Brayford Pool
4 years
F802
From climate change to health inequalities, and from food security to natural hazards and disasters, geography is at the heart of many of humanity's greatest challenges. At Lincoln, we believe that meeting these challenges requires a focus on the unity of geography to understand the links between humanity and the environments we inhabit - a theme that runs through our teaching and research.
MGeog Physical Geography explores environmental change and sustainability from local to global scales. We encourage students to develop the analytical, critical, and collaborative skills needed to work across broad interdisciplinary issues. We focus on the unity of geography emphasising the links between human and physical geography as an integrative subject. Physical geography provides the intellectual tools necessary to understand the relationship between human society and its environment, and the issues that challenge our future.
This course is designed to deepen students' understanding and appreciation of geography. Students can develop a cutting-edge skill set by using the latest geographical technologies to tackle real-world problems and by applying their learning to contemporary global challenges. A belief in the importance of interdisciplinary knowledge to address major issues is at the heart of our approach.
This MGeog programme allows students to further their expertise in a chosen area of Geography and to develop their understanding of geographical debates in the context of other disciplines. It focuses on advanced geographical skills, exposing students to contemporary interdisciplinary debates at the cutting-edge of the field, and enables students to pursue their research interests by completing an original research project that they report in a journal-style article.
Subject area ranked top 20 overall in the UK*
A range of optional modules
Complete an original research project
Placement opportunities with leading public and private sector organisations
Opportunities to undertake field work in the UK and abroad
Links with local industry and environmental regulatory agencies
*Guardian University Guide 2024 (out of 66 ranking institutions)
At Lincoln we believe in the 'Student as Producer' ethos, which encourages a collaborative approach between academics and undergraduates in all aspects of learning. Many of our Department of Geography academics are highly experienced researchers and lecturers investigating key issues in development and change across the spectrum of human, environmental, and physical geography.
In the first year, BA and BSc Geography students follow the same curriculum. This introduces the key concepts and skills required for a 21st Century geographer, creating an interdisciplinary foundation upon which they can build.
In the second- and third-years, students may have the opportunity to study a range of exciting topics including development studies, health geography, rural societies, and environmental management, alongside elements of physical geography within the context of a broad interdisciplinary approach.
Our modules enable students to develop skills in research, fieldwork, modelling, and data analysis. Our students may have opportunities to practice and refine their skills through projects, fieldwork in both domestic and overseas locations, and work placement activities.
During the degree students will be taught in many different formats, including lectures, seminars, small group tutorials, practical teaching of data collection and analytical techniques through field classes, as well as group project work under close supervision.
The fourth year supports students to take ownership of their studies and develop their own unique approach to geography. The year is heavily research-focused and designed to allow students to produce research that they carry out under staff supervision alongside taught modules to further develop as a postgraduate geographer. Taught modules currently focus on advanced research methods, contemporary interdisciplinary debates in geography, and foundational stages of research. Students will also be expected to develop presentation and communication skills related to research dissemination and public understanding, leading to enhanced understanding of social and environmental challenges.
During the degree students develop many core transferable skills including data analysis, field and laboratory work, working with practitioners in placements, undertaking and presenting research, and working with Geographical Information Systems (GIS). This aims to help students apply geographical knowledge to real-world settings and put theory into practice to address today's global challenges.
The aim of this module is to teach students the fundamental theory and practical applications of Earth observation (remote sensing) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Geospatial technologies (involving remote sensing and GIS) have changed the way businesses and policymakers solve problems and the way scientists understand Earth system processes and hazards. These technologies are routinely used by people in their work and their daily life (e.g. via Google Earth).
This module aims to introduce students to some of the important sources of geospatial data and the technologies underpinning them, and will highlight ways in which they are used both within geographical science and more widely. In addition students can gain hands-on, skills-based experience in processing and analysing data using GIS and Remote Sensing software. These are vital tools that will enable students to more rigorously assess the safety and health of the inhabited Earth.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to how geographical knowledge is created, developed, communicated, and applied to students' careers, and to local and global challenges.
Students will engage with a series of weekly sessions that focus on key skills and knowledge that students will require throughout their degree. Students will be introduced to the tools required to search and evaluate academic literature relevant to their studies, the philosophical constructs around which geographical knowledge is based, and how to effectively communicate using approaches that they will encounter during their degrees, such as essay writing, report writing, posters and presentations.
Certain forces are shaping the structure of human populations and societies in the 21st century. The aim of this module is to help students gain foundational understanding of these different forces as well as their effects on human population structure. Students will get an opportunity to explore different aspects of population dynamics across developed and developing societies. From this quantitative starting point, students will be progressed into qualitative exploration of different place identities and attachments, cultural changes, and representations of places at a global scale. Teaching sessions will focus on people, their individual and collective characteristics, spatial distributions, and the undercurrents that account for these spatial patterns. In a broad sense, the module reflects the diversity of geography and it is closely aligned to spatial demography. Consequently, in addition to gaining insights into theoretical basis of population geography, students will also be exposed to the technical foundations of demographic data analysis through hands-on software training.
