GEOGRAPHY
at Keele
School of Physical and Geographical Sciences
Geography
at Keele
Undergraduate Degree Programmes in
Introduction
Keele University offers a range of degree programmes in Geography, giving you the flexibility to choose a route through the subject that is perfect for your particular interests. We offer DUAL HONOURS degrees in Geography, in Human Geography and in Physical Geography so that you can specialise in one area of the subject if you wish. You can also take those as Major/ Minor routes, and we also offer SINGLE HONOURS degree routes in Geography, in Physical Geography and in Human Geography for students who wish to focus their whole degree in one of those specific areas.
Student choice and flexibility is at the heart of our programmes. We want you to be able to put together a degree route through Geography that does exactly what you want, so that you can get the very best out of University. Transferrable skills, personal satisfaction, career
prospects and an expertise in your chosen areas of the subject: Geography at Keele!
In combination with our flexible academic programme the
Distinctive Keele Curriculum gives you a wide range of options and opportunities to help you stand out from the crowd when looking for a job. You may choose to do a study abroad semester, take a work placement module, serve as a Student Ambassador or volunteer on local community projects through the Students’ Union. And, of course, you will have plenty of opportunities to make friends and participate in a wide range of sports and societies, including our own GeoSociety.
Welcome to Keele, and welcome to Geography.
Geography
Dr Peter Knight – Head of
Geography Programmes and Course Director for Physical Geography Dr Alex Nobajas – Course Director for Human Geography
Dr Richard Waller – Course Director for Geography
Key Course Features:
• Excellent access to staff when
you need advice or feedback
• Open door policy and great
unscheduled contact hours
• Outstanding student
satisfaction (National
Student Survey)
• Opportunity to study abroad
for one semester
• Flexible programmes with
many study options
• Staff have won prestigious
national teaching awards
“One tutorial I will never forget taught me to think outside the box and question why things are the way they are. It taught me to think about how other people see the world and how things could change in the future. I have always kept this tutorial in mind when tackling new projects at work, to think about how best to investigate topics and present information”
Katy Lonergan – Keele Geography Graduate now working in the NHS
“I have worked on projects across the United Kingdom, Europe, Central Asia,
Scandinavia, Greenland, Africa and North and South America, with regard not only to the resource aspects but also on aspects of their impact on the natural environment. With projects requiring the collation and interpretation of disparate spatial datasets, geographical skills are key to successful project outcomes”
Gareth Digges La Touche – Keele Geography Graduate now Senior Geoscientist with Golder Associates
Why Study Geography?
There are lots of different reasons for studying Geography at University. For some people, the subject appeals because it gives you a wide range of skills that can be put to good use in many different careers. Geography can be a broad-based degree with very good employment prospects. For other people the appeal of Geography lies in the opportunity to explore the world around us and to see how the human and physical environments interact. Some geographers are interested in social structures and development issues; some are interested in climate change and rising sea levels; many are interested in how people and environment interact. Geography is a huge and fascinating subject.
As a Geography, Human Geography or Physical Geography student at Keele you will have the opportunity to explore the areas of Geography that most interest you and to develop a range of skills including subject-specific skills such as the ability to work with Geographic Information Systems and generic skills such as the ability to work in groups, to manage extended projects, to collect original data and to handle complex concepts. Geography is an intellectually challenging subject that will stimulate you to do your best.
“My work is interesting and varied and requires me to use the whole set of skills that the Geography department at Keele helped me to acquire. From researching to report writing and from general knowledge of geographic concepts to specialised GIS skills, all have been essential to the work I do, so I’d like to say thank you.”
Emily Heades, Keele
Geography Graduate, working as a Geospatial Analyst with the MOD
COURSE INFORMATION for Geography,
Human Geography and Physical Geography
Single Honours
Single Honours courses in
Geography, Human Geography and Physical Geography allow students to focus on their chosen subject area from the beginning of the course without combining with any other degree subject. It is just your preferred area of Geography (with the opportunity to take a few modules from outside the subject as electives if you wish!). You will study 8 modules of Geography in each of your three years, but as part of Keele’s degree system you will have
the opportunity to replace some of those modules with “elective” modules from other disciplines. The Single Honours route is ideal for students who have a clear focus on a particular part of Geography, either because they love the subject or because they know that it is the ideal route into their future career, and who therefore want to study the subject alone without combining it with another subject in a dual honours route.
