BSc Geography with International Study / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

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Study Geography at The University of Manchester (Group Discussion)

BSc Geography with International Study allows you to study the natural processes of the Earth and examine human impact on the global environment - exploring a wide range of topics such as environmental pollution, ecology and environmental restoration, glacial and fluvial dynamics, long-term landscape evolution and climate change, before normally spending your third year overseas, anywhere from Europe, the US and Canada, to Australia or South East Asia.  

Here at The University of Manchester, we've been teaching Geography for more than 125 years - after all, where better to study the subject than this rapidly changing metropolis, with its surrounding national parks and stretching coastlines? 

The wide range of teaching and research interests of our academics - who have an impressive international research reputation - will make it easy for you to be flexible about what, and how, you learn.   

This allows you the maximum choice to tailor your studies to suit your interests.  

Not sure if you're a human or physical geographer just yet? Don't worry - our course allows you to study both human and physical geography in your first year, before specialising to study for a BA or a BSc later in your course.   

You don't need to apply to both courses either - apply for just one via UCAS, and you'll be allowed to switch after beginning your course.

Special features

Flexible options

At first- and second-year level you can take `free choice from degree courses across the University, including taking course units from UCIL.

Stellify award

Use your Geography experience to underpin the prestigious University of Manchester Stellify award.

Employability support

Throughout our courses, we offer employability support in conjunction with the Careers Service and our alumni.

Fieldwork

This course has normally included a field trip. Past locations have included trips to Crete, Spain, Amsterdam, Morocco, and the Czech Republic - and, of course, around the city of Manchester itself.

Manchester University Geographical Society (MUGS)

You can also join the Manchester University Geographical Society (MUGS), a society run by Geography students for Geography Students.

Pre-course fieldtrip

Our pre-course field trip for new geography students is a tradition amongst Manchester geographers.

The trip usually takes place in Keswick, the Lake District, over three days in the week before Welcome Week in September.

The residential trip is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow students and future tutors.

Teaching and learning

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The role of SEED

  • changes to the rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
  • a risk assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University identifying unmanageable risk;
  • changes that enhance the educational value and student experience of the activity;
  • changes to the situation of a placement provider (for example, which cause them to be unable to accept students);
  • the unavailability of appropriate insurance cover;
  • the unavailability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs.
  • where fieldwork and placements are a compulsory element of the Programme, they will be replaced with something academically similar;
  • where a trip or placement is not a compulsory element of the Programme, it may not be replaced.

We will consult with affected students at the earliest possible opportunity and explore the options available to them.

The duty of students

Preparation, attendance and conduct

Attendance at preparatory classes is a compulsory pre-requisite of the fieldwork and placements to ensure safety and learning outcomes are met.

Students who do not attend the compulsory preparatory classes may be prevented from participating in the fieldwork or placement. It is the duty of students to discuss any attendance issues with the field course or placement convenor.

Students are representatives of the university during their fieldwork or placement. Behaviour deemed by the convenor to be unacceptable may result in students being sent home.

Where a student is unable to attend or complete the fieldwork or placement (e.g. due to mitigating circumstances), is prevented from attending due to absence from compulsory preparatory classes, or returned home due to poor conduct:

  • a suitable alternative assessment will be offered (as appropriate) to ensure that the programme ILOs are met, and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
  • the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Immigration, passport and visa requirements

It is the responsibility of the individual student to ensure they have:

  • a valid passport to enter the destination country (including sufficient months prior to expiry);
  • a valid visa (where required) and comply with its requirements.

The School cannot guarantee that visas required for fieldwork or a placement will be granted by the relevant authority. Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice.

Where a student is unable to attend fieldwork or a placement because they do not have the required visa or passport:

  • a suitable alternative assessment will be offered to ensure that the programme ILOs are met and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
  • the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Coursework and assessment

Assessment methods include essays, team projects, coursework, presentations, written exams, and a dissertation. 