This module uses the “laboratory” of the local environment to study global issues related to social and environmental justice within the University’s “local to global” remit. Local fieldwork introduces students to contemporary issues in the social and natural environment through in-depth studies. We visit three nearby environments: the urban, rural and coastal, and will study environmental hazards, social-economic geographies and ecosystem sustainability, as well as the interactions between these processes.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the links between ecosystems and human health. The module focuses heavily on the role of human activities in changing ecosystems, covering aspects of human impacts on ecosystems as well as policy and regulatory actions to improve and safeguard vital ecosystems. Impacts are assessed in terms of both human and wider environmental factors such as quality of life and access to safe and healthy resources as well as biodiversity, landscape assets and climate resilience. Local and global case studies will be drawn to assess issues such as the sustainable design of built environments, sustainable approaches to waste management and threats linked to overconsumption of natural resources and excess pollution. By exploring a range of relevant case studies we will question assumptions about environmental/ecosystem interactions and equip students with the necessary critical knowledge and overview for deriving real-world solutions to a representative range of current environmental problems.
The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to the general principles of physical geography for students with diverse backgrounds. Using a systems-based approach to physical geography, four environmental systems will be examined: geosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
The final part of the module will consider the interactions between physical systems and also the causes and consequences of system change, such as climate change, over time and space. The occurrence and impacts of some key natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and droughts) will also be considered, which will facilitate an improved appreciation of the safety and health of the environment.
This module will examine the environmental changes, particularly climate, at global, regional, and local scales of the past and present. Students will gain an understanding of these changes and processes that have implications for past, and present climate and environments. The first part of this module will cover climate and environmental change over the last 2.6 million years of Earth’s history (Quaternary period). Students will gain knowledge in how natural variability can be distinguished from human activity, and the contribution of both observational analysis and modelling to understand environmental change. The second part of this module will give students an understanding of global climatology and meteorology on contemporary (present-day) timescales. It covers the main characteristics of, and processes behind, climate and weather from global through regional to local scales.
A field excursion, practicals and seminar sessions will provide tools and techniques to investigate climatology and Quaternary science. The critical appraisal collected field and practical datasets will develop students’ critical thinking and analysis skills of past, and present climate and environmental change.
The ability to model the behaviour of natural and human systems, and their interaction, is an increasingly vital tool in understanding both these systems and the consequence of changes such as population growth or climate change; it is therefore essential for assessing the safety and health of the inhabited Earth. This module uses lectures and computer practicals to introduce the numerical modelling of geographical processes and systems. The science and art of model formulation, construction, and testing will be covered in detail. Students will use a number of specially-written models from various areas of physical and human geography.
This module equips students with highly employable data analysis skills which they will use both in their studies and their careers beyond. Students will learn from a lectures series and accompanying practical classes. As part of the module students will deliver a project related to real-world geographical problems.
Modern societal development has created new exposures and risks to such hazards that are not fully understood, or may be perceived in different ways – even within the same community. Such vulnerabilities are often only brought into view in the aftermath of a disaster, when losses of life, capital and livelihoods have already occurred, making it vital to assess the physical and social dimensions of hazards in order to increase preparedness. This module is focused around a field-week that will explore the theme of hazards and their relationship to society from both an environmental and human standpoint. This interdisciplinary perspective on hazards and society will offer new insights into the challenges facing contemporary societies in a specific region, while also providing insight into the opportunities offered by geographical research. An overriding aim of the module is to understand how various forms of geographical knowledge can better prepare us for the challenges of environmental hazards and global change more broadly. The aim of this module is to provide experience in practising ‘real’ geography through field exercises, data collection and interpretation, and presentation of data. The field course in this module will strengthen students’ ability to identify research problems, design and execute data collection strategies, and present well-reasoned and coherent interpretations of findings.
This module uses the concepts surrounding environmental health to introduce students to a wide range of critical environmental issues facing the world today. Using a range of global and regional environmental problems, incorporating case studies on climate change, natural resources, land-use change and agriculture, pollution, degradation and threats to environments, ecosystems, and society. Students will critically explore the causes, consequences, and impacts of humans on environmental health issues, as well as learn how to question assumptions about the underlying processes.
Independent research is a valuable skill in geography and prized by employers. In this module you learn how to conduct independent research by undertaking a series of research projects including using laboratory and fieldwork-based techniques. These will teach you the theory and philosophy behind physical geographical research. By the end of the module you will create and interrogate your own dataset to develop your own understanding of an environmental problem.
