Geography BSc (Hons)

Key information

Duration:
3 years full time
Typical A-level offer:
ABB
View full entry requirements
UCAS code:
F801
Start date:
September 2026

Geography is all about understanding the world around you and how natural landscapes interact with human activities. By studying this course you’ll learn how to help solve real-world challenges like climate change, deforestation, natural disasters, and urban growth.

As a student, you’ll join the Department of Geography in our School of Global Studies, home to leading academics who are shaping policy. You will model climate impacts as well as analysing data from coastal, desert and periglacial environments. You'll also use drone and satellite technology to map land cover change and help to understand the carbon dynamics of forests. We’ll guide you through every step of the course as you develop your own set of interests and expertise.

You’ll also have a choice of excellent local and global field-trip destinations, giving you the opportunity to take your learning out into the field. Recent destinations have included the Mojave Desert, Los Angeles, China, Corsica and Greece. Plus our setting – within the South Downs National Park – means you’ll have the opportunity to take your learning out into the field on your doorstep.

By studying at Sussex, you will:

  • develop your understanding of the global changes taking place in the world
  •  connect with experts who specialise in research-informed teaching
  •  gain the expertise to analyse and map data, understand patterns and make informed choices.

You’ll graduate with a range of practical skills. These include use of Geographic Information Systems, analysing data and conducting fieldwork. This will enable you to pursue careers in a range of fields including environmental protection, international development or policymaking.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

BSc or BA?

  • BA: explores human geography and the social sciences.
  • BSc: looks at geography from an environmental and natural sciences perspective.

Whichever you choose, you’ll have the flexibility to combine human and physical geography, or focus more on one over the other.

The University’s location is perfect – there are field trips to learn about local geography, including the geology of the South Downs.” Georgia Lilley
Geography BSc
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Entry requirements

A-level

Typical offer

ABB

Contextual offerView contextual offer

Not everyone has the same support to get to higher education – we help you reach your potential. When we receive applications through UCAS, we consider all factors and will sometimes make contextual offers as part of our Access and Participation Plan

Subjects

A-levels must include Geography or another science subject at grade B.

GCSEs

You will also need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics, with at least grade 4 (or grade C).

You should also have a broad range of GCSEs 9-4 (A*-C), including good grades in relevant subjects.

Extended Project Qualification

We take the EPQ into account when considering your application and it can be useful in the summer when your results are released if you have narrowly missed the conditions of your offer.  We do not routinely include the EPQ in the conditions of your offer but we sometimes offer alternative conditions that include the EPQ. If you wish to discuss this further please contact us

Other UK qualifications

International Baccalaureate

Typical offer

32 points overall from the full IB Diploma.

Subjects

Including at least 5 in higher level Geography or another science subject.

European Baccalaureate

Typical offer

Overall result of at least 77%.

Additional requirements

Evidence of existing academic ability in Geography or another science subject (normally with a final grade of at least 8.0).

You must have a good level of Mathematics.

Other international qualifications

English language requirements

IELTS (Academic)

6.0 overall, including at least 5.5 in each component

Check your IELTS qualification meets all of our language requirements

Find out more about IELTS

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

 

Other English language requirements

Proficiency tests

English language qualifications

Country exceptions

Admissions information for applicants

Transfers into Year 2

Yes. Find out more about transferring into Year 2 of this course. We don’t accept transfers into the third or final year.

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

For details on any additional costs, check out the Fees and scholarships section.

Don’t meet our entry requirements?

If you don't meet our entry requirements, we recommend our in-house Foundation Year course to prepare you for Year 1 of your chosen degree:

If you don't have the required language skills for this course you could consider the International Study Centre. The ISC offers a range of foundation courses in combination with English language teaching.

Modules

This is a single-honours course, allowing you to focus in depth on your core subject.

Find out about our types of undergraduate degrees, their structure, modules and credits

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Options

Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

Explore modules from other subjects as part of your course

At Sussex, you can choose to customise your course to build the sort of degree that will give you the knowledge, skills and experience that could take you in any direction you choose.

As part of this degree, you explore subjects that are different to your course through electives that complement your main subject. Exploring different disciplines in four electives across Years 1 and 2 helps enrich your learning experience.

Discover our electives

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

Check back in January 2026 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2026/27.

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Options

Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

Field trips

Get involved in fieldwork from the start of your course. You develop research, analytical and team-working skills in regions where our academics actively conduct research. 

