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Geology and Physical Geography

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B

BBB in three A levels

Access to HE Diploma

D:30

122 UCAS points in any Access to HE Diploma including Distinction in at least 30 Level 3 credits

GCSE/National 4/National 5

You will also need: an English language qualification

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

555 in three Higher Levels OR 30 points

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

DDM in any BTEC Extended Diploma / National Extended Diploma

T Level

M

Merit in any T level

UCAS Tariff

120

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich including industrial placement | 2024

4 years | Sandwich with time abroad | 2024

Subjects

Geology

Physical geography

Discover the rapidly evolving science at the heart of global environmental change and explore new ways of understanding and appreciating the physical and natural world. You will graduate with a wide range of subject specific and transferable skills to equip you for future employment in a variety of careers.

**Why choose this course?**

- Top 20 for Geography, (Guardian University League Table, 2023)

- Develop your practical skills in our state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories

- This programme is accredited by the Geological Society of London

- Our unique 600-acre campus offers a fantastic natural environment to perform fieldwork

- No prior knowledge of geology or geography is required

Geology is the science that investigates how the Earth was formed, how life arose and evolved, why the Earth looks like it does today, what resources it contains and how we can find them. The discipline draws on knowledge from many different aspects of science such as chemistry, biology, and physics as well as other subjects such as geography and environmental science. Our society is based on the work of geologists in the hunt for natural resources for energy and materials for modern living. This means that future job opportunities for geologists are excellent as society develops increasing needs for these resources.

Physical geography focuses on the processes that shape the Earth's surface and how they impact on human lives. You will explore the climate as a whole and the interactions between humans, climate, and landscape. The study of geography is pertinent to the world in which we live, where population growth, climate change and economic inequality pose threats to planet Earth.

The course includes a balance of geology and physical geography topics, as well as material from complementary disciplines such as geophysics, meteorology, geomorphology, and environmental science. You will learn about the history of the Earth, its past and present environments, and the planet’s resources and hazards. We look at the Earth as a global system, including the causes and effects of global environmental change. There is strong emphasis on developing both laboratory and fieldwork skills.

**About Keele**

Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.

Modules

For a list of indicative modules please visit the course page on the Keele University website.

The Uni


Course location:

Keele University

Department:

Keele (Central)

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

76%
Geology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Earth sciences

Teaching and learning

82%
Staff make the subject interesting
95%
Staff are good at explaining things
74%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
87%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

95%
Library resources
89%
IT resources
100%
Course specific equipment and facilities
76%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

96%
UK students
4%
International students
63%
Male students
37%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
5%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
C

Physical geographical sciences

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

100%
UK students
0%
International students
51%
Male students
49%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
5%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Earth sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,500
med
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education
56%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

18%
Natural and social science professionals
13%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
12%
Other elementary services occupations

The market for geologists is has been quite linked to the oil industry for some time now, and the drop in the price of oil has meant the industry has stopped recruiting as many people for the time being. Geologists are still in demand, though, so the main effect has been to reduce the opportunities - and salaries - for geologists working abroad. At home, the oil industry remains a big employer, and so are the mining, civil engineering, construction and consultancy industries, with geology graduates working as geologists, geophysicists, civil engineers and environmental professionals.

Physical geographical sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,000
low
Average annual salary
93%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Natural and social science professionals
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
11%
Other elementary services occupations

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Earth sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£19k

£19k

£23k

£23k

£28k

£28k

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.

Physical geographical sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£19k

£19k

£23k

£23k

£28k

£28k

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.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Leicester | Leicester
Physical Geography and Geology
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UCAS Points: 120-152
Lower entry requirements
University of Plymouth | Plymouth
Physical Geography and Geology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-120
Nearby University
Edge Hill University | Ormskirk
Physical Geography & Geology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-120

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here