Learning on Location
As a part of our Geography degrees, you will have the opportunity to conduct fieldwork in a variety of locations, both in the UK and abroad. Some of the destinations open to our students are:
We've put together information and resources to guide your application journey as a student from the United States of America.
3rd for Iberian Languages
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2025)
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The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2025)
4th for Italian
The Complete University Guide (2025)
Explore our beautiful surroundings, take part in international field trips and learn from world-renowned lecturers while gaining a detailed, working understanding of Spanish language, culture and society.
This exciting programme will allow you to gain a detailed understanding of geography while giving you the skills and knowledge to engage with the discipline in preparation for a placement year overseas in a Spanish speaking country. During the four years, you will be able to draw on expertise from two specialist departments: The School of Global Affairs, and Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC).
Situated between the idyllic rural settings of the north and the bustling cities of Liverpool and Manchester, Lancaster’s location enables us to explore some of the most unique areas of geographic interest in the UK. You will gain a wealth of hands-on experience with field trips to places such as the Yorkshire Dales, Cumbrian coast and Lake District, as well as international locations such as Croatia.
You will develop a fundamental understanding of human geography in your first year Geography modules. These modules equip you with a well-rounded introduction to some of the key themes in geography, as well as providing you with the skills used by geographers to analyse problems in both the human and physical aspects of the discipline. In addition, you will take language classes, determined by your current level of ability.
Additionally, you will also take a specialist module that will prepare you for your year abroad.
You will spend your third year working or at one of our partner institutions in a Spanish speaking country, where you will practise and develop your language abilities, while continuing to enhance your geographical skills and knowledge. You can spend this year either studying or working, both of which will provide you with the opportunity to analyse the social, cultural, political and economic issues related to the area, complementing both your Spanish and geography studies.
You will also be offered further optional module choices, which could include the study of Global Consumption, Urban Infrastructure in a Changing World, and the Geographies of Health, and there will be fieldwork opportunities in locations such as Croatia.
In addition to your subject knowledge, you will gain communication and IT skills, and will become familiar with data handling and environmental sampling and analysis. Throughout your degree, considerable weight is placed upon enhancing your employability and such skills are greatly valued by potential employers.
You can find some examples of optional modules in the Course Structure section below.
Assessment
We offer flexible programmes with a strong emphasis on practical learning. You will engage in a wide range of classroom and lab-based modules that span the breadth of geographical topics and infuse content from humanities and social sciences. Your work will be regularly assessed by a combination of classroom and workshop-based assignments, in addition to written examinations and project reports.
Beginners Languages
Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so we only allow students to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at our first year module options. If you apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, your optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.
Our programmes maintain an excellent record for graduate prospects spanning a wide range of career opportunities. Recent examples of career opportunities have included entering the profession of Planning Officer, Environmental Consultant, Geographical Information Systems Officer, Weather Forecaster, Emergency Planner or Landscape Architect.
Additionally, our joint programme ideally prepares you, if you choose to pursue a career abroad; not just due to your highly developed language ability, but thanks to the rigorous understanding you will have gained of life overseas.
Alternatively, many of our graduates choose to continue their studies to postgraduate level and pursue a career in academia, research and teaching, among other options.
Our goal is to empower all our graduates with the skills, confidence and experience they need to achieve a successful career. You will be offered a wide range of support, helping you realise your career ambitions and providing you with the skills to reach your full potential.
We offer a variety of extra-curricular activities and volunteering opportunities that enable you to explore your interests and enhance your CV. Our weekly careers bulletin and careers blogs are written by student volunteers, and inform you of all careers events. The Green Lancaster programme run by the Students Union offers placements with external organisations, allowing students to gain volunteering experience at weekends by working in the local community, taking part in a wide range of activities and developing their practical skills.
These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. You may need to have qualifications in relevant subjects. In some cases we may also ask you to attend an interview or submit a portfolio. You must also meet our English language requirements.
Find more about these qualifications and others not shown here
ABB. This should include A level Spanish, or if this is to be studied from beginners' level, you should have AS grade B or A level grade B in another foreign language, or GCSE grade 7/A in a foreign language. We also recommend that this includes Geography, or alternatively you should have one of the following subjects: Anthropology, Classics, Economics, English Literature, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Religious Studies, and Sociology.
Considered on a case-by-case basis. Our typical entry requirement would be 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction plus 15 Level 3 credits at Merit, but you would need to have covered appropriate subject content.
We accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in place of one A level, or equivalent qualification, as long as any subject requirements are met.
DDM in a related subject but we may additionally require a supporting A level in Geography or alternative cognate subject at grade B. You will also need to have appropriate evidence of language ability.
Our typical requirement would be A level grade B plus BTEC(s) at DD, or A levels at grade BB plus BTEC at D, but you would also need to meet the subject requirements.
32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects including Geography or alternative cognate subject at HL grade 6 and appropriate evidence of language ability
We are happy to admit applicants on the basis of five Highers, but where we require a specific subject at A level, we will typically require an Advanced Higher in that subject. If you do not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone, we will consider a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects. Please contact the Admissions team for more information.