This module introduces the key concepts of biogeography and planetary health. The aim of the module is to develop students’ understanding of the impacts of climatic- and human-induced changes on the distribution and functioning of biomes and terrestrial ecosystems. The module consists of three broad themes. The first theme consists of an introduction to the course and examples of human and climate-induced change from a local to global context. The second part covers the techniques that are used to monitor and quantify ecosystem health and predict changes in current ecosystem patterns. The final theme of the module covers the implication of these changes and strategies to mitigate or cope with these changes.
The Level 2 placement provides students with the opportunity to develop their professional skills by spending one day a week along the semester with a relevant local employer. Tasks will be developed to give the student an insight into the professional working environment in the wider field of geography. Students will then prepare an essay on their professional learning experience, with reflections on how elements of the Geography syllabus relate to at least one core area of their work experience. The Department of Geography works with an established network of local employers that offer placements on regular basis, and an experienced Placement Officer who can help students find a relevant organisation for their placement.
The School believes that an option to study overseas is a valuable educational opportunity for our students. Provision of this option supports the educational aims of the School of Geography and enhances the distinctiveness of its degrees at Lincoln. The optional year is intended to:
- enable students to benefit from studying within a cross cultural environment;
- expose students to a wider academic and cultural experience;
- enhance their future employment opportunities;
- by increasing their cultural and professional mobility.
This module is optional for students within the School. Study Abroad is a year long module which enables students to spend a year studying abroad at one of the University’s approved partner institutions. Eligible students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard and successfully completed the application process for the year abroad.
During the year spent abroad, students share classes with local students and study on a suite of locally-delivered taught modules which have been approved in advance by the University. Upon their return, as part of the assessment for this modules, students are required to critically reflect upon their experience of living and studying in a different cultural environment and the skills acquired.
This module will give students an advanced understanding of (1) catchment hydrology, including ecohydrology, and hydrological responses of catchments to climate and land use changes, with an emphasis on global challenges of water resources management, and (2) theoretical background of fluvial geomorphology and morphodynamics, including river and flood management strategies. The first part of the module covers global hydrology, including consideration of the physical characteristics of rivers and their geographical variation, and related aspects of river-catchment science and the role of the water resources in the wider environmental system. The second part focuses on the geomorphology of catchment and river systems, and the expected changes that river ecosystems are likely to experience under the influence of direct anthropogenic perturbations and global change.
This module examines the physical, social and political characteristics, and the physical causes, of natural and anthropogenic climate change. These key themes will be explored in terms of how society has responded to the physical processes and impacts of climate.
This module will focus on the processes governing coastal systems, including river mouth systems, coastal wetlands and open coasts, the ecosystem services that they deliver, and the expected changes that coastal systems are likely experience under the influence of climate change and increasing anthropogenic influences. The theoretical background knowledge on coastal systems, their exposure to global change, as well as mitigation and adaptation strategies will be complemented by hands-on practical sessions, including the use of state-of-the-art computer models and seminar discussions on contemporary debates around coastal processes and management. A particular emphasis of this module will be on developing an in-depth understanding of how coastal systems may help coastal communities to adapt to climate change, an approach that is widely referred to as ecosystem-based management.
This module examines a range of interdisciplinary environmental management techniques that are used to address critical environmental, human and planetary health issues. Students will gain an understanding of the most appropriate techniques and solutions using a range of global, regional and local environmental case studies. There is a strong emphasis on practice-based skills with guest lectures from practitioners in the field, practical and seminar classes. An innovative assessment will give students the opportunity to be involved in actively influencing sustainable behaviour in the younger generation and giving them a chance to become the ‘teacher’. This approach is especially useful in the third year as it exposes students to a wide range of career options in environmental science management and policy/regulation.
The Dissertation is an extended piece of original research work on a geographical topic of students' own choice that is carried out under the guidance of a staff mentor. It allows students to draw together and build on the skills and subject expertise they have developed throughout their time at University. Students will be expected to either collect original material for investigation and/or to carry out original analysis of secondary data. Students' allocated supervisor will guide and advise them in their work.
This module will consider human-caused environmental change that affects a substantial part of the globe and biological systems. Biological responses to these human induced changes will be considered in terms of how organisms, species, and communities may acclimatise, adapt, or change. Specifically, we will consider how organisms can respond genetically and phenotypically, and how and why communities may change in their species and functional composition. After consolidating understanding of the causes of, and biological responses to, global change, we will consider what these impacts mean for ecosystem structure and function, the development of novel ecosystems, and approaches for conservation and ecosystem management under global change. This module will cover a range of differing causes of global change e.g. biological invasions or urbanisation, but content will be flexible to remain relevant to current and emerging challenges.
