The Alternative

Oxford

Geography

Prospectus

Contents

Welcome to the Alternative Prospectus! 2

Year 1 3

Year 2 5

Year 3 7

Trips 9

Careers 11

Colleges 15

Life Outside 21

Day(s) in the Life 23

FAQs 27

Applying 29

Reading 31

What Next? 32

Credits 34

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Welcome to the Alternative Prospectus!Foreword from the Geography Society President

Geography at Oxfordprovides an experience likeno other. Not only is it oneof the few places thatenables you to delve intoboth the human andphysical aspects of thesubject, but it also allowsyou to truly explore thematters that interest you!

Studying Geography atOxford opens so manydoors: the tutorial systemand regular lecturesencourage a way oflearning that motivates youto develop your own ideasand thoughts, ratherthan simply regurgitatingthose of others. This line ofindependent thinkingengages students with thecontemporary ideas in thefield of Geography today.

Being a relatively smalleryear group, a greatcommunity exists amongstthe geographers here - withregular social events (runby the Oxford GeographySociety) allowingfriendships to flourish. Fieldtrips held in 1st and 2nd yearfurther help

to strengthen thiscommunity vibe. Academicstudies are certainlyimportant at Oxford, but it isalso essential to have agood circle of friends tospend some down time with.Geography undoubtedlyfacilitates this.

“A greatcommunityexistsamongst thegeographershere”

We hope this alternativeprospectus informs yourdecision as to whetherstudying Geography atOxford is the best decisionfor you. Please do get incontact if you have anyqueries!

Molly Simpsonmolly.simpson@seh.ox.ac.ukPresidentOxford Geography Society

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Year 1 - PrelimsHumanHuman Geography isn’t quite what you’ll beused to from A level/IB. You won’t find anymention of the Three Gorges Dam and howit produces 10% of China’s energy throughHEP! HumanGeography atOxford covers animmense range oftopics fromCulturalGeography, whichlooks the waypeople viewlandscapes andplace; to PoliticalGeography,considering how Cold War legacies influencecontemporary spaces of war; to EconomicGeography, studying how capital operatesat a global scale.

If this sounds quite wide-reaching, that’sbecause it is. The great thing about theHuman Geography course is that it isthematic - you’ll learn about ‘Place’ or‘Landscape’, but within this theme you canresearch anything you like. In an essayabout Place you could take a feministreading of gender-neutral toilets, analysinghow breaking down gender normschallenges traditional ideas of place.Alternatively, you could take a Marxistreading of how globalisation destroys ourfamiliarity with place, contributing to recentphenomena such as the presidential electionof Trump and Catalonian secessionism. Ifyou’re more politically motivated, you couldconsider the role of place in contemporarymigration policy, or even investigate howplace studies help us to understand thegeographies of drone warfare.

Wherever your interests lie, you’ll find a wayto rethink and challenge your ideas of theworld with Human Geography at Oxford.

Benedict, 1st Year, St John’s College

PhysicalThe physical part of the course – EarthSystems Processes – is split into threesections: Geomorphology, Ecology andClimatology.

Starting the year with geomorphology isquite nice, because it essentially combines allof the physical environments (eg rivers/coasts/ deserts) studied previously, butplaces much greater emphasis on theprocesses responsible for driving landscapechange, as well as the interactions betweenthese processes.

The ecology module examines factorscontrolling species’ ranges, how communitiesof organisms evolve and global patterns ofbiodiversity. As most school syllabuses donot cover ecology, it provides a great insightinto the discipline.

Finally, climatology explores the ways inwhich energy is redistributed by theatmosphere – whilst parts of this may seemchallenging, the course starts with the basics,making it accessible for those who haven’tstudied climate before.

By being such a broad course, there issomething for (almost) everyone.

Zachary, 1st year, St. Catherine’s

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TechniquesGeographical Techniques is made up ofthree sections: physical methods, humanmethods and statistics for geographers.The statistics is really nothing to worryabout – the focus is much more on howthese tools could be employed toexplore geographical data, rather thanremembering long-winded formulae.The physical methods section gives anintroduction to the techniques used inresearching each of the three areas ofthe Physical Geography section(geomorphology, ecology andclimatology), whilst human methodsconsider the role of qualitativeapproaches in informing research,including interviews, ethnography andvisual analysis. The course is extremelyhelpful in understanding many of thereadings for other sections of thefirst-year course, and lectures aresupplemented by practical sessions tomake material more engaging. Plus, thefieldwork – a highlight of the first year –is great for putting this stuff intopractice!

Zachary, 1st Year, St. Catherine’s

ControversiesAt the surface, GeographicalControversies seems like an investigationof a series of interesting controversialcase studies - highlights include thelegality and ethics of drone warfare, theacademic texts that have contributed tomodern Islamophobia, and whether weshould be able to patent biologicalorganisms.

However, Controversies is really aboutlooking at the mechanics of Geographyand Science as a whole - askingquestions such as: what is proof? What isknowledge? Who should ownknowledge? If you’re into Philosophy,you’re in luck with Controversies. If not,you can stick to political interpretationsof controversies - looking at whetherdrone warfare represents aninfringement of national sovereignty, orwhether patenting plants represents aworrying or comforting privatisation ofnatural resources.

Controversies consists of one exampaper, answering three questions - twoabout the lecture content, one on a bookyou read in your own time. You also getthe chance to present and write on oneof a set list of topics,. Don’t be put off bythis, you’re not graded on yourpresentation and it’s a nice change ofscene from weekly essays.

Benedict, 1st Year, St John’s College

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Year 2 - FHSSPSSPS stands for Space, Place andSociety. Although this might seem veryvague, SPS is essentially thesecond-year Human Geographycourse. It’s one of the three coremodules (Environmental Geographyand Earth Systems Dynamics are theothers) that you pick two of in secondyear.

SPS is a great course, building on whatyou learn in first year HumanGeography in a slightly more in-depth,complex, and applicable way. It istaught through 16 one-hour lecturesand is supplemented by collegetutorials. The number of tutorials willtypically be about 6.

SPS encourages you to apply theoriesand conceptual thinkers (such asMarx), to both historical and currentphenomena. Subjects covered include:geopolitics and statecraft, colonialism,development, inequality, digitalinfrastructures, and resistance. It alsocovers more abstract topics that youmay never have looked at before, suchas material cultures and spaces ofconsumption. SPS provides a greatfoundation for the optional coursesyou might take in second and thirdyear. It encourages you to think in acritical way and build a network oftheories and real-world topics that willinevitably shape how you think aboutthe world for a long time after yourdegree.

Eva, 2nd Year, St. Catherine’s

ESDThe Earth Systems Dynamics (ESD) courseis the Physical Geography core option forthe Final Honours School (FHS). It is optional– you choose two out of three core options.Most people who choose ESD do italongside Environmental Geography (EG),but it’s not uncommon for people to do ESDand SPS. Though EG has more overlap withESD, neither combination is better than theother.

The ESD course is structured through aseries of lectures and tutorials and has astrong emphasis on climate change in thepast, present and future and how this linksto landform creation and ecological change.It’s a very different course to PrelimsPhysical Geography, looking at processes atmuch broader spatial and temporal scales.The course is really well formed andeverything works well together – it’s a verynatural course and everything builds on theother stuff you learn. The lectures aregenerally interesting but can be quitesciencey at points; I would definitelyrecommend doing a little bit of lookingthrough the lectures beforehand.

