and secured work experience with one of the speakers, which ultimately led to full-time employment.”
Sophie, BA (Hons) Geography with International Relations
Our extensive international field trip programme allows you to hone your geographical and transferable skills in exciting and challenging environments
“There were many highlights. Travelling away in the first year was the first time I’d felt challenged to be a geographer. The legendary trip to Iceland. And the camaraderie that developed with the academic staff and technical team.”
Simon Quincey, BSc (Hons) Geography graduate, Geo-environmental consultant, Hyder Consulting
All of our degrees offer local, regional and international fieldwork. In addition to short field visits within Devon and Cornwall, we run residential trips to domestic, mainland European and other international destinations.
We believe you learn best from direct experience of the world’s natural and cultural environments. In your first year, you’ll undertake fieldwork in the region as well as within and around the city of Plymouth. These activities are designed to help you build skills and confidence, familiarising you with key human and physical geography themes. In the second year our field programme is geared towards supporting your training in geographical research methods, enabling you to develop the skills base you’ll need to complete your dissertation and other research projects in the final
year of your degree. You tailor the nature of your field-based training to the areas of geography in which you plan to specialise.
Our trips enable you to study very different cultures and environments in more distant parts of the world. The contrasting places we visit open up the possibility of small group studies in a huge range of human and physical geography topics. In any given year we usually offer a choice of trips to destinations where our staff have active research interests, contacts and sources of project work, so you are able to learn from local experts, including academics, field scientists, planners and policy makers. Students rate our field trips as among the highlights of their degree – a unique educational and social experience.
Once enrolled at Plymouth all geography students are given the opportunity to apply to study abroad for either one semester or the whole of the second year. You will then return to Plymouth and complete the final year of your degree. If you wish you could still also complete a work placement year after returning from abroad.
We have extended global networks with leading geography departments across Europe, North America and Australia. Research shows that students who study abroad are more likely to achieve at a higher academic level, get a job and earn more when they graduate, are more international in their lives and show greater personal development.
BSc (Hons) Geography graduate Environmental Consultant, Lustre Consulting
Gaining practical skills including report writing or describing different soil types can be extremely beneficial towards any career choice, as I have found out in mine. I’m pretty biased, but if you enjoy travelling and are interested in the way the world works, socially, physically or both, then Geography’s your subject!
I achieved a 2:1 in BSc (Hons) Geography with most, if not all, of my modules specialising in physical geography. Tectonic geomorphology, and Cold and coastal environments were my favourite modules. Having easy access to Dartmoor and nearby coastlines really complemented my learning experience.
Although my degree was based on physical geography my dissertation, believe it or not, was based on human geography. I was curious about understanding why young children are obsessed with their appearance in society today. It just goes to show that you can take any social topic, collate the right data from the right audience, and turn it into an interesting research project.
"Geography is such a diverse subject; it allows you to develop a variety of skills, whether it’s out in the field or on a computer."
I now work as an Environmental Consultant for a small business, Lustre Consulting Ltd, located at Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent. We specialise in issues to do with land contamination and brownfield regeneration.
Tasks include writing up phase 1 desk studies (looking up the history of the site, determining the risks to human health depending on the contaminants on site) and carrying out site investigations which
involve taking soil samples, understanding the strength of soils and determining the infiltration rate of the soils for future developments. I also carry out gas monitoring and groundwater monitoring, and validate topsoil samples.
I knew that I had always wanted to get a job within the ‘environment sector’, so getting one that relates to my degree was a huge bonus! Knowing that my degree covers a variety of professions and with a few years of consulting under my belt, I’m fairly confident I am capable of applying for a wide range of jobs, ranging from teaching to surveying.
BSc (Hons) Geography graduate
First Officer, Easyjet
Prior to University I had a keen interest in flying and seeing the world, and so it’s unsurprising that Geography was the subject that most interested me academically. I applied to the University of Plymouth to study Geography as my first choice and was delighted to be offered a place.
After A levels I moved to Plymouth for three fantastic years and graduated with a 2:1 degree in BSc (Hons) Geography. My degree was supported by a great bunch of professionals within the department. They ran memorable field trips and delivered a very high quality course. The choice of modules was excellent and varied, meaning I was able to customise the content of my degree.
Aside from the academic element, there was plenty of opportunity to meet new people and make new friends, and I made sure to get actively involved in some of the many sports and societies available at Plymouth. As an avid golfer, for example, I wasted no time in joining the University’s Golf Club where I became first team
captain. The team and I enjoyed winning the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Southern Premier League for the first time!
