Bachelor of Geography

Geography, with its interest in the earth, environments, people and place, and with its variety of methodological approaches, is distinctive from most natural or social science courses. Geographers are problem-solvers, who are able to balance and interrogate qualitative and quantitative data, and who view the world in all its connectivity. Studying geography at Cambridge will take you from the fenlands of East Anglia, through active volcanic landscapes, into global climate futures – and more. All of these explored through the lenses of social, cultural and historical geographies, as much as through the geology, biology and physics underpinning the processes.

The discipline of Geography reflects a breadth, diversity, and concern for ‘real-world’ issues that cannot be narrowed down into a set of exclusively human or physical questions. Students at Part IA are therefore introduced to the wide range of topics, philosophies, methodologies, and skills that characterise modern Geography, before being invited at IB to choose their specialisms or, as is common, to choose to study papers that straddle, or sample, both the scientific and social science topics on offer. Interdisciplinarity is one of the subject’s greatest strengths and a key skill that Cambridge geographers take with them for life.

At Part IB and Part II students choose from papers such as volcanology, glaciology, biogeography, environmental change and earth observation on the scientific side, as well as political ecologies, urban geographies, development, geographies of the Arctic, demography, and geographies of knowledge. These diverse papers all contribute to the development of geographical theories and methods, however, and they are held together through core papers in geographical thought and techniques. Teaching takes place within lectures, lab classes, field trips and, distinctively, small-group ‘supervisions’, which offer unique opportunities for discussion of ideas and details. It is, we think, a rewarding and exciting programme, representative of the importance and substance of the modern discipline of Geography.

Small is beautiful. Corpus being one of the smaller Cambridge colleges means it’s easy for members to get to know each other. Students often say our close community helped them settle quickly in the city and feel supported throughout their time here. At Corpus you’ll never be just a face in the crowd – at work or at play – thanks to the strong academic and personal support our Staff and Fellows (academics) provide. It’s one of the reasons our students do so well.

Corpus dates from 1352, making us the 6th oldest college in Cambridge. We were founded by the townspeople (rather than by a wealthy individual patron, like other Oxbridge colleges) and have embraced that democratic spirit ever since. Our Old Court is possibly the oldest complete court in Oxford or Cambridge, dating back to the earliest days of the college. So our (fully modernized) rooms have been home to students like you for over six centuries.