We welcome applications from the United States of America
We've put together information and resources to guide your application journey as a student from the United States of America.
Overview
Top reasons to study with us
9
9th for Geography
The Complete University Guide (2026)
11
11th for Geography and Environmental Science
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2025)
16
16th for Geography
The Guardian University Guide (2025)
Given the pace at which our planet is changing, there has never been a more important time to study geography. Learn to make sense of the complex interactions between humanity and our planetary environment and discover how you can make a positive difference.
Develop the skills and knowledge needed to help you advance professionally in a range of sectors, including but not limited to energy, food and agriculture, construction and housing, hazard mitigation, environmental consultancy, local and national government, urban planning and landscape architecture, geospatial analysis, and emergency planning. Explore the full range of human and environmental issues tackled by modern geographers, with an emphasis on human society and the impacts these systems have in the modern world.
What to expect
At the beginning of our three-year BA Hons Geography degree you will be introduced to human, physical, and environmental geography. You will develop the skills geographers use to analyse major issues and global concerns.
In Year 2, you will deepen your knowledge of human and physical geography, with the opportunity to tailor your interests around a range of human-centric optional modules. As you specialise, you will undertake practical work that aims to enhance your understanding of key topics while developing your analytic and research skills.
As you progress into Year 3, you will tailor your studies even further with a dissertation. Here, you will be guided by an academic advisor to deliver an independent research topic of your choice. This can be completed in collaboration with a regional organisation such as Lancaster City Council, where you will gain valuable work experience in a real-world environment. Alongside your research project, you will complete further optional modules, including national and international residential field trips. Topics you may choose include global consumption, urban infrastructure, geographies of health, natural hazards, glacial systems, or water resource management.
Getting out in the field
With our location near major urban centres, rivers, coasts, and the Lake District World Heritage Site, you will be able to explore beyond the campus and gain hands-on experience through field work. From studying waves along the Cumbrian coast and examining hydrological processes at White Scar caves, to visiting different cities and reflecting on their industrial past. You will also have the option to expand your perspective through trips abroad, such as to Switzerland, where you will see your learning brought to life.
Personal development
In addition to subject knowledge and field experience, you will gain essential communication and geographic information systems skills. You will become familiar with data generation through qualitative techniques, as well as data handling, environmental sampling, and analysis.
3 things our Geography students want you to know:
The Lancaster Environment Centre is one of the most popular spaces for Geography students on campus, where you will be surrounded by active researchers shaping current thinking, outstanding practical facilities, and even our own weather monitoring station. You will be assigned an academic tutor at the beginning of your degree, meaning there’s always someone nearby to give you support
The theme of sustainability is woven throughout the degree and life on campus. Many students are part of LUSU Green, a group run by the Students’ Union that is driving change across the campus and beyond to create a thriving natural environment, reduce carbon emissions, and train the sustainability leaders of the future
Our degree programme focuses on helping you prepare for your future career, with modules that prioritise the development of essential skills and opportunities to undertake enriching hands-on experience in real-world environments. You will graduate ready to enter a number of thriving industries in an increasingly environmentally conscious market
This programme has been accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Accreditation recognises programmes that deliver the geographical knowledge, understanding, skills, approaches and professional attributes expected of high-quality geography graduates, as recorded in the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Geography.
Geography helps us to understand the world around us, from the study of cultures and people, to the processes going on beneath our feet that shape the landscapes we live in. A degree in geography will help you get to grips with the many challenges we face with a growing population and an increasingly precarious climate situation by providing you with the opportunity to tackle a wide variety of complex issues. With such a diverse curriculum of topics, our geography graduates go on to work in a diverse range of positions such as Planning Officers, Environmental Consultants, Landscape Architects, Geospatial Analyst, Hydrologist, Emergency Planning and many more. Geographers are also well placed to secure roles and opportunities in sectors that might not be obvious such as marketing and sales, teaching, travel and tourism, and commercial business. This is down to your transferable skills in communication, software competencies, project management and data analysis. Graduates from our courses are also well-paid, with the median salary of graduates from Lancaster Environment Centre being £26,500 15 months after graduation (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024).