Together, my experiences of university life equipped me with the skills I needed for the challenges of commercial flight training. I started this training in Southampton, and before taking to the skies I spent six months in ground school working to pass all 14 Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) exams. This pushed my capacity for learning to the limit but drawing on the study skills I had gained at Plymouth
I passed all of my exams first time around and moved on to the seven-month flying phase of my training in New Zealand. When I returned to the UK I gained my full Commercial Pilot’s Licence and was offered a job with easyJet just after my 24th birthday. I flew my first passengers from Liverpool to Geneva and back. Being a pilot is hard work but constantly rewarding because no two days are ever
the same. The work primarily involves the safe operation of the aircraft, but there are so many variables that could alter the course of a normal day. Working in the cockpit with just one other pilot for up to 12 hours at a time means that teamwork is hugely important in the job – I’m really glad I learnt the importance of working well with others during my degree. Although being a pilot has its challenges, nothing beats seeing the sun rise over the Alps at 38,000ft or pulling off a smooth landing in a fully loaded 60-tonne jet.
I look back at my time at Plymouth fondly - without a doubt it was three of the best years of my life. My degree in Geography and the skills I gained during my studies put me in a great position to deal with the challenges of both my training and my everyday working life. Aviation is unpredictable, and having a good degree from a great university gives me the confidence to deal with whatever obstacles I encounter. I would 100% recommend Geography at the University of Plymouth to any prospective student!
BA (Hons) Geography with Ocean Science graduate Flood and Coastal Risk Management Officer, Environment Agency
"I chose Plymouth as it was one of the only universities in the UK offering this course – it struck the perfect balance between developing my interests in physical geography (my favourite subject throughout school) and the broadening of my more specific interest in coastal environments. Having this combined offering meant I didn’t have to commit myself to one degree subject and gave me the opportunity to meet like-minded people across two degree disciplines . The location of Plymouth within the South West and the associated coastline perfectly aligned my interests, making it the perfect environment to undertake my degree.
"The academic staff were key in guiding and shaping my university experience. I found them willing to provide unwavering help and support throughout my studies with nothing too big of an ask. The help from the staff in LABplus was vital in developing my understanding of the more technical elements of the degree, such as using ArcGIS and other software,
"The final year field trip to Iceland was one of my favourite memories from my time at university. I got to work with a group of people that I had previously not met on the course, whilst exploring an incredible landscape and undertaking fieldwork"
and this guidance was invaluable. For my dissertation, the support provided by my advisor was incredible; they made themselves available to me to answer my questions and provide guidance throughout the whole process which I believe was certainly a key factor in my project’s success.
"The hands-on elements of my studies I found to be most inspiring. I found that through putting into practice the theory behind the things we learnt about in lectures, my understanding was greatly enhanced along with a huge sense of enjoyment. Such experiences included the undertaking of fieldwork on the University’s research vessel as well as field trip experiences in Ireland and Iceland.
"The final year field trip to Iceland was one of my favourite memories from my time at university. I got to work with a group of people that I had previously not met on the course, while exploring an incredible landscape and undertaking fieldwork where I was able to put my learnt knowledge into practice. My other favourite memories are of long days in the library with friends, lunch from Loafers and a pint at Air at the end of the day."
I graduated from the University of Plymouth with a 2:1 BA (Hons) degree in Geography. Thanks to the flexibility and variety that the course allowed, I took a range of modules that enhanced my interest in areas such as Transport Geography, Economic Geography and Tourism and Recreation.
My passion for transport and related themes led the University to recommend me to the respected transport consultancy company North Star, which employs an international team of experts that provides services and advice to clients in the transport industry. I interviewed successfully and since joining the company as a Consultant, I have worked on projects for clients in Manchester, London, Dubai, Copenhagen and Madrid.
I started working for customers straight away. First, I conducted surveys for a major London airport, then worked as a writer for a bid for the Manchester Metrolink network, before travelling to
Dubai where I lived and worked for seven months. Whilst there I contributed to two high-profile bids to operate and maintain brand new rail systems in the Middle East. My role included working with subject matter experts (in security, health and safety, human resources etc.) to extract their expertise and articulate it in a way that addressed most effectively the questions raised in the bid documentation. When I am not working with customers, I co-ordinate our internal business controls systems, including tracking leads, updating CVs and internal/ external communications.
