Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Geography and Geology

at Keele University United Kingdom

BSc (Hons) Geography at Keele allows you to focus specifically on your preferred area of physical geography, or to explore Geography as an integrated discipline concerned with people and their environment. You will develop interdisciplinary perspectives, problem-solving skills and the ability to research, evaluate and synthesise information from diverse sources.

Your course includes training in professional and research skills, and opportunities for either a module or a whole year of work placement.

This programme has been accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

You will study educational topics such as the nature of learning, the history of education, and educational policies and practices that aim to promote inclusion and social cohesion. Studying Education at Keele, either on its own or with another subject, will help you explore the many ways that education can change and effect modern society.
The course further examines topics such as changing ideas around childhood and learning, digital technologies, citizenship, race, play, work, the political nature of schools, and the impact of poverty on both the results and experience of education.
You may also have opportunities to explore these issues abroad by doing an International Year, which can lead to an enhanced degree title in BA (Hons) in Education with International Year.

Is your imagination captured by the literature of the Renaissance and the Victorians, or the opportunity to know more about postcolonialism or postmodernism? As an English Literature student at Keele, you'll be encouraged to delve deep into a range of literary works, which may include authors such as Emily Bronte, Aphra Behn, Tsitsi Dangarembga and J M Coetzee.

Our intellectually stimulating and engaging approach to exploring novels, poetry, drama, graphic novels and other types of literature produce intelligent, perceptive, socially aware and compassionate individuals who are able to make a real impact. English Literature at Keele is a vibrant community of staff and students who are passionate in their belief that literature and culture are vital to understand the world around us.

This course examines the geological aspects of the Earth, its structure, formation, composition, history, processes, resources and hazards. There is particular emphasis on the geoforensic analysis of earth materials and how it can be applied to a range of criminal, civil and environmental criminal applications. You will learn how geoforensic trace evidence can be used to link material or an offender to a crime scene. The course also includes how to undertake a multi-phased geoforensic search for missing persons, suspected murder victims, environmental/wildlife crime and to recover items of forensic interest.

Geoforensics is a practical subject requiring the use of applied problem-solving, laboratory and field skills where you will learn how to collect and analyse geoforensic data, and conduct geoforensic search for a range of items of forensic interest. This course provides a diverse range of specialist options. We focus particularly on applied research skills and you will learn to carry out your own research using specialist software and equipment. All of our single honours students are offered a work placement module in year 2.

You will acquire a wide range of transferable skills, including communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, evaluate and synthesise information from diverse sources.

You’ll learn to use technology to create new opportunities and to solve a wide range of problems, benefiting every aspect of society from the home to business, government and beyond.

Our teaching is informed by our cutting-edge research, and we also reflect what’s happening now in industry. There’s a strong emphasis on programming – but don’t worry if you don’t have A Level Mathematics, as the course covers what you need to know.

You’ll have access to our own computing labs, based on Microsoft Windows and Linux, plus a wide range of software. Our excellent central location is ideal for industrial placements, with over 40 companies situated on the Keele Science Park alone.

Computer game development requires a deep understanding of the architecture of computer systems, a thorough knowledge of practical software engineering in multimedia contexts and a strong ability to program complex graphical applications in C++. By following the 'Games' route through our undergraduate programme you will gain these skills and more, strengthening your CV and solidifying your understanding of high-performance Computer Science. You will have the opportunity to explore your interests in this area extensively, and will have the option to tailor your dissertation project to showcase your learning in a large project.

On this course, you will be trained from first principles in Computer Science and Mathematics. The two disciplines are blended seamlessly throughout your degree.

You will study fundamental mathematical and statistical techniques alongside modern software development methods. You will have the opportunity to apply your learning immediately using real-world datasets in our cutting-edge computing laboratories.

You will undertake significant development projects, including a final year data science dissertation led by academics with research specialities in artificial intelligence, big data and statistical modelling. You'll explore a range of topics that cover advanced technical topics which may include cloud computing, as well as academic research, industry-focused professional skills and practical problem-solving ensure you are fully equipped for an exciting and intellectually stimulating journey as a Data Scientist.

