Data on geography at university

Accepted applicants

According to UCAS End of Cycle data, first-year acceptances in 2021 for geography were slightly down on 2020, but in line with the trend across all subjects. The movement year-to-year is remarkably small, given all that has happened since 2019. In terms of the change from 2020 to 2021, total acceptances were down 1.5% across all subjects, but down only 1.1% for geography. Within geography, there was a 3.5% drop in female accepted applicants, and a 2.2% rise in male accepts. Despite this, the gender balance remains at around 55% female. 2021 also saw an increase in mature students (age over 25) of 4.4%. In terms of domicile, UK student acceptances rose by 0.6% and acceptances of students from outside the UK and EU (i.e. the rest of the world) rose by 7.7%. The largest fall was for EU domicile students, which dropped by 59.6%. However, the number of EU domicile students within geography has historically been relatively small.

Subject group (HECoS)	2019	2020	2021
CAH12 - Geographical and environmental studies	8,020	7,970	7,880
CAH12-01-01 - Geography (non-specific)	1,185	1,150	1,085
CAH12-01-02 - Physical geographical sciences	2,220	2,385	2,435
CAH12-01-03 - Human geography	3,400	3,090	3,010
CAH12-01-04 - Environmental sciences	1,215	1,345	1,345
Total (all subjects)	541,240	570,475	562,060

Table 1 - Accepted applicants by subject group (2019-21) 
Source: UCAS

 

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.

 

UCAS application data (for 2022 entry)

These data are of most direct interest to geography departments at the moment, as they are indicators of acceptances for next year. These are application data for CAH12 (geographical and environmental studies). Overall, total applications for geography are up 3.91% on 2021. For male applicants, the figure is up 11.7%, but down 2.3% for female applicants. However, despite this, 56% of the applicants are female. All UK domiciles have seen a rise in applicants, while EU applications have fallen by 17.2%

Subject group (HECoS)	2019	2020	2021	2022
CAH12 - Geographical and environmental studies	76,490	76,840	80,280	83,420
year on year growth		0.46%	4.48%	3.91%

Table 2 - Applicants by subject group and year on year growth (2019-22) 
Source: UCAS/Wonkhe

 

Graduate destinations

Geography graduates who left university in the 2019/20 academic year had higher employment rates than those of almost every other social science subject, according to data released in the recent What do graduates do? 2023 report produced by Prospects and AGCAS.

The full-time employment rate for UK-domiciled geography (social science) first degree graduates was 54.9%. This represents the joint highest social science employment rate (along with education) and compares to an average full-time employment rate of 50.1% for all social science graduates.

Similarly, physical and geographical sciences had the second highest full-time employment rate for science graduates at 51.9%, behind only chemistry.

Many other geography students went on to carry out further study, with 17.6% of physical and geographical sciences students continuing to further study and another 11% working and studying. 14.6% of geography (social science) graduates were engaged in further study and 12.1% were working and studying.

The data is particularly interesting as the report covers graduates who left university during the 2019/20 academic year and were therefore affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Employment rates are based on a survey conducted 15 months later.

 

	First degree graduates (all subjects)	Geography (social sciences)	Physical and geographical sciences
Working full time in the UK	57.3%	54.9%	51.9%
Working part time in the UK	11.4%	7.4%	8.3%
Further study	9.2%	14.6%	17.6%
Unemployed, or waiting to start work	5.9%	5.7%	5.2%

Table 3 - Destination of 2020 geography graduates (15 months after graduation)

Source: What do Graduates Do?

 

	First degree graduates (all subjects)	Geography (social sciences)	Physical and geographical sciences
PhD or equivalent	9.5%	4.7%	8.9%
Postgraduate cert/dip (including PGCE)	13.9%	15.6%	13.4%
Masters	53.5%	68.6%	68.6%
Professional qualification	12.1%	7.6%	6.3%

Table 4 - Percentage of 2020 geography graduates entering further study (excluding 'other' category)

Source: What do Graduates Do?

 

Geography (social sciences)

Physical and geographical sciences

Secondary education teaching professionals Marketing associate professionals Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants Business and related research professionals Management consultants and business analysts Environment professionals Business associate professionals  Finance and investment analysts and advisers Business sales executives Chartered and certified accountants

Environment professionals Secondary education teaching professionals Business associate professionals Business and related research professionals Management consultants and business analysts Marketing associate professionals Data analysts Chartered surveyors Business sales executives Project support officers

Table 5 - Top 10 professional jobs for 2020 geography graduates
Source: What do Graduates Do?