My degree at Plymouth undoubtedly prepared me for the working world. I have taken with me the geographical knowledge I learned, and the skills gained during my time at university have proved highly transferrable, including:
• Working to deadlines – managing time and meeting hard deadlines is the same in the working world as it is in university.
• Strong writing skills – the majority of the work I do is bid writing. I am responsible for writing a coherent, persuasive and well-written response to win our customers’ work.
• Digesting and understanding information – not dissimilar to dissecting an academic paper or book, my job requires strong reading and analytical skills as well as the ability to articulate ideas in an easy-tounderstand way.
I whole-heartedly recommend the Geography degrees at the University of Plymouth to any prospective students. The stimulation and support whilst studying, followed by the job opportunities as a result of the skills I developed as a student, are fantastic. Thank you to the University of Plymouth, and the Geography staff in particular, for setting me up on my perfect development path!
You’ll
make use of our modern, well equipped teaching and IT laboratories and cartographic facilities.
LABplus is our open access, student centred learning environment – a great group working space which contains laptop computers, compound microscopes, stereo microscopes, microscope cameras, flexible desk space, a portable screen for presentations, Wi-Fi, printing and photocopying as well as specially designed resource boxes to support individual modules.
For physical geographers, our scientific officers and technicians work with the latest equipment and instrumentation in:
• a large fully-equipped physical geography teaching laboratory
• an analytical laboratory
• palaeoecology laboratories
• a microscopy laboratory.
We also have soil and sediment preparation facilities, environmental monitoring equipment for both field and laboratory analysis, extensive field equipment and specialist analytical instrumentation.
The GeoMapping Unit provides expertise in cartography and GIS. Resources available to you include advice on map production and design for coursework and projects, field data capture and how to access and analyse the many digital
spatial datasets available. We have collections of aerial photography and paper maps covering topography, soils, geology and many other themes.
FACILITIES
• LABplus
• GeoMapping Unit
• Teaching laboratories
• Computing suites
• Physical geography laboratories
• Our local environment
• Nikon 5G Microscopy Labs
"The work-based learning module is incredibly flexible. Students do work placements all over the world and undertake varying roles."
Matt Bishop, BA (Hons) Geography graduate, International Travel Consultant, Placement at Flight Centre
Our final year work-based learning option module is a great illustration of the importance our geography degrees place on preparation for employment. Working with an employer provides you with the chance to develop skills and refine career ambitions, whatever they may be. The diverse nature of the placement opportunities is illustrated below.
Another pathway is to take a placement year between the second and final years of your degree. This option is becoming increasingly popular as it gives you an
extended period of work during which you can gain relevant experience and improve your job prospects.
Either approach enables you to apply your geographical knowledge, expertise and skills in a professional setting and provides a detailed insight into the world of work.
• BBC Worldwide Ltd
• Beazley Management Limited
• Bournemouth Borough Council
• Corylus Ecology
• Dartmoor Zoo
• Devon and Cornwall Food Association
• Field Studies Council
• MVV UK
• PFA Consulting
• Plymouth City Council
• Plymouth Coastal Observatory
• Reading Transport Limited
• Royal Geographical Society
• Scottish Natural Heritage
• Swansea City Council
• Totnes Neighbourhood Plan
• Totnes Town Council
• UK Hydrographic Office
• Waterwise
A work placement with Plymouth Coastal Observatory (PCO) provided BSc (Hons) Geography with Ocean Science student Joshua Webborn with valuable experience and led to him obtaining a job with the organisation.
The PCO is part of a national network of six individual regional coastal monitoring programmes around the UK that collect and analyse data in a systematic manner to accommodate coastal and engineering management needs.
Joshua’s main role throughout his placement was to write a scientific report entitled ‘The impacts of the 2013/14 storms on Seaton beach, Cornwall, UK’.
Joshua explained: "As part of my work-based learning module on my geography with ocean science degree, I completed 100 working hours on placement with PCO. I used and built upon my surveying skills by assisting the PCO team carrying out beach surveys using RTK GPS in a systematic manner and understanding the essential precision of accuracy while surveying. It was extremely relevant to my degree as it
provided me with extended knowledge of the coastal environment and the processes that occur. It also provided me with the skill set needed to pursue a career in coastal processes and has led to a job with the PCO.”
Joshua now assists in the provision of the South West Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme. The programme’s aim is to produce a standard, cost effective and repeatable method of monitoring the coastline in the South West. As one of three Coastal Process Scientists, Joshua is a part of a dedicated, specialist team that analyses and quality checks all of the data and reports the findings to provide accurate information upon which management decisions can be made.
