Geography, BA (Hons)

Teaching

Teaching is provided through a mixture of lectures, practicals, laboratory work, field classes and small-group supervisions. 

You will usually have 6 to 8 lectures each week, plus reading.  

You will also have around 3 supervisions every 2 weeks, where you discuss a topic beyond the material given at lectures.  

This is usually based on reading, essay writing, preparation of presentations or answering data response questions.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed through coursework and written exams at the end of each year.

You won't usually be able to resit any of your exams.

Year 1 (Part IA) 

You’ll be introduced to key themes and issues by studying 2 core papers.  

The first core paper is People, Place and the Politics of Difference, and includes topics such as: 

• globalisation 
• cultural geography 
• sustainable development 
• historical geography 
• urbanisation 
• geopolitics 
• uneven economies and inequality 
• health and disease 

The second recent paper on Environmental Processes and Change included topics such as: 

• tectonics and volcanism 
• coastal processes 
• glacial processes 
• Quaternary climate change 
• biogeography 
• atmosphere and climate 

You will also go to a range of lectures and lab classes, both physical and computer-based, that will introduce you to geographical research skills across the subject.   

Year 2 (Part IB)  

You take a compulsory paper: 

• Living with Global Change 

This paper examines key concepts and current issues in geography. It is usually based around the theme of geographical risk, but the focus varies from year-to-year. 

You also start to specialise and take 3 papers from a choice of 6.  

Papers change year-to-year. Recent examples include: 

• Inequality 
• Development Theories, Policies and Practices 
• Citizenship, Cities and Civil Society 
• Glacial Processes 
• Biogeography 
• Quaternary Climates and Environments 

You will also do project work involving field, lab and computer skills and techniques.  

Projects vary according to which you papers you choose. 

Everyone has to take a paper in quantitative methods. 

You will also take part in field classes of 5 to 8 days. These trips usually include a mix of different types of geography. They’ll help you to develop knowledge and skills for your dissertation.  

Year 3 (Part II) 

You can choose to specialise further or keep a balance across the subject as a whole.

You take 4 papers from a choice of 13. Papers on offer vary each year, but recent examples include:

• Global Urbanism 
• Work and Employment 
• Political Ecology 
• Biogeography 
• Glaciology 
• Postcolonialism and Decoloniality 
• Geographies of the Arctic 
• Environmental Knowledges 
• Volcanology 
• Legal Geographies 
• Geographies of Food and Power 
• Demographic Continuity and Change 
• Life within Limits 
• Landscape and Power 

You also submit a dissertation of 10,000 words on a topic of your choice.  

Planning for the dissertation starts in the second year. Data is usually collected in the summer between your second and third year, with analysis during the third year. 

For further information about this course and the papers you can take see the Department of Geography website. 

Changing course

It’s really important to think carefully about which course you want to study before you apply. 

In rare cases, it may be possible to change course once you’ve joined the University. You will usually have to get agreement from your College and the relevant departments. It’s not guaranteed that your course change will be approved.

You might also have to:

• take part in an interview
• complete an admissions test
• produce some written work
• achieve a particular grade in your current studies
• do some catch-up work
• start your new course from the beginning 

For more information visit the Department website.

You can also apply to change to:

• Management Studies at the Judge Business School

You can't apply to this course until you're at Cambridge. You would usually apply when you have completed one year or more of your original Cambridge course.

You should contact your College’s Admissions Office if you’re thinking of changing your course. They will be able to give you advice and explain how changing courses works.