Geography

About us

The Department of Geography at the University of Portsmouth was established over 40 years ago.

Excellent Teaching

We are rated 'excellent' by the government's teaching quality assessment exercise; a review process which also recognises our real commitment to student support and guidance. We are also judged to be a department engaged in research of national and international importance. This means we can offer our students some of the best teaching and learning resources available anywhere, as well as staff with an immense depth and range of experience. Learning in this kind of environment is both stimulating and productive, developing a range of abilities and skills that are highly valued by employers.

Supporting the Environment

Geography students at Portsmouth study some of the most important issues facing the planet. This includes studying the physical, environmental, economic, social and cultural processes that affect all of us and which, in some cases, threaten our very existence.

Our students learn about people in places, understanding how our lives interconnect locally and globally. They also examine how we try to manage, support and care for our environment. In short, our students come to understand more about our place in the world. Our students also receive considerable exposure to the application of information technology to geographical study and data presentation providing our students with good communication skills. All of our students participate in small group teaching for IT related subjects in our very well resourced computer labs.

Supporting You

At Portsmouth we offer a flexible, responsive and supportive learning environment. We place a lot of emphasis on practical and fieldwork giving real world experience of the subject at an ever-growing range of locations throughout the world.

Students are likely to carry out fieldwork at every stage of their course, and significant opportunities exist to complete part of their studies abroad. Through these kind of experiences, our students have the chance to familiarise themselves with the use in the field of advanced equipment and technology which is frequently used by prospective employers.

Developing You

Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and acquire the knowledge, skills, outlook and abilities demanded by employers. Some have an arts, social science or pure science background whilst others may not even have taken Geography at AS or A2 level.

Whatever their background, the staff in the Department of Geography work with the students as groups and individuals to develop an appropriate pathway through their degree and to develop their transferable skills, which places them in a very strong position for entering the world of work.

Our graduates have an above average record of employment, and many have gone on to a wide range of careers in business, management and public service, and a host of other business organisations and agencies such as the Environment Agency and Ordnance Survey that value the skills geographers bring to the workplace.

Interested in Teaching?

The first three Geography awards above also provide opportunities to study Education units and to gain school experience for those interested in careers in teaching.