Environment and geography · Psychology and social sciences
Geography
BA or BSc
Overview
Geography studies places, people and environments. A BA may lean towards human geography, cities and development. A BSc may lean towards physical processes, climate and landforms. Many degrees let you mix both. Fieldwork is common. It can support teaching, planning, environmental work and further study, depending on the modules. Students who enjoy it like connecting a theory to a real location and do not want a single laboratory science.
You want places, people and environments in one degree.
Geology is the solid Earth. Environmental science is more laboratory and systems science.
People who like fieldwork, writing and maps or data about places.
What you will study
Universities do not teach the same modules. The lists below are a general shape, not a syllabus.
Year 1
- Human and physical foundations
- Field and data skills
Later years
- Optional themes such as cities, development, climate or hazards
- Dissertation
Skills
Useful before you start
- Writing
- Geography or a science
- Curiosity about places
Developed during the degree
- Field methods
- Argument
- Spatial data
Teaching and assessment
Teaching often includes Lectures, Seminars, Fieldwork.
Assessment often includes Essays, Exams, Field reports, Dissertation.
Typical weekly commitment
Estimate for a mixed seminar and field degree. A physical geography course has more practical hours.
Entry requirements
Indicative patterns from published UK admissions information. Not an offer. Actual requirements vary by course, university and year. Pearson Edexcel International A Level and Cambridge International A Level are not treated as the same qualification as GCE A level.
Indicative requirements by qualification
The A-level band is the catalogue reference. IB and American lines come from the named university guides under the table. They are not a conversion every university uses, and they are not an offer.
| Qualification | Indicative requirements |
|---|---|
| A Levels | BBC–ABB. Geography is often preferred rather than compulsory. Some physical degrees prefer a science. |
| IB Diploma | UCL publishes 34 points for ABB. The other end of this band is not in that table. A required A-level subject must be Higher Level in UCL's rule. Each Higher Level subject in that table is at least 5. UCL equates A* to 7, A to 6 and B to 5. This is one university's table. |
| American curriculum | That Manchester guide gives AP 5, 4, 4 for ABB. The other end of this band is not in the guide. Bristol publishes a GPA of 3.2, or 3.4 for competitive courses, and does not use one AP pattern for every degree. |
- University College London: Undergraduate entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, School of Social Sciences: Americas country guide. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, Civil Engineering: USA country entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Bristol: USA international qualifications. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
A-level subjects
Geography is often preferred rather than compulsory. Some physical degrees prefer a science.
Often recommended: Geography.
Useful preparation: Biology, Mathematics, Economics.
GCSE and IGCSE
English is commonly expected. Other GCSE or IGCSE rules vary.
Indicative only. BA and BSc geography are not interchangeable in content.
Other ways in
- Planning and meteorology usually need further specialist study.
Admissions tests and extra requirements
No admissions test is stored as usual for this course. A university can still set one for a particular year.
Course costs
For many standard full-time courses in England, the home-fee maximum in 2026 to 2027 is Up to £9,790. This is the maximum standard full-time fee published for approved English providers with a TEF award and an access and participation plan. It is not the fee a named university charges, and it does not decide whether you pay home or international fees.
Clinical, laboratory and studio courses are not given a different home-fee figure here, because the regulated maximum is not the same thing as an international or clinical fee.
International tuition is set by each university and is not stored here. Clinical courses are often much higher than classroom-based courses. A school in Qatar does not decide home-fee status.
Source: Changes to tuition fees: 2026 to 2027 academic year. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Living costs, field trips and professional fees are not included.
Where you could study
UK degrees in this subject are numerous. This page does not list every university, because a list without a checked entry requirement would look more certain than it is.
No individual UK course page is stored yet for this subject. Use the university site.
No overseas course has been checked for this subject yet.
Where could this degree take you?
Secondary school teacher
Alternative route
Geography can be a teaching subject. Teacher training is additional.
Meteorologist
Alternative route
Only a physical and mathematical route is close. Many meteorology posts expect physics or mathematics.
Ecologist
Related, but not enough on its own
Human geography is not ecology. Physical geography may help but is not the same degree.
Geoscientist
Related, but not enough on its own
Not a substitute for geology.
Explore your pathway
A course sits between school subjects and a career. It does not guarantee either admission or a job.