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Undergraduate Study

BA Geography - 2026 entry

Please note: The below is for 2026 entry. Click here for 2025 entry.
UCAS code L705
Duration 3 years
Entry year 2026
Campus Streatham Campus
Discipline Geography
Contact

Web: Enquire online
Phone: +44 (0)1392 725818

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

A-Level: AAA - AAB
IB: 36/666 - 34/665
BTEC: DDD

Contextual offers

A-Level: ABB - BBB
IB: 32/655 - 30/555
BTEC: DDM

Prof. Placement/Study Abroad:
A-Level: AAB - ABB
IB: 34/665 - 32/655
BTEC: DDD - DDM

Overview

  • Learn from leaders in their fields about critical global issues and challenges affecting environments and societies around the world
  • Choose from a wide range of modules based on our research specialisms, with the flexibility to study what interests you
  • Develop your curiosity about social, cultural and natural environments on field trips in the region and internationally
  • Spend a year studying abroad or gaining employment experience on a professional placement
  • Join a friendly and active student community: the Geography Society (GeogSoc) is one of the university’s largest and hosts regular socials, sports teams, weekend trips and the famous GeogSoc ball

View 2025 Entry

Request a prospectus

Open Days

How to apply

Contact

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

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Top 40 in the world for Geography

QS World University Subject Rankings 2025

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Learn from experts on field courses

An image of a globe on a stand, depicted through a line drawing, showcasing the continents and countries of the world.

Spend a year studying abroad or on a professional placement

Top 15 icon

Top 15 in the UK for Geography and Environmental Science

14th in the Complete University Guide 2026

Rosette icon

Top 40 in the world for Geography

QS World University Subject Rankings 2025

Binoculars icon

Learn from experts on field courses

An image of a globe on a stand, depicted through a line drawing, showcasing the continents and countries of the world.

Spend a year studying abroad or on a professional placement

I love the diversity of modules that are available within Geography, from learning about coral reefs in one lecture to analysing commodity chains in the next, it’s always different! The teaching support is excellent, and lecturers always welcome discussions and questions.

Kieran

BA Geography

Entry requirements (typical offer)

Qualification Typical offer Required subjects
A-Level AAA - AAB

A*AA - AAA (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
B in a humanities or social science subject*

A in a humanities or social science subject* (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
IB 36/666 - 34/665

38/766 - 36/666 (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
HL5 in a humanities or social science subject*

HL6 in a humanities or social science subject* (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
BTEC DDD

D*DD-DDD (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
Applicants studying a BTEC Extended Diploma are also required to achieve A-level grade B in a humanities or social science subject*

Applicants studying a BTEC Extended Diploma are also required to achieve A-level grade A in a humanities or social science subject* (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
GCSE C or 4 English Language
Access to HE 30 L3 credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade

30 L3 credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
To include at least 12 L3 credits at Merit Grade in an acceptable Humanities or Social Science subject area*


To include at least 15 L3 credits at Distinction Grade in an acceptable Humanities or Social Science subject area* (with Study Abroad/Professional Placement)
T-Level T-Levels not accepted N/A
Contextual Offer
* Please note: The contextual offer shown is an example based on offers made to students starting in 2025, and is for guidance only. We will confirm the contextual offer for 2026 entry later this year.* Please note: The contextual offer shown is an example based on offers made to students starting in 2024, and is for guidance only. We will confirm the contextual offer for 2025 entry later this year.

A-Level: ABB - BBB
IB: 32/655 - 30/555
BTEC: DDM

Prof. Placement/Study Abroad:
A-Level: AAB - ABB
IB: 34/665 - 32/655
BTEC: DDD - DDM

Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers.

Other accepted qualifications

View other accepted qualifications

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

NB General Studies is not included in any offer.

Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply

*Accepted humanities/social science subjects include: Ancient History/History; Business/Business Studies; Economics; English; Environmental Science; Geography; Government and Politics; Law; Media Studies; Philosophy; Politics; Psychology; Religious Studies; Sociology.

Course content

The BA Geography course allows you to follow your interests in human geography whilst giving you the flexibility to take optional modules in physical geography or beyond the department in each year.

