Preparing for university study can be maddening, at times. Some study programs, such as Engineering and Medicine, present recommended course lists and firm requirements. Others, like History and Design, insist only on minimum marks, and make no bones of which subjects you earn them in.
By contrast, Geography sits in a grey area. Some university websites list required courses to apply for Geography studies, and others don't. Some institutions recommend A-Level subjects, or advise that they prefer applicants who've studied Maths or Science. But they're not clear which maths or science they prefer.
In this article, Superprof outlines the formula that gives you the best chance of earning your place in a university Geography programme. This chart provides an overview of the discussion ahead.
| 📗A-Level Subject | 👷‍♂️How it helps |
|---|---|
| Geography | prepares you for university-level studies. |
| Sciences | - help you understand concepts related to geography. - help you determine a career path |
| Maths | - numeracy skills help with maths-related geographical work. - a 'good' A-Level for any university application |
| Languages | - useful to study human migration - helpful to understand linguistic isolation and geographic barriers - helps define language distribution around the world. |
A-Levels and University Requirements
All the "What a levels for geography degree?" questions in the Student Room hint at a lack of clarity. Our universities, whether public or private, set their own standards for admissions, regardless of study subject. In many ways, that's good for students. It gives us a broader range of schools we qualify for.
On the other hand, it can be pretty frustrating. It's time-consuming to click through every school's site to learn their exact requirements.
Our Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) doesn't answer the question, either. Under 'Geography requirements', it suggests 'useful' subjects, but advises students to 'always check with the provider'.
Regardless of how definite and firm UCAS listings are, always check your chosen's school's website, to confirm.
The London School of Economics (LSE) is arguably one of the UK's top universities. Going over its Entry Requirements page for Geography, we find it considers only your grade profile, both from your GCSEs and A-Levels. It also mentions contextual A-Levels but, again, doesn't specify any subjects you must study to qualify for entry.
The University College London is a bit more direct. Though its website also states it has no A-Level required subjects, it suggests at least two of your A-Levels should feature on their 'Preferred A-Level' list. However, this list is for all their degree plans, not just Geography.
We could continue citing examples, but you likely get the point. Assuring yourself a place in your chosen Geography degree plan means you must visit each school's requirements page.
Look for A-Level entry requirements, as well as Contextual Offer information, if the page provides any. Once you find a few suitable programs based on your academic credentials, you should begin practising how to write your personal statement.
Geography A-Level
As you'll likely find little firm guidance from UCAS or your preferred university's webpage, you must rely on your intuition. As such, choosing Geography A-Level is as intuitive as you can get. Doing so is particularly smart if you also sat General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Geography.
GCSE Geography introduces you to basic concepts, such as climate, land formations, and population. A-Level studies drill deeper into these and other concepts. Together, they prepare you for university-level studies.
Today's geography curriculum covers a range of disciplines, from human geography to natural hazards.
Long behind us are the days when geography learning consisted of memorising rivers and countries' capitals. Some of today's most important jobs require a geography degree. Those include forecasting severe weather events, preventing coastal erosion, and rehabilitating wildlife habitats.
Studying these topics at GCSE and A-Level prepares you to master them at university level. Conversely, if you're uncertain about your future - you're not sure which career path to follow, studying Geography can help you decide.
In all cases, Geography is a sound A-Level selection. This course touches on many other disciplines, like economics, sociology, and history. Should you decide, eventually, that a geography-related career field isn't for you, this A-Level serves as a springboard into other fields of study.
Science A-Level
When universities state they consider a 'general studies' grade profile in their admissions decisions, they often mean 'study a science'. Science studies typically instil an analytical type of thinking that benefits learners, regardless of their chosen degree plan.
Reasoning and critical thinking are transferable skills that apply to practically any career field. And, if reports are true, they're in short supply in today's workforce.
So, a Science A-Level puts you at an advantage, academically and in other ways.
Admissions boards consider Science a 'good' A-Level, along with Maths.
The question is: which science should you study? Physics, despite its importance, might be the least relevant to geography studies. Still, UK's best universities for Geography studies won't reject your application because you chose Physics over Biology. Particularly not if you have a top-tier grade profile.
However, you may find yourself struggling in your courses if you don't study biology or chemistry. These two sciences relate better to geographic study, both in the classroom and out in the field. This comparison lays out these two sciences' relevance to geographical study:
Biology - geography
- species migratory patterns
- species distribution in an area
- evolutionary processes
- ecological impacts on species
Chemistry - geography
- hydrochemistry
- atmospheric chemistry
- soil science
- environmental chemistry
Considering biology and chemistry's importance to geographical studies, choosing one of these sciences is a smart move. The branch of science you study at A-Level depends on the career you want.
For instance, a future meteorologist or geologist should go with chemistry. An aspiring ecologist or sustainability specialist would choose biology as their science.
A-Level Maths
Like Science, Maths is a 'good' A-Level. Your mastery in this subject also demonstrates your analytical, reasoning, and critical thinking skills. Knowledge of maths applies to many disciplines, including science, economics, and engineering.
As a geographer of any type, you will use math skills, particularly if you're compiling or comparing statistics. You will rely on such calculations to present findings. And, as you publish your work, you will outline your mathematical processes in your papers' methodology sections.
For these purposes, you don't need Further Maths. Mathematics A-Level is enough of a foundation to build the skills you'll need during your career. You'll rely more on numeracy - and the analytical skills you learn as you study maths, than on any advanced calculation capabilities.
Indeed, if you read through your chosen university Geography curriculum, you'll note that it lists few maths applications, if any. So, count Maths A-Level as 'good to have' for its subject value, rather than for any advantage it will provide to your university application.
What A-Levels for Geography Degree?
If your chosen university lists desired subjects in their entry requirements, this subject is moot, for you. You already know what you need to qualify for admission. However, as so many universities don't specify any subjects, you must try to position yourself as your chosen university's best candidate.
Your first step to accomplish that is meeting or exceeding the listed grade profile. And, if your school mentions desired or required subjects, make sure you earn top marks in those courses. Beyond that, follow this 'decision tree' to help choose your A-Level subjects.
Consider a Language Course
As noted earlier, Maths is a 'good' A-Level, but perhaps a second language would serve you better. As a geographer, you may do field work elsewhere in the world. You'll likely collaborate with peers who speak different languages.
If you already have a background in language study, continuing these courses at A-Level will not hurt your chances of acceptance in university. Indeed, your bilingualism might boost your university application.
The question then arises about how many A-Levels you must sit. Already, Geography and Science demand a lot of study time. Maths does, too. Adding a language, for a total of four A-Levels, would be rigorous and intense.
Should you find yourself in that position, know that your language skills will weigh more than a Maths grade. If you must drop a subject, make it Maths. That is, of course, unless your school requires a maths credit to qualify for enrolment.
It's a shame that universities don't provide a clear guide to studying geography, particularly when it comes to entrance requirements. Doing so would save students endless hours of cycling through web pages, searching for such information. They wouldn't have to open Student Room threads to ask their peers which courses would be best, either.
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