I do SPS and ESD and they are reallydifferent but I like the break from HumanGeography and the variety of essays that Iget to write. I don’t think doing thiscombination is a disadvantage because itgives you a wide choice for your optionmodules and it’s super nice to have a goodunderstanding of Physical Geography aswell as the human side for GeographicalThought.

Tiger, 2nd year, St Catherine’s

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EGEnvironmental Geography (EG) is thethird of the three core modulesavailable in second year. As a course, itis designed to fit between SPS and ESD,focusing on the aspects of Geographythat fall between the two such asenvironmental management andglobal warming.

The EG course is taught through 16one-hour lectures and 6 tutorials, whichusually take place in college. Thelectures, which are presented by a mixof human and physical tutors, are splitinto two distinct segments. Part A(taught in the first term of secondyear) is more theoretical, introducingideas about the relationship betweenhumans and nature, the narrativessurrounding environmental problemsand the theory behind environmentalpolicies and management. Part B(taught in the second term of secondyear) is much more down-to-earth(literally!), teaching about specificenvironmental problems such as landdegradation, species extinction, waterloss and global climate change. Thecourse covers such a wide mix of topicsand is designed so there’s somethingfor the more human-focused and themore physical geographers.

EG ties geographical ideas andtheories directly to practicalenvironmental management. It is themodule that has made me most awareof the importance of Geography as asubject – the ideas I learn about inlectures and tutorials are directlyrelevant to solving some of the world’sbiggest problems and the work is sorelevant and applicable to thereal-world.

Christian, 2nd Year, St Edmund Hall

GTGeographical Thought (GT) is taught in thefinal term of second year and is the onlycompulsory topic that you will study. Muchof the content in this course underpins theother stuff you learn here - delving into thekey conceptual and philosophical ideas thatare integral to the discipline of Geography.GT covers both human and physical aspectsof Geography, seeking to understand theaims, histories, philosophies and practicesthat act as a framework to geographicalthinking. For me, the wide scope of ideasexplored in the course (from discussions ofthe Scientific Method to the role ofimperialism in the discipline) was extremelyfascinating - certainly helping to linkseemingly disparate geographical topicstogether.

Molly, 2nd Year, St Edmund Hall

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Year 3In 3rd year, you study the remaining two of your option choices, one in each term, andproduce an extended essay for each. There’s lots of choice of what to write about, myessay topics ranged from the conservation status of wolves in the USA to evidence forearly human impacts on climate. Alongside this you write up your dissertation, havingdone your data collection over the summer holiday. There are exams at the end of theyear, but colleges organise plenty of revision tutorials, and, as we finish in sixth week,you get to enjoy two free weeks in sunny Oxford at the end of the course (all Oxfordterms are eight weeks long). 3rd year is a busy year, but there’s a huge amount offreedom and flexibility in the option choices and coursework in particular, it’s the bestopportunity to personalise the degree to your own interests.

Elizabeth, 3rd Year, St Edmund Hall

OptionsAcross second and third year, you get to pick 3 options - one of which is studied insecond year and the other two in third year. This is where the course becomes mosttailored to you, as there is a great variety of topics to choose from and you can pickwhat interests you the most. From developing understanding of the dynamics ofglobal biodiversity patterns in BioGeography, Biodiversity and Conservation toinvestigating the relationship between war and space in Geography at War - you aretruly spoilt for choice. It also provides a great opportunity to work with students thatyou may not be used to working with - as option tutorials are run departmentallyrather than by colleges.

Molly, 2nd Year, St Edmund Hall

For an extensive list of the optional subjects offered within the course, please see here:geog.ox.ac.uk/undergraduate/course OR google ‘Oxford Geography structure’

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DissertationsDissertations are big projects written during the summer of 2nd year and throughout3rd year. There’s often a broad range of research as people discover their specificinterests. Have a look at just a couple below:

Human DissertationMy dissertation explored transgender experiences of LGBTQ+ Pride events in the UK,using archival research and nearly 250 questionnaires to understand the enjoyment,activism and safety experienced by participants. It is a severely understudied area ofGeography, meaning that I really felt like I had to dig around to find what I was lookingfor to support my work. It was such a rewarding experience, however, as I was veryengaged with the subject and felt like my work was going to add something to thegrowing academic field of transgender geographies.

Jen, 3rd Year, Christ Church

Physical DissertationI chose to investigate how climate change is affecting birds migrating to the UK, apressing question with many British birds in decline. Mine was a desk baseddissertation as I undertook a nine week internship, and needed something I could doalongside it. I used specialist libraries in Oxford and websites I’d found whilst studyingclimatology to gather data on migratory timings and weather patterns, and processedthe data after work. Maths really isn’t my strong point, so there was a lot of wrestlingwith the numbers during analysis, but I got the hang of it using statistics software,which was a satisfying achievement, and has been really useful when studying and atwork. I liked working independently on such a big project, but was glad to have greatsupport from my tutor when I needed it.

Elizabeth, 3rd Year, St Edmund Hall

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TripsEveryone loves a good Geography field trip, and Oxford has plenty of them...

Year 1 - SwanageThe first year field trip involves spending a fewdays early on in your first term at Oxford alongthe incredible Jurassic Coast of Dorset. Thewhole experience was such a laugh and is theperfect opportunity to become friends withyour fellow course mates - something that onlya couple of other subjects end up doing aspeople tend to make friends through theircollege or extra-curricular activities. The workout there isn’t too strenuous and involvedmonitoring sand dune process and coastalerosion. Outside of the work, yearly highlights include drinking coffee whilst sunbathingon sand dunes, volunteering to go for a swim in the sea at 11pm on your last night,wasting your money in the arcade, fossil hunting and napping on pretty nice coaches.In general, the whole week is something that you’ll still be making inside jokes abouteven in third year and is yet another thing that makes Geography at Oxford so special.

Emily, 1st Year, St. Hilda’s

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Year 2 - Tenerife (Physical) or Berlin (Human)

Tenerife

With some sun, fieldwork and a greatgroup of people, Tenerife is definitely mybest fieldwork experience in Geographyso far. The scenery is incredible andyou're lucky enough to have a tour of theisland before you all get started on yourfirst day out in the field.

The fieldwork project I chose involved twointensive field days and two daysanalysing all the moss samples collected.Despite returning drenched the first dayand having walked for over 4 hoursthrough forest terrain, I can confirm itwas worth it. The views on both field daysand the breaks taken to appreciate themreally made up for it.

It's very much an independent field trip,so your group is in charge but you dohave some level of support if it's needed.There's a broad range of projects for youto choose from but one thing they allhave in common is a great groupdynamic. The days might be long workwise but the location certainly goes along way in making it worth it. Astar-gazing trip and (very) enthusiasticcoach singing en route at the end of thetrip was a definite bonus.

Sophie, 2nd Year, St Edmund Hall

Berlin

The Berlin Field Trip was one of thehighlights of the course. From being takenaround the city on guided tours to explorethe city’s cultural and historicalgeographies, to the socials in the eveningsthe trip did not disappoint!

Everyone took part in a wider range ofprojects, from exploring the cities historicalgeographies from its National-Socialistand Cold War pasts, to exploringexamples of urban nature, the creativeside of the ‘Alternative Berlin’ and the rightto the city of the many refugees that nowcall the city their home.

You have so much freedom to explore thecity in your own unique ways. The socialside of the trip was also one of itshighlights – one of the best parts of beinga Geography student is getting to knowyour whole year really well, especiallycompared to other subjects.