You’ll investigate the world through novel geographical lenses, exploring the flows and spaces of globalisation, the impacts and responses to climate change, the importance of place and the shifting geographies of identity and culture.

You’ll choose from a range of optional modules which draw upon our research strengths. You will also develop your knowledge and skills through fieldwork, practical research experience and carrying out a human geography dissertation.

The first year provides an excellent introduction to wide-ranging and cutting-edge research areas in human geography (including globalisation, sustainability, place, identity and culture) and the academic skills to enable you to thrive at university.

You have fieldwork allowing you to ‘learn through place’ and get to know your fellow course mates. You can also take optional modules in physical geography or beyond the department.

90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules.

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
GEO1105 Geographies of Place, Identity and Culture 15
GEO1106 Geographies of Global Change 15
GEO1318 Skills for Geography 15
GEO1310 Geographies of Environment and Sustainability 15
GEO1319 Fieldwork in Geography 15
GEO1316 Concepts in Geography 15

Optional modules

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

CodeModule Credits
GeoS S1 Physical opt for BA Geog 2025-6
GEO1211 Earth System Science: The History of Our Planet 15
GEO1213 Earth System Science: Our Changing Planet 15

The second year allows you to develop your interests further with a combination of core and optional modules. Optional modules at the interface between human and physical geography also enable you to examine the challenges of climate change and sustainable development.

You can also take optional modules in physical geography or beyond the department.

60 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules.

a You must choose 30-60 credits from the Human Geography and interdisciplinary Geography modules listed.

b You may then choose 0-30 credits from other level 5 Geography modules listed.

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
GEO2311 Ideas in Geography 15
GEO2337 Research Methodologies in Action 15
GEO2338 Doing Human Geography Research 30

Optional modules

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

CodeModule Credits
GeoS S2 Human-Inter Geog opt for BA Geog 2025-6 see note a above
GEO2131 Nature, Development and Justice 15
GEO2132 Global Urban Futures 15
GEO2136 Geographies of Migration 15
GEO2138 Health Geographies 15
GEO2139 Geographies of Change and Resistance 15
GEO2317 Climate Change: Science and Society 15
GeoS S2 Physical opt for BA Geog 2025-26 see note b above
GEO2230 Reconstructing Past Environments 15
GEO2234 The 'Anthropocene' 15
GEO2235 Ecosystems of the future: climate change, terrestrial feedbacks and nature-based solutions 15
GEO2339 Sustainable Seas 15

Find out more about placement and study abroad options under Course variants.

with Professional Placement

120 credits of compulsory modules

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
GEO3603 Professional Placement for Geographers 120

with Study Abroad

120 credits of compulsory modules.

For your year abroad you will agree a suite of modules in your host institution with the Geography Study Abroad Co-ordinator. Details of individual modules that may be taken whilst abroad can be found by accessing the partner institution’s website at 

https://www.exeter.ac.uk/studyabroad/outbound/research/where/#a1

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
GEO3601 Study Abroad 120

The final year offers optional modules across a wide range of critical subject areas in human geography, in many cases directly linked to ongoing research being undertaken in the department (covering fields such as political geography, environment and sustainability, and cultural geography). This year also gives you the opportunity to undertake your own research project. You can also take optional modules in physical geography or beyond the department.

30-45 credits of compulsory modules, 75-90 credits of optional modules.

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
GEO3311 BA Dissertation 45

Optional modules

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

CodeModule Credits
GeoS SF BA Geog opt 2025-6
BEP3172 Future 17: Sustainable Development Goals Challenge 15
GEO3129 Images of the Earth 15
GEO3144 Geopolitical Cultures 15
GEO3146 Digital Geographies 15
GEO3157 Southern Urbanism 15
GEO3158 Sustainable Communities Field Course (Avignon - Marseille) 15
GEO3159 Energy transitions 15
GEO3161 Just Futures 15
GEO3162 Making Place Field Course (Paris) 15
GEO3163 City of Flows Field Course (Antwerp) 15
GEO3223 Landscape Systems Management 15
GEO3227 Weather 15
GEO3241 Fire Ecology and Fire Management 15
GEO3239 GIS for Professionals 15
GEO3245 Coastal Systems in a Changing World 15
GEO3325 Environmental Futures Field Course 15
GEO3326 Managing the Climate Emergency 15
GEO3327 Science Communication in a Changing World 15
GEO3328 Water Resilience: Challenges and Solutions 15
GEO3101 Gender and Geography 15
GEO3147 Literature, Environment, Activism 15

Course variants

UCAS code: L708

Why choose a professional placement year?