This module will put into practice knowledge gained in previous modules, and - by focusing on the physical and human processes that have shaped the environment and will influence future change - it will provide experience of process interpretation and understanding in an unfamiliar setting. The module is designed to allow students to work within an overseas environment and carry out a study that will result in the design, implementation, and production of a research report that is mainly based on student-led fieldwork. Introductory lecture sessions will take place in Lincoln prior to fieldwork.
Knowledge and understanding on the actual field class can be gained via enquiry-based learning, followed by group/individual data collection and follow-up analysis, set in the context of wider research, and student-centred research presentations. Follow-up sessions will provide the opportunity to analyse and create a written presentation of research findings.
Currently, the Overseas fieldwork module takes place in Chile, although this is subject to change. Students who choose to participate in the optional field trip are responsible for covering their travel to the site.
On this placement, students are expected to carry out a specific project for an external organisation. The project would be agreed between the Host Organisation, School of Geography Supervisor and Student prior to the commencement of the placement. The student would be expected to undertake a specific project task to address a particular requirement of the Host Organisation. This might include consultancy research, analytical research, public engagement or the development of a new teaching class/activity. The approach, outcome and an evaluation of the project should be presented in the form of a professional report and oral presentation.
This module provides a critical insight into the study of the biological diversity of soils, including their ecological and functional roles, to understand about best management and conservation practices. Students can learn about key issues affecting important soil processes and the methods for measuring and managing soil biodiversity.
Planetary health is a relatively new idea that emphasises the connection of human, animal, and environmental health. Planetary health, defined as the status of human civilization and the natural systems on which it depends, draws urgent attention to our planet's severe destruction as a barrier to human progress. The notion focuses on reversing this trend by better combining human demands with environmental preservation in order to ensure future generations' health and well-being. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary, cross-sector, and cross-border strategy to changing mindsets and behaviours at all levels, from global to local, will be required. In a broad this module reflects this cross-sectoral thinking by interrogating health impacts of the abundance and distribution of species, food systems, biogeochemical flows, land use, natural disasters, urbanisation and water scarcity.
Humans are currently the dominant drivers of Earth’s changes, and a sustainable future can only be shaped from a full understanding of the causes and effects of anthropogenic climate and environmental change at a range of spatial scales. This module provides a framework to understand the context for current and historical environmental changes taking place within the Earth system. The module will place the Anthropocene within the context of past environmental changes, explore the extent of human disturbances and impacts across the Earth system, and examine possibilities of mitigation and adaptation to these changes. The module will inform students of the variety of methods used to derive information on past, current and future changes to Earth’s environmental and hydrological regimes, in order to quantity their magnitude, extent and significance.
The research projects run over the summer, although elements of them are likely to take place in the second term (research plan and literature review). Students are able to choose a research topic from a very broad spectrum of options, primarily linked to the research focuses of the teaching staff. Supervisors of the projects will provide outline projects but students will also have the opportunity to develop their research projects in specific directions relating to their individual interests
The module focuses on the development of transferable skills that are applicable both professionally and to research projects, within the programme of study and beyond. The skills will be relevant to the broad life and environmental sciences and will allow students to strengthen their proficiency primarily in these areas: scientific writing and communication skills, research data analysis and presentation, professional and career skills.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
The aim of this module is to teach students the fundamental theory and practical applications of Earth observation (remote sensing) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Geospatial technologies (involving remote sensing and GIS) have changed the way businesses and policymakers solve problems and the way scientists understand Earth system processes and hazards. These technologies are routinely used by people in their work and their daily life (e.g. via Google Earth).
This module aims to introduce students to some of the important sources of geospatial data and the technologies underpinning them, and will highlight ways in which they are used both within geographical science and more widely. In addition students can gain hands-on, skills-based experience in processing and analysing data using GIS and Remote Sensing software. These are vital tools that will enable students to more rigorously assess the safety and health of the inhabited Earth.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to how geographical knowledge is created, developed, communicated, and applied to students' careers, and to local and global challenges.
Students will engage with a series of weekly sessions that focus on key skills and knowledge that students will require throughout their degree. Students will be introduced to the tools required to search and evaluate academic literature relevant to their studies, the philosophical constructs around which geographical knowledge is based, and how to effectively communicate using approaches that they will encounter during their degrees, such as essay writing, report writing, posters and presentations.
Certain forces are shaping the structure of human populations and societies in the 21st century. The aim of this module is to help students gain foundational understanding of these different forces as well as their effects on human population structure. Students will get an opportunity to explore different aspects of population dynamics across developed and developing societies. From this quantitative starting point, students will be progressed into qualitative exploration of different place identities and attachments, cultural changes, and representations of places at a global scale. Teaching sessions will focus on people, their individual and collective characteristics, spatial distributions, and the undercurrents that account for these spatial patterns. In a broad sense, the module reflects the diversity of geography and it is closely aligned to spatial demography. Consequently, in addition to gaining insights into theoretical basis of population geography, students will also be exposed to the technical foundations of demographic data analysis through hands-on software training.
