Human Geography with a Year in Industry

Receive an education that is at the forefront of addressing key social, cultural and environmental challenges and be empowered to make a significant difference in the world with BA Human Geography at Swansea University.

Our programme will provide you with a broad understanding of geography, including the geographical relationships between people, societies, cultures, and the environment. You will explore topics such as cultural, economic and political geography, urban and rural geographies, tourism, world cities, migration and the effect of climate change on communities.

BA Human Geography at Swansea combines strong theoretical foundations with meaningful real-world experience. You will learn across a variety of settings, from classroom and laboratory work to hands-on field study.

At Swansea University, you can design your BA Human Geography experience to suit your interests. As you progress through our course, you will discover opportunities to specialise in social or environmental science, prepare for future careers and work towards addressing global challenges, spanning war and inequality to wildfires and plastic pollution.

Our course focuses on understanding all aspects of the planet and beyond. You will explore the relationship between people, societies, cultures, economies and the environment. With this expansive understanding, you will work to address contemporary global challenges, with a strong connection to the UN Sustainability Goals and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act.

You will experience fieldwork that is integral to your understanding and will allow you to apply theory to action. Studying BA Human Geography at Swansea means you can take advantage of our spectacular location, and can experience field trips to tourist points of interest, such as Swansea City Centre and the historical Haford Morfa Copperworks site, the Gower Peninsula, Y Bannau Brycheiniog and Pembrokeshire. As you progress through your studies, you can also participate in residential fieldwork internationally, including Germany, Iceland and Canada.

Our BA Human Geography provides an education that offers subject specific knowledge and skills training that is relevant to a range of geographical employment opportunities, including Geographical Information Systems training with an emphasis on green energy technologies. You will also develop essential skills in project development, communication and teamwork, and build experience in working in varied environments through your field work.

You will experience a variety of assessment methods, from traditional essays and examinations to real-world applicable assessments, such as stakeholder analyses, podcasts, and creative assessments. You will be guided through your studies by a supportive and passionate academic team whose experience and knowledge will enrich your student experience.

This course offers you the opportunity to spend a Year in Industry, in the UK or overseas, enabling you to gain valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid-only placements, which on average have a salary of over £20,000. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Geographical Imaginations; Field Methods - Human Geography; Globalized World; Geographical skills; Natural Hazards and Society; Sustainability and the Climate Emergency.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Placement Preparation: Year in Industry / Year in Practice; Geographical Methods and Data Analysis (Human Geography); Cities; Cultural Geographies on the Move: from Tourism to Alternative Lifestyles; Introduction to Geographic Information Systems; Dissertation Preparation Skills; Geographical Fieldwork skills : Iceland; Geographical Fieldwork Skills: Isles of Scilly; Geographical Fieldwork skills: Vancouver.

In Year 3: Year spent in Industry.

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Dissertation Report: Geography; Migration Theory; Creative Geographies; Science Communication with Placement; Violent Geographies; World Cities; Global Environmental Politics.

On the BA Human Geography course you will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, practical classes and field classes. You will be assessed through a variety of methods, including examinations, coursework, practical work, fieldwork and continuous assessment from tutorials. You will also complete a dissertation in your final year.