Human Geography at Kent draws on the traditional foundations of Geography and energises it to address contemporary issues. Our aim is to train the next generation of geographers to creatively address the challenges facing the modern world. We provide opportunities for you to expand your theoretical knowledge across a broad range, while developing practical field skills, research skills and work-related skills.
Our programme is a fusion of major geographic themes such as social and cultural geography, economics and development studies, and environmental and landscape planning, with expertise from across the University of Kent including Law, Sociology, Anthropology and Biodiversity Conservation. This exciting approach ensures your learning is grounded firmly in traditional studies of human geography but with opportunities to expand your knowledge beyond a conventional geography course.
At its heart, this programme seeks to give students a deep understanding of why the world is changing so quickly, and how these changes affect the environment, culture and economies at local, national and global scales. We also seek to produce graduates with a rich set of skills required for a dynamic and successful career in the business world, government agencies, NGOs, education and development.
You study at our Canterbury campus, which is not only beautiful, scenic and rich in history, but perfectly positioned for those with an interest in human geography. Kent is culturally and economically diverse, and our excellent location and proximity to Europe enable us to maximise our strong research and business links.
Each year, you engage with core modules that establish your foundational understanding, brought to life through innovative and practical opportunities for learning; these include regular field work and hands-on approaches to analytical tools such as geographic information systems and remote sensing imagery.
The programme has been designed to give you a strong core of Geography modules such as Environmental Sustainability, People and Place, Geographies of Environmental Change, History and Philosophy of Geography, and Geographical Patterns and Processes.
A large suite of optional modules allows you to tailor your degree to the areas that most interest you, or you can expand into new territory, for example anthropology, biodiversity conservation or project management. Additionally, you could choose to take some ‘wild modules’, which allows you to study topics offered by a range of schools across the University, including economics, politics, sociology, law and languages. This structure provides you with flexibility, choice, creativity and the opportunity to indulge a wide range of passions.
More detailed information about the modules offered across the programme can be found within the ‘Course structure’ information.
Developing knowledge and skills for your future employment forms a core principle of this programme. Each module contains opportunities for you to develop and strengthen your competence as a geographer as well as the skills sought by employers, for example analytical writing, oral presentations, team working, leadership, initiative and time management. More details on careers and employability are available in the ‘Careers’ section.
The year abroad allows an immersive experience of living and studying in a different culture. You spend a year, between stages 2 and 3, studying at one of our prestigious partner institutions where you can either specialise or diversify your studies. You can also use this experience to start your dissertation by conducting field work.
Alternatively, you can take our three-year Human Geography degree, without a year abroad. For details, see Human Geography (Hons) BSc.
Practical learning is an essential foundation of this programme. Our field courses allow you to apply what has been taught to real-world situations, develop field skills and practise your research skills, as well as being excellent ways to build friendships with staff and students.
The first year provides numerous opportunities for trips within Kent, including a three-day residential. Other optional field trips are available in the second and third years, including one to Brussels where you'll examine contested urban spaces through reflection and experience. Our optional third-year residential to a beautiful Greek island is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in a field research situation during which you can draw on your three years of study. The trip focuses on learning through research and from the experience of the people who shape and adapt to the environment they live in.
Most opportunities relate to specific modules; these may change from year to year and may incur additional costs. See the funding tab for more information.
Our School has excellent teaching resources including dedicated computing facilities. Other resources include:
We believe that inspired students are motivated by teaching which is shaped by active and relevant research. At Kent you’ll join a community who are engaged in projects in the UK and around the world that are significant to creatively addressing current and future ecological challenges. This community includes members of the Kent Interdisciplinary Centre for Spatial Studies (KISS), which draws together expertise from across the University.
Please also see our general entry requirements.
BBB including one of Biology, Geography, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Psychology, Geology, Physics, Maths or any Joint Science at grade B or above.
Mathematics grade C/4 or above
The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis.
If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.