This module uses the “laboratory” of the local environment to study global issues related to social and environmental justice within the University’s “local to global” remit. Local fieldwork introduces students to contemporary issues in the social and natural environment through in-depth studies. We visit three nearby environments: the urban, rural and coastal, and will study environmental hazards, social-economic geographies and ecosystem sustainability, as well as the interactions between these processes.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the links between ecosystems and human health. The module focuses heavily on the role of human activities in changing ecosystems, covering aspects of human impacts on ecosystems as well as policy and regulatory actions to improve and safeguard vital ecosystems. Impacts are assessed in terms of both human and wider environmental factors such as quality of life and access to safe and healthy resources as well as biodiversity, landscape assets and climate resilience. Local and global case studies will be drawn to assess issues such as the sustainable design of built environments, sustainable approaches to waste management and threats linked to overconsumption of natural resources and excess pollution. By exploring a range of relevant case studies we will question assumptions about environmental/ecosystem interactions and equip students with the necessary critical knowledge and overview for deriving real-world solutions to a representative range of current environmental problems.
The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to the general principles of physical geography for students with diverse backgrounds. Using a systems-based approach to physical geography, four environmental systems will be examined: geosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
The final part of the module will consider the interactions between physical systems and also the causes and consequences of system change, such as climate change, over time and space. The occurrence and impacts of some key natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and droughts) will also be considered, which will facilitate an improved appreciation of the safety and health of the environment.
This module will examine the environmental changes, particularly climate, at global, regional, and local scales of the past and present. Students will gain an understanding of these changes and processes that have implications for past, and present climate and environments. The first part of this module will cover climate and environmental change over the last 2.6 million years of Earth’s history (Quaternary period). Students will gain knowledge in how natural variability can be distinguished from human activity, and the contribution of both observational analysis and modelling to understand environmental change. The second part of this module will give students an understanding of global climatology and meteorology on contemporary (present-day) timescales. It covers the main characteristics of, and processes behind, climate and weather from global through regional to local scales.
A field excursion, practicals and seminar sessions will provide tools and techniques to investigate climatology and Quaternary science. The critical appraisal collected field and practical datasets will develop students’ critical thinking and analysis skills of past, and present climate and environmental change.
Data-centric skills are crucial for any life scientist undertaking any form of data collection, management, visualisation, and/or analysis. This module introduces students to skills in data storage, handling, and manipulation; understanding different data types; visualising data; fitting statistical and analytical models; interpreting and reporting statistical and analytical results; and using these skills in experimental designs. In the age of information, computational skills are becoming ever more relevant, and this module will hone different computational skills. All these skills can aid students in undertaking future research projects, including the third-year honours project.
The ability to model the behaviour of natural and human systems, and their interaction, is an increasingly vital tool in understanding both these systems and the consequence of changes such as population growth or climate change; it is therefore essential for assessing the safety and health of the inhabited Earth. This module uses lectures and computer practicals to introduce the numerical modelling of geographical processes and systems. The science and art of model formulation, construction, and testing will be covered in detail. Students will use a number of specially-written models from various areas of physical and human geography.
Modern societal development has created new exposures and risks to such hazards that are not fully understood, or may be perceived in different ways – even within the same community. Such vulnerabilities are often only brought into view in the aftermath of a disaster, when losses of life, capital and livelihoods have already occurred, making it vital to assess the physical and social dimensions of hazards in order to increase preparedness. This module is focused around a field-week that will explore the theme of hazards and their relationship to society from both an environmental and human standpoint. This interdisciplinary perspective on hazards and society will offer new insights into the challenges facing contemporary societies in a specific region, while also providing insight into the opportunities offered by geographical research. An overriding aim of the module is to understand how various forms of geographical knowledge can better prepare us for the challenges of environmental hazards and global change more broadly. The aim of this module is to provide experience in practising ‘real’ geography through field exercises, data collection and interpretation, and presentation of data. The field course in this module will strengthen students’ ability to identify research problems, design and execute data collection strategies, and present well-reasoned and coherent interpretations of findings.
This module uses the concepts surrounding environmental health to introduce students to a wide range of critical environmental issues facing the world today. Using a range of global and regional environmental problems, incorporating case studies on climate change, natural resources, land-use change and agriculture, pollution, degradation and threats to environments, ecosystems, and society. Students will critically explore the causes, consequences, and impacts of humans on environmental health issues, as well as learn how to question assumptions about the underlying processes.