In your professional placement year you will learn to apply the knowledge learnt during your first and second years, improve personal and transferable skills, make new contacts and enhance your employability. Work placements allow you to gain experience of a professional workplace prior to graduating and develop your career focus, and are extremely valued by employers.

Where can I do my placement?

On this four-year variant of the BA Geography degree you will spend your third year on a self-organised work placement with an organisation relevant to your degree, which we support you to secure. Students have worked with a variety of employers such as the UK Hydrographic Office, Ernst & Young and a wildlife conversation charity in Kenya, undertaking placements both in the UK and internationally.

What support is available during my placement?

You will be supported through your professional placement by a programme director who will provide high-quality advice to ensure you get the most from your placement.

Does it count towards my degree?

The professional placement year counts towards your degree through the completion of your placement and associated coursework. It contributes to your final degree classification, and the words ‘with Professional Placement’ will appear in your degree title.

During your first, second and final years of study, you will follow the same programme of study as the BA Geography (see Course content). 

How does it affect my tuition fee?

If you spend a full year on a work placement (in the UK or abroad) you will pay a reduced fee. Find out more in the fees section

How do I apply?

You can apply to BA Geography with Professional Placement directly through UCAS using the code above. Occasionally it is possible to transfer onto this programme from the standard BA Geography, if there are spaces and you have met any necessary prerequisites.

How are the placements organised?

You are responsible for organising your own placement; however, we have established collaborations with local, national and international organisations that you can consider when applying for placement positions.

UCAS code: L707

Why study abroad?

Students who have studied abroad demonstrate initiative, independence, motivation and, depending on where they stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language – all qualities employers are looking for.

Where can I study abroad?

We have partnership arrangements with many prestigious institutions across the globe. Exactly where you can apply to study will depend on the subject(s) you are studying at Exeter. For a full list please visit the Global Opportunities website.

What will I study whilst I am abroad?

Whilst abroad you will study approved modules at the host university equivalent to 120 Exeter credits; these will be credited towards your degree, which you would then complete after four years of study rather than three.

Does it count towards my degree?

Yes: your work during the year abroad is assessed and contributes to your final degree classification. The words ‘with Study Abroad’ will appear in your degree title and be recorded on your degree certificate.

During your first, second and final years of study, you will follow the same programme of study as the BA Geography (see Course content).

How does it affect my tuition fee?

If you spend a full academic year studying abroad you will pay a reduced fee for that year. Find out more in the fees section.

How do I apply?

You can apply directly to this programme through UCAS using the code above. To be eligible for a Study Abroad place, we would expect you to successfully complete your Year 1 studies with an average mark of at least 60%.

Occasionally it is possible to transfer onto this programme from the standard BA Geography course in your second year, if you have appropriate language skills and have achieved a mark of 60% or more in year 1.

Further information

For further information on where you can go and all the issues surrounding study abroad, see the Study Abroad website.

Fees

Please note: The fees for students starting in 2026 have yet to be set. The fees provided below are the fees for students starting in 2025 and are for guidance only. We will post the fees for 2026 entry shortly.

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

UK students: £9,535 per year
International students: £30,900 per year

Year abroad

If you choose the four-year version of this degree programme and spend a full academic year studying abroad, you will pay a reduced fee of 15 per cent of the maximum fee for that year.

Professional placement year

If you choose the four-year version of this degree programme and spend a full year on a work placement (in the UK or abroad) you will pay a reduced fee of 20 per cent of the maximum fee for that year.

Fieldwork

Please note: Field trip costs such as travel, accommodation, and breakfast/evening meals are included. Students may be asked to cover costs such as lunch, and any materials they may need (e.g. notebooks).

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.

Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.

* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Find out more about tuition fees and scholarships

Fieldwork

Geology fieldwork Isle of Skye

Field courses throughout your degree provide immersive opportunities to deepen your knowledge, develop your skills, and demonstrate your ability to apply your geographical learning through the study of particular places.

You will:

  • engage ethically, sustainably and respectfully with familiar and unfamiliar places,
  • gain critical insights on the dynamics that shape differences and commonalities,
  • make connections between local and global practices,
  • and understand planetary responsibilities.

Local, day field courses unique to South West England provide you with fantastic opportunities to get to know fellow students and academics, and the geographical processes that shape our world.

Our field courses develop your skills including teamwork; problem-based learning; research design, data collection, management and analysis. By the end of your degree, you will be able to apply and further develop these skills on optional residential field courses further afield.

From your doorstep...

In the first term, you will gain practical experience, working together with people on your course, through the Fieldwork in Geography module. You’ll gain real-world insight into the ways in which geographers make knowledge, and how geography is making a difference on your doorstep.

...to wider horizons

Modules in other years include day field courses, making the most of our location, allowing you to put your growing research skills into practice.

You’ll also have the opportunity to take an exciting optional residential field course module. These field courses widen your horizons, bringing together learning from across your degree. They support you to work together with fellow students and draw out the relevance of the knowledge and skills you’ve built for future employment.

In 25/26, optional residential field courses include:

  • A combined BA Geography and BSc Geography Environmental Futures Field Course to Freiburg/Black Forest, Germany.
  • A Sustainable Communities Field Course to Avignon/Marseille, France
  • A City of Flows Field Course to Antwerp, Belgium
  • A Making Place Field Course to Paris, France

For more information, see the relevant final year modules in the Course Content section.

The field courses we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise field courses available to you in future years may vary depending on new topics and locations of study. 

The Exeter Geography approach to fieldwork

We design our field learning to be as accessible and sustainable as possible, following the Royal Geographical Society field course principles.

Accessibility

We review the financial accessibility of our trips, including core costs such as accommodation, travel, and breakfast/evening meals. Find out more in the Fees section. We also review the broader accessibility of our trips, looking to make them inclusive by design.

Sustainability

The University of Exeter has committed to act on climate change, and in line with our research, Geography is committed to playing our part. We have reduced the carbon emissions from international field course travel by 94.5% between 2019 and 2025.

This is mainly by travelling to destinations by train and ferry instead of flying - an average carbon saving of 75%. Embedding low-carbon travel has opened up new and exciting experiential learning opportunities.

Read more

Learning and teaching

How will I learn?

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Tutorials – small group discussion classes of 6-12 students
  • Computer practicals
  • Laboratory classes
  • Field work
  • Independent study

Learn from the experts

You will join a large, energetic community of Geography students and staff presenting a thriving environment in which to study. Our academic staff are world leaders across many critical contemporary research areas, from the protection of the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical ecology of the Amazonian forest to the reduction of antimicrobial use in farming, the geopolitics of migration and refugee displacement, and the development of craft economies.

We have strong links with international, national, and local research projects around the globe, and staff draw upon the insights and examples these provide in their teaching.

Learning technology and facilities

In lectures we encourage you to contribute through the use of smartphone interactive technology to ask questions or submit feedback. Where applicable to your module choices, all students have access to well-equipped laboratories and the latest geographical information systems (GIS), mapping statistics and coding software.

We have a virtual learning environment, where the details of all modules are stored in an easily navigable website. Here you can access detailed information about learning outcomes, and interact through discussion forums, blogging and virtual field trips. The virtual field trips integrate video and audio data, maps, datasets, documents and published research to help you develop field work and analytical skills that are firmly grounded in the real world.

Assessment

Your progress is monitored through tutorial work and practical assessments. Your final degree mark is based on approximately 50 per cent exam-based and 50 per cent coursework-based assessments. This is, however, dependent on your module choices where some optional modules might be 100% coursework for example. You can therefore pick modules by topic but also based on what you think will best allow you to demonstrate your learning. In your final year you will undertake a dissertation, which is an independent research project on the topic that excites you most.

You must pass your modules in the first year in order to progress, but your marks in this year do not influence your final degree classification.

