This resource contains key data on how many people study geography at university in the UK and what they go on to do after graduation.
Accepted applicants
First-year acceptances for geography at university have returned to their pre-pandemic levels. There was a slight dip in the number of applications in 2020 and 2021, but in 2022 and 2023, numbers have returned to 2019 levels.
|
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
(CAH26) geography, earth and environmental studies |
9,800 |
9,655 |
9,610 |
9,805 |
9,835 |
|
(CAH26-01-01) geography (non-specific) |
1,185 |
1,150 |
1,085 |
1,125 |
1,205 |
|
(CAH26-01-02) physical geographical sciences |
2,220 |
2,385 |
2,435 |
2,405 |
2,395 |
|
(CAH26-01-03) human geography |
3,400 |
3,090 |
3,010 |
2,940 |
3,110 |
|
(CAH26-01-04) environmental sciences |
1,215 |
1,345 |
1,345 |
1,465 |
1,370 |
|
(CAH26-01-06) earth sciences |
1,780 |
1,685 |
1,735 |
1,875 |
1,765 |
Source: UCAS undergraduate end of cycle data resources 2023.
Total students currently enrolled on a geography programme
Data on the total number of undergraduate students by subject (across all levels) are available from HESA. In 2021/22, the figure for geography (CAH26 combined) was 45,445. Changes in the way geography is classified, and the transition from JACS to HECoS codes, make precise documentation of changes through time difficult.
Total UK geography applications
The total number of geography applications has increased each year since 2019.
|
Subject group HECoS |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
(CAH26) geography, earth and environmental studies |
49,340 |
48,800 |
50,400 |
53,120 |
54,740 |
Source: UCAS/WonkHE.
Most of the increase in geography applications has come from an increase in the number of male geography applications, though the number of female applications remains slightly higher.
Male applications
|
Subject group HECoS |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
(CAH26) geography, earth and environmental studies |
22,180 |
21,820 |
23,240 |
25,690 |
26,600 |
Female applications
|
Subject group HECoS |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
(CAH26) geography, earth and environmental studies |
27,160 |
26,990 |
27,170 |
27,420 |
28,140 |
Source: UCAS/WonkHE.
Student satisfaction
In the 2024 National Student Survey (NSS), geography's satisfaction rates improved across the board. For example, 95% of geography respondents said their teaching staff were good at explaining things (up from 93.2% in 2023). This is higher than the rate for social science degrees (91.9% positive) and the overall average for all subjects 91.1%.
Graduate destinations
Geography graduates have high employment rates, according to data released in the recent What do graduates do? 2023 report produced by Prospects and AGCAS. Fifteen months after graduating, 58% of geography graduates were in full-time employment, 7% were working part time, and 5% were working and studying. 25% of geography graduates went on to carry out further study or other activities.
Human and physical geography graduate careers
The specific figures for human geography and physical and geographical sciences graduates differ slightly. But both show high employment rates and high rates of further study. Fifteen months after graduation, Human geography graduates who left university in the 2020/21 academic year had higher employment rates than those of every other social science subject and physical geography students the second highest for science graduates.
|
|
First degree graduates (all subjects)
|
Human geography
|
Physical and geographical sciences
|
|
Working full time in the UK
|
59.6% |
58.2% |
56.6% |
|
Working part time in the UK
|
10.4% |
6.9% |
7% |
|
Further study (full time)
|
7.8% |
11.9% |
13.8% |
|
Unemployed, or waiting to start work
|
5% |
4.6% |
5.6% |
Human and physical geography employment rates.
Source: What Do Graduates Do? 2023/24 (PDF).
Further study destinations of 2021 geography graduates (15 months after graduation)
|
|
First degree graduates (all subjects)
|
Human geography
|
Physical and geographical sciences
|
|
PhD or equivalent |
8.8% |
7.5% |
8.8% |
|
Postgraduate cert/dip (including PGCE) |
13.6% |
13.7% |
10.2% |
|
Masters |
47.2% |
65.8% |
66.4% |
|
Professional qualification |
18.1% |
8.4% |
10% |
Percentage of 2021 geography graduates entering further study (excluding 'other' category).
Source: What do graduates do? 2023/24 (PDF).
Top 10 professional jobs held by first-degree human geography graduates
- Environment professionals
- Secondary education teaching professionals
- Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants
- Human resources and industrial relations officers
- Management consultants and business analysts
- Advertising and marketing associate professionals
- Construction project managers and related professionals
- Business and related research professionals
- Chartered surveyors
- Business associate professionals N.E.C.
Top 10 professional jobs held by first-degree physical geography graduates
- Environment professionals
- Secondary education teaching professionals
- Business associate professionals N.E.C.
- Human resources and industrial relations officers
- Advertising and marketing associate professionals
- Construction project managers and related professionals
- Chartered surveyors
- Management consultants and business analysts
- Civil engineers
- Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants
Source: What do graduates do? 2023/24 (PDF).