A MEETING OF MINDS
GeogSoc is very active and one of the largest subject societies! Joining the Geography Society at the University of Plymouth is a great way of meeting likeminded students with an interest in geography.
We offer the opportunity to meet students across the year groups to ask advice about your studies and module choices.
GeogSoc hosts events such as quizzes, walks and trips around the South West. Volunteer days have included a trip to Whitsand Bay for a beach clean-up, and a day at the monkey sanctuary in Looe.
We also offer regular socials including themed nights, the Round the World night and our annual black tie event, the Winter Ball. GeogSoc holds regular training and has two netball teams in the intramural league and two football teams in three different intramural leagues.
Jon Christie, our Careers and Employability Consultant (STEM specialist). Jon has been working in the university careers sector for over 20 years.
HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THE CAREER PROSPECTS OF OUR STUDENTS?
One of the important parts of my job is to make students aware of the breadth of opportunities that are open to them both during and after they graduate. Geography is a fantastic example of a subject area with so many exciting pathways open to graduates.
THIS IS FACILITATED BY:
• course-based lectures on employability in all three years of study the opportunity of doing a yearlong work placement one-to-one careers guidance appointments via our Careers Hub or virtually
• inviting employers and alumni onto campus via careers fairs, employer panels and specific academic activities.
WHAT CAREER SUPPORT SERVICES DOES THE UNIVERSITY OFFER?
The Careers Service offers students one-to-one careers guidance at any point during their studies and continues after graduation so that graduates can continue to benefit from support with:
• job hunting, application writing, CVs, networking, and interview skills
• on-campus careers fairs
• a work placement programme using our extensive industry contacts (with many opportunities being paid) and an industry mentoring scheme. The latter matches students with a specific industry individual who will meet with them regularly to provide incredibly valuable insights into a specific sector. University of Plymouth alumni, now working in key areas are invited to become mentors and use the programme to give something back and to spot future talent.
Our myCareer vacancy platform hosts an extensive database of both graduate, placement, and part-time opportunities. It allows students to sign up for events such as employer panels, enterprise competitions or mentoring. It also holds a range of highly specialised digital tools such as a CV builder, an interview simulator, online courses and video resources. Access to myCareer is available to our graduates at any time in the future.
HOW DO YOU JUDGE THE JOB PROSPECTS FOR GEOGRAPHY GRADUATES?
Excellent. Currently demand for Geography graduates is extremely high in several sectors but also many of the academic skills are transferable across a very broad range of STEM employer sectors. Geography graduates from the University enter the following sectors – meteorology, transport planning, teaching, GIS, sustainability, international development, environmental consultancy, hospitality management, project management and the armed forces, to name a few. Graduate salaries are also very competitive and for many students doing work placements, it is highly likely that you may well be offered a graduate role with the placement host after completing your final year. This is also reflected by the great willingness of employers seeking to recruit our students by engaging with our events and online vacancy platform.
"The Careers Service were a huge help to me when looking for a placement. They gave me the skills and confidence to reach out to companies and organisations in order to put myself ‘out there’ as someone who could be an asset to them while gaining practical skills myself that would set me up for future employment.”
"Geography has an excellent reputation for the quality of teaching and learning and its innovation ... one of the top departments in the country for teaching and learning in geography. Where Plymouth leads, many other departments would do well to follow."
Geography is taught by a large number of academic staff, who are supported by a team of dedicated technicians.
Our staff are officially recognised as excellent university teachers, and we are one of the most active research centres within the University. Indeed, such is the reputation of our research that we are exceptionally well networked with universities and institutes around the world. Our students always benefit from the opportunity to engage with cuttingedge research developments in their learning activities.
We teach geography in a variety of different formats – from large group learning in lectures to smaller, weekly seminars where you can discuss in detail your experience of particular topics. Practical work will take you out of the classroom to collect, process, analyse and present a range of geographical information, and you gain real life, applied learning experience on fieldtrips and placements. You’ll also meet with a
tutor regularly throughout your time in Plymouth to discuss your academic progress and personal development.
A defining feature of our degree is that we treat geography as an applied as well as an academic subject. Many modules study live policy issues such as planning, economic development, environmental management and natural hazard mitigation.
