THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2026/2027

Draft Edition - Due to be published Thursday 9th April 2026

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.
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Degree Programme Table: Geography (BSc Hons) (UTGGPHY)

Jump to: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4

Year 1 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: September

Notes:
Before selecting your outside courses, please ensure you have consulted our course options information for first years (delivered in Welcome Week).

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Human Geography

Must be passed

GEGR08007 20 credits
Physical Geography

Must be passed

GEGR08010 20 credits
Fundamental Methods in Geography

Must be passed

GEGR08009 20 credits

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 60 credits in this group.

Level 7 and 8 courses in Schedules A-R, T, W and Y

Select between 40 and 60 credits from Level 7 and 8 courses in Schedules A-R, T, W and Y
Notes:
Geography students should only take a maximum of 40 credits level 7 language courses in 1st and 2nd year.
AND

Challenge Courses: Engaging with complex problems through interdisciplinary collaboration

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Challenge Courses are designed to bring together students from different degree programmes to explore the complex issues facing the world today through interdisciplinary collaboration and creative thinking.

Working with each other and expert academics, students will gain new perspectives and develop important life skills highly valued by employers, such as teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability.
Our Changing World
BIME08006 20 credits
Sustainability and Social Responsibility (UG)
EDUA08116 20 credits
Wicked problems: Reason and Rhetoric
EDUA08126 20 credits
Understanding decolonisation in a globalised world
EDUA08127 20 credits
Sustainable Development Goals: History, Progress and Beyond 2030
EFIE08008 20 credits
Living in the Anthropocene
GESC08004 20 credits
Understanding Gender in the Contemporary World
SSPS08012 20 credits
Healthy Eating for People and Planet
VETS08016 20 credits

Year 2 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Before selecting your outside courses, please ensure you have met your Student Advisor.

Students who are planning on spending their Junior Year Abroad in Y3 must successfully progress to honours before they can proceed on their exchange. It is compulsory to have passed 240 credits by the June progression board.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Global Change

Must be passed

GEGR08011 20 credits
Environmental Geography

Must be passed

GEGR08013 20 credits
Geomorphology

Must be passed

GEGR08002 20 credits
Research Skills in Physical Geography

Must be passed

GEGR08012 20 credits

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 40 credits in this group.

BSc Level 8 courses

Select between 0 and 40 credits of the following courses
Geographies of economies, environment and politics
GEGR08017 20 credits
Geographies of Culture, Society and Politics
GEGR08018 20 credits
AND

Level 7 and 8 courses in Schedules A-R, T, W and Y

Select between 0 and 40 credits from Level 7 and 8 courses in Schedules A-R, T, W and Y
Notes:
Geography students should only take a maximum of 40 credits level 7 language courses in 1st and 2nd year.
AND

Challenge Courses: Engaging with complex problems through interdisciplinary collaboration

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Challenge Courses are designed to bring together students from different degree programmes to explore the complex issues facing the world today through interdisciplinary collaboration and creative thinking.

Working with each other and expert academics, students will gain new perspectives and develop important life skills highly valued by employers, such as teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability.
Our Changing World
BIME08006 20 credits
Sustainability and Social Responsibility (UG)
EDUA08116 20 credits
Wicked problems: Reason and Rhetoric
EDUA08126 20 credits
Understanding decolonisation in a globalised world
EDUA08127 20 credits
Sustainable Development Goals: History, Progress and Beyond 2030
EFIE08008 20 credits
Living in the Anthropocene
GESC08004 20 credits
Understanding Gender in the Contemporary World
SSPS08012 20 credits
Healthy Eating for People and Planet
VETS08016 20 credits

Year 3 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Entry to third year normally requires successful completion of the first two years of the curriculum.

Students wishing to take an Honours option course outside of Geography should consult with their Student Advisor.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
The Nature of Geographical Knowledge
GEGR09012 20 credits
Key Methods in Physical Geography
GEGR09018 20 credits
Research Design for Physical Geography
GEGR10131 20 credits

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 60 credits in this group.

Physical Geography Field Course A or B

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Physical Geography Field Course (A)
GEGR10150 20 credits
Physical Geography Field Course (B)
GEGR10151 20 credits
AND

Geography Honours Options

Select exactly 40 credits of the following courses
Catchment Water Resources
GEGR10023 20 credits
Remote Sensing and Global Climate Change
GEGR10055 20 credits
Glacial Processes and Geomorphology
GEGR10075 20 credits
Space, place and sensory perception
GEGR10116 20 credits
Writing Landscape
GEGR10118 20 credits
Ice and Climate
GEGR10119 20 credits
Environmental Justice
GEGR10123 20 credits
Land and Landscape: Explorations in Society and Nature
GEGR10125 20 credits
Geographies of the Border
GEGR10126 20 credits
Capital, Land and Power
GEGR10127 20 credits
Eroding Landscapes: Mountains, Hills and Rivers
GEGR10136 20 credits
The Geography of Health
GEGR10138 20 credits
Volcanoes, Environment and People
GEGR10139 20 credits
Geographies of Food
GEGR10140 20 credits
Queer Geographies: Spatialising Sexuality and Gender
GEGR10141 20 credits
Global Hydrology
GEGR10146 20 credits
Black Geographies
GEGR10147 20 credits
Biogeography
GEGR10148 20 credits
Environmental Hazards and Risk
GEGR10149 20 credits
OR

Group B

Select exactly 60 credits in this group.

