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Do you want to explore the cultures, economies and societies that make up our world and understand the local, regional and global processes that influence them?
Our Human Geography BA programme will develop your knowledge of the political, economic, cultural and historical factors that shape relationships between people, places and our planet. It is designed for students who wish to specialise in the social science perspectives of the discipline, exploring themes including globalisation, cities, culture, social justice, global health and development. Year One provides a broad foundation in key elements of geography and Years Two and Three offer a range of exciting optional modules that specialise on human geography topics and skills, providing flexibility to tailor your study towards your interests and career goals. You will develop both subject-specific and transferable skills including social science research methods, geographical information systems (GIS), effective communication and problem-solving, unlocking a wide range of employment options after graduation. You can also explore key concepts from human geography through fieldwork in the UK and destinations further afield such as New York and Boston, before designing your own research project in your final year with guidance and support from our experts.
This programme is based in the School of Geography on QMUL’s Mile End campus in the vibrant heart of east London. You will join a learning community of students and academics, drawn from over 35 countries across the world. Each student has an academic advisor who supports their studies and transition to university. Our student experience and engagement team provide further pastoral care and social opportunities outside of the classroom. The School’s dedicated Careers Consultant offers one-to-one advice and coaching meetings for students and hosts regular employer events on campus that often feature returning graduates from the School.
You can complete your Human Geography degree in three or four years. If you choose to study abroad, this will take place in Year 3 and Year 3 modules will instead be studied in Year 4.
For full details on all of our modules please go to the online module directory.
*Fieldwork module. Fieldwork destinations may vary year-on-year, are subject to availability and depend on the module combinations chosen. Overseas fieldwork modules run in alternate years. Places are limited - if a module is oversubscribed, places will be allocated by ballot. Students on overseas field trips are responsible for securing their own visas, if required.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
For full details on our modules please go to the online module directory.
Apply for this degree with any of the following options. Take care to use the correct UCAS code - it may not be possible to change your selection later.
Go global and study abroad as part of your degree – apply for our Human Geography BA with a Year Abroad. Queen Mary has links with universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia (partnerships vary for each degree programme).
Find out more about study abroad opportunities at Queen Mary and what the progression requirements are.
Compulsory fieldwork will not cost you anything extra. Optional UK and overseas fieldwork trips in the second- and third-year cost approximately £450-£1,500 (based on 2022-23 costs) depending on destination, including flights, accommodation and expenses on location.
My course let me explore the differences between people and teaches me to accept them. Looking at poverty and development in the Global South motivated me to do something for the world. My degree was an excellent stepping stone toward my career and has equipped me with skills to create change in the world.
On average, you can expect to spend eight to 12 hours per week in a combination of lectures, tutorials, supervisions, seminars, workshops and practical classes.
For every hour of classes, expect to do a further two to four hours of independent study.
Fieldwork is central to all our programmes and takes place in London, the UK and overseas. Find out more about our field classes and how they help you apply your studies to real-world contexts.
All students have an academic advisor that they meet with regularly across each semester to review their studies and to check-in on their well-being. Read more about the advice and support services available to students in the School of Geography.
Modules are assessed through a combination of coursework and examination. Coursework may include extended essays, short reports, posters, oral presentations and group work.
Students must also complete a final-year independent study project of 10,000 words, based on an original study of their choice.
The School offers excellent on-campus resources to aid your studies, including:
Find out what our students think about studying geography at Queen Mary.
Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.
For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq
Our standard contextual offer: Grades BBB at A-Level. Excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking.
Our enhanced contextual offer (for care experienced students, refugee/asylum seekers or students who have completed Realising Opportunities or Access to Queen Mary): Grades BBC at A-Level. Excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking.
More information on how this information is used for a contextual offer can be found on our contextualised admissions page.
We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit International Admissions for full details.
If your qualifications are not accepted for direct entry onto this degree, consider applying for a foundation programme.
Find out more about our English language entry requirements, including the types of test we accept and the scores needed for entry to the programme.
You may also be able to meet the English language requirement for your programme by joining a summer pre-sessional programme before starting your degree.
See our general undergraduate entry requirements.
UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.
Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.
Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.
Find out what scholarships and bursaries are available to you.
We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.
Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:
Many of our Human Geography graduates use their subject knowledge directly in business analysis, marketing, town or transport planning or geographical information systems (GIS). Others take their transferable skills into other careers, from risk analysis to management consultancy.
Recent graduates have been hired by:
Discover what our recent students are doing after graduation and read more about their experiences on this course.
Human Geography students benefit from dedicated careers support including lectures and tutorials on career choice, getting work experience and presenting degree skills to an employer at interview.
Find out more about how we have integrated careers support into all of degree programmes to help you to maximise your potential and achieve your ambitions.
The Queen Mary careers team can also offer:
Learn more about career support and development at Queen Mary.
Human Geography - BA (Hons)
Human Geography with Year Abroad - BA (Hons)
The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats)
The School of Geography at Queen Mary University of London provides an innovative education across diverse subject areas in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Staff and students alike strive to solve the major environmental and societal challenges of our time, generating rigorous research evidence and turning that into impactful practical and policy change at a local or national and even global level, often working with powerful partners like government agencies and big tech companies to drive progress.
The School is one of the top 100 geography departments in the world (QS World University Rankings 2023), while the Research Excellence Framework (2021) puts the quality of our research in the UK top 10.
Thanks to our local, national and international links, you’ll have opportunities to work with community groups, environmental trusts and charities, applying your classroom learning to real-world problems.
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