undergraduate geography or environmental …...undergraduate geography or environmental science why...

UNDERGRADUATE GEOGRAPHY OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEWHY STUDY AT READING?

Geography and Environmental Science degrees

at the University of Reading offer an exciting

opportunity to explore the interactions between

people, place and environment. This long-

established department is well-known for its

international perspective, well-developed field

class programme and friendly and sociable

student community.

FLEXIBILTY & CHOICEStudents can select from a wide range of modules across

the Department and the University, giving a high degree of

flexibility. You will have the chance to tailor your degree to your

own interests, building a programme that offers a unique level

of choice and individuality. You can choose to follow a specialist

pathway through your degree and focus on a particular theme or

choose more widely to develop a broader programme of study.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCEOur staff are award-winning and internationally recognised

academics with strong reputations in their field. Their research

feeds directly into the topics you will study throughout your

degree. We are consistently highly rated for the quality of our

teaching and staff are approachable, supportive and enthusiastic.

A strong ethos of the department is to ensure that students have

easy access to teaching staff for study advice and help.

SECURING YOUR FUTUREYou will have extensive opportunities to develop your skills and

experience during your studies, giving you the tools to pursue

a successful career after graduation. Every course includes the

option of taking a year out after your second year to spend time

gaining direct professional experience. The range of technical and

transferable skills you will gain by studying with us ensures that

you will have a wide variety of options in your chosen career path.

We will give you the skills to apply your knowledge to the real world

and the best chance to get ahead.

Learn with internationally recognised academics researching and teaching in areas including: globalisation, development, sustainability climate change and governance, hydrology, landscapes and ecology, paleoecology, dryland environments and glaciology.

For more information go to: www.reading.ac.uk/geographyandenvironmentalscience

UNDERGRADUATE GEOGRAPHY OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

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WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY…

The lecturers are very friendly and approachable. All members of staff in the department always make the time available for extra help, or even just to discuss any concerns and even their own research. Even the administration staff are so lovely, they make you feel at ease when you join the university and are always happy to help.

ABOUT THE LECTURERS…

It’s really nice to see that you’re learning from someone who is making a real impact with their research.

I really like the choice of modules… we get all the choices and optional modules as well. In first year I did a Law module and an Economics module, which I really liked.

A GREAT PLACE TO STUDY…

Geography is very tailor-made. I can sit with someone who is doing a Geography degree and we could have learned totally different things and come out with the same degree. I have a degree that’s tailored to everything I’m interested in and that’s something I love about it. It’s very ‘you’.

I honestly love the course that I am on, I have the perfect blend of Geography and Economics and there is always the opportunity to take on modules from other departments. In my final year, I’m pleased that I have such good scope to specialise and study a topic that I find interesting.

UNDERGRADUATE GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY…

For more information go to: www.reading.ac.uk/geographyandenvironmentalscienceB12542 06.15

PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Placements offer an exciting opportunity to enhance work-related skills and develop a network of contacts, as well as strengthening employability prospects and cultivating direct experience in a potential career field.

There are a variety of options for placements during your time in

Geography & Environmental Science. Recent placements include

fieldwork at the Earth Trust, working with Readibus in Reading,

working with the Environment Agency and Thames Water, and

experience with Network Rail and Forest Research.

In addition, students from any degree programme can choose

to take a year of professional experience, working across a range

of organisations in the public and private realm.

YEAR OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCEYou will have the opportunity to take a year of professional

experience following your second year. This is a fantastic

opportunity to hone your skills in a real work environment,

gain direct experience in your chosen field, and build up your

CV. Students have recently worked for Thames Water, the

Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Johnson Matthey, the

Department of Energy & Climate Change, Cross-Compliance

Solutions and CO2 Balance.

PLACEMENTS IN THE UNIVERSITYVacation placements are sometimes available within the

University through schemes such as the Undergraduate Research

Opportunities Scheme (UROP). This allows students to work

as part of one of the Department’s research groups during

the summer.

The University’s Careers Placement and Experience Centre

provide all Reading students with information about a wide range

of placement opportunities including:

• Summer Enterprise Experience & Discovery (SEED)

internship scheme

• Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP)

• Reading Experience and Development (RED) award

UNDERGRADUATE GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES


B12542 06.15

Placements are really good opportunities – it’s definitely worth doing!

Laura Muchmore Human & Physical Geography

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

WHERE WILL YOUR DEGREE TAKE YOU?A degree in Geography equips you with the ability to see the big

picture. The skills gained during the course can be applied to a

wide range of careers; in education, commerce, government

and environmental consultancy.