On top of group activities organized bythe department, we would all go out eachnight to explore Berlin, and its bars! It wassuch a good way to get to know people onyour course outside of college, and tocarry these friendships on after the trip!

TJ, 2nd Year, St Hilda’s

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CareersSo you’ve finished your degree, and are ready for the world of work - what comesnext? Some people will tell you that the only careers available for Geographers is thatof a professional map colourer. However, as well as this being a job we’re fairly suredoesn’t exist, this is a common myth surrounding Geography. It’s actually a veryemployable subject, which can take you in all kinds of directions. We asked somerecent graduates to give an idea of where a Geography degree can take you:

Ally PotterCurrent location: New York, USACurrent job: Brand and Insight ConsultantCurrent employer: ThirtyThree

Upon leaving Oxford, I said ‘bonjour’ to the start of my career in theParis office of a global PR agency. From our glass-fronted office onthe banks of the Seine, I developed communications strategies forsovereign wealth funds; perfected the art of the late lunch; andlearned lots of French. I seemed to do quite well at two out of thethree. From there, my experience has spanned multinationalcompanies, crafting communications on matters as wide-ranging asnuclear energy, diamonds and stately homes. Studying a diversesubject like Geography prepared me well for the agile mindset neededto write convincingly about Japanese power stations one day, and1920s Bridal Suites the next.

I now work as a Brand and Insight Consultant for ThirtyThree, a creative agency with offices globally. Mywork focuses on employer brand consultancy and research, preparing campaigns that reinforce acompany as an ‘employer of choice’. In practice that can be complex; it calls for a mix of research,planning and creativity, as well as knowledge of things like media habits, occupational psychology andgraduate marketing. The best communication blends a range of facts and opinion into somethingcompelling and relevant. In a way, that’s much like my experience of Geography at SoGE.

I’ve worked with organisations big and small to articulate what they stand for, as well as the ‘reasons tojoin’. My clients include airports, law firms, insurers, charities and the military. Each day, we explore theirrecruitment challenges as part of the bigger social, economic and environmental picture. Gender paygaps, job automation, Brexit, social mobility, diversity... the list of things relevant to what we do is huge.This means we often know ‘a little about a lot’, which has vastly improved my pub quiz performance. Andlike most geographers, I love to travel, so my work means a fair number of trips; whether that’s visitingfactories in New Mexico, conducting focus groups in Shanghai or trudging around National Trustproperties near Swindon. In mid-2018, I took the opportunity (and the plunge) and moved to New York tocontinue my role with ThirtyThree 'across the pond'.

One memory of the School of Geography and the EnvironmentIt was definitely the people I met that made my time at SoGE so special. Many of my lifelong friends areformer Geography students, and so many of my peers have gone on to do really inspiring things withtheir lives and careers. It’s great to be part of this network! One memory that sticks out is when I was inSouth Africa for my dissertation research, and overnight a pack of baboons ate all my (very expensive)temperature probes!

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Emma JonesMatriculated: 2005Current location: LondonCurrent job: BarristerCurrent employer: Self-employed

After graduating from Oxford in 2008, I completed theGraduate Diploma in Law and then the Bar VocationalCourse (now the Bar Professional Training Course),which allowed me to pursue a career in the legalprofession and, more specifically, a career at theEnglish Bar. During my legal studies, I secured apupillage at One Essex Court, a leading set ofchambers specialising in commercial disputes.Following my successful completion of pupillage in2011, I took tenancy at One Essex Court and I havepractised there ever since. My practice encompassesall aspects of commercial law, from banking to energyto civil fraud, and involves me providing advice toclients, as well as representing them in any court orarbitral proceedings where the matter is, or becomes,contentious. To date, my work has taken me to HongKong and Singapore and, closer to home, to the Court of Appeal on a number of occasions.Although I am still at a relatively early stage of my career at the Bar, I have been fortunateenough to have been involved in several of the most high-profile and important commercialdisputes in recent years, and to have worked with some of the most intellectually-giftedlawyers in the country.

There is no doubt in my mind that my present success is a product of my time at Oxford. Likemy colleagues at the Bar, my peers at Oxford were talented and hard-working, my lecturerswere involved in novel and interesting areas of research, and my tutors were strong advocatesof independent study and thought. I struggle to think of an environment more conducive todeveloping the skills and qualities that are so highly valued in my profession, and indeed inmany other professions: detailed and critical analysis, sound reasoning, and clarity of writtenand oral argument. Without realising it at the time, every tutorial, every essay, every piece ofcoursework, was preparing me for life at the Bar which, thus far, has been extremely fulfilling.

One memory of the School of Geography and the EnvironmentAn acute awareness of the environment and the issues affecting it, which are finallystarting to form part of popular culture.

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Ashleigh AinsleyCurrent location: London, United KingdomCurrent job: Co-founder/ConsultantCurrent Employer: Colorintech.org/Founders Intelligence

I have always been interested in the fundamental question of “Whydoes the world work the way it does?” Quite simply Geography wasthe most logical choice of a subject that enabled me to explore themany facets of that curiosity in a holistic manner.

Studying Geography enabled me to understand elements of GISwhich helped shape my interest in technology, enabling me to get an internship at Google. I then wrote mydissertation and extended essays on topics related to the nexus of technology and societies. Following myinternship, I opted to join a high growth UK start up for two and a half years where I was able to really get togrips with the start-up ecosystem and also work out my own value add in employment. Following that, Imoved to KPMG and then a smaller consultancy before starting my own Non-profit connecting ethnicminorities to opportunities in the technology sector.

Having studied Geography enables me to evaluate the dynamics between elements of inequality andsociety, as well as reminds me to be reflective about my own positionality and privilege when engaging withothers.

My advice for your early career: Follow your interests and passions and focus on maximising youropportunities to learn along the way.

One memory of Oxford GeographySat in the EU Politics module debating if there would be a feasible scenario when the UK would leave the EU– Low and behold 2 years later, Brexit happened.

Dan EvansCurrent Location: LondonCurrent job: Senior Town PlannerCurrent Employer: Ove Arup & Partners Ltd. (Arup)

I chose to study Geography because from an early age I was interested in therelationship between the natural environment and human activity – stemmingfrom my childhood growing up on a working farm in rural West Midlands. I alsoparticularly loved the diverse subject matter, and one of the best things aboutstudying Geography at Oxford was the opportunity to cover a wide range oftopics. I really enjoyed reading about climate change in the Radcliffe ScienceLibrary one week, and global social movements in the Social Science Library thenext!

After graduating from Oxford, I went on to study for a Masters in Spatial Planning at UCL. I am now a townplanner working for an international built environment consultancy, and work on a variety of types of project– from developing national and local planning policies, to shaping legislation, and gaining planningpermission for complex developments. I have worked on projects across the UK, as well as in places such asthe Channel Islands and Seychelles.

There are many similarities between Geography and town planning, such as the ability to identifyinteractions between human and natural forces, and an understanding of the importance of space andplace. Town planners often manage and coordinate viewpoints from a wide range of professions includingecologists, designers, transport specialists, and so on. Being able to understand how these inputs relate hasbeen invaluable to me. Studying Geography definitely prepared me for my career, and I use the skills Ideveloped every day.

One memory of Oxford GeographyOur first year field trip to Crete was a great experience, both in terms of being able to test geographicalideas ‘on the ground’ but also to get to know fellow course mates better. [Editor’s note: Unfortunately thistrip no longer runs for first years - we definitely would have mentioned it otherwise!]