Dual Honours:
Keele has a huge amount of
experience and expertise in running Dual Honours degree programmes, which give you the opportunity to study not just one but two subjects to degree level. For example you could do a degree in Geography and Applied Environmental Science, or Human Geography and Sociology, or Physical Geography and Geology. There are lots of combinations to choose from. You can do a combination just because it interests you or because you think two subjects will work really well together in your future
career. If you chose a dual honours combination you study two degree subjects in equal amounts, over three years. Typically you will take 4 modules in each subject each year but as with our other degrees there are opportunities to take elective modules outside of your subjects as part of the programme. Dual Honours is a fantastic opportunity to study two subjects, and not only is Keele the expert in this type of degree but we offer combinations that are not readily available anywhere else. Dual Honours is certainly worth thinking about.
Major/Minor
If you follow a Dual Honours route, combining your Geography, Human Geography or Physical Geography with another subject, you have the option of dropping that other subject in your third year, to focus entirely on your Geography subject. This would be called a Major Route in Geography, Human Geography or Physical Geography, and your other subject would be your Minor Route. For some of our dual honours combinations you
also have the option of doing it the other way around: focusing on your other subject and moving away from Geography in your third year, so that Geography would then be your minor subject. Of course we hope that you will go the other way, loving the Geography right through your degree, but the choice is always yours!
One of our external
examiners wrote:
“The course at Keele continues
to be implemented to a very high
standard by an excellent and very
committed staff”
One of our external
examiners wrote:
“The course at Keele continues
to be implemented to a very high
standard by an excellent and very
committed staff”
First Year
In the first year you will take a set of core modules to give you a sound introduction to your particular degree path. Some of these modules are shared between the different Geography, Human Geography and Physical Geography degree routes, while others are specific to particular routes. It will all be set up for you, so you don’t have to make choices when you first arrive. These modules will help you to make the transition into Geography at University. Geography at this level is both more exciting and more challenging than some students expect, so it is important to complete these modules effectively before you move on to second year. However, the marks for these modules will not actually contribute to your final degree classification, so you can safely use the first year to find your feet, explore new ways of working and develop new skills without being afraid to experiment! As well as having a University “Personal Tutor” to help you throughout the year you will also be allocated an individual
Geography tutor who you will get to know very quickly and who will help you with your work. The courses are specifically designed to help you meet people and make friends early on, and you will have small-group tutorials throughout the year as well as practical classes, fieldwork and lectures.
“It still feels like yesterday that I was learning about the world in your tutorials. I think one day, when I am double the age I am now - I will still look back and see how my time at Keele shaped me and my views of the world. ”
Letter from a former student after she left Keele
Our first-year modules include all those in the list below. Those you take will depend on whether you do a Dual Honours or Single Honours course, and whether you take the broad Geography degree route or one of the specialised Human Geography or Physical Geography routes.
Geographical Skills
People and the Environment Practising Human Geography
Fundamentals of Physical Geography Human Geographies
The Practice of Physical Geography Geography and Geographers Global Warming or a New Ice Age? A range of electives from other subjects
More information about all of these modules is provided in the information about the different routes available online or in our leaflets.
Second Year
In the second year you will take some core modules put in place to develop your skills and knowledge within your chosen degree course and you will also be given flexibility to choose optional pathways within modules based on your particular interests. For example, within the “Dynamic Geographies” module we offer a range of different units covering different aspects of Geography, and students choose those units that most appeal to them in the context of their degree pathway. Similarly within the Geographical Research Training module we offer field courses to a variety of overseas locations and you will be invited to choose the destination that you prefer. The second year focuses on developing more advanced geographical skills and understanding, and gives particular importance to the development of independent research skills.
Our second-year modules include all those in the list below. The modules you will choose depend on whether you take a Dual Honours or Single Honours course, and whether you take the broad Geography degree route or one of the specialised Human Geography or Physical Geography routes.
Dynamic Geographies, including a range of different optional units* Geographical Research Training
Regional Landsystems Space & Society
Practical Human Geography Practical Physical Geography Concepts & Debates
Elective modules from other subjects
*Optional units within the “Dynamic Geographies” module typically include topics such as: Population Geography, Meteorology, Representing the World, Hydrology & Oceanography and Nature & Society.