This course draws on the expertise of scientists within the disciplines of life sciences, chemical sciences and geosciences. You will develop the scientific understanding and practical skills needed to tackle many of the world’s major environmental and societal problems such as climate change, food security, water resources, pollution and conservation. Alongside studying topical global environmental issues, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of practical, laboratory and field-based skills to take into future employment.

Combining this course with BSc (Hons) Geography allows you to focus specifically on your preferred area of physical geography. You will explore the Earth's varied landscapes and the complex, potentially fragile, global systems that connect them. You will also learn about the rapidly evolving science at the heart of global environmental change and discover new ways of understanding and appreciating the natural world around us. This programme has been accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers).

This programme is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning you can gain free membership of the IES to support your personal and professional development in the environmental sector. The programme is also accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and therefore you may apply for free Student Membership of the IEMA which provides a range of benefits.

Studying Education and History at Keele will enable you to develop your appreciation of various global histories and how education has evolved whilst enjoying the rich history of our local area. In your spare time, you might find yourself exploring the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon metalwork most likely deposited in the 7th century in the then Kingdom of Mercia. The Staffordshire Hoard provides a window to England in the 6th and 7th centuries and also to the warrior elite that existed during these times and now rests less than 5 miles away from Keele.

Education at Keele is distinctive because of its strong focus on contemporary issues in education and policy making. You will explore educational topics such as the nature of learning, the history of education, and changes to educational policies and practices. You'll consider Education's relationship to the economy, its historical evolution, its impact on people’s life chances and identities, how education is organised, and how learners learn. We aim to introduce you to many of the big questions concerning education and schooling both in the UK and also internationally. Why do we go to school? What should we learn? How should we learn it? What is the main aim of education? You will explore the ways in which education has been central to social and political change around the world.

Alongside this, you’ll develop an understanding of different approaches to history, developing a range of methods used in their pursuit. The programme will carry you chronologically from the medieval period to the present, and span the globe. You will be introduced to a wide range of history – from political, social, economic and cultural history to the history of gender, health, sexuality and religion. Throughout your first year, you may engage in modules that encourage you to explore topics such as how European rulers tried to strengthen their authority with the increase of military power between the late fifteenth and late seventeenth centuries, or some of the key defining moments in History which may include the 1720 South Sea Bubble in Britain, the 1791 Haitian Revolution or the 1933 Bauhaus movement. 

Biology at Keele focuses on the amazing world of organisms – from how they’ve evolved to their relationships with the environment and each other. Keele takes a broad approach to biology, examining the diversity of life and its evolution from the geological past. You’ll consider a range of biological concepts which may include the complexity of biological processes and mechanisms at molecular, cellular, organismal and ecosystem levels, and the related philosophical and ethical issues.

You’ll engage in activities to strengthen your skillset which may include sampling, recording and analysing data in the field and in our well-equipped labs. Complete this course over three years, or it may be possible (subject combination dependant) to add an extra year with an applied life sciences work placement or a one year study abroad placement between the second and third year.

This degree is combined with the study of geology. Geology is a science fundamental to modern day living, with geologists discovering society’s major resource needs including metals, minerals, energy and groundwater. The combined honours geology course at Keele looks at rocks, minerals and fossils - how they were formed, how they might have been deformed or altered over geological time, and what they can tell us about the history of the Earth and its past environments.

Keele’s Biochemistry programmes offer broad and stimulating coverage of modern biochemistry. Whether you choose to study as combined honours or single honours, you’ll be studying life at the molecular level, investigating some of the most exciting areas of contemporary life science and medical research.

You might explore the secrets of the human genome, or the individually tailored molecular therapies of the future. Particular emphasis is placed on human and mammalian biochemistry, especially relating to health and disease. 

The Human Biology element of this course is ideal if you’re interested in biology but are looking for a particular focus on the human body and how we’ve adapted to our environment. This course provides a broad understanding of the physiology of the body’s major systems as well as human health and disease and the relationship between the human body with the environment. You might explore the impact of nutrition and the environment on health, how humans in turn impact on the environment, and specialised topics such as human parasitology and human evolution.

Keele’s multidisciplinary approach puts human biology in context, so you’ll have input from a range of experts which may include clinicians, physiotherapists, nutritionists, geographers and conservation biologists. You may engage in additional opportunities which might include studying abroad and work experience.