Distinction, Distinction, Merit in Countryside Management, Animal Management or Applied Science. Other subjects will be considered on a case-by-case basis
IB Diploma 34 points overall or 15 points at Higher, including 5 at HL or 6 at SL in Biology, Geography, Environmental Science, Psychology, Geology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths.
Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average including 60% in LZ045 Life Sciences (1 & 2), 60% in LZ036 Academic Skills, and 50% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics if you do not hold GCSE Maths at 4/C or equivalent).
International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
Duration: 4 years full-time, 7 years part-time
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Within each stage you are required to take 120 credits.
Compulsory modules:
Optional modules may include:
You have the opportunity to select wild modules in this stage.
Compulsory modules
Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally. You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability.
You spend a year between Stages 2 and 3 taking courses at one of our partner universities abroad, where courses are taught in English. Students must achieve specified requirements before being permitted to proceed to the next stage. Students must have achieved at least a 60% average in Stage 1 and 2 to proceed to the Year Abroad. Students who fail to qualify for progression to Stage 2 or the Year Abroad will transfer to the 3-year version of the programme.
In the unlikely event that force majeure prevents us from placing every student who meets the academic requirement, for example if a partner university is forced to terminate an exchange unexpectedly, and places become limited, the School/Schools concerned will weigh up applicant' academic performance, attendance and individual merit in order to decide who is placed. Individual merit would cover such things as commitment to the degree programme, participation and motivation.
The Year Abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and will not count towards your final degree classification.
For full details of the Year Abroad opportunities available to University of Kent students please visit our Go Abroad website.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules for stages 2 and 3 may include:
You have the opportunity to select wild modules in stages 2 and 3.
The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
One day trips that are compulsory to a module are financially funded by the School. Optional or longer trips may require support funding from attendees.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Search scholarshipsKent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
Modules use a variety of approaches enabling students to gain theoretical and practical understanding, through formal lectures, seminars, workshops, computer practicals and tutorials, role playing, laboratory exercises and fieldwork (in the UK and abroad).
Most modules are assessed through a mixture of coursework – including not only essays and written reports but also more practical tasks such as presentations and mini-projects – as well as exams. Some modules are assessed only by coursework.
You also have an opportunity to conduct a field-based research thesis in your final year. This gives you practical experience of developing a research proposal and research questions, finding appropriate methods, conducting research, analysing and interpreting results, writing up a full research project and giving an oral presentation.
It also allows you to use a range of research methods in a variety of contexts to explore key environmental, geographical and anthropological issues, and participate in the advancement of knowledge. You can conduct your research project either in the UK or abroad.
The Year Abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and does not contribute towards your final degree classification.
For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Our aims are to:
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
You develop intellectual abilities in the following areas:
You gain subject-specific skills in:
You gain transferable skills in the following:
Anthropology at Kent scored 90% overall and was ranked 13th in The Complete University Guide 2021.
Anthropology at Kent was ranked 5th for graduate prospects and 10th overall in The Guardian University Guide 2021.
Anthropology at Kent was ranked 13th in The Times Good University Guide 2021.
A Human Geography degree provides a strong basis for students looking to pursue a career in a range of professions and sectors relating to the sustainability agenda, including: environmental and international development NGOs, government departments and local authorities, and businesses with an environmental remit, including the land-based sectors.
Using our network of NGOs and consultancy companies, we identified the key skills that successful employees should have. This programme has been designed to equip students with the theoretical and practical skills that are highly demanded by employers in a wide range of fields relating to:
This programme also equips graduates with the ability to think critically and creatively, enabling them to thrive in research-led teaching environments, and with the necessary practical and research skills to prepare them for high-level postgraduate studies or the increasingly competitive job market.
The School offers an employability programme aimed at helping you develop the skills you’ll need to look for a job. This includes workshops, mentoring and an online blog featuring tips, advice from employers, job adverts, internship information and volunteering opportunities.
The University’s friendly Careers and Employability Service offers advice on how to:
As a Human Geography student, you develop expertise in understanding, interpreting and responding to human behaviour. Alongside such specialist skills, you also develop the transferable skills graduate employers look for, including the ability to:
You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
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