Third Year
In the third year you have total flexibility to put together a range of options that suit you from the modules that we offer each year. Most students do an independent study project and a set of optional topic modules. The independent project can be either a small one or a large one depending on your preference and interests, and you have a wide range of option modules both from within Geography and from Keele’s wide range of freestanding electives. Third year is an opportunity to focus on those parts of the subject that you enjoy most or that you think will be most useful to your future career. At this stage you have a
strong background of study skills and subject knowledge, so you will be able to do your very best work. Your third-year modules will make up about two thirds of the marks for your final degree, so we think it is good that you can choose exactly what you do. Therefore there are no compulsory core modules at this level.
“I work as a controller in purchasing for Nissan Motors. I don’t use my geography degree directly but I use the skills and analytical techniques/mindset I was taught and developed on the course every day. Whether it’s rivers or competitive tenders a logical approach and appreciation of scale come in handy!”
Anthony Lees (Physical Geography and Music).
Third-year modules include those in the list below. The modules you take will depend on whether you take a Dual Honours or Single Honours course, and whether you take the broad Geography degree route or one of the specialised Human Geography or Physical Geography routes.
Geography Dissertation (project) Glaciers and Glacial Geomorphology Rural Geographies
Coastal Environments Postcolonialism in South Asia Applied GIS
Global Environmental Change Geographies of Children and Youth Water Resources
Economic Development & Environmental Transformation Natural Hazards
Inspirational Landscapes
“I use Geography every day teaching the younger generations and inspiring them to learn more about the world. I even use my field trip photos in lessons - the students never believe I have been to Iceland though!”
Fiona Spittle Secondary School Teacher of Geography
“My current role (as a PhD Research Student) uses the fundamental skills learned and developed during my undergraduate degree on a day to day basis. Geomorphic interpretation and scientific reasoning underpin every decision which I make and are the two skills I value most from my undergraduate experience.”
Stephen Brough went on to be a PhD researcher
Field Courses
Field work is an important part of Geography, and it is an important part of the Geography degrees at Keele. We are lucky to have local field work opportunities on our doorstep with a fabulous rural campus of our own and a lot of interesting local geography, and our courses take advantage of this excellent geographical setting as well as giving you the opportunity to expand your horizons globally with our international field courses. During your first year you will do field work on campus and in the surrounding regions. The destinations will depend on your chosen course but may include trips to the Peak District, to the coast, to nearby towns and rural areas or to visitor attractions such as the nearby Monkey Forest! These trips will not only help you to discover and explore some particular locations, but will help you to put into practice some of the skills that you learn in practical classes and to see some geographical theory in action.
During your second year you will go on a residential field course further afield. Typically we run courses to Spain, Iceland and Singapore, and you will chose a destination appropriate to your modules and degree pathway. The destinations vary from time to time, but students focusing on human geography topics within their degree tend to go to Barcelona or Singapore, while students with a more physical geography focus go to Almeria or Iceland.
The costs of field courses are partially subsidised by the University, but student contributions are usually required for the residential
second-year courses.
For many students, the second-year field courses are a real
highlight of their course, combining great learning opportunities and fascinating destinations.
Independent Research Projects
One of the outcomes of doing a Geography degree is that you will have skills in independent research. This is one of the big “employability skills” that employers recognise in graduates. In Geography at Keele we will help you to develop these skills throughout your programme, and to demonstrate them in an independent project in your final year. Many students see the project as a great opportunity to work on a topic of their own choosing in great depth, and choose to do a double-module dissertation. However, if you do not enjoy independent project work so much you can opt to take a single-module dissertation or, if you are on a Dual Honours degree, not to do a Geography dissertation but to do a project in your other subject instead. If you
do a double-module project you then choose fewer other modules to make up your third-year work. The choice is yours. The independent project is the highlight of the third year for many students and allows them to apply their knowledge and skills to an area of cutting edge Geography that appeals to them. You will be allocated a member of staff as an advisor, and will have plenty of support as you work on your project. When it is finished, it will be something that you can use to demonstrate exactly what you have achieved as a practicing Geographer! If you do plan to continue into a research career, your dissertation will give you a strong foundation.
