Clearing offers from 56 UCAS tariff points. Subject-specific requirements still apply. See the entry requirements section for details.
Subject area ranked top 20 overall in the UK*
A range of optional modules
Complete an original research project
Placement opportunities with leading public and private sector organisations
Opportunities to undertake field work in the UK and abroad
Links with local industry and environmental regulatory agencies
*Guardian University Guide 2024 (out of 66 ranking institutions)
This module supports students to develop critical understandings of core concepts within Geography through exploring the development of geographical thought. As well as acquiring a command over concepts, students will be able to recognise and interpret their own lives and social geographies in relation to geographical conceptualisations and advance critical reflection skills to better grasp notions of power, knowledge and geographical thinking. A dialectical and dialogical approach to the teaching of conceptual knowledges will enhance student abilities in defining and distinguishing core geographical concepts and ideas through comparing and contrasting concepts in relation to each other. Students will achieve this through inclusive, active learning based around group, paired and individual work. The module also provides foundational knowledge and understanding in preparation for engaging with more complex content in subsequent levels of the programme.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to how geographical knowledge is created, and applied to students' careers, and to local and global challenges. Students will engage with a series of careers-focused sessions to embed employability within their development as geographers, and to develop an awareness and understanding of geographical career attributes and pathways.
Geography is a fundamentally spatial discipline. As such, spatial data and analyses often lie at the heart of how we understand and navigate life on our planet. This module provides an introduction to Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Earth Observation, including both the fundamental theories which underpin these technologies and their practical applications. Specifically, this module introduces students to some of the important sources of geospatial data and the technologies underpinning them, and highlights ways in which they are used both within geographical science and more widely. In addition, students will gain hands-on, skills-based experience in processing and analysing data using GIS and Earth Observation software. These are vital tools that will enable students to more rigorously assess the safety and health of the inhabited Earth.
Research methods for the Life Sciences aims to introduce the skills and knowledge necessary for students to assimilate and judge scientific knowledge. Students will be introduced to the tools required to search and evaluate the scientific literature relevant to their studies, and some of the key philosophical constructs around which scientific knowledge is based. They will be taught about hypothesis testing, experimental design, data collection, basic mathematical and statistical concepts, and data presentation, and gain hands-on experience of their application.
This module uses the “laboratory” of the local environment to study global issues related to social and environmental justice within the University’s “local to global” remit. Local fieldwork introduces students to contemporary issues in the social and natural environment through in-depth studies. We visit three nearby environments: the urban, rural and coastal, and will study environmental hazards, social-economic geographies and ecosystem sustainability, as well as the interactions between these processes.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the links between ecosystems and human health. The module focuses heavily on the role of human activities in changing ecosystems, covering aspects of human impacts on ecosystems as well as policy and regulatory actions to improve and safeguard vital ecosystems. Impacts are assessed in terms of both human and wider environmental factors such as quality of life and access to safe and healthy resources as well as biodiversity, landscape assets and climate resilience. By exploring a range of relevant case studies, the module will discuss assumptions about environmental/ecosystem interactions and equip students with the necessary critical knowledge and overview for deriving real-world solutions to a representative range of current environmental problems. Teaching and assessment will cover three broad themes including environmental resources and degradation, SDGs, ecosystems and biodiversity and sustainable socio-ecological systems.
The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to the general principles of physical geography for students with diverse backgrounds. Using a systems-based approach to physical geography, four environmental systems will be examined: geosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
The final part of the module will consider the interactions between physical systems and also the causes and consequences of system change, such as climate change, over time and space. The occurrence and impacts of some key natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and droughts) will also be considered, which will facilitate an improved appreciation of the safety and health of the environment.
Since 1944, development has been firmly on the global agenda, shaping policies, economies, and geopolitical relations worldwide. However, since its inception, development has evolved significantly, moving beyond its early focus on economic growth to encompass issues such as sustainability, equity, and justice. This module invites students to critically explore the diverse histories, theories, discourses, and futures of development, examining how the concept has been understood and implemented across different regions.
