Geology with Geography with a Placement Year

Geology and geography together form a powerful partnership for understanding the Earth, its surface, and the processes that have shaped it over billions of years and continue to shape it today. Geology provides the deep time perspective, investigating the materials, structures, and processes of the Earth from its formation through to the present, while geography examines the surface environment, including landforms, climate, ecosystems, and the human relationship with the physical world. Together they give you the tools to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from climate change and resource management to natural hazards and environmental sustainability.

At the University of East Anglia, this four-year, full-time programme with a placement year combines the classical areas of earth sciences with modern approaches to environmental challenge. You will develop skills in field observation, geological mapping, data analysis, and geographical research methods, gaining both the scientific grounding and the practical capabilities that employers in earth science, environmental, and consultancy roles look for. The placement year gives you a full year of professional experience in a relevant organisation before you complete your studies, which is particularly valuable in fields where employers place high importance on practical experience and contextual awareness.

Graduates go on to careers in environmental consulting, the oil and gas industry, mineral exploration, hydrogeology, engineering geology, environmental regulation, nature conservation, and climate science. Government agencies, environmental consultancies, energy companies, and research institutions are all significant employers. Many graduates pursue professional registration with the Geological Society or related bodies, and postgraduate study in geology, environmental science, or physical geography is a common route for those who wish to develop their specialism further.