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Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Geography

Entry requirements

Here's what you will need to get a place on the Geography course at Heriot-Watt University.

Select a qualification to see required grades

A level

B,B,C

For entry to Year 2: BBB

Most popular A-levels studied

See who's studying at Heriot-Watt University. These students are taking Geography or another course from the same subject area.

Planning (urban, rural and regional)
SubjectGrade
GeographyB
English LiteratureC
HistoryB
SociologyC
Source: HESA

Course summary

What this course is about

UCAS code: 3K30

Here's what Heriot-Watt University says about its Geography course.

Studying geography at Heriot-Watt covers human geography, physical geography, social policy, economics and modern studies. It combines theory and practical work drawn from these main subject areas to create an inherently interesting and broadly defined university degree.

Our Geography BSc focuses on physical geography, studying the processes that shape the natural environment including hydrology, geology and geomorphology. You will develop field work skills in surveying, mapping and site assessment with field work and site visits as a key strand in your learning. We are ranked 9th in the UK for Town and Country Planning and Landscape Design in the Complete University Guide 2022.

You will develop important research skills through core modules in statistics, data analysis and research methods which you will apply to your final Year research dissertation. Throughout your degree cross-disciplinary and problem-based working helps students acquire the skills needed to work in multi-disciplinary teams and solve real-world problems.

You can participate in residential field trips in Years 1, 2 and 3 – visiting locations in Scotland, the UK and beyond, plus shorter one-day trips and site visits. These trips provide important opportunities to deepen practical skills in field survey, site observation, data collection and analysis. You can experience links to practice and industry – hearing from visiting speakers and professionals working as chartered geographers, surveyors and planners.

In Year 3, all students are given the opportunity for mentoring by a practitioner, someone working in industry who can discuss career choices, graduate job opportunities and professional membership routes.

Please visit our website for further information on our 3 year honours degrees

Source: Heriot-Watt University

Course details

Qualification

Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Department

Urban Studies

Location

Edinburgh Campus | Edinburgh

Duration

4 Years

Study mode

Full-time

Subjects

• Urban studies

Start date

14 September 2026

Application deadline

14 January 2026

Tuition fees

LocationFees
England£9,790 per year
Scotland£1,820 per year
Wales£9,790 per year
Northern Ireland£9,790 per year
Channel Islands£9,790 per year
Republic of Ireland£9,790 per year
EU£21,192 per year
International£21,192 per year

Heriot-Watt University student reviews

(4)
Based on 15 reviews from Heriot-Watt University's students and alumni
5 star
40%
4 star
33%
3 star
20%
2 star
0%
1 star
7%
All reviews

Showing 15 reviews

2nd year student

2 years ago

Pretty good Student Union, whether its giving out free stuff or helping you with something, theres always good people there.

(4)
Student Union

2nd year student

2 years ago

Edinburghs got some decent clubs. Having lived here my whole life, its the kind of city you dont want to escape. Its beautiful, many work opportunities especially for students.

(5)
University life

2nd year student

2 years ago

Financially the accomodation isnt worth it, the courses are free to Scottish students but for International students its terrible (this is the same for all Scottish Universities). Cost of living in Edinburgh can be high, but for the most part its okay.

(3)
Finance

2nd year student

2 years ago

Very supportive, if youre not feeling the best, have had certain bad circumstances arise they are very helpful in aiding you.

(4)
Support

2nd year student

2 years ago

Over priced, bad quality, small. Its on the outskirts of Edinburgh and yet its cheaper to rent a flat closer to the middle.

(1)
Facilities

2nd year student

2 years ago

The core lecturers of this course are good, although there is one or two I wish had been different on certain modules. The lectureres communicate well with students whenever they need it. The quality of teaching is also very good, and it is very easy to ask things if you dont understand.

(4)
Course

National Student Survey (NSS) scores at Heriot-Watt University

The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.

Here you can see ratings from Heriot-Watt University students who took the Geography course - or another course in the same subject area.

Planning (urban, rural and regional)

Select an option to see a detailed breakdown

How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?

78%

med

How good are teaching staff at explaining things?

100%

high

How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?

94%

high

How often is the course intellectually stimulating?

89%

med

To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?

100%

high

How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?

83%

low

How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?

83%

med

To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?

72%

low

To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?

94%

high

How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?

78%

low

How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?

78%

low

How often does feedback help you to improve your work?

67%

low

How often have you received assessment feedback on time?

56%

low

How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?

67%

low

How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?

94%

med

How well have teaching staff supported your learning?

89%

med

How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?

76%

low

How well organised is your course?

67%

low

How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?

83%

med

How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?

88%

med

How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?

65%

low

How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?

78%

med

To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?

89%

med

To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?

89%

med

How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?

81%

med

Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the course.

83%

med

How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?

78%

low

Student information

See who's studying at Heriot-Watt University. These students are taking Geography or another course from the same subject area.

Planning (urban, rural and regional)
Mode of study
Full-time100%
Gender ratio
Female50%Male50%
Where students come from
International5%UK95%
Student performance
2:1 or above81%
Number of students110
Source: HESA

Graduate prospects

What graduates do next

We have no information about graduates who took Geography at Heriot-Watt University.

Earnings after graduation

Earnings from Heriot-Watt University graduates who took Geography - or another course in the same subject area.

Architecture, building and planning

Earnings

£27.7k

First year after graduation

£32.8k

Third year after graduation

£38k

Fifth year after graduation

Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Geography.

Source: LEO

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree

Discussions

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Hello! I'm a second year student at Heriot Watt studying Maths with Physics. Outwith my degree, I'm the School Officer for Maths, Treasurer of Maths Society and a member of Boat Club. Feel free to ask me anything about these things!

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Heriot-Watt’s open days offer you the opportunity to explore campus, tour teaching and recreational facilities, talk to academics, staff, and current students, and learn more about the programme you could go on to study.

If you can't make an open day, book a campus tour. These take place regularly and can be guided or self-guided.

Source: Heriot-Watt University

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