Independent research is a valuable skill in geography and prized by employers. In this module you learn how to conduct independent research by undertaking a series of research projects including using laboratory and fieldwork-based techniques. These will teach you the theory and philosophy behind physical geographical research. By the end of the module you will create and interrogate your own dataset to develop your own understanding of an environmental problem.
This module introduces the key concepts of biogeography and planetary health. The aim of the module is to develop students’ understanding of the impacts of climatic- and human-induced changes on the distribution and functioning of biomes and terrestrial ecosystems. The module consists of three broad themes. The first theme consists of an introduction to the course and examples of human and climate-induced change from a local to global context. The second part covers the techniques that are used to monitor and quantify ecosystem health and predict changes in current ecosystem patterns. The final theme of the module covers the implication of these changes and strategies to mitigate or cope with these changes.
The Level 2 placement provides students with the opportunity to develop their professional skills by spending one day a week along the semester with a relevant local employer. Tasks will be developed to give the student an insight into the professional working environment in the wider field of geography. Students will then prepare an essay on their professional learning experience, with reflections on how elements of the Geography syllabus relate to at least one core area of their work experience. The Department of Geography works with an established network of local employers that offer placements on regular basis, and an experienced Placement Officer who can help students find a relevant organisation for their placement.
The School believes that an option to study overseas is a valuable educational opportunity for our students. Provision of this option supports the educational aims of the School of Geography and enhances the distinctiveness of its degrees at Lincoln. The optional year is intended to:
- enable students to benefit from studying within a cross cultural environment;
- expose students to a wider academic and cultural experience;
- enhance their future employment opportunities;
- by increasing their cultural and professional mobility.
This module is optional for students within the School. Study Abroad is a year long module which enables students to spend a year studying abroad at one of the University’s approved partner institutions. Eligible students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard and successfully completed the application process for the year abroad.
During the year spent abroad, students share classes with local students and study on a suite of locally-delivered taught modules which have been approved in advance by the University. Upon their return, as part of the assessment for this modules, students are required to critically reflect upon their experience of living and studying in a different cultural environment and the skills acquired.
This module will give students an advanced understanding of (1) catchment hydrology, including ecohydrology, and hydrological responses of catchments to climate and land use changes, with an emphasis on global challenges of water resources management, and (2) theoretical background of fluvial geomorphology and morphodynamics, including river and flood management strategies. The first part of the module covers global hydrology, including consideration of the physical characteristics of rivers and their geographical variation, and related aspects of river-catchment science and the role of the water resources in the wider environmental system. The second part focuses on the geomorphology of catchment and river systems, and the expected changes that river ecosystems are likely to experience under the influence of direct anthropogenic perturbations and global change.
This module examines the physical, social and political characteristics, and the physical causes, of natural and anthropogenic climate change. These key themes will be explored in terms of how society has responded to the physical processes and impacts of climate.
This module will focus on the processes governing coastal systems, including river mouth systems, coastal wetlands and open coasts, the ecosystem services that they deliver, and the expected changes that coastal systems are likely experience under the influence of climate change and increasing anthropogenic influences. The theoretical background knowledge on coastal systems, their exposure to global change, as well as mitigation and adaptation strategies will be complemented by hands-on practical sessions, including the use of state-of-the-art computer models and seminar discussions on contemporary debates around coastal processes and management. A particular emphasis of this module will be on developing an in-depth understanding of how coastal systems may help coastal communities to adapt to climate change, an approach that is widely referred to as ecosystem-based management.
This module examines a range of interdisciplinary environmental management techniques that are used to address critical environmental, human and planetary health issues. Students will gain an understanding of the most appropriate techniques and solutions using a range of global, regional and local environmental case studies. There is a strong emphasis on practice-based skills with guest lectures from practitioners in the field, practical and seminar classes. An innovative assessment will give students the opportunity to be involved in actively influencing sustainable behaviour in the younger generation and giving them a chance to become the ‘teacher’. This approach is especially useful in the third year as it exposes students to a wide range of career options in environmental science management and policy/regulation.
The Dissertation is an extended piece of original research work on a geographical topic of students' own choice that is carried out under the guidance of a staff mentor. It allows students to draw together and build on the skills and subject expertise they have developed throughout their time at University. Students will be expected to either collect original material for investigation and/or to carry out original analysis of secondary data. Students' allocated supervisor will guide and advise them in their work.
This module will consider human-caused environmental change that affects a substantial part of the globe and biological systems. Biological responses to these human induced changes will be considered in terms of how organisms, species, and communities may acclimatise, adapt, or change. Specifically, we will consider how organisms can respond genetically and phenotypically, and how and why communities may change in their species and functional composition. After consolidating understanding of the causes of, and biological responses to, global change, we will consider what these impacts mean for ecosystem structure and function, the development of novel ecosystems, and approaches for conservation and ecosystem management under global change. This module will cover a range of differing causes of global change e.g. biological invasions or urbanisation, but content will be flexible to remain relevant to current and emerging challenges.