Course content for year 1

Course units for year 1

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Key Concepts in Geography GEOG10192 10 Mandatory
Introducing Human Geographies 1 GEOG10251 10 Mandatory
Researching Manchester GEOG10291 10 Mandatory
Environmental Processes and Change: The Global System GEOG10401 10 Mandatory
Dynamic Earth GEOG10422 10 Mandatory
Introducing Human Geographies 2 GEOG10432 10 Mandatory
Tutorials and Critical Book Review GEOG12011 10 Mandatory
Tutorials and Profile of a Research Geographer GEOG12012 10 Mandatory
Geographies of Globalisation GEOG10101 10 Optional
Environmental Pollution GEOG10161 10 Optional
Introduction to GIS GEOG10282 10 Optional
The Human Planet GEOG10402 10 Optional
Ice Age Britain GEOG10442 10 Optional
Displaying 10 of 13 course units for year 1

Course content for year 2

Course units for year 2

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Research Design and Fieldwork GEOG20072 20 Mandatory
Skills for Geographers GEOG20621 20 Mandatory
Climate Change: Science and Society GEOG20091 20 Optional
Economic Geography: Understanding the economy. creating economic spaces GEOG20101 20 Optional
Glaciers GEOG20351 20 Optional
Hydrology & Catchment Systems GEOG20402 20 Optional
Spatial Thinking with GIS: Constructing and exploring virtual worlds GEOG20502 20 Optional
Transport Geographies GEOG20541 20 Optional
North American Cities - Change and Continuity in the Metropolis GEOG20552 20 Optional
Nature, Society and Social Power GEOG21242 20 Optional
Moral Geographies GEOG21432 20 Optional
Past Climates GEOG21442 20 Optional
Geomorphology GEOG21511 20 Optional
Social and Cultural Geography GEOG26011 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 14 course units for year 2

Course content for year 3

Your third year is normally spent abroad at a partner university in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore or the USA. 

Your dissertation will likely be related to this period of study.

Course content for year 4

On return from your international study year you will undertake your final year of study, during which you will complete your undergraduate dissertation.

Course units for year 4

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Dissertation GEOG30000 40 Mandatory
Mediterranean Quaternary Landscapes GEOG30132 20 Optional
Energy, Society and Space GEOG30202 20 Optional
Our Frozen Planet GEOG30222 20 Optional
Peatlands Under Pressure GEOG30231 20 Optional
Dryland Environments: Past, Present and Future GEOG30531 20 Optional
Understanding GIS GEOG30551 20 Optional
Critical Geographies of Difference GEOG30621 20 Optional
Wildlife in the Anthropocene GEOG30702 20 Optional
Governing Urban Transformation GEOG30802 20 Optional
Feminist Geographies of Health GEOG31021 20 Optional
Green Planet: Plant Ecology and Global Change GEOG31042 20 Optional
Asian Workers and the Labour of Globalisation GEOG31072 20 Optional
Pyrogeography: Fire in the Earth System GEOG32011 20 Optional
Global Urban Futures GEOG32041 20 Optional
Digital Technology & the City GEOG32061 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 16 course units for year 4

What our students say

My course has really helped me mould my path, starting off in first year with really broad topics and then helping me narrow down my interests in second and third year through specific and more niche course units.

It has given me a really good academic grounding through the assessment style and has helped me through networking across the UK and potentially further afield in Canada through the year abroad.

Joshua Emsley / BSc Geography with International Study student
Read more about Joshua's experience on the course in his student profile or chat to Joshua and other students about student life.

Facilities

We're one of Europe's best-equipped universities for geography, with excellent library, cartography, computing, and laboratory facilities.  

You can learn professional computer-based skills such as coding and programming - as well as how to use industry-standard software such as image processing, GIS, GPS, and cartographic representation - in our computer labs. 

The University's Main Library is the largest university library system in the UK (apart from the copyright libraries) and has many different working spaces.  

It is home to the University Map Collection, which comprises about 100,000 map sheets of every part of the world. 

Depending on your interests you may also take advantage of our excellent physical geography labs, which offer a wide spectrum of advanced equipment for environmental analyses, including dedicated sediments, microscopy, spectroscopy, and X-ray facilities. 

See facilities  for more information.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service.

For more information, email dass@manchester.ac.uk