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How Oxford helps you find a jobStatistics about employment are all very well, but if YOU aren’t able to find a job at theend they’re ultimately meaningless. Luckily, the University-wide anddepartment-specific careers team do great work throughout the year to help youengage with high-status employers across the country.

CareerConnectCareerConnect is the University-wide programme forundergraduates and graduates to find jobs andinternships. Oxford attracts big-name employers, sothis provides an easy platform to submit your CV andapply to hundreds of diverse internships. Through thesite you can also have your CV checked by a Careersexpert, and stay informed of the numerous interviewskills sessions run by the careers service throughoutthe academic year.

Sustainable Internship ProgrammeRead here about Olive’s dissertation-inspiring (and generally inspiring) experience with aSustainable Internship Programme opportunity:

“During an internship with a grass-roots NGO which works with communities in NorthernTanzania who have been affected by HIV/AIDS, I was invited to conduct some research which Iwould then be able to use in my dissertation. The HIV/AIDS epidemic, like most epidemics isgendered. Globally, 58% of people living with HIV are women and yet prevention programmes(particularly in some of the hardest-hit countries) have continually failed to address the genderpower dynamics which play such a huge part in the spread of the disease. Part of this failureresults from the silencing of women’s voices (and particularly women of colour) as they aredismissed as ‘non-experts’. My dissertation thus focussed on asking women living with HIV theirperceptions of the factors which create the ‘environment of risk’ which heightens women’svulnerability to HIV. My research found that women perceive information dissemination,unequal relationship dynamics and men’s attitudes to sex were the greatest issues inheightening women’s vulnerability to HIV. Most importantly, my dissertation found that certainsubgroups of women are more vulnerable than others and that programmes need to be tailormade based on a complex matrix of factors.”

Olive, 3rd Year, St Hilda’s

Careers EventsThe Geography Department run careersevents throughout the year, engaging with bigindustry names like KPMG, ClimateCare,Teach First and others. Geography studentsfrom Oxford go everywhere, so chances arethe Careers Department have connectionssomewhere through our alumni network. Therange of sectors represented is a testamentto how applicable Geography is - simply put,all industries want Oxford Geographers!

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Colleges14 colleges offer Geography at Oxford. Each has their own unique flavour, so givethem all a look. Below you’ll find a brief idea about each college. If you’re worriedabout how to choose a college, see the Admissions section coming up. But honestly,wherever you end up, you will swear allegiance to your college above all else. You willlearn to love your college, no matter how bad they are at rowing, or how long the Latingrace is before the start of dinner. Colleges are always open for tours too, so justemail the outreach for any college and they’ll be happy to arrange one for you!

Brasenose - 8 per yearHey! I’m Eleanor, one of the first yeargeographers studying Geography atBrasenose College. We have had an amazingtime at Oxford so far, learning so much in anenvironment that is both academicallychallenging and incredibly supportive. AtBrasenose, all geographers are part of thecollege Geography society (aka G-Unit). Weorganise events throughout the year such asa dinner during Freshers Week, a pub dinnerat the Head of the River in Michaelmas term(paid for by college!) and a special formal inHilary term where we also get to meet our wonderful alumnae.

I honestly cannot speak highly enough of studying Geography at Brasenose - comealong for an Open Day and hopefully you’ll see that we really are the friendliestcollege around (completely unbiased, of course). Apply, and you never know, it couldwell be you writing this summary in a few years! -Eleanor, 1st Year, Brasenose

Christ Church - 6 per yearStudying Geography at Christ Church iswithout doubt a huge amount of fun,combining an amazing degree andcollege. There are usually six of us peryear and we chat with the 2nd and 3rdyears during our fortnightly (free)Geography lunches. Our tutors are reallykind but also make sure to push you intutorials. So if you’re looking for a ‘work(quite) hard, play hard’ college then ChristChurch is the right choice. There are alsosome good travel grants available ifyou’re looking to make the most of thelong holidays. -Tom, 1st Year, Christ Church

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Hertford - 10 per yearStudying Geography at Hertford isbrilliant as you get access to a reallywide academic scope, with tutors andfellows from across Geography.Furthermore, with one of theconsistently biggest intakes, HertfordGeography offers a great communityand supportive ethos. Tutors put in a lotof effort to build strong relationshipsbetween different year groups,including fun dinners and structured, butinformal, advice giving sessions.Speaking to people who have alreadydone what you're going through really helps. -Annie, 2nd Year, Hertford

“Tutors put in a lot of effort to build strong relationships betweendifferent year groups, including fun dinners and structured, butinformal advice giving sessions”

Jesus - 8 per yearJesus is a wholesome and friendly college located inthe centre of town, a convenient 2 minutes fromTesco! Out of 100 students in a year, about 7 will begeographers and the fellows have a wealth ofexperience at the highest levels of both the collegeand the department. Jesus geographers love to getinvolved, represented in everything from college sportto the JCR Committee. We’re also known for our tightsense of community with regular curries, pub trips andstrong friendships both within and across year groups.We would love to welcome you! -Laura, 2nd Year, Jesus

“We’re also known for our tight sense of community with regularcurries, pub trips and strong friendships both within and across yeargroups.”

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Keble - around 8 per yearGeography at Keble is different from othercolleges particularly because of the number ofus there are- the most recent intake had 10. Thismeans that we really are all good friends andthere is always someone to help or explainanything you are having difficulty understanding.It also means that tutorials are regularly withdifferent people and so discussions are diverseand interesting. We have a social sciences dinneronce a year with students of other subjects and a similar dinner with just thegeographers and our tutors. We also have a good luck tea before prelims and finals,and a picnic to celebrate afterwards - all of this creates a really friendly atmosphereamongst all of the geographers at Keble. -Hannah, 1st Year, Keble

“At Mansfield, you get to know almost everyone across the years dueto the small size” - if you’re into the small college ‘experience’,Mansfield is for you.

Mansfield - 8 per yearMansfield is one of the smallestundergraduate colleges, the closestcollege to the Geography departmentand is less than a ten minute walk fromthe centre of Oxford. It has a highercohort of Geography students than manyof the other larger colleges – takingbetween 6 and 8 Geography students ayear. There is normally one tutorial aweek (sometimes two), and you have thechoice of who to pair up with for eachone. At Mansfield, you get to know almosteveryone across the years due to thesmall size and social atmosphere, withmany societies, events and formaldinners to attend. -Holly, 1st Year, Mansfield.

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St Anne’s - 4 per yearSt Annes college is modern and friendly and soperhaps a bit different to your typical view ofOxford, or at least the view I had before cominghere. This friendliness has been great whenstudying Geography here because you alwayshave the support of students in older years whohave already gone through what you’re facingand are really eager to help. You also get toknow the geographers in your own year prettywell as you spend time together, particularly onwalks to lectures through University Parks -arguably the most beautiful walk to thedepartment. -Hazel, 1st Year, St. Anne’s.

