BSc (Hons) Physical Geography and Oceanography (with Placement)

The Physical Geography and Oceanography (with Placement) is identical to the Physical Geography and Oceanography course (F840), but you will spend an extra year undertaking a work-based placement. The land borders the ocean via the coastal zone and most of the world’s population lives near, or exploits, the coastal zone. Understanding how the land and the ocean are related to each other is therefore important for many societal and economic reasons and requires an integrated approach to both geography and oceanography. The Physical Geography and Oceanography course ensures research-led teaching of both terrestrial (rivers, glaciers, etc.) and marine (waves, tides, density currents, sea level, etc.) processes. These processes control the movement of water, sediment, and biogeochemical components (such as carbon and plastics) from the land into the sea. You will integrate these processes to examine the impacts of environmental change, climate, sea level and pollution on the health and sustainability of terrestrial and marine environments The Physical Geography and Oceanography course was developed with support from schoolteachers and employers, and draws on award-winning expertise in terrestrial and marine sciences that span fluvial, glacial, coastal and deep ocean environments. The course takes advantage of the unique location on the shores of the Menai Strait and the Irish Sea, and you will have easy access to fieldwork in the UNESCO designated GeoMôn geopark and the Snowdonia National Park. These are excellent analogues for systems studied by physical geographers across the planet. Your education will benefit from strong links with the Marine Centre Wales and the Environment Centre Wales, thus providing opportunities for you to undertake geographical and oceanographic projects with industry. Your teachers have strong links globally. These include the National Oceanography Centre, the Met Office, and the international offshore, hydrocarbon, and marine renewables industries. This degree focusses on practical skills, with regular one-day and multi-day field excursions, ship-based work, and practical classes that cover applied aspects of physical geography and oceanography. In the final year, you will carry out an individually supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice. Assessment is through a combination of continuous assessment and formal examination. As Physical Geography and Oceanography graduate, you will be equipped with strong transferrable skills and a thorough understanding of the terrestrial and marine environment. You will be ideally placed to gain employment within the geosciences sector: water/environmental consultancies, geological/earth sciences industry, coastal/marine sciences, oceanography, and renewable energy. You will have the opportunity to boost your employability with a work placement through our Professional Placement module or gain international experience by studying at one of our partner institutions abroad as part of your degree. If you want to specialise in physical geography without oceanography, the BSc course Geography (with Placement) (F806) might appeal to you.