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Here are just some of the roles that our BA and MArts Geography students have progressed into upon graduating:
Climate Change Consultant - UNICEF
Planning Officer – Cheshire West and Chester Council
Graduate Planner – Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
LALS Project Coordinator – University of York
Education, Communication, and Outreach Officer - Veolia
MPhil in Holocene Climates – University of Cambridge
Climate Change Projects Officer - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, you also graduate with the relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.
Skills for your future
A degree in geography will provide you with both a specialist and transferable skill set sought after by employers across a wide range of sectors.
LEC Skills Development Placements
These voluntary placements are a great way of learning more about the sector you want to work in after you graduate, whilst also strengthening your CV and enhancing your employment prospects. With opportunities available from an array of local and national environmental organisations and with researchers here at Lancaster, we aim to help you put your skills into practice out in the field.
Learning on Location
From Kenya and Spain, to islands off of the coast of Scotland, our ecology degrees allow you to get hands-on experience working in the field, allowing you to gain the laboratory skills necessary to excel within the environmental sector, and beyond.
Teaching Career Success
In your second year, as part of our teaching we invite alumni and partners from different employers to meet LEC students, providing you with insight into the graduate labour market, as well as providing you with the tools to successfully transition into the world of work.
Placement year
Choosing a Placement pathway degree involves spending the third year of your four-year degree working full-time in a business. Many students find that a placement year helps them to decide which career path they would like to take. The experience will give you a strong advantage when looking for employment after your degree.
A future for Ben
During my undergraduate degree at Lancaster, I developed an interest in how we create and shape urban environments and how issues such as the climate crisis and inequality can be solved through these processes. This inspired me to pursue a career within the field of urban planning!
After I graduated, I secured a job at a planning consultancy in North Wales. During my time there, I was able to develop an in-depth understanding of the Welsh planning system and worked on a variety of projects ranging from household developments to major schemes for the commercial industry. What I found particularly interesting about this job was how politics and planning interact at a local level and how different stakeholders interact intending to achieve sustainable development.
I left private consultancy in December 2021 and I’ve been working in the public sector as a Planning Officer for Cheshire West and Chester Council ever since.
During my time with the Council, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in outreach events at local primary schools, running activities on town planning as part of their geography syllabus. This has allowed me to put into practice some of the teaching skills I acquired through modules within my degree, as well as convey my interest in the urban environment to others! Looking back on my time in LEC, I was able to grow as a person in a welcoming and supportive environment and gained the confidence to be able to realise my potential.
Ben Teague, BA Geography - Planning Officer, Cheshire West and Chester Council
Entry requirements
These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. This section will tell you whether you need qualifications in specific subjects, what our English language requirements are, and if there are any extra requirements such as attending an interview or submitting a portfolio.
Qualifications and typical requirements accordion
ABB. We recommend that this includes Geography, or alternatively you should have one of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Economics, English Literature, Environmental Studies, Geology, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, 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
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
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 levels in Health, Healthcare Science, and Science are accepted at Distinction
Help from our Admissions team
If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the 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
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.
Course structure
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.
Whether studying climate change, habitat loss, or sustainable development, these fields require the ability to identify relevant information, organise data, draw meaningful inferences and communicate findings effectively. This module introduces you to some of the essential skills that you will need to support your studies, including how to access and critique existing information, present findings to a variety of audiences and consider ethical issues related to research design. We introduce you to key software programs that can be used to store and process information, produce figures and summaries from datasets and map spatial data. Mastering these skills will help you to maximise your learning potential during your degree and provide a foundation for your future career.
This module provides you with the foundations in development geography, environmental geography and economic geography. You will be taught through a combination of lectures and practical workshops ensuring that alongside geographical knowledge, you are developing core qualitative field skills such as interviews and critical academic skills such as literature review and essay writing.