Data is central to any scientific pursuit. Data-centric skills are crucial for any environmental scientist undertaking any form of data collection, management, visualisation and/or analysis. This module introduces knowledge and skills relevant to varied sorts of environmental data: storage, handling and manipulation; data visualisation; statistical analysis, interpretation and communication; and applying such knowledge and skills when designing environmental studies. In the age of information, computational skills are becoming ever more relevant, and this module will hone different computational skills, especially coding.
This module examines the theory and philosophy of geographical research together with the practical elements of carrying out research in key areas of human and physical geography. The module explores the theoretical background to undertaking research and considers how different theoretical positions inform research methods and interpretation of data in practice. Teaching also provides a series of introductions to methodological techniques for environmental data collection, analysis and interpretation that can be applied to topical and pressing research problems in human and physical geography.
Human influences on the environment can be seen almost everywhere on our planet, from the deepest ocean trenches to the peaks of the Himalayas and out beyond the stratosphere. This module introduces students to a wide range of human-caused environmental issues facing the world today, using a range of global and regional case studies. Students will explore their causes and consequences, as well as potential responses to them, and develop skills in communicating these critical issues to different audiences using different techniques.
This module aims to inspire and develop capacities of students to be citizens of change in/on the world by fully embedding the principles of Student as Producer in all components of the module. With foundations in Activist and Applied Geographies, students are scaffolded and supported to critically reflect on their shared and individual resonances to environmental issues with the purpose of designing and developing action toward alternative futures. The module will be delivered through weekly workshops where students will take ownership of their own learning, advance advocacy and action-related skills and co-create materials toward facilitating social, cultural and environmental value. Though student-led and co-designed, workshops will be framed around civic engagement, career advancement and values-led growth to develop behaviours, attributes and geo-capabilities that have a significant impact on society and the individual student.
This module will introduce students to the applications of GIS and Remote Sensing in supporting evidence-based decisions for sustainable landscape. Students will learn how spatial data is obtained, processed, analysed, and visualized to address real-world problems such as identifying crime hotspots, resources allocation, environmental and ecosystem monitoring and change detection. The module will combine lectures with hands-on practical sessions using industry-standard software such as ArcGIS Pro and QGIS. The theoretical foundations from lectures will enable students to critically interpret spatial data and communicate findings effectively through maps and reports. By exploring a range of GIS and remote sensing techniques, students will develop transferable skills useful for addressing a range of environmental issues.
This module introduces the key concepts of biogeography, conservation, and planetary health. The aim of the module is to develop students’ understanding of the drivers of the impacts of climatic- and human-induced changes on the distribution and functioning of biomes and ecosystems, evaluate how these can be managed and mitigated, and explore and challenge dominant perspectives on conservation theories and practice. The module consists of four broad themes: planetary change; key contemporary issues for ecosystems; biogeographical techniques and mitigation and restoration.
Modern societal development has created new exposures and risks to such hazards that are not fully understood, or may be perceived in different ways – even within the same community. Such vulnerabilities are often only brought into view in the aftermath of a disaster, when losses of life, capital and livelihoods have already occurred, making it vital to assess the physical and social dimensions of hazards in order to increase preparedness. This module is focused around a field-week that will explore the theme of hazards and their relationship to society from both an environmental and human standpoint. This interdisciplinary perspective on hazards and society will offer new insights into the challenges facing contemporary societies in a specific region, while also providing insight into the opportunities offered by geographical research.
The School believes that an option to study overseas is a valuable educational opportunity for our students. Provision of this option supports the educational aims of the School of Geography and enhances the distinctiveness of its degrees at Lincoln. The optional year is intended to:
- enable students to benefit from studying within a cross cultural environment;
- expose students to a wider academic and cultural experience;
- enhance their future employment opportunities;
- by increasing their cultural and professional mobility.
This module is optional for students within the School. Study Abroad is a year long module which enables students to spend a year studying abroad at one of the University’s approved partner institutions. Eligible students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard and successfully completed the application process for the year abroad.