St Catherine’s - 8 per yearSt Catherine’s College (most commonlyknown as Catz) is the largest, friendliestand the newest college at Oxford. Life atCatz is very unique: it’s modern and openarchitectural design lends itself to thechill and humble atmosphere that’scurated here. We are the most diversecommunity in Oxford in all aspects – inidentities, interests and experiences.Being just that little bit out of town helpsto get a breather from the hustle andbustle of Oxford life. Our bar is good butour Geography department is evenbetter – we have some of the best tutors in the University and all the books you’d everneed (and in multiple copies too!). All in all, it’s a fab place to be. -Maddy, 1st year, St.Catherine’s

St Edmund Hall (Teddy Hall) - 6 per yearTeddy Hall is by far one of the friendliest colleges I'veexperienced. Geography socials bring the years togetherand have left with me many a good memory. Whether it'sfancy dress at formal dinner or a more formal affair,Geography at Teddy has plenty to offer. There's alwayssomething to get involved in, be that sport, art, music ormore. Though you do become close with the TeddyGeography cohort, having a tutor who works at othercolleges means you get to have tutorials with othercolleges. It really does keep you on your toes and meansyou don't get too used to having the same tutorialpartners. -Sophie, 2nd Year, St Edmund Hall

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St Hilda’s - 4 per yearHilda’s is known for its more laid-backand welcoming atmosphere and this isshown when looking at its Geographyundergraduates. We’re an awesomebunch of people who have managedto ensure that in every Hilda’s yeargroup most students wish they did aGeography degree instead of theirown. The tutorial workload ismanageable, 1-2 essays a week, andthe topics we’re set are wide rangingand genuinely fascinating. We’re luckythat we get to have tutorials incolleges other than Hilda’s (which is also an excuse to go snooping behind the closeddoors of other colleges and make snow angels where you’re not allowed to in ChristChurch after tutorials before running back to Hilda’s). -Emily, 1st Year, St. Hilda’s

“The tutorial workload is manageable, 1-2 essays a week, and thetopics we’re set are wide ranging and genuinely fascinating.”

St John’s - 4 per yearSt John’s Geography’s USP is MartinSociety - one of the most activeCollege Geography Societies. Everyfortnight we host a (free!) lunch withthe whole department, includingsome of our resident professors,which has included Gillian Rose andLinda McDowell, two greats offeminist Geography. St John’s as acollege is a large, friendly communitybased right in the centre of Oxford -5 minutes from Tesco, clubs andshopping, and with a superb new study centre which is top of the range. And only 5minutes from the Geography School too - think of the lie-ins. St John’s has around 4Geographers per year, so you’ll get to know the other Geographers very well. -Benedict,1st Year, St John’s

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St Peter’s - 4 per yearStudying at Peter's is both fun andrelaxed. The undergraduates get on reallywell, with social events ranging from anannual dinner to a Christmas party. Thiscreates a strong bond amongst thegeographers here - which is great as youcan exchange ideas and essays in thelead up to revision.

Second and third years go to Craswalnear the Welsh border during the Eastervacation to revise and relax - this is reallyfun and the college covers the bill! -Jim,2nd Year, St Peter’s

Regent’s Park - 3 per yearRegent’s Park usually take two or threeGeographers a year so with only about 9Geographers in the whole college, wemake a very close knit family but are alsodespite integrated into the wholeundergraduate body. Regent’s is a faband friendly college, based in the heart ofOxford City Centre, just a few minuteswalk away from Tesco and some of thebest pubs in the city! -Ethan, 2nd Year,Regents Park

“Almost every person I speak to at Oxford say that their one andonly regret is not applying to Worcester”

Worcester - 4 per yearAlmost every person I speak to at Oxfordsay that their one and only regret is notapplying to Worcester. Their reasoningbeing our reputation as a highly social,sporty, friendly and overwhelminglybeautiful college (FYI we have a lake). AtWorcester, there are four or fivegeographers in each year group. In firstyear, we have our Physical Geographytutorials within Worcester and our HumanGeography tutorials at St Hilda’s. -Sophie,1st Year, Worcester

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Life OutsideWhile studying is a big part of Oxford, the parts you’ll love the most are theextra-curricular activities. There are lots of ways to explore your geographical interestsat the University.

Oxford Geography SocietyThe OGS is Oxford’s premiereGeography-based society. It hosts speakerevents, careers and events, and socialoccasions, most notably Colouring andCocktails (see Thea’s map of the world on theright for a sample).

Geography Society is open to all disciplines,so even if you decide Geography at Oxfordisn’t for you, you can still show yourGeography love! -Benedict, Secretary of theOxford Geography Society and 1st YearGeographer at St John’s

Oxford Climate SocietyThe Climate Society is a great way for geographers to engagewith perhaps the hallmark feature of our interdisciplinary study;Climate Change! As societies go, it's by far one of the most openand welcoming ones. All students can get involved with thesub-teams at the Start of Michaelmas, with relatively littleexperience required; just passion! The society also run Weeklyfree talks around town, with no membership or bookingrequired. Later down the road, you may find yourself wanting tojoin the general committee or sign up to the free lectureprogramme, but whatever you choose, you'll certainly developyour knowledge of a critical future issue! -Luke, OCS committeemember and 1st Year Geographer at St. Hilda’s

Oxford University Exploration ClubThe exploration club offers opportunities to take part in avariety of activities and meet awesome people who areinterested in organising small to large scale expeditions. Wenormally hold talks every Tuesday, with speakers varyingfrom Doug Allen, award winning wildlife photographer, tostudents who have been on expeditions over their holiday. Asa geographer the club has opened up lots of opportunities tome interms of ideas for dissertations, contacts who can help meget access to certain equipment, archives and research andalso a great group of people who enjoy getting out in theoutdoors. -Matt, OUEC Treasurer and 1st year Geographer at St.

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Hilda’s

Wider Society Life at OxfordYou don’t just have to stay in the Geography lane when it comes toOxford Society - take a look at any of the listed society’s Facebookpages to get an insight to what you could get up to next year.

Non-Geography Subjects - History Society - Biology Society - ChemistrySociety - Earth Sciences Society - PPE Society - Politics - Oxford LabourClub - Oxford Conservative Association - Oxford University LiberalDemocrat Society - Oxford Student Green Party - The Oxford Union -Languages - French Society - Spanish Society - Chinese Society - ItalianSociety - German Society - General - International Development Society -Model UN - Oxford Energy Society - Islamic Society - Computer ScienceSociety - Africa Society - The Arts - Dance Society - Drama Society - Photographic Society - Charity -RAG (Raise and Give) - On Your Doorstep (Homelessness campaign) - Something a little different -Quidditch Society - Caledonian Society (see photo) - eSports Society - Rock and Metal Society(ROCKSOC)

Find two of the OGS’s picks below for societies:

RAG - www.facebook.com/oxfordragOxford Raise and Give (RAG) is the University’s student fundraisinggroup. Each year we organise a range of events and charities forstudents to get involved with both by participating and by helping toorganise the events. The charities we support are elected by studentseach year and our annual events include the RAG Ball and GardenParty. We also run sponsored hitchhike events like Jailbreak wherestudents have 36 hours to get as far away from Oxford as possibleand back gain without spending any of their own money. Teams in2018 got as far as Budapest, Singapore, Geneva and Stockholm andraised £14.2k for charity. -Benedict, RAG Vice-President and 1st Year Geographer at St Catherine’s

Oxford History SocietyChoosing Geography doesn’t mean you have to give up your otheracademic passions. History Society is a large, active societycelebrating all things history. They host high-profile speakersincluding Lord David Trimble, Vernon Bogdanor CBE and others. Theyalso have a Journal where they publish historical work (a great wayto test your academic writing) as well as termly pub quizzes anddrinks. One of the 2018 Presidents, Jim, is even a Geographer! -Writtenon behalf of Oxford History Society

Sports at OxfordOxford has a sports team for almost every sport you can imagine.The great thing about colleges is that there are casual sportsteams, and Blues teams for high-level athletes. One particularsport central to Oxford is rowing, as Keelin writes:

Rowing has become a surprisingly large part of my life this yearconsidering I had never even been in a boat before October!Although the Geography course here at Oxford can be demandingand time-consuming, I think it is really important to make time togo outside and exercise in order to relieve stress and get those endorphins flowing. Being onthe water, whether you are intensely training for one of the many inter-college races at variouspoints in the year or simply going for leisurely paddle, is a fantastic way to keep fit, relax and

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join a tight-knit, supportive community! -Keelin, 1st Year, Jesus

Societies to Contact about ApplyingBoth department and students recognise that Oxford Geography’s current Access statisticscould be a lot better. But regardless of what you may read in the news, Oxford has somefantastic outreach. Some of the most dedicated people I know work tirelessly to make newstudents feel comfortable, regardless of their background. Below are a list of societies withtheir contact details - if you need any help or advice, they’ll always be there to answer yourcall!