Physical Geography Field Course A or B

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Physical Geography Field Course (A)
GEGR10150 20 credits
Physical Geography Field Course (B)
GEGR10151 20 credits
AND

Geography Honours Options

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Catchment Water Resources
GEGR10023 20 credits
Remote Sensing and Global Climate Change
GEGR10055 20 credits
Glacial Processes and Geomorphology
GEGR10075 20 credits
Space, place and sensory perception
GEGR10116 20 credits
Writing Landscape
GEGR10118 20 credits
Ice and Climate
GEGR10119 20 credits
Environmental Justice
GEGR10123 20 credits
Land and Landscape: Explorations in Society and Nature
GEGR10125 20 credits
Geographies of the Border
GEGR10126 20 credits
Capital, Land and Power
GEGR10127 20 credits
Eroding Landscapes: Mountains, Hills and Rivers
GEGR10136 20 credits
The Geography of Health
GEGR10138 20 credits
Volcanoes, Environment and People
GEGR10139 20 credits
Geographies of Food
GEGR10140 20 credits
Queer Geographies: Spatialising Sexuality and Gender
GEGR10141 20 credits
Global Hydrology
GEGR10146 20 credits
Black Geographies
GEGR10147 20 credits
Biogeography
GEGR10148 20 credits
Environmental Hazards and Risk
GEGR10149 20 credits
AND

Level 9 and 10 courses in Schedules A to R, T and W

Select exactly 20 credits from Level 9 and 10 courses in Schedules A to R, T and W

Year 4 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Geography BSc is undergoing curriculum development and GEGR10072 will run for the final time in academic year 26/27. Changes to the 4th year will be in place for 27/28.

Students wishing to take an Honours option course outside of Geography should consult with their Student Advisor.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Geography Dissertation
GEGR10053 40 credits
Geography, Science, Civil Society
GEGR10120 20 credits
Physical Geography Fieldwork: Iceland
GEGR10072 20 credits

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 40 credits in this group.

Geography Honours Options

Select exactly 40 credits of the following courses
Catchment Water Resources
GEGR10023 20 credits
Remote Sensing and Global Climate Change
GEGR10055 20 credits
Glacial Processes and Geomorphology
GEGR10075 20 credits
Space, place and sensory perception
GEGR10116 20 credits
Writing Landscape
GEGR10118 20 credits
Ice and Climate
GEGR10119 20 credits
Environmental Justice
GEGR10123 20 credits
Land and Landscape: Explorations in Society and Nature
GEGR10125 20 credits
Geographies of the Border
GEGR10126 20 credits
Capital, Land and Power
GEGR10127 20 credits
Eroding Landscapes: Mountains, Hills and Rivers
GEGR10136 20 credits
The Geography of Health
GEGR10138 20 credits
Volcanoes, Environment and People
GEGR10139 20 credits
Geographies of Food
GEGR10140 20 credits
Queer Geographies: Spatialising Sexuality and Gender
GEGR10141 20 credits
Global Hydrology
GEGR10146 20 credits
Black Geographies
GEGR10147 20 credits
Biogeography
GEGR10148 20 credits
Environmental Hazards and Risk
GEGR10149 20 credits
OR

Group B

Select exactly 40 credits in this group.

Geography Honours Options

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Catchment Water Resources
GEGR10023 20 credits
Remote Sensing and Global Climate Change
GEGR10055 20 credits
Glacial Processes and Geomorphology
GEGR10075 20 credits
Space, place and sensory perception
GEGR10116 20 credits
Writing Landscape
GEGR10118 20 credits
Ice and Climate
GEGR10119 20 credits
Environmental Justice
GEGR10123 20 credits
Land and Landscape: Explorations in Society and Nature
GEGR10125 20 credits
Geographies of the Border
GEGR10126 20 credits
Capital, Land and Power
GEGR10127 20 credits
Eroding Landscapes: Mountains, Hills and Rivers
GEGR10136 20 credits
The Geography of Health
GEGR10138 20 credits
Volcanoes, Environment and People
GEGR10139 20 credits
Geographies of Food
GEGR10140 20 credits
Queer Geographies: Spatialising Sexuality and Gender
GEGR10141 20 credits
Global Hydrology
GEGR10146 20 credits
Black Geographies
GEGR10147 20 credits
Biogeography
GEGR10148 20 credits
Environmental Hazards and Risk
GEGR10149 20 credits
AND

Level 9 and 10 courses in Schedules A to Q, W to Y

Select exactly 20 credits from Level 9 and 10 courses in Schedules A to Q, W to Y
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