During the year spent abroad, students share classes with local students and study on a suite of locally-delivered taught modules which have been approved in advance by the University. Upon their return, as part of the assessment for this modules, students are required to critically reflect upon their experience of living and studying in a different cultural environment and the skills acquired.
In this module students will ‘trace’ how particular past socio-environmental phenomena interrelate and have shaped and continue to shape present and future global socio-environmental realities. This includes exploring social and environmental events, how these have been experienced and responded to by different people and what the legacies of this are. Case studies are drawn from a range of geographical and temporal settings to facilitate an analytical and comparative view of human-environment interactions, while grounding in historical-social process will ensure that students gain an understanding of the importance of context, social actors and human agency. Critical consideration of how debates and research regarding past socio-environmental changes can be applied to social and environmental challenges today will provide an added dimension of societal relevance.
This module examines the physical, social and political causes, characteristics and consequences of natural and anthropogenic climate change. These key themes will be explored in terms of how societies and the natural world have responded to the physical processes and impacts of climate. We will: explore the physical processes related to natural and anthropogenic climate change and scientific interpretation of these processes; assess the impacts of climate change on a range of human and environmental systems; examine societal, political and policy responses to climate change at different geographical scales; and critically examine how the relationship between the physical environment and societal responses have evolved (and are evolving) with respect to climate change.
The Dissertation is an extended piece of original research work on a geographical topic of the students choice that is carried out under the guidance of a staff mentor. It allows the drawing together and building on skills and subject expertise you have developed through a students time at University. Students will be expected to either collect original material for investigation and/or to carry out original analysis of secondary data. Allocated supervisors will guide and advise in this work but students are expected to take the lead in developing ideas and research plans.
No matter who or where we are, our everyday lives and where we live them are shaped by uneven processes related to the production and governance of differentiated populations at the spatial and social margins: racial capitalism, settler and post-colonialism, bordering regimes, planetary urbanism, neoliberal governance, etc. These global processes are both deeply complex and deeply connected, yet work to produce socio-spatial inequalities, marginalisation, dispossessions, displacements, social violence, political and social movements and mobilities. If we are to address ongoing social and spatial injustices, we need to understand and examine how global population processes emerge, function and relate to each other, as well as how they enact in everyday life at the global margins.
The environment, its resources, its use, and its degradation are both shaped by and are drivers of unequal power relations at global, regional and local scales. Following, conservation, exploitation and development of planetary natures – including human – underpins many contemporary crises: ecological, climate, economic, geopolitical conflicts and violence, displacement and inequality. The vibrant interdisciplinary field of Political Ecology aims to assess and interpret the politics shaping socio-ecological relations, applying critical analyses to topics spanning forestry, water and mineral extraction to urbanization, development and technology, plus many others.
This module examines the evolving relationships between humans and the natural world, challenging dominant narratives that separate nature and society by inviting students to explore the multiplicity of socio-natures and more-than-human perspectives. Throughout the module, students will engage with theories, methodologies, and case studies that introduce diverse and innovative approaches to understanding and researching nature-society interactions. The first half of the module emphasises more-than-human theories and methodologies, while the second half explores their real-world implications, examining the broader environmental, historical, and institutional frameworks that shape human perceptions of nature. By developing a nuanced view of complex, interwoven nature-society dynamics, the module will prepare students to engage critically with and thoughtfully address pressing environmental challenges whilst embracing multi-species practices and perspectives.
This module will introduce students to advanced GIS (Geographical Information Systems) techniques which can be used to understand these relationships between humans and the environment across different time scales. Students will be trained to use research-grade tools, such as ecological models, machine learning and the R coding environment, to address key environmental questions. Activities will be closely linked to published journal articles, and students will be encouraged to reflect critically on models’ strengths and weaknesses for shedding light on Anthropocene environments. The module will also highlight the ethical (e.g. as coding companions) and unethical (e.g. writing reports) ways in which AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools can be used in environmental research.