T level in Health is accepted at Distinction alongside appropriate evidence of language ability
L1 speakers or Spanish speakers fluent above CEFR B2 will not be accepted onto this course.
If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, please complete our enquiry form and one of our team will get back to you.
Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.
Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.
Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.
This module provides an introduction to the skills used by geographers to analyse problems in both human and physical geography. The module begins by reviewing the principles of cartography and recent developments in the electronic delivery of map-based information through mobile devices and web-based services. This is followed by an introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) which provide facilities for the capture, storage, analysis and display of spatially-referenced information. Later in the module we introduce remote sensing and explain its relationship to GIS. We also consider quantitative and qualitative techniques of analysis (which are taught within the context of contemporary conceptual approaches), with emphasis placed on the study of both environmental and societal processes.
This module is designed for students who have already completed an A-level in Spanish or whose Spanish is of a broadly similar standard. The language element aims to enable students both to consolidate and improve their skills in spoken and written Spanish. A further aim is to provide students with an introduction to the historical and cultural development of Spain in the twentieth century, and also to contemporary institutions and society.
In seminars, the emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of Spanish grammatical structures. You will have the opportunity to develop listening and speaking skills through discussions and activities and with the support of audio and visual materials.
You are also given the chance to examine how key moments in Spanish history have shaped contemporary Hispanic culture. We will look at examples including films, plays, and novels.
(If you are studying BSc Hons International Business Management you only complete the language elements of this module).
This module is designed for students having little or no knowledge of the Spanish language. Consequently, a substantial part of the module is devoted to intensive language teaching aimed at making the student proficient in both written and spoken Spanish. At the same time, students will be introduced to aspects of Spanish culture and society.
Seminars are based on a textbook and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of Spanish grammatical structures. You will have the opportunity to develop listening and speaking skills through structured activities and with the support of audio and visual materials. Each week, we aim for one of your language classes to be entirely devoted to the acquisition and development of oral skills.
You are also given the chance to examine how key moments in Spanish history have shaped contemporary Hispanic culture. We will look at examples including films, plays, and novels.
(If you are studying BSc Hons International Business Management you only complete the language elements of this module).
Introducing you to contemporary human geography, this module focuses on the interactions between society and space, and between people and places at a variety of spatial scales and in different parts of the globe. We introduce the key processes driving geographical change affecting society, economies, the environment, and culture. We critically analyse relevant issues using theoretical models, with examples from across the world. The module encourages you to think critically, argue coherently, appraise published material, and relate real world issues to relevant theoretical frameworks.
This module provides an introduction to environmental processes and their impacts in a variety of different environments. We discuss the physical processes governing the Earth's global climate system and their influence on recent and future patterns of climate and environmental change. We investigate the Earth’s surface materials and the laws that govern the behaviour of fluids, and how these affect environmental flow and fluid transport processes. We also explore the processes which influence the development of soils and associated ecosystems at the land surface, including deposition and erosion processes.
The global environment and human society are now threatened by unprecedented changes resulting from human activities such as intensive agriculture and fossil fuel combustion, as well as facing natural hazards like volcanic eruptions and climatic extremes. This module introduces you to the major contemporary environmental issues and the complexities associated with researching, explaining and managing the Earth's environment. It provides a broad foundation in the skills required to contribute to future understanding and management of global environmental challenges. You will gain a clearer understanding of the connections between social, environmental and biotic processes and explore possible solutions for key environmental issues.
Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting in the October of your year of study.
Our Undergraduate Tuition Fees for 2025/26 are:
Home | International |
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£9,535 | £27,260 |
Students will be required to pay for travel to field sites and will have to purchase wet weather clothing, boots and waterproof notebooks for fieldtrips for which the estimated cost is approximately £110. The course offers optional field trips and students will have to pay for any travel and accommodation costs. If students undertake placements then they may incur additional travel costs. Students on certain modules may wish to purchase a hand lens and compass clinometer but these may be borrowed from the Department.
There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.
Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.
Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.
For students starting in 2025, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses.
To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.
The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.
In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.
In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.
The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.
Home fees are subject to annual review, and may be liable to rise each year in line with UK government policy. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years.
We will charge tuition fees to Home undergraduate students on full-year study abroad/work placements in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:
International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will be charged the same percentages as the standard International fee.
Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.
You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.
You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:
Scheme | Based on | Amount |
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Lancaster Scholarship | Based on Entry grades | Amount £2,000 in your first year of study |
Lancaster Opportunity Scholarship | Based on Contextual offer | Amount £1,000 per year of study |
Lancaster Bursary | Based on Household income | Amount £1,000 per year of study |
Lancaster Global Scholarship - Undergraduate | Based on Entry grades | Amount £2,000 in each year of study for applicants joining Part 1 of our undergraduate programmes. |
We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.
Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.
The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.
Take five minutes and let us show you what Lancaster has to offer, from our beautiful green campus to our colleges, teaching and sports facilities.
Most first-year undergraduate students choose to live on campus, where you’ll find accommodation to suit different preferences and budgets.
Our historic city is student-friendly and home to a diverse and welcoming community. Beyond the city you'll find a stunning coastline and the picturesque Lake District.