BA (Hons)
Physical Geography
Understanding the changeable physical environment
Course Overview
Why take this course?
Environmental change and the physical processes that affect the natural world increasingly impact on our everyday lives.
This course will provide a solid understanding of the global environment and how problems relating to it prompt us to develop ways to manage and conserve the world around us. We also have a hands-on approach to geography through regular lab sessions and practical fieldwork.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Engage in the real world through fieldwork and study some of the most pressing environmental issues such as global warming
- Get a distinct flavour of some of the landscapes you may be studying with regular field trips
- Go abroad to study through one of our exchange links with universities in Spain, France and Poland
What opportunities might it lead to?
With your geographical skills and knowledge, alongside the transferable skills you’ll gain on this course, there’ll be lots of public and private sector roles open to you upon graduation.
You’ll be able to aim for a wide range of careers, including those in environmental and business management, the public service (including health authorities), local authorities and teaching.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- environmental consultancies
- geographical information science specialists
- working for the Environmental Agency
- working for the Ordnance Survey
The geography department itself is one of the top departments in the country and it's refreshing to see how passionate the lecturers are about their subjects.
Rebecca Munton, BSc (Hons) Physical Geography student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- F840
- Duration
- 3 years full time
- Entry
280 points to include 160 points from A Levels or equivalent.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- sci.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 5550 - Department
- Department of Geography
Subject:
Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Fieldtrips in the UK and abroad providing invaluable practical skills
- The open-door approach of the lecturers, many of whom have industry experience
- Superb careers advice and support that is part of your course
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
In the first year of your studies, you will be introduced to the breadth of physical geography including environmental systems, environmental change and management.
Units in this year include:
- Applied Geography
- Environmental Systems and Change
- Geography, Skills and Prospects
- Introduction to Geographical Information Systems
- Population, Resources and the Environment
- Practical Skills for Physical Geography
Year two
In your second year, you can either choose to continue your studies on a broad basis or specialise in the aspects that interest you most. You’ll also get the chance to travel overseas for some field work.
Core units in this year include:
- Geographical Research Methodologies, Techniques and Practices
- Residential Field Class
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Applied Spatial Data Modelling
- Coastal Environments: Processes and Forms
- Environmental and Climate Change: Practice
- Soils: Laboratory and Field Approaches
- Sustainable Environmental Management
Year three
Specialise further in your final year by choosing from a selection of optional units. A number of these will involve the real-world application of physical geography through advanced field work, giving you great first-hand experience of the environments you may be studying.
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Applied Fluvial Geomorphology
- Coastal Recreation: Environment, Development and Management
- Enviroment and Society
- Mountain Climates
- Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
- Weathering and Conservation
Teaching and Assessment
Throughout your time with us, we will provide you with the support, enthusiasm and encouragement that you will need to reach your goals. You’ll be taught via a balanced structure of lectures, student-centred seminars, one-to-one tutorials and workshops.
How are you assessed?
Assessment is a mix of coursework and exams, roughly 60:40 respectively. However, your coursework can take a variety of forms including:
- contributions to electronic discussion forums
- web page design
- posters
- projects
- presentations
- portfolios
Tutor's view
Dr Nick Pepin
Geography
My courses include a range of teaching styles, from lectures covering weather and climate theory, to practical work in weather observation and weather map interpretation. In the past we’ve had optional field trips to the Colorado Rockies and Scotland to study mountain climates, plus a trip to Finnish Lapland for fieldwork on snow/ice.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Specialist Software and Equipment
You'll have access to the latest specialist software and equipment
Field Trips
Fieldwork is an important part of our courses
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Specialist Software and Equipment
We offer fully equipped physical geography, GIS and photogrammetry labs. Brimming with ultra-modern equipment, you’ll have access to our facilities for project work and interpreting field data. Here’s a taste of what is available to you:
- laser survey technology
- photogrammetry equipment
- an environmental simulation cabinet
- natural waters and materials testing equipment
.
Field Trips
Fieldwork is an important part of our courses. From soil study to studying mountain climates, some of our previous trips have included:
- Spain
- Malta
- Cyprus
- Poland
- Scotland
- The Netherlands
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
As a geographer you will develop a detailed understanding of the diversity and range of the physical environment which is central to our immediate and long-term wellbeing. Increasingly, specialist agencies such as the Environment Agency, survey and mapping companies, local authorities and environmental and economic development consultancies are seeking the skills and abilities that geographers possess.
The communication, numeric and IT skills you will gain also make you a good candidate for business, commerce or education-oriented careers. A significant proportion of graduates also go on to postgraduate study.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- geographical information scientist
- environmental consultant
- spatial analyst
- coastal process scientist
- urban planner
- transport planner
Work experience
As well as many fieldtrips embedded throughout the course, we have exchange links with a number of universities in Europe and beyond, so you can take up the opportunity to study abroad for a few months. Current links include the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain), Universite du Havre, (Le Havre, France) and Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznan, Poland).
Not only will it be a fun and challenging experience, but you will also develop skills in languages, adaptability, resilience and the ability to communicate with a range of people. These qualities will undoubtedly stand you apart to future employers.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more