Environmental Geography BSc (Hons) (with Foundation Year)
UCAS Code: F781|Duration: 4 years|Full Time|Hope Park
UCAS Campus Code: L46
Work placement opportunities|International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
Understanding how the physical and ecological worlds interact; how people interact both with each other and with the physical and ecological world; and how landscapes (physical, ecological and human) evolve has never been more important than it is today to address the environmental challenges facing the world.
This degree involves an interdisciplinary study of human and physical geography, biodiversity, ecology, aspects of environmental biology, and human/environment interactions. This is essential for understanding human impacts on the environment both living (ecological) and non-living components (geomorphological) and for addressing major environmental issues associated with biodiversity. By having knowledge and understanding of dynamic natural environmental processes and their interaction with human activity and technology enables informed management of environmental resources for a more sustainable future.
An enthusiastic and friendly team of geographers and environmentalists with wide research interests teach on the Environmental Geography course at Hope. You will find that Liverpool is a great setting to study Environmental Geography due to having surroundings that include stunning upland and coastal landscapes.
A Placement Year option is available for this course. Undertaking a placement year as part of your degree programme offers you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience alongside your studies.
Course structure
Teaching on this degree is structured into lectures, where all students are taught together, seminars of smaller groups of around 20-25 students, and tutorials which typically have no more than 10 students. There are also a number of fieldtrips each year, as well as the opportunity to have a one-to-one meeting with your tutor each week.
In your first year there are approximately 12 teaching hours each week, which reduces to approximately 10 teaching hours in your second and third years. On top of teaching hours, you are also expected to spend a number of hours studying independently each week, as well as group study to prepare for any group assessments you may have.
Assessment and feedback
Throughout your three years of study, you will be assessed in a number of ways, including written exams, coursework (consisting of both essays and reports), portfolios, a literature review, academic posters, and presentations. In your final year you will also complete a dissertation.
You will be given written feedback on your assessments, and you will have the opportunity to discuss this with your tutor in more detail.
Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is a great opportunity if you have the ability and enthusiasm to study for a degree, but do not yet have the qualifications required to enter directly onto our degree programmes. A significant part of the Foundation Year focuses upon core skills such as academic writing at HE level, becoming an independent learner, structuring academic work, critical thinking, time management and note taking.
Successful completion of the Foundation Year will enable you to progress into the first year (Level C) of your chosen honours degree. Further details can be found here.
Year One
World Regions: Understanding the World
You will investigate selected world regions and explore themes and topics at a range of scales (global to local) including, for example, the environment (physical and human); globalisation and development; geopolitics; human processes (social, cultural, economic); and tourism dimensions.
Hazards, Risk and Society
You will investigate various dimensions of vulnerability and resilience in relation to the risks associated with natural hazards. These will be explored particularly from a social and cultural perspective and will consider aspects such as impacts on, for example, society; communities; culture; heritage; urban environments; tourism destinations; and tourists.
Exploring Geography and Tourism
You will investigate a range of themes and topics, for example, interpreting and representing the world/place/space; understanding natural and human processes (including tourism) and their interactions; sustainable development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (consideration of geographical and tourism contexts); and data analysis (including statistics and spatial data analysis).
Ecosystems and Ecology
You will be introduced to principles and theories of ecology, world biomes and the diversity of life (biodiversity). You will also undertake investigations into, for example, ecological niches and dichotomous keys.
Conservation Biology and Environmental Physiology
You will investigate approaches to in-situ and ex-situ conservation, practical conservation and, conservation management using Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). You will be introduced to biotic and abiotic interactions and physiological functions between organisms and their environment.
Developmental and Evolutionary Biology
You will investigate the development of life on Earth and the key evolutionary advances of species looking at the environmental conditions and selective pressures that shaped complex life on Earth.
Laboratory- and field-based Practical Investigations
Introduction to, for example, mapping, cartography, statistics, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
Fieldwork (residential and/or non-residential)
Year Two
Environmental Policy, Planning and Management
An exploration of, for example, legislation; policy; planning; environmental impacts and management.
Landscape Assessment
An exploration of applied dimensions of environmental geoscience through landscape assessment (e.g. Landscape Character Assessment)
Earth Surface Processes
An exploration of geomorphological and biogeographical processes and their contribution to landscape development.