You'll be allocated a personal tutor in your first week who is one of the geography academic staff. They will get to know you over the course of your academic studies and you will meet with them regularly. This will start with weekly small group tutorials in the first semester to help you settle in and adjust to studying geography at university. Your personal tutor also provides you with an important support role throughout your time at Plymouth. If there are issues that compromise your ability to study effectively – whether personal, academic or financial – your personal tutor is your first port of call, and can direct you to the relevant University service.
"The role of geography is increasingly important in today’s changing and complex world and is critical to solving the next generation of challenges."
Baroness Lynda Chalker, Former President of the Royal Geographical Society
The applied and practical nature of our degree courses provides an excellent foundation for many and varied career opportunities, and geography graduates are highly sought after by employers.
Our degrees are designed to embed careers guidance every step of the way.
• All of our modules place an emphasis on skills for employment.
• Career choices and employability training are included clearly within core second year modules, providing you with advice on identifying and applying for suitable jobs.
• Placement opportunities in industry are available as part of your course between the second and final years.
• Work-based learning is an option in your final year.
As a geography graduate you will be empowered with the knowledge and skills to develop successful careers in a wide range of areas. Prince William is a geography graduate, as are Network Rail Chairman Peter Hendy, fashion designer Wayne
Hemingway, broadcaster Chris Tarrant, Kaiser Chiefs drummer Nick Hodgson, and our own Vice-Chancellor, Professor Judith Petts CBE.
You will become familiar with unexpected challenges and understand in detail different relationships between cultures, political systems, economies and environments across local, regional and international scales.
You will be very well-equipped to understand and develop the complex multidisciplinary systems in which the business and public sectors operate. When you graduate you will be:
• open-minded and curious
• a good communicator with strong presentation skills
• versatile
• confident
• an independent researcher with skills in critical analysis
• able to work effectively in a team
• effective at managing your time and prioritising
• good at gathering information from a variety of sources to create an argument
• an excellent writer
• confident using IT systems.
As well as these important transferable skills you will gain a whole range of specialist skills and knowledge including:
• scientific and lab skills
• producing and interpreting maps skills
• research and interpretation of data skills including Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• debate and enquiry techniques
• environmental and social awareness
• team-based project work
• fieldwork techniques.
"The activities that I undertook with the Careers and Employability Service have made my options after graduation a lot clearer and have taken away the pressure of trying to research and learn everything on my own."
Abi Kinsella, BSc (Hons) Geography graduate
By Dr Alan
Geographers are uniquely placed to address current and future international challenges through our understanding of the environment, human and physical world.
“With the growing importance of issues such as climate change, migration, environmental degradation, spatial epidemiology and inequalities, geography is one of the most relevant courses you could choose to study.
Above all, geographers have potential to be well informed global citizens, using their unique combinations of knowledge and skills to make a positive difference in the world.”
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 2023
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations (UN) Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. In total 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been set to help achieve this ambition. Students on a Plymouth Geography degree help to address many of these goals. Our students apply accessibility methods that can be used to determine access to healthcare and public services (SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing). Students also address how gender impacts and shapes our experience in space and place (SDG 5: Gender Equality).
Plymouth Geography students studying the politics of carbon markets and sources of renewable energy, sustainable
transport, urban planning and population change help to address SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Studying catchments to coasts and our combined honours option with ocean science addresses SDG 14: Life Below Water. Similarly, students studying nature, country and society and long-term environmental change help develop solutions for SDG 15: Life on Land.
Geographers and students taking our combined honours international relations option focusing on migration and the politics of climate change develop knowledge that can help address SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities and SDG 13: Climate Action.
We’ve been teaching geography for over 50 years in Plymouth. You’ll be taught by research active academic experts across human and physical geography. More than 67% of our research outputs and 66% of our research impact has been ranked as world leading or internationally excellent by the UK Research Excellence Framework in 2022.
Plymouth students benefit from research lead teaching across all areas geography. Our research draws upon a wide range of national and international collaborations with leading academics and practitioners from universities and research institutes around the world.
We apply innovative methods and approaches to research on society-environment interactions, environmental governance, and past, present and future environmental processes and change, which transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.
ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE
Our work is at the cutting edge of contemporary human geography research
QUATERNARY ENVIRONMENTS
Working at the cutting edge of research into global environmental change
MOBILITY, CULTURE AND SOCIETY
Understanding issues affecting contemporary society
CATCHMENT AND RIVER SCIENCE
Working at the forefront of research into catchment and river processes and pressures
Over 95% of our graduates are in work or further study*