Given the complexities of the modern world, Geography is one of the most exciting and relevant subjects you can study at university. The course of study for the Geographical Tripos normally takes three years. During this time you attend lectures given in the Department of Geography (in the city centre) and also supervisions arranged by the College. These supervisions may take place either in Homerton or the Geography Department, and generally involve around three undergraduates meeting with a lecturer for discussions and essay work. They allow opportunities for in-depth discussion and intellectual engagement, and also give you the chance to clarify any areas of uncertainty, to get feedback on written work and to explore in greater depth material which has been introduced in lectures.
The first-year course (Part 1A) consists of five compulsory papers which span the breadth of the subject, with papers in human, historical, physical and environmental geography. Here you are introduced to new areas of Geography, while at the same time building on some of the topics you have studied before. Besides the theoretical content of the lectures, there is also a practical element to the course, with a significant amount of time devoted to a course of Geographical Skills and Methods. This provides you with an introduction to quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and includes local fieldwork, laboratory and computer practicals.
In your second year (Part 1B), you select four papers from a list of five human geography and five physical geography options. Everyone must select one paper from each group of five papers, but have free a choice from among the other papers on offer. You therefore have the opportunity to become more specialised as your interests develop, or to retain a balance across the subject as a whole. There is also a compulsory paper which explores the philosophy of Geography, and in the summer term you are given a week to write an essay on a geographical topic related to this paper. In addition, you begin to apply the skills and methods you learnt in your first year to a range of projects which involve working on real geographical questions. At the end of the second term, all students currently attend a week's field class, often in a Mediterranean location. Whilst these are heavily subsidised by the Department of Geography, you are required to make a contribution (currently £150). The College is able to give some financial support to those students who would find it difficult to meet this expense.
Once in your final year (Part II), you have a free choice from among fifteen papers. While the actual papers vary from year to year, there is always a range of options from the various sub-disciplines of Geography. Recent papers have included Working in the New Economy, Cultural Geography, The Geography of the AIDS Pandemic, The Geography of Africa, European Historical Demography, Environment Society and Policy, Volcanology, Glacial Environments and Fluvial Processes. One of the potentially most exciting aspects of the final year is the preparation of the dissertation: here you can choose any geographical topic, which you then explore through primary fieldwork during the summer preceding the final term - often in an overseas location. Each year students travel to a wide range of countries to undertake innovative and fascinating pieces of work. Cambridge's excellent library facilities enable you to develop the theoretical aspects of your chosen topic, and a considerable proportion of time is spent during the final year in data analysis and writing up the dissertation.
Application and Interviews
Homerton College admits four students each year for Geography. Applicants should be taking Geography to A Level (although we can certainly consider equivalent qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate). If you are following an A Level curriculum, the usual conditions of the offer will be that you obtain specified grades at A Level: typically A*AA (without specifying which should be A*).
Those who are invited to attend for interview will have a general academic and a subject-specific interview as part of the admissions process: one interview will be with a Tutor or college officer who may well have an academic interest in one element of your subject, and your second with the Director of Studies in Geography. We try to conduct our interviews in a friendly and informal manner and no special preparation is necessary.We ask, in advance, for a piece of written work, composed as part of a school course. Send us the work you most enjoyed writing, the material which in your view shows your skills and potential to best advantage. During the interview applicants will be asked questions on a short passage which will be provided beforehand.