Understanding the Environment
An exploration of the representation and interpretation of landscapes and ways of researching the environment.
Research Methods
An exploration of a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, which considers data collection and data analysis.
Principles of Ecology
You will develop your understanding of the underlying theories and principles of Ecology such as sustainability, biosphere cycles, natural resources, evolution and distribution of organisms (including abiotic/biotic dimensions).
Habitat Management
You will explore habitat management practice with the aim to conserve, protect and restore natural and semi-natural habitats. You will develop your knowledge and understanding of species action plans (SAPs).
Biodiversity Conservation
You will develop an in-depth and critical understanding of the value, importance and urgency of protecting species and their habitats from key threats including extinction.
‘Experiential Learning Block’
An applied project based study block that can be undertaken as one of several formats e.g. fieldwork based (residential and/or non-residential); problem-based task; work placement related; or a block of work-based learning.
Fieldwork (residential and/or non-residential)
Year Three
Sustainable Futures
A consideration and evaluation of themes and debates surrounding the human-environment nexus, for example, sustainability; sustainable development; environmental resource management; climate change; and the Anthropocene.
Earth’s Dynamic Environments
Advanced investigations of geomorphological processes and change in a specific area of physical geography (e.g. glacial or coastal environments).
History, Development of Current Practice of Geography
A consideration and critical evaluation of the history and development of geography will be followed by detailed explorations of the current practice of geography. Associated advanced seminars will involve staff leading discussions on their research interests and expertise.
Applied Ecology
Advanced studies of ecology through investigations of specific examples of applied ecological practice. This may cover, for example, ecological legislation, policy and guidance; ecological fieldwork methodologies and techniques; and, advanced approaches to the analysis and interpretation of ecological data.
Current Research and Practice in Ecology and Conservation
An exploration of the current knowledge, research and practice in ecology and/or conservation, for example, current research in conservation biology, terrestrial coastal ecology and palaeoecology.
International Fieldwork
You will undertake fieldwork internationally. Past countries have included Malta. Following a brief introduction to the international fieldwork destination, this will comprise the design and execution of individual project-based fieldwork involving data collection relating to a negotiated topic of relevance to the destination.
Honours Project (dissertation)
Entry requirements
There may be some flexibility for mature students offering non-tariff qualifications and students meeting particular widening participation criteria.
Careers
A Geography degree can open the door to a wide range of careers including local authority planning, environmental assessment, urban regeneration, conservation, sustainable development, tourism planning, renewable energy, and housing association management. With the increasing demands of legislation and global environmental policy, there are growing employment opportunities in environmental management and consultancy. A more specialised Geography degree offers opportunities to focus on specific careers that involve the natural environment and will equip you with the practical, numerical and computational skills that are valued by many employers.
A degree in Geography opens the door to a wide range of 'general' graduate careers such as graduate recruitment schemes in business, management, finance, the police service and the armed forces.
Many of our graduates go on to train to be teachers of Geography. Others go on to further study at Masters or Doctorate level. Studying a geographical subject means you will look at a wide range of different topics and learn a broad range of skills that you can take with you into the workplace. You will develop skills in problem-solving, data analysis, report-writing, developing arguments, working both independently and as part of a group, and interpreting data.
Enhancement opportunities
Work Placement Opportunities
In your final year, your Honours Project can be completed through a work placement. This placement enables you to gain relevant geographical work experience so that you can apply your environmental and geographical knowledge and experiences into a work setting. Please note that you must organise this work placement yourself.
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year are £9,535* for full-time undergraduate courses.
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,535*.
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
*subject to Council approval.
Additional costs
As well as your tuition fees, you need to consider the costs associated with compulsory and optional residential and other fieldwork trips. Cost depends on the nature of the fieldwork or location, but we estimate you will need around £400. You also need to budget for key textbooks (£200) and around £100 for fieldwork equipment such as boots and a waterproof coat.
If once you graduate you wish to become a member of the Royal Geographical Society, or the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management there is a registration fee and an annual fee thereafter - full details of costs can be found on the RGS website or the CIEEM website.
You will also need to consider the cost of your accommodation each year whilst you study at university. Visit our accommodation pages for further details about our Halls of Residence.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2025/26 are £14,500.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
With Foundation year, this degree is only available to study as a Single Honours course.