About the Course

The Oxford Geography degree introduces students to key themes, concepts and issues ranging from climate and environmental change, inequality, social, economic and cultural transformation, biodiversity loss, geomorphological processes in drylands, geographical data science, post-colonialism and globalization.

The School of Geography and the Environment is internationally recognised for their quality of research and teaching. The School also hosts three research centres:

• Environmental Change Institute
• Transport Studies Unit
• Smith School for Enterprise and the Environment

Academics from all the centres are involved in teaching and research supervision of undergraduates. The OUCE building, in the University Science Area on South Parks Road, contains lecture rooms, laboratories, computing facilities and tutors’ offices, and is within a few a minutes’ walk of the Radcliffe Science Library and the Bodleian Library.

Approximately ninety undergraduates are admitted to read Geography at Oxford each year.

Undergraduates’ activities in Oxford are divided between University and College: in this respect Geography is like other subjects. Lectures, practicals and field classes are arranged by the University and attended by students from all the colleges. Similarly, examinations are set by the University. On the other hand, tutorials and discussion groups are organised by the College and attended only by Jesus College students.

Jesus College were a pioneer Oxford college in awarding Scholarships and Exhibitions in Geography, and since that time over 60 years ago, the subject has retained a firm place in the College.

Course structure

During their three-year course, undergraduates take two public examinations – the Preliminary Examination at the end of the first year and the Honour School at the end of the third year.

The Preliminary Examination consists of four papers (exams):

1. Earth System Processes (physical geography: Atmosphere, Biosphere, Lithosphere)
2. Human Geography (‘Space and Place’, ‘Networks and Mobilities’, and ‘Power and identity’)
3. Geographical Controversies (critical issues faced by modern geographers) (a) 1 examination (b) I practical folder
4. Geographical Techniques (research techniques in physical and human geography) (a) 1 examination (b) 1 fieldwork notebook

The Honour School is examined in one compulsory subject, two Foundational courses (from a choice of three) and three options (plus 3 extended submitted essays). Candidates also undertake a significant piece of independent research between their second and third years, leading to a geographical dissertation. Students also undertake a week’s fieldwork during the Easter Vacation of their second year: currently this is in either Berlin or Tenerife.

Compulsory course: Geographical Thought (1 Examination Paper & 1 fieldwork notebook)
Foundational Courses:

1. Earth System Dynamics (1 examination paper)
2. Environmental Geography (1 examination paper)
3. Space, Place and Society (1 examination paper)

Optional subjects are available to all students at all colleges in their second and third years. Applicants should consult the School website for details.

Teaching

Geography provides undergraduates with a varied course ranging in content from earth history, environmental problems such as climate change and biodiversity loss, global geopolitics, the future of global cities, aid and developmental issues, and in method from GIS and computational modelling to focus groups, questionnaires, philosophical discourse, and textual analysis.

Dissertation research has taken recent Jesus geographers to study topics, such as autonomous spaces for queer working class women in London; perceptions of home amongst hypermobile airline cabin staff; the Bodele depression and dust in the Sahara; sacred forests in Kenya; and the palaeo-ecological history of coastal swamps in Georgia.

College teaching is undertaken mostly in paired tutorials and college-based discussion groups. Oxford terms are short and intense – each is only eight weeks – so students are expected to do a good deal of vacation reading, thinking and writing. University lecture courses in Geography are numerous and varied, but emphasis is on the need for each student to learn for themselves.

Lectures and tutorials are supplemented by reading and discussion of written work with college teachers.

Teaching staff

Prof Patricia Daley Helen Morag Fellow and Tutor in Geography.

Prof Richard Grenyer Fellow and Tutor in Geography.

Admissions requirements and course information

Number of places usually available each year at Jesus College: 8

For detailed information on this course including course structure, entry requirements and how to apply, please use the links below:

Course details

How to apply

School of Geography and the Environment

Postgraduate studies and careers

The School of Geography and the Environment has one of the largest graduate and advanced study programmes in the UK. The following degrees are offered:

• DPhil Geography and the Environment
• MSc or MPhil Biodiversity, Conservation and Management
• MSc or MPhil Environmental Change and Management
• MSc Nature, Society and Environmental Governance
• MSc or MPhil Water Science, Policy and Management
• 1+1 MBA at the Said Business School and any MSc above (2 years)

Numerical, research, laboratory and argument skills are developed by geographers and are much appreciated by a range of employers. Geography graduates go on to a very wide variety of careers. A number of graduating Jesus geographers continue with their subject as teachers, researchers or planners, but many go into business, the civil service and into professions, such as law or accountancy.