This module examines a range of interdisciplinary environmental management techniques that are used to address critical environmental, human and planetary health issues. Students will gain an understanding of the most appropriate techniques and solutions using a range of global, regional and local environmental case studies. There is a strong emphasis on practice-based skills with guest lectures from practitioners in the field, practical and seminar classes. An innovative assessment will give students the opportunity to be involved in actively influencing sustainable behaviour in the younger generation and giving them a chance to become the ‘teacher’. This approach is especially useful in the third year as it exposes students to a wide range of career options in environmental science management and policy/regulation.
This module puts into practice the knowledge gained in the first and second year Geography modules, and – by focusing on the physical and human processes that have shaped the environment and will influence future change – it provides first-hand experience of process interpretation and understanding in an unfamiliar setting. The module allows students to work within a unique range of overseas environments and carry out a range of activities and studies that result in the design, implementation and production of a research coursework based on student-led fieldwork. Introductory lecture sessions will take place prior to fieldwork. Knowledge and understanding on the actual field class will be gained via enquiry-based learning, followed by group/individual data collection and follow-up analysis. Follow-up sessions will facilitate analysis and discussion of research findings. Transferable and group field and problem-solving skills gained in a largely unfamiliar setting will be invaluable for the workplace.
The semester-long placement module requires students to carry out a specific project for an external organisation. The project is agreed between the host organisation, the module leader and the student prior to the commencement of the placement. The student develops a specific project task to address a particular requirement of the host organisation. This might include consultancy research, analytical research, public engagement or the development of a new teaching class/activity. The methods used, results, interpretation, recommendations and evaluation of the project are presented in the form of a professional report and a poster.
This module prepares students for undertaking an independent programme of research in the MGeog Project. It supports the development of both the student and their emerging project, equipping them with the personal, methodological, practical, and research-governance skills required to deliver a robust piece of geographical research.
This module will introduce students to advanced GIS (Geographical Information Systems) techniques which can be used to understand these relationships between humans and the environment across different time scales. Students will be trained to use research-grade tools, such as ecological models, machine learning and the R coding environment, to address key environmental questions. Activities will be closely linked to published journal articles, and students will be encouraged to reflect critically on models’ strengths and weaknesses for shedding light on Anthropocene environments. The module will also highlight the ethical (e.g. as coding companions) and unethical (e.g. writing reports) ways in which AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools can be used in environmental research.
Students will undertake a substantial applied research project in collaboration with an external organisation or University research group. Using their advanced research skills developed throughout their degree, students will develop and deliver a specific project task to address a particular requirement of the host organisation. Projects may involve analytical research, consultancy reporting, public engagement activities, or the development of teaching and learning resources, depending on the requirements of the host organisation. Students will use advanced disciplinary methods to produce evidence-based outputs. The project’s methods, findings, interpretations, and recommendations will be submitted via a report in a format agreed between the student, employer, and module leader, and an accompanying poster.
The project affords students the opportunity to undertake an independent programme of research under guidance and supervision by an individual or small team of academic staff. A wide range of expertise exists within the School, and students will be provided with an opportunity to develop the project guided by their research interests, supported by members of staff. Students’ results will be submitted for assessment in the form of a written report produced to the exacting standards of academic scientific writing.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
This module supports students to develop critical understandings of core concepts within Geography through exploring the development of geographical thought. As well as acquiring a command over concepts, students will be able to recognise and interpret their own lives and social geographies in relation to geographical conceptualisations and advance critical reflection skills to better grasp notions of power, knowledge and geographical thinking. A dialectical and dialogical approach to the teaching of conceptual knowledges will enhance student abilities in defining and distinguishing core geographical concepts and ideas through comparing and contrasting concepts in relation to each other. Students will achieve this through inclusive, active learning based around group, paired and individual work. The module also provides foundational knowledge and understanding in preparation for engaging with more complex content in subsequent levels of the programme.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to how geographical knowledge is created, and applied to students' careers, and to local and global challenges. Students will engage with a series of careers-focused sessions to embed employability within their development as geographers, and to develop an awareness and understanding of geographical career attributes and pathways.
