Environmental Geography

Overview and aims of the Programme Are you passionate about finding solutions to the most urgent environmental threats facing our planet today? Our scientific understanding of the natural and physical environment is key to addressing issues like climate change, pollution, and land degradation.

On our Environmental Geography course, you will explore how the Earth functions and the science behind human impact on the planet over time. You will study environments across the world and the pressures they face today and in the future. You will learn about a wide range of environments, from the extreme poles to tropical coral reefs. You will use the latest technologies and develop skills in geographical mapping, research, analysis and problem-solving.

We make the most of our location and take regular day trips to Gower, the Glamorgan Heritage Coast and the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. There will also be opportunities to do overseas trips, in the past we’ve been to the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Students on this course are usually concerned about the health of the planet and want to make a positive difference. Graduates leave with the skills to solve a range of complex environmental problems and with experience of hands-on fieldwork and cutting-edge research with world-leading scientists.

Distinctive Features of the Programme

Student satisfaction - Belong to a small and friendly community voted top among all Russell Group Universities in the main category of Overall Satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2018. In 2019 our Environmental Geography and Marine Geography degrees were jointly ranked 1st out of 63 Physical Geography and Environmental Sciences undergraduate courses.

Flexible degree schemes - all of the School’s degrees have a common first semester that introduce you to geosciences and geography. You can then decide whether to stay with your chosen degree or switch to another in the same School.

Hands-on fieldwork in the UK and overseas- you will get plenty of opportunity to develop your fieldwork skills with regular day trips and residential trips in Wales and overseas. Wales is like a playground for environmental geographers. From impressive mountains in the north to a biodiverse tidal estuary in the south, we have a huge range of natural environments to explore.

World leading experts and facilities – you will be taught by world-leading scientists and have access to: the latest technologies in surveying and mapping equipment, chemical laboratories, laboratories with GIS (Geographic Information System) and a 12-metre research boat, the RV Guiding Light.

Industry connections - we have excellent links with our alumni working across the world and with external partners including employers, environmental regulators and local organisations like Natural Resources Wales. These connections help students to find relevant and highly topical research projects and will often offer practical help, advice and summer placement opportunities.