First Generation Oxford Students - facebook.com/oxfordfirstgenerationstudents/Hi, we’re Oxford-First Generation Students, a society for students at Oxford who are the firstgeneration in their family to go to university. From hosting socials such as pizza and a pint,

brunch, ice cream trips and other activities (generally involving freefood and drink!) to developing outreach specifically targeted atfirst-gen sixth formers, we aim to help first-gen students settle andfeel part of our community when they arrive in Oxford. We’re asinclusive as possible of “first-gen” definitions, so if a student feelsthey don’t have the same privileges as someone whose parentswent to university in the traditional sense, we very much welcomethem to take part in our events! -Oxford-First Generation SocietyCommittee

LGBTQ+ Society - facebook.com/OULGBTQ/Geography is the perfect subject to explore questions of identity,gender and space. Queer and feminist geographies are taught infirst year with chances to further explore these topics in secondand third year. Furthermore, the department is open minded withprogressive and liberal views and facilitated discussion andincreases inclusivity. The LGBTQ+ community at Oxford isextremely diverse and very welcoming. A range of diverse and funactivities are organised by the LGBTQ+ society, from Tuesdaydrinks before Plush (Oxford’s LGBTQ+ club) to Sunday brunches. Each college has an LGBTQ+rep who is always free to talk in confidence and organised in-college events. -LGBTQ+ SocietyCommittee

Afro-Caribbean Society - facebook.com/OxACS/As the university's largest student society for African & Caribbeanstudents, our aim is to promote and celebrate African andCaribbean culture within the University of Oxford. We try to ensurethe Oxford experience is as fun, inclusive and engaging as possiblefor students of African and Caribbean descent through regularsocial events such as food nights, club nights and game nights. InMichaelmas we had our Black History Month Showcase whichfeatured guest speakers, performance poetry and a paneldiscussion with DJ Clara Amfo, model and activist, Adwoa Aboahand blogger, The Slumflower. Earlier this year we also held anexclusive screening of Black Panther. -ACS Committee

Other Societies

Society Who for Link

Class Act For anyone who identifies as working class,state school, or underprivileged background

Oxfordsu.org/ campaigns/ClassAct/

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OxfordNortherners

For anyone who identifies as a Northerner. facebook.com/ OxfordNorthernersSociety/

A Day in the Life...Holly is a first year student at Mansfield College. Hollycame to Oxford from Brunts Academy Sixth Form,Mansfield, and is interested in ecology and migration.Here, Holly recounts a day from her Trinity (Summer)term, the term before exams. Even at this time, she foundplenty of chill time in between revision!

7.30am – I was up earlierthan usual to prepare forthe tutorial this afternoon.Normally I would do a bitof reading before thelectures, but today Ineeded to go over thetutorial readings and printoff my essay and prepnotes to take with me later.

11am – An ESP climatologylecture on the verticalmotion of the atmospherein the HM lecture theatre. Iset off five minutes beforethe lecture begins as thedepartment is only at theend of the road.

12pm – A HumanGeography lecture onrefugees, asylum seekersand forced displacement inthe HM lecture theatre.

1pm – A quick walk back tocollege for an hour-longclimatology tutorial incollege about the generalcirculation of theatmosphere and theformation of pressure

An average day forHolly includes alecture in verticalmotion of theatmosphere and onmigrants and forceddisplacement - tryfinding that variety inPPE!

3pm – After having a lunchbreak I type up the notes Imade in the tutorial, thengo to the Radcliffe Sciencelibrary to take out thebooks I need for the nextessay and make a start onthe reading.

7pm – I make the shortwalk back to college andhead to the kitchen to cooka meal with friends.

8pm – It’s been a busy dayso I stop work and take therest of the night off! Thiscan involve going out for adrink, chilling with friendsor just catching up onsome TV.

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belts.

A Day in the Life...Lucy is a first year student at St. Catherine’s. Lucycame to Oxford from St. Peters Catholic Sixth Form,Birmingham, and is interested in Paleontology andCultural Landscapes. Here, Lucy recounts anaverage day of their life as a Geography student.

An average day at Catzvaries greatly, but hereis an example of what a‘day in the life’ couldlook like.

VERY EARLYam - I ama novice rower, so gorowing on the river Isisvery early in themorning, but it's worth itfor the beautiful sunrise!

8am - After this I havebreakfast, and do somework on my currentessay, which could beon urbanisation inAfrica, for instance.

10.45am - The CatzGeographers meet at10.45 to walk to lectures,which we have from 11until 1. We then havelunch together incollege. I might do somemore work on my essayuntil a tutorial at 3, forinstance focusing on thethe importance oferosion and tectonics inshaping landscapes.

“An average day atCatz varies greatly”

5pm - I go for a chilledlacrosse throwabout withsome friends, and thenhave ‘scaf’ which is Catzcollege dinner.

8pm - After Scaf I do abit more work on myessay, for instancemaking the bibliography,and then go to the barand chill out- onMondays we have acharity pub quiz which isfun.

10pm - After this I mightgo out clubbing if lots ofpeople are, but if not Ihead back to my roomto watch some TV/sleep.

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A Day in the Life...Zach is a 1st year student at St. Catherine’s. Zachcame to Oxford from Rushden Academy,Northamptonshire and is interested in transportgeographies. Here, Zach recounts an average day ofhis life as a Geographer at Oxford.

One of the many perksof being a geographer isthat we don’t spend ahuge amount of time inlectures compared toother subjects at Oxford- normally an hour ortwo a day, which istypically in the latemorning. These finishjust in time for lunch inhall; with good, cheapfood and a great friendlyatmosphere at mostcolleges, what’s not tolike?

On busy days we mayhave a tutorial for anhour (and/or a class)organised by the college,but we normally onlyhave one or two of thesea week. This is a greatopportunity to bounceideas off each other andspend time with one ofthe world’s best minds inthe field.

“Lectures finish just intime for lunch in hall;with good, cheap foodand a great friendlyatmosphere at mostcolleges, what’s not tolike?”

Whilst completing eachessay can be atime-consuming process,especially in the oddweek where we may havemore than one to do,there is still plenty of timein the day to get involvedin other things across theuniversity – whether it besport, volunteering orsome weird but wonderfulsociety; there are somany of these to choosefrom, plus the OxfordUnion often has someinteresting andentertaining speakers inthe evenings, if youchoose to become amember.

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Otherwise, afternoonswould be spent in one ofOxford’s many beautifullibraries, reading for, orwriting, the next tutorialessay.