Roll up your sleeves and carry out your own geographical research with a residential trip to Cumbria! Together, we’ll look at how to design good research and explore different methods used in human and physical geography. You’ll investigate the controversial project of rewilding, thinking about the benefits and challenges of returning land to nature. You’ll use research methods from both human and physical geography to deepen your understanding. Back in Lancaster, you’ll learn different ways to analyse, visualise and communicate geographical data.
Gain the skills and knowledge needed to understand how our landscape and environment have developed, what’s happening with them now and how they might change in the future. The module starts with a field trip that teaches you how to ‘read’ the landscape, helping you identify different scales of forms and their connections across time and space. You’ll build on these insights to explore landscape evolution, starting with the underlying geology and climate. Then, we’ll look at geomorphic, biotic, pedological, sedimentary, aquatic and glacial processes. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to view landscapes and environments in a new, process-based way and interpret their features in terms of past development, current dynamics and future change.
This module provides you with the foundations in social geography, cultural geography and political geography. You will be taught through a combination of lectures and practical workshops ensuring that alongside geographical knowledge, you are developing core qualitative research skills such as working with documents and visual data and developing critical academic skills such as presentations and exam skills.
Optional
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This module introduces atmospheric and climate science, combining theory with observations, to help you develop an understanding of the physical behaviour of the atmosphere and the Earth’s climate system. You’ll explore the structure and characteristics of the atmosphere, the physical principles that govern its behaviour and how these lead to the everyday weather we observe. The module also covers the broader role of the atmosphere and the greenhouse effect in regulating Earth’s climate. You’ll gain an overview of the different components of the climate system, their interactions and feedback, explore evidence of past climates and consider how human activities may influence future climate.
Conservation of biodiversity is crucial in a rapidly changing world. This module explores how biodiversity is generated, maintained and distributed across the planet, providing a foundation in biodiversity patterns and processes. You'll examine ecological and evolutionary drivers of biodiversity, from speciation and extinction to ecosystem dynamics. In the ‘threats and responses’ part, you’ll assess human-induced pressures such as climate change, habitat loss, pollution and overexploitation, alongside species’ ecological and evolutionary adaptations to these challenges. Finally, the solution section explores conservation strategies, including habitat restoration, species management, sustainable resource use and agricultural interventions. Drawing on examples from terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, you’ll develop an evidence-based understanding of conservation challenges. This module provides essential knowledge to help develop solutions for addressing the ongoing biodiversity crisis.
The world is full of “wicked problems”, from inequality, to unemployment, to housing crisis, to climate change. We need innovative policy to tackle these complex issues. On this module you will act as policy advisors, learning how to solve complex problems and produce practical recommendations to government for policy change.
Working in teams on real-world policy cases, you will develop your understanding of the policymaking process from policy design to evaluation. We’ll touch on questions such as: Why do some issues get framed as problems and make it to the policy agenda? How is policy formulated? Why do policies fail?
By the end of this module, you’ll have the skills to evaluate policy, propose policy solutions and be trained as a policy analyst.
Explore how the history of political thought can help us make sense of contemporary crises such as political instability, economic crises, deepening inequalities, environmental degradation and technological disruptions. In this troubled world, the enduring questions of power and resistance have gained new urgency and continue to animate contemporary political debates. What can Marx tell us about the dangers or promises of AI? How would Frantz Fanon engage with Black Lives Matter? What would Hannah Arendt say about social media’s impact on democracy?
You will encounter the major and neglected currents in the history of political ideas such as:
Liberalism
Socialism
Feminism
The Black radical tradition
You will engage with the different arguments put forward to defend or critique the prevailing political-economic order and you’ll learn to draw on centuries of political debate to critically evaluate current events.