Recent graduates have been employed as transport analysts,

recruitment consultants, regional planning officers, GIS

specialists, and environmental scientists and consultants.

Around 17% of our students continue their studies to specialise

further or to qualify to teach.

The need for professional environmental scientists with a sound

scientific background continues to grow and opportunities

for graduates from this degree include employment by

environmental consultancies, water companies, pollution

monitoring and renewable and sustainable energy companies.

Recent graduates have entered employment with companies as

varied as AWE, Sustrans, Thames Water, EDF Energy, Syngenta

and Jacobs Engineering.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLSTransferable skills are key in the current job market and for many

employers the ‘attitudes and aptitudes’ of graduates are of equal

importance to the content of your particular degree. A degree

in Geography or Environmental Science from the University

of Reading will provide you with invaluable experience and an

unrivalled skill-set to enhance your career prospects, including:

• problem solving

• literacy & numeracy: data analysis, report and essay writing

• teamwork and presentations

• leadership

• international perspective

• relevant work experience

UNDERGRADUATE GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES


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INTERNATIONAL STUDYStand out from the crowd by choosing to study abroad! In an increasingly international and mobile world, studying abroad can help boost your future employability by providing an exciting opportunity to acquire numerous transferable and desirable skills as well as fantastic educational and life experience.

Yarra River, Melbourne

The Erasmus and Study Abroad Programme gives students

a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study at one of our partner

Universities in Europe, Australia, Canada or the USA.

Teaching and assessment is in English and students usually

attend during the autumn term of their final year, contributing

40 credits to their final year programme. Fees and field classes

are included in the cost of the Erasmus exchange, and students

studying at one of our partner Universities in Europe receive

a contribution towards the costs of travel and living. Competitive

travel bursaries are available for study in non-European

partner Universities.

You could study at a range of Universities, including:

• Aarhus University (Denmark)

• University of Groningen (Netherlands)

• University of Bergen (Norway)

• University Centre in Svalbard (Norway)

• Monash University, (Melbourne, Australia)

• University of Ottawa (Canada)

• University of Rhode Island (USA)

• Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (USA)

WHERE CAN I STUDY?

UNDERGRADUATE GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Erasmus was hard work but a really great opportunity.

Heather Cadden Human Geography

It was an amazing and positive experience. I enjoyed meeting people from all over the world and immersing myself in Norwegian culture. Due to my experience, I am now contemplating studying a master abroad.

Rihannon Lee Erasmus exchange student

Study abroad

For more information go to: www.reading.ac.uk/studyabroad/outgoingstudents/ wherecanistudy/vso-geography.aspx

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Hordaland, Bergen, Norway

FIELD CLASSES

You will have the chance to take part in our exciting and constantly evolving fieldclasses to a wide range of destinations. In addition to the compulsory Year 1 field class in the

UK, students have the choice of a Year 2 field class

to a European destination ranging from major cities

to Mediterranean landscapes. Fieldwork is also an

increasingly important component of many modules,

from GIS mapping on the university campus to exploring

the causes and consequences of flooding in the

Loddon catchment.

A significant number of students also choose to

take an optional field class in their final year, including

destinations to Norway, Iceland and the Mediterranean

with recent visits to Malta and Cyprus.

SKILLS & EMPLOYABILITYWe see field classes as a critical part of your training,

enabling you to develop skills in:

• teamwork and life skills

• field techniques and observation

• data analysis and presentation

• field observation skills

UNDERGRADUATE ARCHAEOLOGY READING ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL


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WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

The Crete field class is a must, although next year they are running a field class to Naples which I am very jealous about!

Oli Stone-Houghton Human & Physical Geography

The Year 2 field class is one of my highlights from my time at university. There is such a range of destinations and whilst we are there for academic purposes, it certainly provides a nice social aspect to get to know your course friends and lecturers a lot better.

Rikhil Morjaria Geography & Economics

The field trips are great, all the research was so interesting and enjoyable and I made really good friends while I was there.

Heather Cadden Human Geography

BSc

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For more information, please contact:

School of Geography & Environmental Science

University of Reading Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6UR United Kingdom

Tel (0118) 378 7966

[email protected]/ geographyand environmentalscience

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Year 1

You will complete compulsory modules in

• Techniques in geography &

environmental science

• Foundations in

human geography

• Human geography:

principles & practice

Optional modules

• Biogeography and ecosystems

• Climatology

• Hydrology

• Geomorphology

• Environmental issues

Year 2

Compulsory modules

• Research training

for geographers

One field class from the following:

• Crete, Greece

• Naples, Italy

• Berlin, Germany

You can choose from a wide

range of optional modules

from within and outside the

Department including:

• Culture, identity & space

• Energy resources

• Growth, degrowth

and sustainability

• Languages

Year 3

Four modules from a wide range

of options to advanced level, as

well as your final year dissertation.

