Compulsory modules

Academic, Professional and Field Skills
This module will introduce you to the essential skills required of Geographers, Geologists and Environmental Scientists. To introduce these skills to you we will explore our ‘living lab’ campus and take you on a series of four, one-day field courses in Staffordshire. The module will help you develop your own academic and professional practice, providing you with the foundations for not only completing your degree successfully, but also helping you think about future study or employment.

Environment and Sustainability
Understanding and managing environmental issues, from global to local scales, requires multiple disciplines and interdisciplinary approaches for effective action. We will evaluate some of the main environmental, ecological, and sustainability problems that society faces and how can we address them, and develop reflective practice skills to support learning. 

Human and Physical Geographies for a Changing World
This module explores the heart of Geography, connecting Human and Physical topics to help you achieve a detailed understanding of our increasingly complex world. Geography is an integrative subject, and we combine the study of landscape, climate change, and natural hazards with topics such as social exclusion, modernization, identity politics and (counter-) urbanisation. Putting this material in the context of big ideas like scientific uncertainty and Geography’s colonial framing, the module provides a strong foundation for further study in the subject.

Sustainable Staffordshire
In this module you will explore sustainability within Staffordshire (Keele’s local area). Topics include environmental issues, renewable energy, and community-led conservation efforts. You will examine regional case studies, engage with local sustainability initiatives and learn how these activities build on Staffordshire's rich geology, geography and history. Through interactive learning on and off campus, you will develop your knowledge of sustainability practices and identify strategies to enhance Staffordshire's ecological resilience and community well-being, and how these can be implemented beyond Staffordshire.

Optional modules

Conservation Policy and Practice
Whether it is natural resource depletion, changing climate, protecting wilderness, saving endangered species, or living during a pandemic, we worry about the impacts society has on nature and vice versa. Conservation practices have emerged to safeguard the parts of the natural world we particularly value. However, our ideas about nature are often multiple and contradictory; and discussions about our duties to nature often disguise deeper claims about economic benefits and social equity. This module engages with interdisciplinary ideas about nature focusing on conservation approaches in policy and practice.

Compulsory modules

Environmental and Sustainability Impact Assessment: Methods and Research Design
Enhance your employability with this hands-on module. You will acquire the specialist field, laboratory, social survey and computer-based research skills required to work in the environmental sector. You will acquire these skills by completing an Environmental and Sustainability Impact Assessment on Keele campus. By completing the module, you will also gain the research, fieldwork and data analysis skills required to conduct your third-year research project.  

Lake District Field Course
The Lake District course provides you with hands-on experience in one of the UK's most iconic landscapes. This module involves a weeklong residential, intensive field study focusing on the region's unique physical geography, ecology, culture and built environment. You will conduct various fieldwork activities, including data collection, environmental analysis, and ethnographic observation. This immersive experience enhances practical skills in geographical and environmental research and fosters a deeper understanding of the interactions between natural environments and human activities within the Lake District.

GIS and Remote Sensing
Geographical Information Systems and remote sensing are essential tools and techniques for spatial data analysis and visualization. This module will teach you to collect, manage, and interpret data from satellite imagery and aerial photography. The course covers GIS software applications, spatial analysis, and map creation, emphasizing practical skills through hands-on projects. By the end of the module, you will be proficient in using foundational GIS and remote sensing technologies to solve real-world geographic and environmental problems. 

Earth’s Changing landscape
Glaciers, volcanoes, coastal erosion, floods... studying Earth’s spectacular landscapes is increasingly significant in the context of climate change and its impacts on human and physical environments. Landscapes tell us about Earth’s past, but also help us face the future as we battle natural hazards such as landslides and work to safeguard resources such as fresh water. This module explores Geomorphology, the science of landscapes, using a global range of examples supported by student-led analysis of remotely-sensed imagery and new scientific research.

Water in the Environment
In this module you will explore key concepts and processes relating to water within the context of different Earth systems. You will learn about the need for responsible and sustainable use of our global water resources, and how to manage water in the environment to this affect. You will develop skills in presenting, interpreting and analysing numerical data through working with real-time data from, for example, the global ARGO network and the Environment Agency. 

Optional modules

Geoethics and Environmental Justice
In this module you will investigate the ethical dimensions of geosciences and their impact on environmental justice. Topics include principles of geoethics, the role of geoscientists and geographers in society, and the ethical challenges in resource extraction and management. The module addresses environmental justice issues, focusing on the distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, the rights of indigenous and marginalized communities, and the development of sustainable practices. Case studies and interactive discussions will highlight real-world applications and ethical dilemmas. 

Human Impact on the Environment
Humans impact processes, conditions and components of our planet and biosphere on global, regional and local scales. Scientific understanding is key to managing these for better environmental and human well-being. You will explore issues from climate change and circular economy futures to pollution, biodiversity loss, and ocean health concerns. By the end of the module, you will be able to articulate the context of human impacts and evaluate the scientific evidence for potential solutions. 

Making Better Worlds
In making better worlds you will interrogate the theories and practices aimed at creating a more equitable and sustainable world. Key topics include environmental sustainability, social justice and civil rights. You will explore historical and contemporary movements for change, the role of technology in societal improvement, the benefits of volunteering and the impact of protests and grassroots initiatives. Through critical discussions of case studies, you will develop practical skills and visionary thinking necessary for fostering positive global transformation. 