This module will put into practice knowledge gained in previous modules, and - by focusing on the physical and human processes that have shaped the environment and will influence future change - it will provide experience of process interpretation and understanding in an unfamiliar setting. The module is designed to allow students to work within an overseas environment and carry out a study that will result in the design, implementation, and production of a research report that is mainly based on student-led fieldwork. Introductory lecture sessions will take place in Lincoln prior to fieldwork.
Knowledge and understanding on the actual field class can be gained via enquiry-based learning, followed by group/individual data collection and follow-up analysis, set in the context of wider research, and student-centred research presentations. Follow-up sessions will provide the opportunity to analyse and create a written presentation of research findings.
Currently, the Overseas fieldwork module takes place in Chile, although this is subject to change. Students who choose to participate in the optional field trip are responsible for covering their travel to the site.
On this placement, students are expected to carry out a specific project for an external organisation. The project would be agreed between the Host Organisation, School of Geography Supervisor and Student prior to the commencement of the placement. The student would be expected to undertake a specific project task to address a particular requirement of the Host Organisation. This might include consultancy research, analytical research, public engagement or the development of a new teaching class/activity. The approach, outcome and an evaluation of the project should be presented in the form of a professional report and oral presentation.
This module provides a critical insight into the study of the biological diversity of soils, including their ecological and functional roles, to understand about best management and conservation practices. Students can learn about key issues affecting important soil processes and the methods for measuring and managing soil biodiversity.
Planetary health is a relatively new idea that emphasises the connection of human, animal, and environmental health. Planetary health, defined as the status of human civilization and the natural systems on which it depends, draws urgent attention to our planet's severe destruction as a barrier to human progress. The notion focuses on reversing this trend by better combining human demands with environmental preservation in order to ensure future generations' health and well-being. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary, cross-sector, and cross-border strategy to changing mindsets and behaviours at all levels, from global to local, will be required. In a broad this module reflects this cross-sectoral thinking by interrogating health impacts of the abundance and distribution of species, food systems, biogeochemical flows, land use, natural disasters, urbanisation and water scarcity.
Humans are currently the dominant drivers of Earth’s changes, and a sustainable future can only be shaped from a full understanding of the causes and effects of anthropogenic climate and environmental change at a range of spatial scales. This module provides a framework to understand the context for current and historical environmental changes taking place within the Earth system. The module will place the Anthropocene within the context of past environmental changes, explore the extent of human disturbances and impacts across the Earth system, and examine possibilities of mitigation and adaptation to these changes. The module will inform students of the variety of methods used to derive information on past, current and future changes to Earth’s environmental and hydrological regimes, in order to quantity their magnitude, extent and significance.
The research projects run over the summer, although elements of them are likely to take place in the second term (research plan and literature review). Students are able to choose a research topic from a very broad spectrum of options, primarily linked to the research focuses of the teaching staff. Supervisors of the projects will provide outline projects but students will also have the opportunity to develop their research projects in specific directions relating to their individual interests
The module focuses on the development of transferable skills that are applicable both professionally and to research projects, within the programme of study and beyond. The skills will be relevant to the broad life and environmental sciences and will allow students to strengthen their proficiency primarily in these areas: scientific writing and communication skills, research data analysis and presentation, professional and career skills.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
Students are able to develop workplace-relevant skills through a diverse range of assessments including reports, policy briefs, short and long essays, presentations, blogs, field diaries, and podcasts alongside in-class tests and examinations.
Group and individual assessments are used throughout the programme. Students are given feedback in all of their assessments which are graded using pre-defined marking criteria available to all students. The Department of Geography provides individual and small group support to students through our tutorial system and scheduled 'open office hours'.
Our students benefit from a wide range of fieldwork destinations both in the UK and overseas to support the development of key skills in gathering, collating, and analysing quantitative and qualitative data. In the first and second-year, fieldwork is a core subject and has been previously conducted at the coast of Lincolnshire and the Greek island of Crete. Costs of these compulsory trips are covered by the University. In the third year, we offer an optional trip that in previous years took place in central and southern Chile, and should students choose to participate, they may be responsible for covering their travel, accommodation, and general living costs.
Research is essential in informing our teaching and each of our academics is passionate about research. Most geography academics are part of the Climate, Catchments, Coasts and Communities Research Group (C4RG). Our students have the chance to encounter authentic research at all levels — either through their own activities or through the teaching staff sharing experiences from their own research. Wider opportunities to engage in research are provided through guest lectures within the course, working closely with the Lincoln branch of the Geographical Association externally, and engaging in research projects with staff.