Core
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The world can appear infinitely complex, but when details are represented digitally it becomes easier to draw back, take new perspectives, simplify patterns and learn more about their underlying causes. Organisations of all kinds are interested in how spatial information can drive decisions, operations and policy; and the volume and variety of information captured about people, their surroundings and the planet is increasing rapidly. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) provide us with the environment and tools to explore and interact with socioeconomic, environmental, topographic and remotely sensed data in order to generate understanding. At the end of this module, you will be able to query and interpret spatial data from multiple sources, create and critically interpret new outputs and appreciate how to visualise data for different audiences.
By now, you’ll have an idea of what research in geography involves, and why and how geographers undertake it. This module will help you develop the key skills needed to become an independent researcher. You’ll explore ethics, risk assessment and learn how to effectively search for and critically summarise existing literature. We’ll then cover a broad range of research methods in human geography, including surveys, questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, documentary research and creative methods. You’ll also learn how to analyse and present both quantitative and qualitative research. Looking ahead to your dissertation, we’ll teach you how to write up a research project and explore the potential for developing outputs with real-world impact.
You’ll explore and gain experience in a connected set of methods for addressing environmental questions. Starting with simple observation, you’ll move on to making field measurements, carrying out field experiments, analysing field samples in the lab, simulating the environment with laboratory or computer models and working with ‘big data’ gathered by global instrument networks. The data sets generated by each approach will allow you to practise data handling and inferential statistics. Reporting your work will also help develop your scientific report writing and communication skills. Throughout, you’ll reflect on the types of questions and challenges each method is best suited to, equipping you with the ability to design research projects and prepare for your dissertation.
Optional
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You will study culture from a geographical perspective and explore space and the spatial from a cultural point of view. With social geography you will explore social inequalities, identities and relations in specific places and in their spatial dimensions. The module focuses on the key geographical concepts of landscape, place, space and mobilities, together with ideas of representation, belonging, aesthetics, the arts, (collective) memory, creativity, embodiment and justice. You will also develop an understanding of theories about culture, space, identity and power and their value in both conceptual and practical terms, developing your capacity to bring issues and perspectives of cultural and social geography to bear in insightful responses to key issues of the present and future.
Explores environmental geographies through empirical examples of our evolving relationship with the Earth and the sea. We build upon previously studied key concepts such as The Anthropocene and the role of non-western and indigenous knowledges, encouraging a more critical approach to the governance structures and justice frameworks that shape how human societies interact with the natural world. You’ll engage with global and local examples of environmental governance, the ethical dimensions of environmental justice and the socio-political dynamics that influence issues of equity, access and environmental rights. You will also explore the connections between human and physical geography, considering how themes and concepts from Earth and marine sciences can offer new perspectives on our social worlds.
Explore international development through critical geographical perspectives. We start by understanding development both conceptually and historically, linking it to colonial histories and their ongoing impact today. We’ll also look at how development maps onto global inequalities. We explore the evolution of mainstream development discourses, including the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as alternative approaches like Postdevelopment and Decolonial theories. You’ll dive into specific issues like climate change adaptation in the global South, gender equality, rural development, food sovereignty, urban transformations and politics in the Majority World. We’ll examine how development ideas have evolved, from state-led initiatives to civil society actions and market-driven solutions. The module also looks at how development fits within global political and economic changes, focusing on inequalities and the different impacts development has across the Majority World. You will develop critical thinking and research skills through interactive workshop activities.
Building on your earlier introduction to glacial systems, this module takes a deeper dive into how glaciers shape landscapes and interact with people and ecosystems. You’ll explore glacial processes in greater detail and begin to see how they connect across space and time. As you progress, you’ll be encouraged to critically engage with current research and understand how physical geographers interpret and contribute to this growing body of knowledge. By the end, you’ll be better equipped to identify how glaciology can inform environmental management and benefit both society and the natural environment.