Flexible Work Placement
In a competitive job market, practical skills and understanding workplace dynamics are crucial. This module allows you to gain hands-on experience, enhance your employability skills, and provide valuable insights into the professional world. You will be supported via a range of activities to secure a role and can source your own placement or apply to university-sourced roles. This module has built-in flexibility on when and how you complete your placement around existing demands. 

Compulsory modules

Independent Research Dissertation
For the capstone research dissertation you will conduct independent research on a topic of your own choice within your field of study. Guided by an academic advisor, you will establish research objectives, undertake fieldwork or data collection, and analyse your findings. This module emphasizes critical thinking, methodological rigor, and effective communication of results. Completing the dissertation allows you to demonstrate your expertise, contribute to subject knowledge, and prepare for professional careers or post-graduate study. 

Optional modules

International Geographical Field Course
This international field course gives you the opportunity to put your learning into practice in an international setting. Our current location is Geneva and the French Alps where you can explore diverse geographical phenomena in a renowned mountainous region. Through hands-on fieldwork, you can investigate topics such as glacial processes, alpine ecosystems, and cultural landscapes. Field activities may include observational data collection, geographical mapping, and environmental analysis. This immersive experience enhances your understanding of geographical concepts and methodologies while fostering problem-solving skills in challenging terrain. 

Sustainable Futures Consultancy
The Sustainable Futures Consultancy module will equip you with the knowledge and skills to address environmental and/or societal challenges through sustainable practices. Focusing on a real-world application you will work with other students on a consultancy project to develop strategies for sustainable solutions in a particular sector. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, stakeholder engagement, and practical implementation, preparing you for careers in regional planning, sustainability consultancy or environmental management.

Applied GIS
This module will provide you with the broader context of GIS applications to address real-world societal and environmental issues within human and physical geography, geology and environmental sciences. You will gain essential skills in acquiring, analysing, and displaying spatial data and explore how GIS can be integrated with environmental impact assessment and be used to support decision-making. By the end of the module, you will gain GIS skills that are important across all sectors in business, government, and science, thereby enhancing your future employability.

Geomorphology: Earth Surface Processes and Landscapes
Earth’s spectacular landscapes are impressive and fascinating. They also provide a record of past environmental change and reveal the interconnected hydrological, atmospheric and terrestrial processes that are changing the planet’s surface right now. Focusing on case studies such as glacial and coastal geomorphology, we will learn about landforms and the processes that create them. Looking at sediment transfer from source to sink at local and global scales we will explore landscape as an integral part of the global environmental system. 

Global Environmental Change
This module explores Earth's dynamic environment throughout the Quaternary period and examines key debates surrounding past environmental change and the relationship between global changes and surface processes. You will learn how past environmental change is reconstructed using proxy evidence and geochronological controls, and why this knowledge is crucial for predicting future shifts in our climate. Through critical analysis, this module will enhance your understanding of the planet’s evolving environment, preparing you to address the challenges of future environmental change.

Inspirational Landscapes
Landscapes inspire us in many ways. Described by Geographical Magazine as one of the UK’s most interesting and unique modules, Inspirational Landscapes is about how we each look differently at the world around us to create our own personal geographies. Connecting landscape to human creativity, the module lets you “do geography” to an enthusiasm or hobby of your own. You choose your assessment topic based on something you love, be that music, mountaineering, cinema or online gaming... Whatever inspires you! 

Natural Hazards
Explore the study of natural hazards in this comprehensive module.  You will delve into the origins and impacts of various natural disasters, from minor disruptions to catastrophic events, triggered by both natural and human activity. You will assess risks, learn how these phenomena affect society, the environment, and the economy, and discover strategies to predict and mitigate their devastating effects. Get ready to tackle real-world challenges and make a difference in disaster prevention and management.

Clean Technology
Learn about how to accelerate energy transitions away from fossil fuels with a specific focus on: energy efficiency, clean energy generation and storage, electrification and their integration within smart energy systems. You will develop and enhance your energy literacy skills, which will equip you for careers and research opportunities available in the sustainable energy sector. 

Extinction!
This module explores the causes and consequences of extinction events throughout Earth's history. You will investigate mass extinctions, such as the Permian and Cretaceous events, and explore the role of factors like climate change, asteroid impacts, and human activities. You will learn about evolutionary biology, palaeontology, and conservation science, highlighting current biodiversity crises and strategies for species preservation. Through lectures, seminar projects, and case studies, you will gain an in-depth understanding of extinction dynamics and their implications for the future.  

Flexible Work Placement
In a competitive job market, practical skills and understanding workplace dynamics are crucial. This module allows you to gain hands-on experience, enhance your employability skills, and provide valuable insights into the professional world. You will be supported via a range of activities to secure a role and can source your own placement or apply to university-sourced roles. This module has built-in flexibility on when and how you complete your placement around existing demands. 

Professional Experience in Education 
This module gives students interested in pursuing teaching or training as a career the opportunity to gain experience in the world of teaching in schools and colleges. You will develop skills highly valued by employers such as communication, and interpersonal skills, whilst learning to address individual needs and developing engaging teaching materials. You will be supported via a range of activities to prepare for your placement and have the choice to source your own placement or apply to university sourced roles. 

Sustainable Futures Consultancy, Flexible Work Placement (level 6) and  Professional Experience in Education are barred combinations