Geography is a fundamentally spatial discipline. As such, spatial data and analyses often lie at the heart of how we understand and navigate life on our planet. This module provides an introduction to Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Earth Observation, including both the fundamental theories which underpin these technologies and their practical applications. Specifically, this module introduces students to some of the important sources of geospatial data and the technologies underpinning them, and highlights ways in which they are used both within geographical science and more widely. In addition, students will gain hands-on, skills-based experience in processing and analysing data using GIS and Earth Observation software. These are vital tools that will enable students to more rigorously assess the safety and health of the inhabited Earth.
Research methods for the Life Sciences aims to introduce the skills and knowledge necessary for students to assimilate and judge scientific knowledge. Students will be introduced to the tools required to search and evaluate the scientific literature relevant to their studies, and some of the key philosophical constructs around which scientific knowledge is based. They will be taught about hypothesis testing, experimental design, data collection, basic mathematical and statistical concepts, and data presentation, and gain hands-on experience of their application.
This module uses the “laboratory” of the local environment to study global issues related to social and environmental justice within the University’s “local to global” remit. Local fieldwork introduces students to contemporary issues in the social and natural environment through in-depth studies. We visit three nearby environments: the urban, rural and coastal, and will study environmental hazards, social-economic geographies and ecosystem sustainability, as well as the interactions between these processes.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the links between ecosystems and human health. The module focuses heavily on the role of human activities in changing ecosystems, covering aspects of human impacts on ecosystems as well as policy and regulatory actions to improve and safeguard vital ecosystems. Impacts are assessed in terms of both human and wider environmental factors such as quality of life and access to safe and healthy resources as well as biodiversity, landscape assets and climate resilience. By exploring a range of relevant case studies, the module will discuss assumptions about environmental/ecosystem interactions and equip students with the necessary critical knowledge and overview for deriving real-world solutions to a representative range of current environmental problems. Teaching and assessment will cover three broad themes including environmental resources and degradation, SDGs, ecosystems and biodiversity and sustainable socio-ecological systems.
The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to the general principles of physical geography for students with diverse backgrounds. Using a systems-based approach to physical geography, four environmental systems will be examined: geosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
The final part of the module will consider the interactions between physical systems and also the causes and consequences of system change, such as climate change, over time and space. The occurrence and impacts of some key natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and droughts) will also be considered, which will facilitate an improved appreciation of the safety and health of the environment.
Since 1944, development has been firmly on the global agenda, shaping policies, economies, and geopolitical relations worldwide. However, since its inception, development has evolved significantly, moving beyond its early focus on economic growth to encompass issues such as sustainability, equity, and justice. This module invites students to critically explore the diverse histories, theories, discourses, and futures of development, examining how the concept has been understood and implemented across different regions.
Data is central to any scientific pursuit. Data-centric skills are crucial for any environmental scientist undertaking any form of data collection, management, visualisation and/or analysis. This module introduces knowledge and skills relevant to varied sorts of environmental data: storage, handling and manipulation; data visualisation; statistical analysis, interpretation and communication; and applying such knowledge and skills when designing environmental studies. In the age of information, computational skills are becoming ever more relevant, and this module will hone different computational skills, especially coding.
This module examines the theory and philosophy of geographical research together with the practical elements of carrying out research in key areas of human and physical geography. The module explores the theoretical background to undertaking research and considers how different theoretical positions inform research methods and interpretation of data in practice. Teaching also provides a series of introductions to methodological techniques for environmental data collection, analysis and interpretation that can be applied to topical and pressing research problems in human and physical geography.
Human influences on the environment can be seen almost everywhere on our planet, from the deepest ocean trenches to the peaks of the Himalayas and out beyond the stratosphere. This module introduces students to a wide range of human-caused environmental issues facing the world today, using a range of global and regional case studies. Students will explore their causes and consequences, as well as potential responses to them, and develop skills in communicating these critical issues to different audiences using different techniques.
Human influences on the environment can be seen almost everywhere on our planet, from the deepest ocean trenches to the peaks of the Himalayas and out beyond the stratosphere. This module introduces students to a wide range of human-caused environmental issues facing the world today, using a range of global and regional case studies. Students will explore their causes and consequences, as well as potential responses to them, and develop skills in communicating these critical issues to different audiences using different techniques.