Geography is an ideal subject to study for understanding how to address major environmental and social challenges such as the climate crisis, and also for picking up vital work skills.
Professor Edward Hanna
Professor of Climate Science and Meteorology
The Department of Geography offers opportunities to gain valuable work experience with partners in industry, schools, and public sector organisations. These include an optional placement consultancy module in the third year, enabling students to practice and develop a wide range of skills and expertise of relevance to the workplace whilst also building invaluable career networks. The Department works with a dedicated placement officer to support students in placement and consultancy opportunities.
Students can also elect to work for a full year placement as part of a sandwich year option. A Placement Year Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and beyond. Students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs.
We also have exchange agreements with selected overseas universities to enable students to spend a full year study abroad as part of their degree. A Study Abroad Tuition Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and be-yond. No extra tuition fee is payable to the host university, but students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs.
From the first year, there may be opportunities to attend lectures from people whose careers are built on geographical skills and knowledge. The Department of Geography also works closely with the University Careers and Employability Team to promote the Lincoln Award, an initiative designed to enhance employability skills.
Geography graduates are in high demand across a wide range of professions and organisations. Our graduates can progress onto careers in areas including local government, health and social care planning, urban planning, teaching, environmental consultancy, and environmental management. The Department's links with industry, business, and environmental regulatory agencies provide valuable opportunities for internships and work experience.
112 to 120 UCAS Tariff points.
This must be achieved from a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications, to include 40 points from Geography or related subject. For example:
A Level: BBC to BBB to include a Grade B in Geography or related subject:
(History, English, Economics, Sociology, a modern Language, Psychology, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Geology)
BTEC Extended Diploma in Geography or a related subject: DDM
(Applied Science, Computing, Engineering, Environmental Sustainability, Information Technology, Pharmaceutical Science)
(Please include units on application)
T Level in Science, Agriculture, Land Management and Production are accepted: Merit Overall
(Health or Health Science not accepted)
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 112 to 120 UCAS points to be achieved from 45 Level 3 credits, including 40 points from 15 credits in Geography or a related subject (from the fields of History, Philosophy, Theology, Languages, Literature, Culture or Social Sciences, Information, Communications and Technology, Science and Mathematics or Agriculture, Horticultures and Animal Care)
International Baccalaureate: 30 points overall to include a Higher Level in Geography or related subject: (from the fields of the Arts, studies in Language and Literature, Sciences, Mathematics or Individuals and Societies)
GCSE's: Minimum of three at grade 4 or above, which must include English and Maths. Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
We may also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
EU and Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-sessional English and Academic Study Skills courses.
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
Please note application assessment criteria may vary by country and we may close to applications from some domiciles. Please view the Your Country pages of our website before making an application.
112 to 120 UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications, to include 40 points from Geography or a related subject. History, English, Economics, Sociology, a modern language, Psychology, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics are accepted.
If you are eligible for a contextual offer, a one grade or 8 UCAS Tariff point reduction to the standard entry requirements will be applied. Subject specific requirements will still be required as part of the standard entry criteria.
A Level: BBC to include a Grade B in Geography or a related subject. History, English, Economics, Sociology, a modern language, Psychology, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics are accepted.
BTEC Extended Diploma in Geography or related subject: DDM
Applied Science, Computing, Engineering, Environmental Sustainability, Information Technology, Pharmaceutical Science are accepted.
We will accept a Pearson Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National (equivalent to 1 A Level) in Medical Science or Applied Science to meet the subject specific requirement: Merit
T Level in Science, Agriculture or Land Management and Production: Merit Overall
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 120 UCAS points to be achieved from 45 Level 3 credits, including 40 points from 15 credits in Geography or a related subjects.
History, Philosophy, Theology, Languages, Literature, Culture or Social Sciences, Information, Communications and Technology, Science and Mathematics or Agriculture, Horticultures and Animal Care accepted.
International Baccalaureate: 30 points overall to include a Higher Level in Higher Level 5 in Geography or related subject. Arts, studies in Language and Literature, Sciences, Mathematics or Individuals and Societies are accepted.
GCSEs: Minimum of three at grade 4 or above, which must include English and Maths. Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
We may also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
EU and Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-sessional English and Academic Study Skills courses.
For applicants who do not meet our standard entry requirements, our Science Foundation Year can provide an alternative route of entry onto our full degree programmes:
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/course/sfysfyub/lifesciences/
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
Please note application assessment criteria may vary by country and we may close to applications from some domiciles. Please view the Your Country pages of our website before making an application.
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
The best way to find out what it is really like to live and learn at Lincoln is to visit us in person. We offer a range of opportunities across the year to help you to get a real feel for what it might be like to study here.
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