Explore the dynamic relationships between natural and human processes in landscapes from uplands through lowlands to coastal zones. You will examine how water, sediment and nutrients flow across landscapes, how changes in land use and climate can impact these flows and how disruptions to them can have cascading effects across space and time. You will consider how these interactions shape ecosystems and influence their health, resilience and services to humanity. The module will emphasise the importance of this understanding for developing sustainable land-use practices and natural resource management. Integrated approaches to landscape management will be explored through case studies addressing issues such as climate change adaptation, pollution control and flood risk mitigation.
The contemporary world is full of fascinating political and economic changes. Both past and present crises in capitalism - from uneven wealth distribution to the challenges of the climate emergency - show that economy and politics cannot be understood separately. This module introduces key themes in both economic and political geography. For political geography, we’ll dive into themes like geopolitics, the nation state, borders, conflict and resistance. For economic geography, we’ll look at how the economy shapes and interacts with political issues. We’ll also explore the challenges and opportunities of bringing economic and political geographies together. By the end of the module, you’ll have the skills to make sense of the political and economic world around you and understand key global issues from a geographical perspective.
Travel to the Scottish Hebrides to broaden your understanding of sustainability as a social, economic and environmental concern. We will challenge you to think about sustainability as an interdisciplinary issue and consider the future of the planet. You will deepen your understanding of what sustainability means in an island context, learning about the culture, landscape and economy of the Scottish Hebrides. There is the opportunity to travel by ferry between Hebridean islands, considering the ways in which islanders, alongside the local authority and Scottish Government, have sought to promote sustainable practice. You will see examples of progressive and alternative approaches to issues such as energy production, manufacturing, education, healthcare and social support.
Core
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Conduct an independent research project on a specific topic within your field of study and present your findings in an extensive report. Throughout your project, you will receive one-to-one support from a member of academic staff. This is the largest piece of work that you will complete during your degree and, depending on your subject area, it will enable you to develop skills including formulating a research question; contextualising it within research literature; identifying and using appropriate research methods and techniques with which to address your question; collecting and analysing data; and interpreting your findings. Overall, the aim is to demonstrate your ability to conduct rigorous, independent academic work and communicate its outcomes clearly and effectively.
Optional
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Humanity now lives predominantly in urban areas, with an incredible diversity of cities shaping daily life across the globe. In the 21st century, these cities are rapidly evolving and facing a host of complex challenges, from technological change and digital infrastructures to pressing issues of social justice, sustainability and resilience. This module introduces you to cutting-edge thinking about cities and urban life, questioning long-held assumptions and encouraging you to critically explore what cities are, how they function and who shapes them. You’ll engage with big questions such as: What is a city today? What forces are shaping urban transformation? And how can we address the challenges cities face in more equitable and sustainable ways?
This module gives you an advanced introduction to the geographies of creative practice, an exciting and emerging area within contemporary geographic scholarship. Building on key ideas from earlier modules, you’ll expand your critical thinking and explore new methodological approaches. You’ll examine how place and space are connected to art, politics and creative expression, and develop a deeper understanding of how particular places become hubs of intellectual and artistic activity. You will develop a critical appreciation of how specific types of places (historical and contemporary) become sites of intellectual thought and creative expression. Engage with a range of cultural, social, political and philosophical ideas and interpret these across a range of media, including the visual arts, film, music, narrative/graphic fiction and creative writing. The module will develop your appreciation of the spatial dimensions of critical thought and creative practice and thus deepen your understanding of the geographical imagination.
The cryosphere holds a significant portion of Earth's fresh water, yet it faces growing threats from a warming climate. In this module, you'll explore the cryosphere as part of a wider environmental system, drawing on current research to understand how these frozen regions function and why they matter. Starting with the physical processes that influence the behaviour of ice masses, such as meltwater production and its effect on ice flow, you'll then examine the cryosphere's far-reaching impacts on downstream environments. By viewing glaciers as ecosystems, you'll uncover their role in sea-level changes, ecological interactions and climate feedbacks. You'll also gain insight into how scientists study these environments, using methods including fieldwork (like ice core sampling), remote sensing and modelling to monitor change and predict future outcomes.