“My main function is to advise on, manage and mitigate the potential risks to both employees and the environment. My degree has helped me to understand what impacts industry has on the environment and allowed me to implement control measures
across the company. Some of the projects I am currently working on include: reducing energy bills, calculating carbon footprints and reducing waste”
Matt Jones Health, Safety and Environmental Manager
The William Smith Building
Geography is based in the William Smith Building in the heart of Keele’s attractive campus. All of our academic staff have their offices in this building so we are easy to find when you need us. The administrative staff are based in an office in the foyer, where you can easily get information or advice on practical and administrative matters. A lot of your teaching will also be in this building or in one of the neighbouring buildings. The William Smith Building should quickly start to feel like your academic “home”. When the computer labs or seminar rooms are not in use for teaching, you are welcome to use them for your own work. It is often convenient to use a spare room in the William Smith Building as a group study area rather than go down to the library between classes! Geography staff are friendly, approachable and always pleased to help you. You will get to know us quickly, and through our small-group teaching in the first year you will also get to know other students and make friends soon after you arrive. The Geography courses are small enough that staff and students do get to know each other, and that is one of the things that makes Geography at Keele special.
The William Smith Building is also home to the Geology courses and the Environment courses. These subjects overlap with Geography and many of our students combine their Geography with one of these other subjects. This contributes to the friendly feel of our building, which is sometimes referred to as “Geography, Geology and Environment”. The student GeoSociety incorporates all the “Geo” subjects, and is another way of making friends and engaging with some “Geo” activities outside of classes! The annual GeoSociety Ball is a highlight of the social calendar for the William Smith Building. Get your Black Tie or Ball Gown ready!
Of course, the William Smith Building and the neighbouring buildings in the centre of Campus are fully equipped with all the resources you will need. The Library and Information Services building, the Students’ Union, the Restaurants and Take-out places, the bank, the shop and the post office are all within a hundred yards or so. The William Smith Building itself has computer labs, Wi-Fi access… and a lot of friendly faces!
Learning and Teaching
Geography at Keele is taught in a variety of different ways. This means that you can choose modules that are taught in certain styles, if you want. For example, if you enjoy project work and practical classes more than you enjoy lectures and tutorials, you can take that into account when you choose your third-year modules. Teaching throughout the course includes lectures, tutorials, practical classes, seminar groups, field exercises and independent project work. Different styles of teaching are appropriate for different parts of the course, and your programme has been carefully designed to help you to get the most out of Geography. Our teaching and our course structures are regularly checked and approved by external auditors, as well as by our own students.
Geography at Keele has a
reputation for innovative teaching methods and a commitment to professional standards. We have on many occasions won Keele’s internal award for excellence in teaching, and we have also won external awards recognising the quality of our academic teaching staff. In recent years two Keele Geography staff have been awarded prestigious “National Teaching Fellowships” by the Higher Education Academy. Keele Geography staff hold professional awards and qualifications including Chartered Geographer, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Assessment and Feedback
Assessment and feedback are key parts of learning and teaching at Keele. We use a variety of assessment methods to help students develop their skills and to test their understanding of key concepts. Assessment types in Geography include written exams, essays, reflective diaries, posters, spoken presentations, project reports, technical reports, on-line tests, and many other formats designed to help you to develop and demonstrate your abilities. The wide range of different types of work we do in Geography will also be valuable in later careers. Some of the assessments that you do contribute to your final mark, but many of them are used entirely as learning exercises. In all cases we will give you helpful feedback on your work so that you can
constantly develop and improve. This feedback is a central part of how we teach and how you learn. You will get feedback in many ways including comments added to the work you hand in, conversations with tutors after the work is marked, discussions with tutorial groups, presentations from a tutor in class and many other mechanisms appropriate to the particular items of work you have completed. In field work exercises, for example, a quick demonstration is often the most immediate and effective form of feedback, whereas for an exam script it might be more appropriate to deliver feedback electronically. All of our approaches to learning and feedback are intended to help you with your learning and to enable you to demonstrate your abilities effectively.
“I graduated in 2006 and I have worked in Canada as an air pollution tester and in the UK as a County Council Recycling Officer. My duties include maintaining the website, producing leaflets for communications, doing roadshows and community talks, developing new schemes, and collecting and
reporting data.”
Louise Gibney Waste Management Officer
Careers in Geography
What Do Keele Geography Graduates Do?