In Year 2, you can pick from an exciting range of locations: recent destinations include the Mojave desert, China, Greece and Corsica. There is also a UK-based field trip.

Find out about the 2,000-year-old artefacts found by a Sussex student on a field trip to the Mojave desert.

 

Find out more about Geography field trips at Sussex

Explore modules from other subjects as part of your course

At Sussex, you can choose to customise your course to build the sort of degree that will give you the knowledge, skills and experience that could take you in any direction you choose.

As part of this degree, you explore subjects that are different to your course through electives that complement your main subject. Exploring different disciplines in four electives across Years 1 and 2 helps enrich your learning experience.

Discover our electives

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

Check back in January 2026 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2026/27.

Study abroad (optional)

Apply to study abroad – you’ll develop an international perspective and gain an edge when it comes to your career. Find out where your course could take you

If your application to study abroad is successful, you’ll have to meet the academic requirements at Sussex and also at the partner university. Find out more about studying abroad as a Sussex student

Beautiful nature, dog sledging in the Arctic, Swedish ‘fika’, and a great social life. I could not have chosen better!”Georgia Donati Clarke
Geography BSc
Studied abroad in Sweden 

Placement (optional)

To help you gain experience and increase your employability, you can apply for an optional placement as part of your course. You’ll be responsible for applying for and securing your placement. Our dedicated careers team can provide you with information and advice. If you’re successful in obtaining a placement, this will form part of your course.

Find out more about placements and internships

Please note that if you’re receiving – or applying for – USA federal Direct Loan funds, you can’t transfer to the version of your course with an optional study abroad period in any country or optional placement in the USA if the number of credits for the placement/internship exceeds 25% of the total credits for your course. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Options

Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

Check back in January 2026 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2026/27.

The Mojave field class was a transformative, once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Kitty-Anne Dorrian
Geography BSc
TEF 2023 silver

Silver

The student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.
This rating was awarded in 2023, for four years.
(Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)

Find out more about our approach to teaching and supporting you to thrive

Our staff

I work at the interface of terrestrial ecology, land use, hydrology and climate change. This is linked to my teaching.Dr Alexander Antonarakis
Reader in Global Change Ecology

Fees

Fees are not yet set for the academic year 2026/27 – please check back in September 2025. Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis.

Find out about typical living costs for studying at Sussex

Find out about our terms and conditions

Scholarships

Details of our scholarships are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2026/27.

Careers

On our Geography BSc, you develop strong research, numerical, technical (including GIS) and resource-management skills. This means you can go on to careers in a wide range of sectors, including: 

  • environmental conservation and planning
  • civil service and government
  • business sustainability.

Throughout your degree, you will receive support from your department and the university careers and employability centre, and can attend specialist careers events and workshops.

Graduate destinations

Recent graduates have gone on to jobs such as:

  • policy and campaign manager, Wildlife and Countryside Link
  • emergency food security adviser, Oxfam
  • planning adviser, Environment Agency
  • senior flood and climate resilience officer, Surrey County Council.

(Department of Geography careers database)

Working while you study

Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work

The course inspired me to think critically about making a positive impact on environmental sustainability.” Dan Long
Geography BSc

Design your future at Sussex

Taking the next step in your career can feel daunting, but we’ll help you to explore, connect and flourish throughout your studies and beyond.

As a Sussex student, you’ll learn how to tackle real-world challenges and have access to tailored programmes of careers support:

  • our Career Lab helps you to explore your options, build key skills and connect with employers. Take part in internships, community consultancy projects and insight visits, where you can learn about life at organisations including Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, Gatwick Airport and the Knepp Rewilding Project
  • one-to-one coaching with your Faculty Careers Consultant can enable you to identify your career goals, write an effective CV and prepare for future interviews
  • entrepreneurship initiatives like StartUp Sussex and Ideas Lab can empower you to turn your concepts into reality.

Explore how our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can support you

National Enterprise Educator Awards logo

Winner
Entrepreneurship Catalyst Award
National Enterprise Educator Awards 2024

The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services logo

Winner
Supporting Student and Graduate Employability Award
AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2024

Rate My Placement Awards - Celebrating the Best Student Employers and Universities for Work Experience

Top 50
Best Universities for Work Experience in the UK
2025 RateMyPlacement Awards

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