FAQsWe were all in your shoes just over two years ago, so we thought we’d answer somequestions we would have like to know the answer to back then. If you have any furtherquestions, please email: Geography.society@studentclubs.ox.ac.uk

What emotional support is available inOxford?We'll be honest with you, Oxford life canbe tough at times. However, whateverissues you're having, it's important toremember there is a huge range ofemotional support that everyone canmake use of. The number of differentschemes mean there is bound to be aplace you feel comfortable talking tosomeone. From Oxford Nightline, astudent-run helpline open every nightfrom 8pm-8am during term which youcan call, message or have a face-to-facechat , to drop-in sessions run by OxfordSU, there is ALWAYS help available. Everycollege also has its own team of peersupporters who are trained specifically tolisten and talk to you about any issues, aswell as designated members of staff ifyou'd feel more comfortable talking tothem. What's more, every college is trulya close community - everyone looks outfor each other.Jamie, 1st Year, Mansfield

What financial support is available inOxford?There are literally hundreds ofscholarships, grants and bursariesavailable at Oxford to help if you'reworried about finances, which ensureeveryone can not only attend Oxford butlive life here to the full - regardless of theirhousehold income. The University offersscholarships to cover tuition fees orcontribute towards living costs; some ofthese are based on academic or sportingperformance, others on your personalbackground.

UK/EU students from lower-incomehouseholds are automatically entitled tothe Oxford Bursary to help towards livingcosts. In addition, each college has its ownrange of bursaries you may be eligible for,covering everything from books and studysupplies to travel (whether it's related toyour degree or not!). In short, there is ahuge amount of financial supportavailable at Oxford, meaning costs shouldnot be the reason you don't come touniversity!

Check out Oxford's range of supportonline, or you can go to

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thescholarshiphub.org.uk to searchscholarships and bursaries from unisacross the country. You never know whatpot of money might be available for you -use it!Jamie, 1st Year, Mansfield

I come from an area which doesn’t getmany people into Oxford. Will I feel likeI belong less?Coming from an area which doesn’t get manypeople into Oxford can make the applicationto study here more daunting because youdon’t know what to expect. But once youarrive in Oxford, where you are from reallydoesn’t matter, as everyone is in the sameposition. Before arriving in Oxford you canask your college parents any questions youmight have, and in Freshers Week there aremany activities so you make friends quickly. Itis also so easy to meet people from acrossthe university with similar backgrounds orwith similar interests (sports, religious, politicaletc.) by getting involved with the societies!Holly, 1st Year, Mansfield

Is first year stressful?The first year at any University will be tough:for some, this will be the first time away fromhome. Luckily, Oxford has a wide range ofresources (from welfare doggos tocounselling sessions) to ensure that you feelat home here. The first year course forGeography is really fun and engaging :highlights have to be our Swanage field trip inMichaelmas (that’s Oxford’s way of sayingAutumn term), cocktails and colouring socialsfrom Geog Soc (they’re incredible), and more.So though some topics will be morechallenging than others, there’s no need tostress too much in the first year: it’s all abouthaving fun and engaging with Geography!Maddy, 1st Year, St Catherine’s

What is it like to be an internationalstudent doing Geography at Oxford?First of all, it’s really fun! There isn’t muchdifference when you’re international in termsof how you experience the course because it isnot UK-focused, so don’t worry about that.One thing I really enjoy is that I can bring inmy experience as an international studentwhich really helps in understanding so manytopics! It’s also pretty useful (and encouragedby the tutors) to draw on the experience andgeopolitical knowledge you have from yourhome country. I can even say this works as anadvantage to be honest, so don’t hesitate touse examples from your neighbourhood, yourtutors will love them, that’s what Geography isabout. All academic stuff is so so supportivewhen it comes to anything such as English (I’mterrible at articles for example) and my tutorswere more than happy to help me withanything I needed. The environment is sofriendly and welcoming that I couldn’t ask formore!Natalia, 1st Year, St John’s

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What’s the workload like?The official prospectuses for Geography atOxford will say that it involves 8hrs of lectures& a tutorial per week (handing in one essay).While this is true, realistically you’ll bespending about 30hrs on an essay in additionto lectures so treat it like a full-time job. Whilethis can sound quite demanding it’s definitelymanageable. Geographers are known for theirinterests and involvements outside of theclassroom – so there’s time to enjoy all thatOxford has to offer. While the academic stuffmust come first, make sure you use your firstyear to explore all the hundreds of clubs andsocieties the University so proudly boasts.Maddy, 1st Year, St Catherine’s

ApplyingHow to Choose a CollegeSee our college guide to get a flavour of each college. Don’t get too bogged down incollege choice, and especially don’t over analyse (or even analyse) the entry statisticsto calculate that St Hilda’s gives you a 0.4% higher chance of getting in based onadmissions statistics. Just choose the college that you think you’ll like the most.Consider whether you want:

● A big (Christ Church) or small (Teddy Hall) college● A central (St John’s) or quieter (St Catz) college● Lots of Geography Freshers (Keble) or only a few (Regent’s Park)● Whether you can live ‘in’ all three years, and if this is important to you● Even menial things, like how the food works in hall

Consider these over admissions statistics any day. However, it really doesn’t matterwhere you end up - the Geography teaching is guided by the department and so is thesame anywhere. You might get ‘pooled’ somewhere - taken away from where youoriginally applied - but this is fine too! You’ll learn to love your college above all else.Benedict, 1st Year, St John’s College

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InterviewsThis might seem like a cop out, but we’re not going to tell you how to succeed in aninterview. Because ultimately, doing well in an interview can’t be learned off-by-heart.The only thing tutors are looking for is how you think. They don’t much care if you’veread 25 case studies on volcanism in Iceland, or that you can recite every capital city.They just want to see how you react to new information. To this end, your interviewerswill continue to ask you questions until you can’t answer. They don’t take some sort ofweird pleasure from this, they’re doing to test how you adapt to new information. Sojust answer the questions the best you can, and don’t be afraid to give a creativeanswer - it may just get you the place!

One other thing - if you do get called up tointerview, make the most of it! Try and talk tosome people, because they’re all in the sameboat as you. I was a hermit in my interviews andregretted it a lot, so make the most of it. Seesome museums, eat some food, and soak inOxford.Benedict, 1st Year, St John’s College

General AdmissionsApplying to Oxford is like a marathon: entry examinations are in November, interviewsin December, offers announced in January, A-Levels/ IB exams in June, results inAugust, starting Oxford in October. Running a marathon requires some preparation –so read below for some ideas!

There is no test that has to be taken for Geography applicants in 2018 for entry in2019 or deferred entry in 2020. So sit back, and work on your personal statementinstead!

“My one advice for applicants is be passionate and continuously prove that you loveGeography. I could talk for hours about how interesting, wide-ranging and essentialthe study of Geography is and you should be too. When it comes to boosting yourpersonal statement, look into taking part in some relevant work experience or readingsome work that genuinely fascinates you. Experiment, look beyond your A-level orGCSE Geography specification and really use this as an opportunity to find even morereasons to be passionate about studying Geography. Interviews are made out to beway more daunting than they actually are, try to see them as an incredibleopportunity to discuss and engage with geographical concepts with world leadingexperts in their fields as well as meet an awesome group of interviewees, whilstsnooping around an Oxford college for free!” -Emily, 1st Year, St. Hilda’s

“For the personal statement: keep it purely academic – Oxford aren’t interested inwhether you made the 1st team for rugby but instead they want to know about whyyou love Geography and what interests you have in the subject. So, read the news andread journal articles on topics you enjoy – after all, it’s a personal (albeit academic)statement.” -Maddy, 1st Year, St Catherine’s

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2nd Year students on the Berlin fieldtrip. There is no reason this couldn’t be you one day!