This module will introduce students to the applications of GIS and Remote Sensing in supporting evidence-based decisions for sustainable landscape. Students will learn how spatial data is obtained, processed, analysed, and visualized to address real-world problems such as identifying crime hotspots, resources allocation, environmental and ecosystem monitoring and change detection. The module will combine lectures with hands-on practical sessions using industry-standard software such as ArcGIS Pro and QGIS. The theoretical foundations from lectures will enable students to critically interpret spatial data and communicate findings effectively through maps and reports. By exploring a range of GIS and remote sensing techniques, students will develop transferable skills useful for addressing a range of environmental issues.
This module introduces the key concepts of biogeography, conservation, and planetary health. The aim of the module is to develop students’ understanding of the drivers of the impacts of climatic- and human-induced changes on the distribution and functioning of biomes and ecosystems, evaluate how these can be managed and mitigated, and explore and challenge dominant perspectives on conservation theories and practice. The module consists of four broad themes: planetary change; key contemporary issues for ecosystems; biogeographical techniques and mitigation and restoration.
Modern societal development has created new exposures and risks to such hazards that are not fully understood, or may be perceived in different ways – even within the same community. Such vulnerabilities are often only brought into view in the aftermath of a disaster, when losses of life, capital and livelihoods have already occurred, making it vital to assess the physical and social dimensions of hazards in order to increase preparedness. This module is focused around a field-week that will explore the theme of hazards and their relationship to society from both an environmental and human standpoint. This interdisciplinary perspective on hazards and society will offer new insights into the challenges facing contemporary societies in a specific region, while also providing insight into the opportunities offered by geographical research.
The School believes that an option to study overseas is a valuable educational opportunity for our students. Provision of this option supports the educational aims of the School of Geography and enhances the distinctiveness of its degrees at Lincoln. The optional year is intended to:
- enable students to benefit from studying within a cross cultural environment;
- expose students to a wider academic and cultural experience;
- enhance their future employment opportunities;
- by increasing their cultural and professional mobility.
This module is optional for students within the School. Study Abroad is a year long module which enables students to spend a year studying abroad at one of the University’s approved partner institutions. Eligible students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard and successfully completed the application process for the year abroad.
During the year spent abroad, students share classes with local students and study on a suite of locally-delivered taught modules which have been approved in advance by the University. Upon their return, as part of the assessment for this modules, students are required to critically reflect upon their experience of living and studying in a different cultural environment and the skills acquired.
In this module students will ‘trace’ how particular past socio-environmental phenomena interrelate and have shaped and continue to shape present and future global socio-environmental realities. This includes exploring social and environmental events, how these have been experienced and responded to by different people and what the legacies of this are. Case studies are drawn from a range of geographical and temporal settings to facilitate an analytical and comparative view of human-environment interactions, while grounding in historical-social process will ensure that students gain an understanding of the importance of context, social actors and human agency. Critical consideration of how debates and research regarding past socio-environmental changes can be applied to social and environmental challenges today will provide an added dimension of societal relevance.
This module examines the physical, social and political causes, characteristics and consequences of natural and anthropogenic climate change. These key themes will be explored in terms of how societies and the natural world have responded to the physical processes and impacts of climate. We will: explore the physical processes related to natural and anthropogenic climate change and scientific interpretation of these processes; assess the impacts of climate change on a range of human and environmental systems; examine societal, political and policy responses to climate change at different geographical scales; and critically examine how the relationship between the physical environment and societal responses have evolved (and are evolving) with respect to climate change.
The Dissertation is an extended piece of original research work on a geographical topic of the students choice that is carried out under the guidance of a staff mentor. It allows the drawing together and building on skills and subject expertise you have developed through a students time at University. Students will be expected to either collect original material for investigation and/or to carry out original analysis of secondary data. Allocated supervisors will guide and advise in this work but students are expected to take the lead in developing ideas and research plans.
