About This Course
The environment is a major focus of teaching within the School and Geography is central to this. Furthermore, we have been teaching forestry at Bangor for more than 110 years, and there has never been a more exciting time to enter the profession. This degree combines developing an understanding of the physical processes that shape the world with understanding relationship between humankind and the environment and how sustainable management of environmental resources can benefit society. The world’s forests, vital to the global ecosystem and covering 30% of the world’s land area, are key to this.
On this course students develop knowledge and transferable skills across traditional subject boundaries and will be prepared for the challenge of managing forests for the many benefits they provide, at a time of global environmental change. Our courses place an emphasis on field visits and fieldwork as well as opportunities to enhance employability through professional placements and skills.
Click here for more information about our activities and expertise in the field of Forestry.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- Top five for Agriculture and Forestry (Complete University Guide League Table 2021).
- Ranked 7th in the UK for research quality (Agriculture and Forestry - The Complete University Guide 2021).
- The dramatic coastline and rugged mountains of north Wales, combined with the facilities of a modern University department, make Bangor an excellent place to study Geography.
- These courses take full advantage of our superb location including, the coast and mountains of north Wales, designated landscapes, rich cultural and industrial heritage of the area, and our proximity to the Snowdonia National Park. With all this on the doorstep, you won’t have to travel far for fieldwork!
- We were the first university to offer a Forestry degree, and we are now the first to offer an MFor degree.
- We have excellent links with forestry organisations in the UK and overseas, and these are used in our teaching programmes.
- We have a comprehensive library collection in Bangor, a forestry experimental area nearby, and are within easy travelling distance of public and privately-owned forests.
- The University owns 82 ha of woodland, many of them seminatural, which are used for teaching.
- We run week-long field courses in the first, second and final years of the degree.
- We have an experienced group of staff, with new appointments in forestry and a number of related disciplines, and excellent interaction with local professional foresters.
- There are opportunities for studying abroad (usually in Canada or Finland) during the second year. If you opt for the four-year programme you will spend a year working in the forestry profession, gaining relevant experience and increasing your employability.
Course Content
We use a wide variety of teaching methods ranging from lectures, laboratory practicals and fieldwork to seminars and tutorials. Seminars and tutorials concentrate on problem solving, study skills development and reinforcing material taught in lectures. Courses are assessed using a variety of methods with an average split of 60% coursework and 40% examination. The University’s ‘Blackboard’ virtual learning environment, provides direct access to learning resources, course documents and lecture notes.
What will you study on this course?
Our degrees are modular and you will study 120 credits worth of modules in each year. Although some modules are, by necessity, compulsory, others can be chosen from a suite of optional modules allowing students to expand their studies into new areas or to develop specialisms that are of particular interest to them. Fieldwork is an integral part of the course with dedicated field study modules in each year in addition to field visits associated with subject modules. Students on the 4 year programme undertake a placement year in their third year allowing them to develop professional skills, work experience and to network with potential employers.
Year 1 and Year 2
The first year focuses on key basic knowledge within the subjects of geography and forestry and helps students to develop their study and research skills.
The aim of the second year is to deepen your subject knowledge and widen your skills base. Modules cover key areas in geography and forestry and investigate major debates and issues within the subjects.
Final Year
In the final year students complete their Honours Project; a piece of independent research designed and carried out by students (supervised by a member of staff). This is an opportunity to study in detail, a topic that particularly interests you. The third year study tour to Europe is seen by many students as a highlight of their course. Students also have the option to integrate the knowledge that they have acquired in the first two years to write a forest management plan for a local forest area.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Geography with Environmental Forestry (with placement year) Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Course Costs
Mandatory Costs:
Suitable clothing and equipment for fieldwork will be required e.g. walking boots and waterproofs, rucksack. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £50-£80.
Appropriate stationary for note-taking during classes, e.g. notepad, pens and pencils. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £5-£15.
Daily travel costs during Placement Year. The cost will vary by placement. Approximate daily cost: £5.
Necessarily Incurred Costs:
Students are required to provide their own lunch and evening meals on the Year 2 residential fieldcourse. The cost for these will vary. Approximate total cost: £50-£70.
Materials for the preparation of academic poster for assessment. The cost and number of these will vary. Approximate cost: £10-£15.
Travel costs to undertake any fieldwork as part of Year 4 Honours Project research. The cost will vary by project (and may not even be incurred). Approximate cost for a UK-based project in a student’s home area: £15-£20.
Optional Costs:
Cost for optional residential Year 3 fieldcourse. The cost will vary by trip. Approximate cost £600.
Purchase of Wellington Boots for fieldwork. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £10-£20.
Costs of any visas and vaccinations required if the student opts to undertake a placement year or project work overseas. The cost for these will vary.
Notes:
Copies of all required reading materials are provided via the University Library.
Where required, laboratory coats are provided.
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
- The fee for all placement, international and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
- More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
For 2021 entry:
GCSE: Grade C/4 in Mathematics and English Language or Welsh.Typical offer is based on a minimum 120 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels: (including a C grade or above in A2 Geography)
- International Baccalaureate Diploma (including grade H5 or above in Geography at the Higher Level)
- Access: Science or Environmental/Landbased or Humanities course (merit grade required in the Geography element)
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma in Countryside Management or Applied Science: DDM
- City & Guilds Extended Diploma in Countryside Management: Distinction
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Forestry & Arboriculture: Distinction
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in Laboratory Skills: DDM
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com
For 2020 entry:
GCSE: Grade C/4 in Mathematics and English Language or Welsh.Typical offer is based on a minimum 120 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels: (including a C grade or above in A2 Geography)
- International Baccalaureate Diploma (including grade H5 or above in Geography at the Higher Level)
- Access: Science or Environmental/Landbased or Humanities course (merit grade required in the Geography element)
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma in Countryside Management or Applied Science: DDM
- City & Guilds Extended Diploma in Countryside Management: Distinction
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Forestry & Arboriculture: Distinction
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in Laboratory Skills: DDM
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
Geography and forestry graduates are highly employable and are in demand due to the transferable skills and subject knowledge they develop during their studies. You will graduate with a widely-respected degree that opens up career possibilities in public, private and non-governmental organisations both in the UK and overseas.
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)
The BEA is a comprehensive online course that you can work through at your own pace, taking you through all the steps you need to take to explore, prepare and apply for your dream career.
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about the volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
