The land borders the ocean via the coastal zone. Understanding how these environments are related to each other is important for many societal and economic reasons, and requires an integrated approach to the subject, as most of the world’s population lives near, or exploits, the coastal zone. The Physical Geography and Oceanography course ensures research-led teaching of both terrestrial (e.g. rivers, glaciers) and marine (e.g. waves, tides, density currents, sea level) processes. These processes control the movement of water, sediment and biogeochemical components (such as carbon) from the land into the sea. This course also integrates these process to examine the impacts of environmental change, climate, sea level and pollution on the health and sustainability of terrestrial and marine environments.

Placement Year 

This course is available as a 4-year ‘with Placement Year’ option. Please apply for Physical Geography and Oceanography with Placement Year BSc F84P. Find out more about 'with Placement Year' courses here. 

The placement year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements. 

You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree, and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Skills and Employability Services. 

Internships

Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.

Career

The Schools of Ocean Science (SOS) and Environment, Natural Resources and Geography (SENRGy) have a 'hands on' approach to teaching that is well known in the marine and environmental science communities. Graduates in disciplines related to Geography and Geology are very employable. Our intellectually challenging course is designed to give you strong transferrable skills and an understanding of the land-based and marine environment.

The purpose of this degree is to enhance the employability of graduates and a high proportion of graduates monitored gain employment within both the public and private sector, and rapidly progress within their organisations. This is degree award dependent. We give students a mix of transferrable skills, current subject-specific knowledge and understanding to equip them for this purpose. They are competent in interpersonal skills, can achieve deadlines for a variety of different outputs and are equipped to work individually or in a team. They are well conversant with relevant ICT skills, including database and internet searching, literature searching and evaluation, statistical analysis, mathematical modelling and the use of geographical information systems.

Field visits and field courses provide an opportunity to engage with professionals working in the field and to relate classroom teaching to real-world practice.

In addition, students have opportunities to gain work experience by opting for a year out or international academic experience through a semester/year studying abroad (ERASMUS+).

Our graduates are numerate, literate, team-players, and critical and analytical thinkers, with excellent communication skills. You will be ideally placed to gain employment within the geosciences sector: water/environmental consultancies, geological/earth sciences industry, coastal/marine sciences, and oceanography. The course also provides a route into postgraduate study/research.