No matter who or where we are, our everyday lives and where we live them are shaped by uneven processes related to the production and governance of differentiated populations at the spatial and social margins: racial capitalism, settler and post-colonialism, bordering regimes, planetary urbanism, neoliberal governance, etc. These global processes are both deeply complex and deeply connected, yet work to produce socio-spatial inequalities, marginalisation, dispossessions, displacements, social violence, political and social movements and mobilities. If we are to address ongoing social and spatial injustices, we need to understand and examine how global population processes emerge, function and relate to each other, as well as how they enact in everyday life at the global margins.
The environment, its resources, its use, and its degradation are both shaped by and are drivers of unequal power relations at global, regional and local scales. Following, conservation, exploitation and development of planetary natures – including human – underpins many contemporary crises: ecological, climate, economic, geopolitical conflicts and violence, displacement and inequality. The vibrant interdisciplinary field of Political Ecology aims to assess and interpret the politics shaping socio-ecological relations, applying critical analyses to topics spanning forestry, water and mineral extraction to urbanization, development and technology, plus many others.
This module examines the evolving relationships between humans and the natural world, challenging dominant narratives that separate nature and society by inviting students to explore the multiplicity of socio-natures and more-than-human perspectives. Throughout the module, students will engage with theories, methodologies, and case studies that introduce diverse and innovative approaches to understanding and researching nature-society interactions. The first half of the module emphasises more-than-human theories and methodologies, while the second half explores their real-world implications, examining the broader environmental, historical, and institutional frameworks that shape human perceptions of nature. By developing a nuanced view of complex, interwoven nature-society dynamics, the module will prepare students to engage critically with and thoughtfully address pressing environmental challenges whilst embracing multi-species practices and perspectives.
This module will introduce students to advanced GIS (Geographical Information Systems) techniques which can be used to understand these relationships between humans and the environment across different time scales. Students will be trained to use research-grade tools, such as ecological models, machine learning and the R coding environment, to address key environmental questions. Activities will be closely linked to published journal articles, and students will be encouraged to reflect critically on models’ strengths and weaknesses for shedding light on Anthropocene environments. The module will also highlight the ethical (e.g. as coding companions) and unethical (e.g. writing reports) ways in which AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools can be used in environmental research.
This module examines a range of interdisciplinary environmental management techniques that are used to address critical environmental, human and planetary health issues. Students will gain an understanding of the most appropriate techniques and solutions using a range of global, regional and local environmental case studies. There is a strong emphasis on practice-based skills with guest lectures from practitioners in the field, practical and seminar classes. An innovative assessment will give students the opportunity to be involved in actively influencing sustainable behaviour in the younger generation and giving them a chance to become the ‘teacher’. This approach is especially useful in the third year as it exposes students to a wide range of career options in environmental science management and policy/regulation.
This module puts into practice the knowledge gained in the first and second year Geography modules, and – by focusing on the physical and human processes that have shaped the environment and will influence future change – it provides first-hand experience of process interpretation and understanding in an unfamiliar setting. The module allows students to work within a unique range of overseas environments and carry out a range of activities and studies that result in the design, implementation and production of a research coursework based on student-led fieldwork. Introductory lecture sessions will take place prior to fieldwork. Knowledge and understanding on the actual field class will be gained via enquiry-based learning, followed by group/individual data collection and follow-up analysis. Follow-up sessions will facilitate analysis and discussion of research findings. Transferable and group field and problem-solving skills gained in a largely unfamiliar setting will be invaluable for the workplace.
The semester-long placement module requires students to carry out a specific project for an external organisation. The project is agreed between the host organisation, the module leader and the student prior to the commencement of the placement. The student develops a specific project task to address a particular requirement of the host organisation. This might include consultancy research, analytical research, public engagement or the development of a new teaching class/activity. The methods used, results, interpretation, recommendations and evaluation of the project are presented in the form of a professional report and a poster.
This module prepares students for undertaking an independent programme of research in the MGeog Project. It supports the development of both the student and their emerging project, equipping them with the personal, methodological, practical, and research-governance skills required to deliver a robust piece of geographical research.
