Physical Geography, BSc (Hons), with study abroad

The study of geography, encompassing landscape formation, satellite Earth observation, GIS data analysis, and environmental monitoring from space, remains highly pertinent today. For those seeking to boost employability in physical geography, this programme develops essential practical, numerical, and computational skills for careers in regional planning, environmental management, local authority roles, financial planning, computing, or business management. Situated near the Gower Peninsula and other outstanding natural areas, Swansea University offers exceptional fieldwork in Wales and abroad, such as in Austria, Malaysian Borneo, or Vancouver. Students explore key topics like glacial processes, global environmental change, and plate tectonics, while gaining transferable skills through industrial placements and access to advanced facilities, including high-performance computing labs and specialized equipment.Guided by renowned academics like Professors Tavi Murray and Adrian Luckman, the curriculum includes compulsory modules in Years 1 and 2 on global environmental change and data analysis, with options for overseas field trips. In Year 3, students study abroad, and Year 4 features a dissertation alongside electives in glaciology and atmospheric science. Assessment combines exams, coursework, practicals, fieldwork, and tutorials, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.

In Year 1 you'll study several compulsory modules covering topics such as global environmental change, Earth in action and Earth's changing face. You will then choose from optional modules covering geographical skills and methods, writing skills and personal development planning and practical field projects, and topics such as sustainability, people place and nation, colonial and postcolonial geographies, mobilities and migration and geology. In Year 2, you'll choose from a range of optional modules covering data analysis, approaches to physical geography and environmental research methods, and topics such as geographic information systems, glacial environments and processes, the Earth from Space, quaternary environmental change, global vegetation patterns and dynamics, urban modelling, Earth history and geological record of past environments. You'll also have an opportunity to take part in an overseas field trip. In Year 3, you will study abroad at a partner institution. In Year 4, you'll undertake your dissertation and choose from a range of optional modules covering topics such as glaciology, humid tropical environments and landscapes, meteorology and atmospheric science, plate tectonics and global geophysics, environmental modelling and the climate of the last 1,000 years. You'll also have the opportunity to undertake an interdisciplinary field trip to the Indian Himalayas (Sikkim).