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE: BSc HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

SOME OF OUR MOST

POPULAR MODULES IN

RECENT YEARS INCLUDE:

• Culture and development

in Africa

• Work, employment &

development

• Consumption, globalisation

& sustainability

• International climate

change & justice

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Year 1

You will complete a compulsory module in

• Techniques in geography and


Physical Geography modules

• Climatology

• Hydrology


• Geomorphology


Optional modules

• Introduction to

Quaternary science


principles & practice

• Our dynamic planet

Year 2

Compulsory modules


for geographers &

environmental scientists or

Loddon catchment consultancy


• Crete, Greece

• Naples, Italy

• Berlin, Germany

• Almeria, Spain

You can choose from a wide range

of optional modules from within

and outside the Department

including: Monitoring the earth

from space, Web page design,

Excel data management and

geographical information systems,

Geomorphological hazards,

Biogeography & conservation,

Hydrological processes

and Languages.

Year 3




STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE: BSc PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY




Tel (0118) 378 7966


SOME OF OUR MOST

POPULAR MODULES IN


• Water resources

• Mediterranean biodiversity

field class

• Climate change

• Ecosystem modelling

• Glacial & periglacial

geomorphology

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Year 1




Optional modules

• Climatology

• Hydrology


• Geomorphology


Year 2

Compulsory modules

• Career development skill


for geographers &

environmental scientists or



• Crete, Greece

• Naples, Italy

• Berlin, Germany

• Almeria, Spain

You can choose from a wide range

of optional modules from within

and outside the Department

including, Monitoring the earth

from space, Geographies of

development, Culture, identity &

space, Geomorphological hazards,

Biogeography & conservation,

and Languages.

Year 3




STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE: BSc HUMAN AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY




Tel (0118) 378 7966


SOME OF OUR MOST

POPULAR MODULES IN


• Water resources


field class

• Climate change



geomorphology

•

BSc

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& ECONOMICS

OUR COURSE

This course allows you to explore the overlaps and differences between geographical and economic approaches to important current issues of urban and regional development. You will benefit from the teaching of a unique force of both geographers and economists working in this area.

B12542 06.15

Year 1




• Principles of microeconomics

• Principles of macroeconomics

• Mathematics for economics

Optional modules


principles and practice

• Introduction to economic

problems and institutions

• The economics of

climate change

• The economic policy of

social problems

Year 2

Compulsory modules


for geographers &

environmental scientists

• Economic analysis


• Crete, Greece

• Naples, Italy

• Berlin, Germany

Five further optional modules

between both departments.

Year 3

You will choose from a wide

range of modules from both

departments to design your own

course, as well as undertaking your

independent project.

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE: BSc GEOGRAPHY & ECONOMICS




Tel (0118) 378 7966


SOME OF OUR MOST

POPULAR MODULES IN


• Culture and development

in Africa

• Work, employment &

development

• Consumption, globalisation

& sustainability

• International climate

change & justice

BSc

EN

VIR

ON

MEN

TAL

SC

IEN

CE

B12542 06.15

Year 1




• Introduction to


• Chemistry of the earth

and environment

• Soils in the environment

Optional modules


• Our dynamic planet

• Climatology

• Hydrology

as well as options selected from

other departments, including

relevant options from Biology,

Archaeology, Rural Science and

Agriculture, Chemistry, Geography,

Meteorology and Languages.

Year 2

Compulsory modules


for geographers or


• Excel data management

• Soil ecology & functions

• Environmental chemistry

• Field class: Almeria, Spain

Optional Modules

• GIS

• Monitoring the earth from space

• Web page design

• Quaternary global

climate change

Year 3

In addition to the dissertation

you must take modules in

Environmental pollution and

Carbon and global change.

Students have a choice of

20 credits from a list of available

options including: Air pollution

effects and control, Climate

change, Preparing for floods,

and Water resources.

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE: BSc ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE




Tel (0118) 378 7966


SOME OF OUR MOST

POPULAR MODULES IN


• Water resources


field class

• Climate change



geomorphology

undergraduate geography or environmental …...undergraduate geography or environmental science why...

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