Our Graduates go on to a wide range of different careers. Some of them are very “Geography specific”, using specialised Geography skills and working very much as Geographers, while others use their wide-ranging Geography skills and abilities in all manner of different “non-Geography” careers. One of our graduates became an Admiral in the Royal Navy, putting his Geography training to good use in his work as head of the Navy’s Hydrographic Survey. Another is now Head of Geography at a local School. Another is a recycling officer for a town council and another is a Metropolitan Building Control Officer. A report by the Royal Geographical Society indicated that employment rates for Geographers are amongst the very best of all University disciplines. Geographers are very employable! Some Geography graduates choose to undertake further study or training to go into professions such as teaching. Some stay at Keele to work at Masters or PhD level, or follow those paths at other institutions.
Many Keele Geography graduates are now teaching Geography students of their own, and several of our graduates are now Professors of Geography in other Universities. Other Keele Geography graduates have pursued careers in industry or government. We have Keele Geographers in the foreign office, in the environmental sector, in publishing, in the National Health Service and in many business organisations. According to the Royal Geographical Society an estimated 80% of business decisions are underpinned by issues to do with location, so it is not surprising that the geospatial industry is a rapidly growing part of the UK’s technology and export base.
This is what some of our graduates say:
Claire Baker – Sustainability Solutions Manager
“My current title is Sustainability Solutions Manager and I work for a large construction and engineering firm. Following my degree I worked for an energy efficiency technology company doing admin and decided to do a part time masters in Climate Change Management. From this I progressed to my current role which is looking for sustainable solutions for our customers.”
Ria Ganguly – School Head of Geography
“I teach 11-18 year olds Human and Physical Geography, using knowledge gained from Keele every day to guide the next generation of Geographers.”
Will Adam – Senior Data Manager, Shell International.
“Geography is an essential component of this position. The consequences of geographical mistakes in this industry can be catastrophic.”
Tom Lewis – Planning Officer
“I graduated in 2006 and have since been working for a regional council. I have held various roles around the Town Planning discipline and I am now a Planning Officer working on the Local Plan”
Katie Pudney – Senior Transport Policy Officer
“I write and develop transport policies for the London Borough of Enfield taking in to account the local demography and social and environmental issues. My role tries to find a compromise between development and ensuring there is a transport system to support it”
Rebekah Pugh – Teacher in Infant School
“I did a PGCE primary and qualified as a teacher in September 2007. I got a job that same year at an Infant and Nursery School. I teach in years 1, 2, reception and nursery. It’s very rewarding, but as those in education know, hard work. Especially now I’m a full time working Mummy.
Sarah Browne – Policy Advisor for DEFRA
“My job is all about making domestic laws and legislation for the policy area that I work in. I am lucky at the moment, as my current role allows me to pull together a range of areas and principles that I studied in Geography at Keele”
Geography Careers
Support
Careers issues are embedded within degree programmes, and you will be able to identify how the things you are studying at Keele relate to possible future careers. You may also be able to take up work-placement opportunities during your programme. One member of staff is designated the role of “Careers Tutor” and will be able to help you with specific queries, but all staff will be able to offer advice and support. There is also a central University careers service and additional sources of advice in the Students’ Union. For some students, a specific career target is at the top of the agenda from day one, and they structure their entire degree around a career goal. Other students discover their calling during the course of their studies. Whatever approach is most appropriate to you we will be on hand with help and advice when you need it.
Geography Staff
Geography at Keele is taught by experienced, well-qualified and enthusiastic staff. All of the staff are active within the discipline, carrying out research, writing books, winning contracts for funded work and playing important roles nationally and internationally within their areas of expertise. We have a good balance of male and female staff from different academic backgrounds, from different countries and with different subject specialisms but one thing that we all have in common is an enthusiasm to bring our research and professional expertise to bear in helping you with your studies. We take our teaching, as well as our research very seriously.
One of the things that makes University special is that you will be taught by genuine subject experts. In some modules you will be taught by the very people who wrote the textbooks and research papers that you are studying. For example, Keele Geography lecturers have recently published books on topics
ranging from Glaciers to Population Studies, and from Global Literary Markets to International Migration. All of the staff have published work in their areas of research , and their research expertise contributes directly to the advanced modules that they teach.
Keele Geography staff have won a number of Teaching Innovation Awards, and we combine
experience, tradition and innovation in a portfolio of well-balanced and flexible Geography programmes. The teaching staff are the most important and fundamental resource underpinning the success of Geography at Keele, and the staff are here to help you! Whenever you need help, just ask.