ReadingFor your personal statement, you’ll be encourage to read some books. Don’t get toofocussed on this - tutors much prefer to see how you think, not what you know.However, these are some great books to introduce you to ideas of Geography atOxford. Book recommendations by Emily, 1st Year, St Hilda’s College and Benedict, 1stYear, St John’s College.

GeographyDanny Dorling and Carl Lee (2016)

Prof Danny Dorling isa bit of a legend inthe OxfordGeographydepartment and thisbook he co-authoredwith Carl Lee is agreat introduction toall things Geographyand offersfascinating insightsinto key areas ofinterest forGeography such asclimate change and globalisation. It’s a greatprimer for what you’ll study at Uni and helpsto illustrate the dynamic nature of Geography- Emily

A Very Short Introduction to Landscapesand GeomorphologyAndrew Goudie and Heather Viles (2016)

Another book by twoabsolute legends ofthe Oxford GeographyDepartment, this bookis a great introductionthe the first yearGeomorphologycourse. It’s a greatread with simpleexplanations of keyconcept and is prettyshort too. We’d alsorecommend lots of the other ‘A Very ShortIntroduction’ titles as a way to introduceyourself to key Geography concepts - Emily

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Gender, Identity and PlaceLinda McDowell (1997)

This book is a nicestraightforwardintroduction into theidea of the study ofgender in place. Even(in fact, especially), ifyou’re dubious aboutthe concept of genderbeing linked to space.Linda McDowell (who,cheeky plug, is amember of St John’sCollege) explainstheoretical concepts of gendered place in astraightforward and convincing manner. Thisbook is a great way to introduce yourself tosome of the biggest ideas in HumanGeography - Benedict

The Invention of NatureAndrea Wulf (2015)

This book is actuallypart of the 2nd yearcourse, but is reallyeasy to read. It followsAlexander vonHumboldt, one of thefathers of modernecology (he’s got aPenguin named afterhim) and hisgeographicalexpeditions to SouthAmerica. This bookreally captures the spirit of geographicalinquiry really well, as well as being a genuinelyentertaining read - Emily

What Next?We really hope we’ve convinced you how great Geography at Oxford can be, but ifyou’re still on the fence, or would just like to know more, here’s a page of links whichmight be useful to us.

Contact UsIf you’re ever in doubt about whether to apply or not, we’re always around to answeryour questions. If your application experience is anything like ours, you’ll have about 15different people telling you contrasting things about University admission. This isdoubly true for Oxford - for some reason, everyone has a very strong opinion on howOxford admissions work, and many of them are straight up wrong. So please contactus, if you have any worries - no question too big or too small. Contact us by:

Email: geography.society@studentclubs.ox.ac.ukFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/oxgeogsoc/Student Room: @OxGeogSocWebsite: www.oxgeogsoc.com

To look atIf you just want to know a bit more about Geography at Oxford in general, the officialOxford Geography website is always a good shout.

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Oxford Geography website: http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/undergraduate/

If you’re interested in how the course is structured and didn’t manage to pick up any ofthe other booklets at Open Day, the information is here (or google OxfordGeography):https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/Geography

Application advice from Keble Geography: http://www.keble-oxford-Geography.info/

Twitter where students tweet about daily life at Oxford www.twitter.com/oxgeog

Our favourite Geography meme page: https://www.facebook.com/Geografun/

Oxford Geography Society: facebook.com/OxGeogSocOxford Climate Society: facebook.com/OxfordClimateSocOxford Energy Society: facebook.com/OxfordEnergySocOxford Exploration Society: Facebook Search ‘OUEC’

To do

Before ArrivingIn the summer before coming to Oxford the best advice we can give is to relax. Whenyou get to Oxford the workload will be challenging and you will wish you spent moretime lazing in the sun when you’re in libraries writing essays! But if you do fancy a littlehead start, try listening to podcasts (Guardian Long Reads, Ted Talks, BBC Enquiry),keep up to date with the news, and engage in the world around you. Dabble in some ‘AVery Short Introduction to’ books – these are great snippets of some of the stuff youmay cover in the course. Oh and do make sure to join all the relevant Facebookfresher groups, Like ‘Oxfess’ and ‘Oxlove’ (you won’t regret it), and get in contact withyour college / the Geography department if you have any questions.

Visit a CollegeColleges are always wide open to prospective applicants, but generally focus on theirown region when it comes to access. This means regions attached to colleges withoutGeography can sometimes underplay Geography. Don’t let this stop you! While it takesa bit of organisation, colleges are always accepting prospective applicants. Just emailthe outreach of the college you’re interested in (see the St Annes email above) andthey’ll be happy to accomodate you. You might even get free lunch!

Email outreach@st-annes.ox.ac.uk or any other college, find their details here:http://www.ox.ac.uk/about/colleges

UNIQ Summer School

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If you happen to be going into your first year of sixth form for this coming September2018, then there is nothing we can recommend more than the UNIQ Summer School.This programme is designed for students at state schools - targeting those groupstraditionally underrepresented at the University. Several of the current OxfordGeography cohort took part in the Summer School, which is a FREE week of food,accommodation and Geography in Oxford.uniq.ox.ac.uk/Geography

University of Oxford Open DaysYou can read as much as you like about Oxford, but we’d say you can’t ‘get’ Oxforduntil you visit it. Come along and look round! If you can’t make these days, mostcolleges are open to prospective applicants at anytime. Check on a college’s websiteor give them a call to find outhttps://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/visiting-and-outreach/open-daysOr just Google ‘oxford open days’

Upcoming dates27th - 28th June 2018 (though you probably picked this up here!)14th September 2018

CreditsThe Alternative Prospectus was put together by a team of Oxford students dedicatedto improving access. A list of those that worked on this booklet can be found below.We hope to see some of your names on this list in future!

Prospectus Coordinator Ben Farmer St Catz

Prospectus Layout Benedict Gardner St John’s

Prospectus Editors Molly Simpson St Edmund Hall

Benedict Gardner St John’s

Contributors

Maddy Diment Holly Fothersgill Hannah Coles Keelin Willis

Laura Jackson Hazel Naylor Sophie Greenfield Nadja Mundi

Luke Jelleyman Emily Wilkins Jen Sheppard Basia Tanska

Lucy Jackson Matt Jones Zachary Spavins-Hicks Olive Leonard

Annie Simm Hannah Coles Laura Jackson Sophie Taylor

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Elizabeth Fry Tom Moody Eva O’Sullivan Natalia Sudol

Tiger Hills TJ Fitzgerald Eleanor Pendle Christian Lindsay

Jim Brennan Molly Simpson Tom Moody Jamie Ward

Proofreaders

Jamie Ward Hannah Coles Eleanor Pendle Benedict Gardner

Photos

Jim Brennan Ines Getaz Jack Rogers Book covers

Ed Harris Eleanor Pendle Keelin Willis Polity (1997)

Bella Clark Natalia Sudol Sophie Hughes SAGE (2016)

Molly Simpson Dan Hall Penguin Books (2015)

OUP (2016)

Printing kindly funded by the School of Geography and the Environment

GalleryWe asked Oxford Geographers to send in theirhighlights from the year of Geography. Here are just afew of them.

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Where will

Oxford Geography

Take You?

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