Academic support

We are committed to providing you with a supportive learning environment in which you can build confidence and mastery of Geography.

You will have a personal and academic tutor who is available for advice and support throughout your studies and to support the transition to university-level learning. You will also be represented through Student-Staff Liaison Committees and have regular opportunities to feedback on your course and modules.

Optional modules outside of this course

Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.

Proficiency in a second subject

If you complete 60 credits of modules in specified subjects, you may have the words 'with proficiency in’ added to your degree title when you graduate.

Find out more about proficiency options

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Your future

Employer-valued skills this course develops

Students studying Geography develop both a depth and breadth of knowledge, skills and experiences that make them highly employable across a diverse range of careers.

These skills include:

  • Data gathering and quality control
  • Information retrieval and professional analysis
  • Problem solving and assessment of uncertainty
  • Project planning and management
  • Organising and communicating information
  • Report production and presentation (written and oral)
  • Plus the ability to work effectively on your own and as part of a team.

Supporting your career in Geography

We put on a range of employability sessions for students which include:

  • Career talks with visiting alumni and employers from a range of backgrounds,
  • Career conversations and employability seminar series events with employers,
  • A Careers in Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection Careers and Networking event
  • Visits to the Met Office and UKHO
  • Annual Careers Fair
  • Opportunities to access high-quality work placements through an employability optional module.

Careers services

We have a dedicated, award-winning Careers Service ensuring you have access to careers advisors, mentors and the tools you need to succeed in finding employment in your chosen field on graduation. We offer the Exeter Award and the Exeter Leaders Award which include employability-related workshops, skills events, volunteering and employment which will contribute to your career decision-making skills and success in the employment market.

The University of Exeter has an excellent reputation with graduate recruiters and our students and graduates compete very successfully in the employment market. Whatever path you wish to follow, we’re here to help and support you with all your career and employability needs.

Royal Geographical Society (RGS) Ambassador Scheme

You will have the opportunity to apply for the RGS Ambassador Scheme. The scheme recruits, trains and supports geographers currently at university and graduate geographers from the workplace to act as ambassadors for geography in the classroom. Ambassadors act as positive role models for pupils and can illustrate, with enthusiasm, both the specific and transferable skills they have developed as a geographer. For more information you can visit the RGS Ambassador Scheme website.

Career paths

The breadth of career opportunities open to Geography graduates is vast, with recent graduates starting careers in planning, environmental and sustainability projects, water analysis, insurance, teaching and more – both in the UK and overseas.

Whatever you choose to do after graduation, your Geography degree will stand you in good stead, with excellent employment prospects and transferable skills.

Below are a few examples of initial jobs undertaken by graduates from our Geography undergraduate programmes*.

Recent graduates are now working as:

  • Chartered and certified accountants
  • Business and related research professionals
  • Data analysts
  • Brokers
  • Property, housing and estate managers
  • Marketing associate professionals
  • Estimators, valuers and assessors
  • Project support officers
  • Primary and secondary education teaching professionals
  • Information technology professionals

Recent graduates are now working for:

  • Babcock International
  • BNP Paribas
  • Centrica
  • Environment Agency
  • Ernst & Young
  • European Space Agency
  • NHS
  • Ordnance Survey
  • Oxborough Surveyors LLP
  • Skanska
  • UK Hydrographic Office

Further study

Further study is a popular choice for a number of students following graduation from a Geography undergraduate degree. Below are a few examples of further study undertaken by recent graduates of undergraduate programmes*.

  • Graduate Diploma in Law
  • MA Quantity Surveying
  • MRes Sustainable Development
  • MSc Environmental Consultancy
  • MSc Flood and Coastal Engineering
  • MSc Geospatial Sciences
  • MSc International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies
  • MSc Management
  • MSc Public Health
  • MSc Rural Land and Business Management
  • MSc Transport and Planning

*This information has been taken from aggregating the responses from full-time, first degree, UK domiciled students who completed 2017/18 and 2018/19 Graduate Outcomes surveys. Please note that, due to data protection, the job titles and organisations are listed independently and do not necessarily correspond.

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Top 15 icon

Top 15 in the UK for Geography and Environmental Science

14th in the Complete University Guide 2026