Geography, Society and Environment (Hons) Heriot-Watt University

Overview

Geography, Society and Environment (Hons) from Heriot-Watt University will interest you if you want to specialise in human geography and related topics such as urban design, social policy and equity, sustainable cities, and sustainable development. Overall, this degree explores the ways in which people shape and are shaped by the places and environments in which they live.  

You’ll consider questions such as: 

• How do cities change and how do the people involved shape those cities and neighbourhoods?  
• How does the built environment shape our behaviour?  
• What makes some places healthier or happier or more resilient? 

Our industry links and cross-disciplinary learning style ensures our teaching is relevant in the real world, and you’ll experience what it is like to be a professional geographer working in practice. Throughout your studies, you’ll hear from guest practitioners from industry to gain insight into current approaches to solving challenges.  

You’ll be taught through courses relevant to 21st century global challenges on topics such as aging populations, social inequalities, nature-based solutions and sustainable development, and you’ll gain employability skills such as digital mapping through geographical information systems and collaborative group working.  

In years one and two, you’ll cover a broad range of fundamental courses on human geography (social, economic, and urban), physical geography (earth systems, hydrology, and geomorphology), transferable and geography-specific skills and practical fieldwork. You’ll specialise in human geography in the later years of the degree, studying cities, place and place making, and urban development. 

You will develop field skills in surveying, mapping, and questionnaires, alongside important analytical and research skills. Through this cross-disciplinary, industry focussed, and problem-based degree, you’ll acquire the skills needed to work in multi-disciplinary teams and solve real-world problems. You’ll become flexible and creative with the ability to apply your skills and knowledge to a range of careers.   

Your learning environment  

Our MA (Hons) Geography, Society and Environment is taught though a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, projects, laboratory and field trips allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your teaching staff, academics, and peers. You’ll be assessed by a combination of examination and coursework.  

During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our specialist equipment, computing software and laboratories, including a soil hydrology lab with a range of soil testing equipment, and a hydraulics lab with three tilting flumes and state of the art measurement capabilities.    

You’ll utilise landscapes within our own Edinburgh campus, which is set within 360 acres of beautiful parkland during your degree. You’ll also visit locations on our doorstep such as the Pentland Hills to think about geomorphology, Gullane sand dunes to collect your own data and the city of Edinburgh to observe how urban landscapes are used by people.  

There are also residential field trips within the United Kingdom and abroad to enjoy, currently including Newcastle in year one, Orkney in year two, and Lisbon in year three. These field trips provide opportunities for you to strengthen your practical skills in field survey, site observation, data collection, and analysis.  

Customise your learning 

You’ll take eight mandatory courses in year one to provide the foundations for further study. You can customise your learning in year two through taking six mandatory courses and choosing two optional courses. You can transfer between our geography degrees until the end of year two, allowing you time at university to make final decisions on your area of specialism. 

Year one will introduce you to all aspects of human and physical geography. You’ll also take a course designed to inspire awareness of the contribution of your discipline to tackling global challenges, and its connection to other disciplines. You’ll work in teams, learn to cope with complexity, and gain core study skills. 

In year two, you’ll be introduced to urban geography, catchment hydrology, surveying and geographical information systems, geomorphology, data collection and analysis tools, and explore global challenges through the sustainable development goals. Optional courses will range from biology, business and management, critical writing, employability and professional skills to Scottish studies, economics, and film and cultures.  

You’ll take six mandatory courses and two optional courses in year three. Mandatory courses include global challenges, theories and methods in geography, place and place-making, comparative urban development, and nature-based solutions in the city. Optional courses include marine and coastal geography, river geomorphology, transport design, energy and buildings, environment and behaviour, and environmental technology and management.  

You’ll complete your research dissertation in year four on a topic of interest to you. You’ll also take two mandatory courses in urbanisation in the global south and social sustainability. You can customise your learning in year four by choosing four optional courses from a range of six courses, including a collaborative design project conducted over the course of one week.  

Industry  

We work closely with industry to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of industry and employers. You’ll gain the right blend of knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills to set you up for life after graduation.