Human Geography and Anthropology BSc

This course combines the expertise of our staff and research across two closely related disciplines to develop your knowledge and skills in both Human Geography and Anthropology.

Human Geography explores the complex relationships between societies and environments that are at the centre of the most important challenges that face people around the world today.

Anthropology offers a unique and powerful understanding of cultural and social diversity in the modern world. It considers issues which can lead to mind blowing revelations about how individuals and cultures experience life differently.

In the first year you will have an introduction to the fundamentals of both subject areas, and in the second and third years you will choose from a wide range of modules, choosing half from each subject. Within Human Geography, modules focus particularly around themes of cities and urbanism; post colonialism, race and migration; and political ecology and environmental justice. Key themes in Anthropology are childhood, youth and education; development, war and humanitarianism; and global health.

Both subject areas offer opportunities to learn about the world immersively through fully funded anthropological fieldwork, developing skills that will make you highly employable. All students do a residential geography field trip in the first year and can opt to do another in the second year.

Together these two subjects compliment each other and provide you with graduate opportunities in local and national government, international organisations, NGOs, the media, research and education.

Your programme is split up into three different types of modules:

• Compulsory module: one which all students registered for the award are required to take as part of their programme of study.
• Optional module: one which students choose from an ‘option range’.
• A core assessment is an assessment within a module which must be passed in order to progress and to be eligible for the final award.

This course can be studied 3 years full-time or 4 years full-time with placement, starting in September.

A Human Geography and Anthropology degree from Brunel is your passport to a wide range of career destinations. You will acquire knowledge and understanding that is highly relevant to current world challenges, as well as an array of skills that will set you apart from other graduates.

Fieldwork, in particular, requires you to practice skills in real-world settings. Not only will you learn to plan, collect and analyse data, but you'll also become adept at working in an unfamiliar environment, taking account of relevant ethical and safety issues, interacting respectfully with people, and problem-solving as a group and individually.

If you opt for the four-year degree you will undertake one or two sandwich placements, either in an employment situation or undertaking extended fieldwork (almost) anywhere in the world. You will be fully supported in preparing for the placement and building a stronger CV.

In the third year, you can opt for the module ‘Leadership for Change’ in which you will work with other students and with a community organisation on a project that will further develop your employability skills.

Our course prepares you for careers in different fields including the local and national government, the environmental sector, international development, leisure and tourism, media and communications, planning, research, and academia.

• GCE A-level BBB.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DMM.
• BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM with an A-Level at grade B.
• BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma D with A-Levels grade BC.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma 30 points. GCSE English equivalent SL 5 or HL 4 and Mathematics SL 4 or HL 4.
• Obtain a minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level.
• T levels : Merit overall

A minimum of five GCSEs are required, including GCSE Mathematics grade C or grade 4 and GCSE English Language grade C or grade 4 or GCSE English Literature grade B or grade 5.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

You’ll be assessed by a combination of coursework and exams, but most of your time will be spent in private study and reading. In your final year, you will produce a final dissertation on a subject of your choice under the guidance of a dissertation supervisor.