Geography
- On average, St John's accepts 5 Geography students per year.
- We are looking for applicants with a thirst for geographical knowledge, who are curious about the world around them, and who have a passion for finding solutions to some of the biggest problems of our time.
- Prospective undergraduates should come with a broad set of natural and social science skills. Although we search for generalists, a willingness to specialise is key.
- The entry requirements for this course are determined by the University’s School of Geography and the Environment.
- More information about applying to study Geography at Oxford can be found on the School’s website.
- General advice about applying to St John’s can be found here.
- St John's has an excellent reputation as a college in which to study Geography. As well as the Fellows (Tutorial Fellows Ian Klinke and Callum Munday, College Lecturer Alice Watson, Supernumerary Teaching Fellow Jennifer Richards, Professorial Fellow Gillian Rose, and Emeritus Research Fellows Linda McDowell and Jack Langton) , there is a good mix of undergraduate, MSc and DPhil Geographers in College.
- There are numerous opportunities for academic and social interactions between Geographers in all years and statuses through the College Geography Society – known as the Martin Society, after Freddie Martin, a previous Fellow in Geography.
- The Martin Society is a key focus for undergraduate Geographers who organise its activities. In a typical year, these include lunchtime and evening seminars, as well as other events. All these activities are open to all Geographers in College.
- Our students are part of a School of Geography that has consistently been at the top of various rankings of undergraduate Geography courses.
- The College Library has a wide-ranging collection of the books and journals for both the core and optional courses.
- Our undergraduates do well in university examinations, particularly in the dissertation component.
- You will learn to find solutions, intellectual and practical, to some of the key problems of our time, issues such as climate change and global inequality. We will teach you how to think spatially across scales, with maps and other visualisations, and by conducting fieldwork. An original, significant and rigorous dissertation will form a core part of your undergraduate at St John’s. When you graduate, you will thus not just be able to a craft and defend a reasoned argument, you will also be able to conduct independent research.
- Transferable skills include teamwork, communication, and problem solving.
- Many of our students continue in higher education or research institutions; others go into teaching and aid agencies. We also have very successful lawyers, bankers, financiers and entrepreneurs among our Geographer alumni.
- "The breadth of the course means you quickly become knowledgeable about so many different topics. One week, you could be studying the role of lichen in rock weathering, and the next, examining how governments construct certain narratives about refugees. Throughout, you are guided by the tutors at St John’s, who are producing world-leading research in their fields. Mastering the ability to quickly understand new concepts and methods has been invaluable in helping to navigate my career path" (Mattie Reynolds, Geography, 2021)
Read a profile from a St John's student studying Geography here.
Watch two videos from Geography students at St John's:
