Human Geography / English Literature

This BA in Human Geography and English Literature is a remarkable joint honours scheme in which you will investigate the human societies and the politics of place in conjunction with the study of great writers and their literature. The university has a proud tradition of research excellence, as demonstrated in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014) assessment. It placed the university in the top 50 institutions for research power and intensity. It submitted 77% of eligible staff and 95% of the university's research was of an internationally recognised standard.

The 2015 National Student Satisfaction results show high levels of satisfaction in both Human and Social Geography and Physical Geography and Environmental Science courses, with 91% of students satisfied with the quality of the teaching. Overall satisfaction was above UK national averages for the subject.

96% of our Geography and Earth Science graduates were in employment or further study 6 months after graduating, 11 percentage points higher than the previous year and 3 percentage points higher than the UK subject average (DLHE 2014).

The 2015 National Student Satisfaction survey results show high levels of satisfaction among English students, with 88% satisfaction rate for the quality of teaching

93% of our 2014 English and Creative Writing graduates were in employment or further study 6 months after graduating, a 4 percentage point increase on the previous year and equal to the overall UK sector average (DLHE 2014). This increase reflects our investment in innovative and strategic student-focused employability initiatives which encompass all our academic Institutes and which we firmly believe are likely to improve our employability ratings still further.

In your human geography studies, you will engage with the human forces which change every geographical environment, from contemporary urban metropolises and rural communities to children's playgrounds and motorway hard shoulders. In your literature studies, you will consider texts and authors who engage with and shape societies, cultures and history.

You will find the study of Human Geography and English Literature to be a varied and stimulating experience which you can tailor to suit your own interests. You will be able to specialise both areas of study through selecting option modules. Your options may include Climate Change; Medieval and Renaissance Writing; Placing Politics; Romantic Eroticism; Landscapes of British Modernity; and African American Literature among many others.

This course is hosted jointly by our internationally-renowned Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, one of the largest Geography communities in the UK, and our vibrant Department of English and Creative Writing. Staff members of both departments are published experts and researchers in their fields. They will be available for advice and guidance throughout your course, including as you prepare to write and present your substantial final dissertation.

This BA in Human Geography and English Literature will be valuable in any almost any graduate workplace. Upon obtaining your degree, you will be a capable researcher, a confident analyst and fluent communicator. You will be experienced in planning projects, presenting in both oral and written form, and leading and co-operating in team settings. These skills are just some of the many you will be able to bring to any graduate workplace.

Our Staff

Department of Geography and Earth Science: lecturers are all qualified to PhD level or working towards a PhD.

All academic staff in the Department of English and Creative Writing are active scholars and experts in their fields. They are either qualified to PhD level or have commensurate experience. Our Lecturers either hold or are working towards a Higher Education teaching qualification and the majority of academic staff also hold the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Career Prospects

Your joint honours BA in Human Geography and English Literature will prepare you for a broad range of employment and further training options. As a geographer, you will be a strong candidate for opportunities in cartography, environmental consulting, town planning and development, and teaching. As a literature graduate, you will be suited for opportunities in publishing and editing, journalism, marketing and communications, library work and teaching.

Recent statistics from HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) show that over 82% of Geography graduates and over 92% of English graduates find either paid employment or continue with further study upon graduation from BA courses comparable to this joint honours course.

Throughout your training you will develop a wealth of core and other generic skills which can be easily transferred into almost any graduate or professional employment situation.

You will be able to evaluate and improve research practices, critically review debates on relevant issues, present data through a number of channels and articulate an informed response to enquiries. You will also be confident in reading and evaluating source material quickly and efficiently; selecting and deploying the most appropriate of a range of critical methodologies; and delivering cogent and compelling arguments.

Transferable Skills

Studying for a degree in Human Geography and English Literature will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued by employers. These include:

• enhanced numerical and computational skills
• the ability to research, interpret and analyse business and financial data
• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• effective problem-solving
• analytical and creative thinking skills
• decision-making
• the ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement.

Year in Employment scheme (YES)

The University operates a Year in Employment Scheme (YES), which offers you a fantastic opportunity to take a year out between your second and third year to work in an organisation in the UK or overseas. YES provides a very rewarding and worthwhile experience, both personally and professionally, and can help you to stand out from the crowd in a very competitive job market. The University’s Career Service will help you to explore your options and secure a suitable work placement.

GO Wales

GO Wales is administered by the University’s Career Service, working with local businesses to create paid work placements of a few weeks’ duration for students. It gives you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience which will enhance your CV and make you more attractive to potential employers.

Personal Development Plan

You will also have the opportunity to complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) at Aberystwyth. This is a structured process of self-appraisal, reflection, and planning, which will enable you to chart your personal, academic and professional development throughout your time at university. By recording your academic performance, and highlighting the skills you already have and those you will need for future employability, the PDP portfolio will equip you with the necessary tools to plan effectively, develop successful approaches to study, and consider your future career options and aspirations.

I love it! I have been exposed to a variety of different subject areas and it has allowed me to choose modules to fit with my own interests. The tutors are great, approachable and friendly. Would recommend to anyone considering doing human geography. Ashley Wilding

I love my Human Geography course because it has made me look at the world around me in a different and more interesting way. I can understand why it is like it is, and what it might look like in the future. It has really opened up my eyes to the different processes which shape our modern society. Rebecca Priest

My Human Geography course allows me to look at the world from a different perspective, appreciating the idea of place and the way sense of place shapes everyday life. I now can sit on a park bench and 'people watch'; analysing how people act in public spaces, but under the title of ethnography. Human geography takes into account the spatial relations of areas that have not been considered before, or have been taken for granted. It is like looking through a pair of epistemological glasses. Florence Genis