Do you need to take A-Level Biology to do well in an Environmental Geography degree?

Hi guys,

I'm currently awaiting my year 12 results, and therefore my predicted grades!

Although they have certainly changed, my February mock results were:
- Geography: A
- English Literature: A
- Music: B

I'm looking at the possibility of doing a degree in environmental geography for my undergraduate degree (BSc Hons); either that or geography but unsure if I want to focus on the more human or physical side.

Looking at all the prospectuses, a lot of them say that there aren't any requirements to take subjects to do the course, even geography, but will the fact that I didn't take biology A-level make it harder to understand the course?

My top 2 universities are currently Lancaster and Keele because of their vast landscapes and the fact that they are campus universities so I've been primarily going through their prospectuses, but I have also read around others.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Have a nice summer guys and hope you get the grades you want :smile:

Reply 1

ab33k

8

Original post by CasperCat24

Hi guys,

I'm currently awaiting my year 12 results, and therefore my predicted grades!

Although they have certainly changed, my February mock results were:
- Geography: A
- English Literature: A
- Music: B

I'm looking at the possibility of doing a degree in environmental geography for my undergraduate degree (BSc Hons); either that or geography but unsure if I want to focus on the more human or physical side.

Looking at all the prospectuses, a lot of them say that there aren't any requirements to take subjects to do the course, even geography, but will the fact that I didn't take biology A-level make it harder to understand the course?

My top 2 universities are currently Lancaster and Keele because of their vast landscapes and the fact that they are campus universities so I've been primarily going through their prospectuses, but I have also read around others.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Have a nice summer guys and hope you get the grades you want :smile:

i don’t think it’ll be hard without the a level in biology tbh. i am going to do a bsc in environmental science and just finished doing a btec in level 3 applied science which covers biology but it was purely human biology and not ecology etc. i have seen a few people on Linkedin that have graduated in a bsc in environmental science and didn’t take a level biology so i think you’ll be alright !

perhaps check if the courses have a module with covers the foundations/basics of the science parts. the uni i am going to has a module which covers the basics of chemistry.

Reply 2

joannaddg

6

Hi,

I studied Physical Geography at uni and have also taken biology at Alevels. And no, you don't need to study biology to do geography. Your degree will start by teaching very basic biology. To be honest most of the stuff learned in Alevel bio isn't environment-related either. Hope this helps.

Reply 3

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

15

Original post by CasperCat24

Hi guys,

I'm currently awaiting my year 12 results, and therefore my predicted grades!

Although they have certainly changed, my February mock results were:
- Geography: A
- English Literature: A
- Music: B

I'm looking at the possibility of doing a degree in environmental geography for my undergraduate degree (BSc Hons); either that or geography but unsure if I want to focus on the more human or physical side.

Looking at all the prospectuses, a lot of them say that there aren't any requirements to take subjects to do the course, even geography, but will the fact that I didn't take biology A-level make it harder to understand the course?

My top 2 universities are currently Lancaster and Keele because of their vast landscapes and the fact that they are campus universities so I've been primarily going through their prospectuses, but I have also read around others.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Have a nice summer guys and hope you get the grades you want :smile:

Hi!

It's great to hear that you're considering Lancaster! I study environmental science as part of my natural sciences degree and I've had an amazing experience so far. We get out into the Yorkshire Dales and other areas for fieldwork quite frequently and I love being so close to the Lake District for hiking trips! The LEC (Lancaster Environment Centre) department, which covers earth and environmental science as well as geography is really friendly and has some amazing study spaces on campus. I fell in love with the campus when I visited so if you get the chance I'd definitely recommend attending an open day to see if Lancaster fits right for you! I did an internship in the department last summer looking at salt marshes and it was an amazing experience, and I also volunteer regularly at Hazelrigg weather station; LEC is great at helping you find volunteering and internship opportunities.

To answer your question, you definitely won't be disadvantaged by not studying biology. When you start first year, whether you're studying environmental science or geography, a minimum of knowledge is assumed. The university will know that everyone will have come from different backgrounds and have different experiences; that's one of the great things about uni! Plus, there's always the option to ask your lecturer questions if you're struggling with a particular topic.

At A-level I studied physics, maths, further maths and geography, so during first year I took an environmental chemistry module to catch up on any chemistry knowledge necessary for environmental science. There's no corresponding catch up module for biology, although there are two maths modules for students without A-level maths. In my experience, the environmental science course has not contained much biology, although this depends on the modules you chose. For instance if you chose to study a conservation module I'd imagine that would contain a lot more biology. For me, I haven't found not having either biology or chemistry A-level to be a disadvantage as all the modules build from the ground up.

I can't speak for geography personally, but the people I know studying it have taken a huge range of A-levels, including some without any geography or science A-levels, so you definitely won't be at a disadvantage. In first year geography, whether you're on the BA or the BSc, you study the same modules, and this can help you decide which area you'd like to specialise in. First year also includes a geographical skills module, so this will make sure you have all the knowledge and skills you need for the rest of your degree, no matter your A-levels.

Hope this helps, and let me know if you have any more questions about Lancaster,
Becky (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 4

CasperCat24

OP

3

Alright that helps a lot, and I'll defo check that out! Thanks :smile:

)

Original post by ab33k

i don’t think it’ll be hard without the a level in biology tbh. i am going to do a bsc in environmental science and just finished doing a btec in level 3 applied science which covers biology but it was purely human biology and not ecology etc. i have seen a few people on Linkedin that have graduated in a bsc in environmental science and didn’t take a level biology so i think you’ll be alright !

perhaps check if the courses have a module with covers the foundations/basics of the science parts. the uni i am going to has a module which covers the basics of chemistry.

Do you need to take A-Level Biology to do well in an Environmental Geography degree?

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