Geography

Explore our planet – develop solutions for a sustainable future
Pacific northwest mountain scene with three students

Why Plymouth?

Discover our range of undergraduate degrees

Australia Field trip, May 2019.

BA (Hons) Geography

Iceland Field trip, May 2017. Photos courtesy of Caroline Clason.

BSc (Hons) Geography

international flags

BA (Hons) Geography with International Relations

Iceberg 

BSc (Hons) Geography with Ocean Science

Geography and geology fieldtrip to Brittany 2023 (full bleed)

BSc (Hons) Environmental Geography

Smart city and wireless communication network, abstract image visual, internet of things.Shutterstock image.

BSc (Hons) Geography with GIS and Data Science

Geography fieldwork in Iceland

BSc (Hons) Geography with Foundation Year

Welcome

Geography explores the relationships between people, places and the environment, focusing on contemporary global challenges such as sustainability and climate change. Our graduates have careers in government, conservation, environmental consultancy, teaching, aviation, and transport and planning, among others. We provide a supportive, student-centred environment where lectures are given by research-active academics – many are world leaders in their field. Lecturers use innovative teaching methods to bring geography to life in the classroom, in our state-of-the-art laboratories, and during fieldwork. The field trip schedule offers exciting overseas destinations and the chance to explore our coastal location close to two national parks and several areas of outstanding natural beauty.
Enjoy exploring our range of degree courses, which are accredited by the Royal Geographical Society and allow you to move between geography BSc and BA or to combine geography with ocean science or international relations.
Dr Simon Dickinson , Geography Programme Leader

Fieldwork

An essential part of studying geography
We provide a leading fieldwork programme taught by geography academics who are expert researchers in their field. Students gain experience of hands-on research, investigating critical contemporary social and environmental issues in a wide variety of environments.

Exchange programme

One of the exciting opportunities that we offer at Plymouth is the ability to take part in our exchange programme. This gives you the opportunity to study in Europe, Canada, Australia, USA and other locations abroad. This can offer students the ability to grow an international network, enhance their CV and have an amazing time during their studies!
Alice Tustain

Read about our student and staff success in our latest newsletter.

Recent edition: Spring 2025

Jon ShawProfessor Jon Shaw
Head of School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

SoGEES newsletter cover Spring 2025

The differences between BA and BSc geography

Geography explores the relationships between people, places and the environment, focusing on contemporary global challenges such as sustainability and climate change. Our BSc (Hons) Geography degree uses predominantly scientific techniques to explore the natural world. BA (Hons) Geography typically focuses on human geography and the impacts of people on societies, mobilities and environmental governance.
Our degrees are flexible, allowing you to move between BA and BSc pathways through our choice of human and physical geography modules.
Geography 50 - Iceland

Discover facilities in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

As a student in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences you will have access to a range of cutting-edge resources and facilities.
These will support your learning in the field and in the laboratory – whether in a traditional chemistry lab or a high-performance computing room. Many are solely for the use of our students and researchers, and you will also have access to LABplus Resource Centre and the Marine Station .
Students using a petrographic microscope

What we offer....

Soil erosion. Will Blake. 

Centre for Research in Environment and Society (CeRES)

Getty 1152861734 map

GeoMapping

LABplus facility 

LABplus Resource Centre

Discover our range of postgraduate taught programmes

Two women working on the beach by a pool of water collecting and analysing samples to assess environmental damage. They are wearing protective gloves and reflective clothing (full-bleed)

MSc Environmental Geochemistry

Low angle view of vertical garden-BioWall or living wall is a wall covered with living plants on high rise residential building with heliostat of motorised mirrors, Sydney Australia. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

MSc Planning

Getty images 610447526 Countryside FogFoggy morning in Yorkshire UK

MRes Sustainable Environmental Management

Beautiful landscape of skylines in Shenzhen,China

MSc Sustainable Environmental Management

Aaron, MA Illustration graduate, Roland Levinsky building studios

Postgraduate on-campus open evening

Research centres and groups

Centre of Research Excellence in Intelligent and Sustainable Productive Systems (CRISPS) lead image showing a hand holding soil and a plant.

Centre of Research excellence in Intelligent and Sustainable Productive Systems (CRISPS)

Earth Smart logo

Earth Smart

Tractor mowing field by the sea

Sustainable Food Production Research Group

Aerial view from high altitude of little planet earth with small village houses and distant green cultivated agricultural fields with growing crops on bright summer evening

Sustainable Earth Institute

A diverse and respectful place in which to work and study is fundamental to everything we do.
Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science .

Academic staff

*Fieldwork is an essential part of studying geography. Our Royal Geographical Society accreditation means that all of our degree courses include learning through practical experience from the field. In recent years field trips have run to the Pacific Northwest of the USA, Brittany and Dartmoor, among other locations. Fieldwork may be subject to change due to staffing and external factors. Explore recent field trip destinations .