This module takes a critical and yet hands-on approach to exploring the role of eco-innovation as a pathway towards sustainable development. Through action-learning, you will identify and address real-world sustainability challenges by developing your own eco-innovation proposals – viable ideas with the potential to reduce human impact on the environment whilst simultaneously delivering to the economic and social ambitions of global sustainable development. You will work in small teams, while being introduced to key sustainability concepts and business planning approaches that can be combined to develop effective eco-innovations. Gain valuable transferable skills including team working, problem analysis and framing, and effective oral and written communication to professional and non-academic audiences. By the end of the module, you will have developed a deep understanding of the intersection between sustainability and innovation, along with practical skills and increased confidence to help them drive change in the real world.
Environmental pollution from metals, nutrients, radionuclides and emerging organic contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics has received a lot of attention across the media. Their effects on humans, wildlife and the environment are the subject of exciting and novel research. However, the sources of pollution and their pathways through the environment are still poorly understood. In this module, you’ll take a case study approach to explore where different pollutants come from, how they move through and impact the environment, and what this means for the world around you. But understanding the impacts is only half the story, you’ll also investigate how to monitor, manage and remediate pollution. You’ll engage with the latest approaches to reducing risk and exposure, helping you to think critically about how we can build a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future.
Explore the social, political and environmental challenges facing food systems in the world today. You’ll examine the history, culture and development of contemporary food production, focusing on how we interact with plants, animals and the land. Key debates will centre around food security and food sovereignty, using global case studies to reveal the connections between changing diets, landscapes and agrarian reform. You’ll be challenged to think critically and creatively about the future of food, developing innovative alternatives. Practical sessions will give you the chance to explore different ways of thinking about food and agriculture, and how these perspectives are rooted in broader political, environmental and social philosophies.
This module invites you to explore the economic, historical and political geography of the Global South in all its diversity. You’ll examine the region’s rich socio-economic and cultural assets, while also unpacking the complex opportunities and challenges its people face in the 21st century. Using examples from places such as Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia, you’ll track the transformations from colonial histories to contemporary realities. You’ll learn about the different development strategies adopted by postcolonial states and investigate current issues around governance, climate change adaptation, natural resources and rural-urban connections. By considering these topics in their wider spatial, economic and historical contexts, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how globalisation is shaping everyday life in specific localities across the Global South.
This field module focuses on the governance of dynamic and rapidly changing socio-ecological systems in tropical South East Asia – places often conceived as utopias. You will explore the concept of ‘utopia’ and how it relates to environment and development challenges, considering why they succeed or fail. Visit a range of sites that reflect a continuum of different management trajectories. Through these cases, you will explore related trade-offs and approaches to natural resource management. Engage with different stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, tourists, local farmers) to explore their differing views of utopia and preferred development and conservation trajectories and their implications for society and the biophysical landscape. This multidisciplinary trip is designed for you, whether you're a natural or social science student, and will challenge you to engage with literature, concepts, methods, and assignments from areas outside your immediate degree focus.
Gain an in-depth understanding of the concepts, methods and applications of health geography. Health is central to living a good life, yet huge inequalities can be seen whether in the North West of England or in the Global South. Geography and related disciplines make vital contributions in defining these inequalities as ethically unacceptable (i.e. inequitable) and examining their causes (political, social, economic and environmental). Discover useful theoretical and empirical tools for developing appropriate policy responses to tackling these inequities. Learn about the merits and weaknesses of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods approaches to health research, applied to well-known, emerging and neglected diseases. Develop a critical, reflective understanding of health geography as a fast-moving, plural and contested sub-field. This module opens the door for you to further training and careers in public health, including in local government, national health institutions and the charitable sector.