This module will introduce students to advanced GIS (Geographical Information Systems) techniques which can be used to understand these relationships between humans and the environment across different time scales. Students will be trained to use research-grade tools, such as ecological models, machine learning and the R coding environment, to address key environmental questions. Activities will be closely linked to published journal articles, and students will be encouraged to reflect critically on models’ strengths and weaknesses for shedding light on Anthropocene environments. The module will also highlight the ethical (e.g. as coding companions) and unethical (e.g. writing reports) ways in which AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools can be used in environmental research.
Students will undertake a substantial applied research project in collaboration with an external organisation or University research group. Using their advanced research skills developed throughout their degree, students will develop and deliver a specific project task to address a particular requirement of the host organisation. Projects may involve analytical research, consultancy reporting, public engagement activities, or the development of teaching and learning resources, depending on the requirements of the host organisation. Students will use advanced disciplinary methods to produce evidence-based outputs. The project’s methods, findings, interpretations, and recommendations will be submitted via a report in a format agreed between the student, employer, and module leader, and an accompanying poster.
The project affords students the opportunity to undertake an independent programme of research under guidance and supervision by an individual or small team of academic staff. A wide range of expertise exists within the School, and students will be provided with an opportunity to develop the project guided by their research interests, supported by members of staff. Students’ results will be submitted for assessment in the form of a written report produced to the exacting standards of academic scientific writing.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
Our students benefit from a wide range of fieldwork destinations both in the UK and overseas to support the development of key skills in gathering, collating, and analysing quantitative and qualitative data. In the first and second-year, fieldwork is a core subject and has been previously conducted at the coast of Lincolnshire and the Greek island of Crete. Costs of these compulsory trips are covered by the University. In the third year, we offer an optional trip that in previous years took place in central and southern Chile, and should students choose to participate, they may be responsible for covering their travel, accommodation, and general living costs.
Research is essential in informing our teaching and each of our academics is passionate about research. Most geography academics are part of the Climate, Catchments, Coasts and Communities Research Group (C4RG). Our students have the chance to encounter authentic research at all levels — either through their own activities or through the teaching staff sharing experiences from their own research. Wider opportunities to engage in research are provided through guest lectures within the course, working closely with the Lincoln branch of the Geographical Association externally, and engaging in research projects with staff.
Geography is an ideal subject to study for understanding how to address major environmental and social challenges such as the climate crisis, and also for picking up vital work skills.
Professor Edward Hanna
Professor of Climate Science and Meteorology
The Department of Geography offers opportunities to gain valuable work experience with partners in industry, schools, and public sector organisations. These include an optional placement consultancy module in the third year, enabling students to practice and develop a wide range of skills and expertise of relevance to the workplace whilst also building invaluable career networks. The Department works with a dedicated placement officer to support students in placement and consultancy opportunities.
Students can also elect to work for a full year placement as part of a sandwich year option. A Placement Year Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and beyond. Students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs.
We also have exchange agreements with selected overseas universities to enable students to spend a full year study abroad as part of their degree. A Study Abroad Tuition Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and be-yond. No extra tuition fee is payable to the host university, but students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs.
From the first year, there may be opportunities to attend lectures from people whose careers are built on geographical skills and knowledge. The Department of Geography also works closely with the University Careers and Employability Team to promote the Lincoln Award, an initiative designed to enhance employability skills.
Geography graduates are in high demand across a wide range of professions and organisations. Our graduates can progress onto careers in areas including local government, health and social care planning, urban planning, teaching, environmental consultancy, and environmental management. The Department's links with industry, business, and environmental regulatory agencies provide valuable opportunities for internships and work experience.
University Study is a major investment, so it’s important to understand the costs and support available. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found below. Eligible students may be able to access scholarships and bursaries to help with study costs.
University Study is a major investment, so it’s important to understand the costs and support available. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found below. Eligible students may be able to access scholarships and bursaries to help with study costs.
The best way to find out what it is really like to live and learn at Lincoln is to visit us in person. We offer a range of opportunities across the year to help you to get a real feel for what it might be like to study here.
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We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.