School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Welcome to the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Earth Science students in Death Valley, California.

Earth Science students in Death Valley, California.

  • 6World class research from internationally renowned researchers

  • 6State-of-the-art teaching and research facilities

  • 6Taught by leading academics in the field

About us

Our staff and students work and study in the stunning natural landscape of south west England. Our National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, characterful towns and cities, and 650 mile-long coastline provide the backdrop from which we address global sustainability challenges on land and at sea.
We are committed to delivering a first class student experience in a friendly and supportive learning environment, and our students acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills that is highly sought after by employers; this is reflected in the excellent feedback we receive in the National Student Survey.
Come and join us in Britain’s Ocean City. Together we’ll develop your potential to be pioneers of a better and more sustainable future for our planet and all of its people.

Our inter-disciplinary team of world-class academics teaches a suite of degree programmes focused on challenges including climate change, natural hazards, social justice, pollution, energy transitions, land- and seascape conservation and the sensitive development of natural resources. All of our degree programmes are professionally accredited and designed with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in mind.

Professor Jon Shaw
Head of School
Professor Jon Shaw

Our teaching areas

Our undergraduate and postgraduate courses are grouped into four subject areas

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

Recent edition: Autumn 2024

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

SoGEES newsletter cover Autumn 2024

Fieldwork

Fieldwork is a fundamental part of our school. Environmental science , geography and earth science are field-based disciplines and you will gain training in field techniques in spectacular environments locally and further afield. Our field trips are designed to be inclusive and accessible (we are a signatory to the Royal Geographical Society’s Inclusive Fieldwork Principles). All core field trip modules have a cost-free option, and subsidies are available for our longer-haul trips on which students experience landscapes and cultures not available locally.
Group photo, environmental science fieldwork in Greece
Environmental science students in Greece

Rankings

Complete University Guide 2025
Our Earth Sciences degrees were ranked fifth in UK for overall student satisfaction by the Complete University Guide 2025.
Guardian Best UK Universities Guide 2024
Our Chemistry degrees have been ranked number one in UK for student satisfaction with teaching and for satisfaction with feedback by the Guardian Best UK Universities guide 2024.
QS World University Rankings 2023
In top 15 UK universities for Earth and Marine Sciences, Geology and Geophysics - QS World University Rankings by subject 2023.
Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022
The University of Plymouth has been named among the top 5% of universities globally in 2022 for its contribution to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals*, in particular, work on marine issues and on climate change. In the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, sustainability is at the heart of our research and teaching. From sustainable cities, affordable and clean energy, to climate policy, biodiversity, and natural hazards, our academic staff work with partners locally and overseas to help understand, communicate and solve fundamental and pressing sustainability challenges.
*Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022
Find out more in our press release
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2022
We are incredibly proud of our postgraduate courses across the school. In the latest Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2023 we received 100% overall satisfaction with the course quality for our Earth Sciences and Geography courses. Our MSc Environmental and Engineering Geology, MSc Planning both received 100% overall satisfaction with course quality from students.

Find out more

Outreach

We have a programme of outreach activities working with schools and teachers through visits to local schools, in house events, or wider promotion of the subject via national societies.
Girls into Geoscience

Research and impact

Research centres and groups

External cell view - environmental and fluid modelling group
Environmental and Fluid Modelling
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
Close-up wave
Marine Institute
Scientists working with a University of Plymouth team on sea ice in the Arctic (credit: Simon Belt/University of Plymouth)
Biogeochemistry Research Centre
Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat. Photo courtesy: Paul Cole
Centre for Research in Earth Sciences (CRES)
Soil erosion. Will Blake. 
Centre for Research in Environment and Society (CeRES)
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)
Tractor mowing fields by the sea
Sustainable Food Production Research Group
Earth Smart logo
Earth Smart

Research highlights

Research in the school

More related news

Emily Vernon. PhD title: Assessing the impact of ionising radiation on aquatic organisms

Journey to the Bottom of the Celtic Sea

Research by our Earth Scientists on the Celtic Sea bed is helping develop renewable energy futures in the south west.

The South West is a Natural Powerhouse

Our current energy system is heavily reliant on fossil fuels and is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Renewable energy provides alternative sources for the future energy system that will reduce our current greenhouse gas emissions and aid in the essential transition away from fossil fuel use. The South West is to be at the heart of this transition.

At the University of Plymouth, we offer two MSc programmes to support graduates' ambitions to work within the offshore renewable energy sector.

Professor Ian Bailey is an expert on national climate change acts and their contribution to accelerating action on climate change. He combines his research and teaching on climate and environmental politics in modules on sustainable futures and environmental politics and governance.

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Resources

Facilities for research and teaching

Marine Station
SEM image taken at PEMC

Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre (PEMC)

Analytical testing facilities

Analytical facilities

3d illustration of a soil slice, high mountains with lake isolated on white background. Credit: Khadi Ganiev, courtesy of Getty Images

Geography and earth sciences laboratories

Getty 1152861734 map

GeoMapping

LABplus facility 

LABplus Resource Centre

Shutterstock 67615129 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The school aims to embed EDI across all functions and strategies to support our staff and students. We are committed to promoting EDI principles, ensuing an inclusive learning environment, and preventing discrimination and harassment. The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences currently holds a bronze Athena Swan departmental award recognising our gender equality efforts.

Girls into geoscience

This exciting one day workshop, with additional optional field trip to Dartmoor, will introduce female A level students to the Earth sciences and demonstrate the world of careers open to Earth science graduates today.
With seminars from women working in geology, and hands on workshops looking at GIS, microfossils and planetary geology, this year’s girls into geoscience event isn’t one to miss.
Girls into Geoscience