How are we transforming the way we supply and use energy to achieve our climate targets? In this cross-disciplinary module you will look at the major changes underway within our energy system. You will examine decarbonisation pathways in electricity, transport and heat, whilst considering supply and demand dynamics and carbon removal. Investigate real-world challenges including how to govern the energy system, economics, societal engagement and energy security. Through a combination of lecture, workshop and field-based activities, you will gain a ‘whole system view’ cutting across disciplines, enabling you to refine your critical thinking skills and ability to weigh up the opportunities and challenges associated with energy decarbonisation. You will benefit from real-world insight through understanding the university energy system and contributions to the course from energy professionals. The knowledge and skills develop will position you for further study or employment focused on a major societal challenge.
The modern world is defined by unprecedented social and ecological crises: global heating, biodiversity decline, mounting economic inequality and the wicked problem of decarbonising society justly and equitably. You will approach these challenges head-on, asking how they were produced, by who, why and with what effects. You will be introduced to the field of political ecology and to some of its most influential conceptual approaches (degrowth, feminism, anti-colonialism and more). Together, we will ask and answer questions such as: What is climate justice? Why is it so difficult to decarbonise the global economy? How do items we use every day — from mobile phones, to clothing, coffee and water — impact peoples, animals and environments near and far? You will learn to think critically about the world they live in, to reflect on the implications of social and economic policy and consider how climate justice might be attained.
Our planet is shaped by ongoing geological, climatic and ecological processes that are increasingly dominated by mankind. Everywhere you look you will find change, but not all changes are important. To make informed decisions, we need to know how to test ideas and identify reliable trends. This module will teach you how to overlay spatial layers to answer increasingly complex questions about when and where changes are happening, whether they are connected, what is occurring in locations with incomplete data and to predict the magnitude and distribution of impacts? As more and more data is collected and shared by networked devices, corporations and remote sensing technologies, understanding spatial relationships is crucial. The operations of most industries already depend on geospatial analysts and this module will teach you skills needed to take advantage of the digital age.
During this field trip you will actively engage with the Geography of the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. You will explore the contested futures of these places and how this contestation plays out in relation to topics like activism, national identity, ethnic diversity, housing and tourism. You will then be in a position to use your experience and insight to inform your reading and understanding of the extensive existing academic literature on these unique cities. You will develop an understanding of the cultural, economic, political and social processes that contribute to the formation and differentiation of places, through both conceptual analysis and experiential and empirical fieldwork.
Enhancing our curriculum
We continually review and enhance our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the best possible learning experience, and to make sure that the subject knowledge and transferable skills you develop will prepare you for your future. The University will make every reasonable effort to offer programmes and modules as advertised. In some cases, changes may be necessary and may result in new modules or some modules and combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, staff changes and new research.
Fees and funding
We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2026/27
entry fees have not yet been set.
Some optional modules require students to carry out fieldwork that, depending on the location and type of fieldwork, may require wet weather clothing, boots and waterproof notebooks, for which the estimated cost is approximately £110. The course offers optional residential field trip modules and students choosing to take these will have to pay towards their travel and accommodation costs.
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.
College fees
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.
Computer equipment and internet access
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.
Study abroad courses
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.
Placement and industry year courses
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:
Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard tuition fee
Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard tuition fee
International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will also be charged in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:
Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard international tuition fee during the Study Abroad year
Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard international tuition fee during the Placement year
Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.
Scholarships and bursaries
Details of our scholarships and bursaries for students starting in 2026 are not yet available.
The information on this site relates primarily to 2026/2027 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.
Our Students’ Charter
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. Find out more about our Charter and student policies.
Undergraduate open days 2025
Our summer and autumn open days will give you Lancaster University in a day. Visit campus and put yourself in the picture.
Take five minutes and we'll show you what our Top 10 UK university has to offer, from beautiful green campus to colleges, teaching and sports facilities.
Most first-year undergraduate students choose to live on campus, where you’ll find award-winning 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 world-famous English Lake District.