Royal Holloway Department of Geography

Royal Holloway Department of Geography One of the top 5 geography departments in the UK, and top 3 for geography teaching (Times Good University Guide 2025).

The Department of Geography at Royal Holloway is world-renowned. We are ranked within the top 5 geography departments in the UK, and in the top 3 for geography teaching (Times Good University Guide 2025). At our beautiful campus near Windsor we offer degrees across Human and Physical Geography which give excellent career prospects to our graduates.

14/08/2026

Our latest staff spotlight features Dr Laurie Parsons, who brings the realities of climate change in the global economy into his teaching. Laurie is a Human Geographer whose research examines how climate change is experienced within the global economy, revealing the hidden environmental risks embedded in globalised systems of production. His work shows how everyday goods rely on processes that generate carbon emissions and contribute to global environmental crises, and how our consumption choices reflect these unequal landscapes of impact.

Laurie is strongly committed to policy engagement and has led major projects on climate vulnerability and inequality in Cambodia for organisations including Transparency International, Plan International, Save the Children, CARE International, ActionAid, the IDRC and the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Across Laurie’s first- and second‑year modules, students engage directly with such policy issues and explore how climate change is shaped by the social, political and economic systems in which we live.

This is what it means to study Geography at Royal Holloway.

14/08/2026

Our lovely Geography students often work part-time alongside their studies, and we have been lucky to have Lauren, one of our Geographers, working as a Student Ambassador with the College team this year.

She’s been helping out at our Open Days and is on duty today and tomorrow for anyone who’d like to come and visit our campus! 👋

For those of you who have your A-Level results and want to suss out your options, come and see what we have to offer! Check out our website for all the details and DM us with any queries.

📞 Clearing hotline: +44 (0) 1784 772455

This , we are spotlighting a student who conducted their dissertation research right here on campus, working with our H...
14/08/2026

This , we are spotlighting a student who conducted their dissertation research right here on campus, working with our Head Gardener, Dan, and the Estates Team to investigate innovative approaches to managing our natural environment. Saskia’s dissertation explored the effectiveness of natural flood management on the Canada Copse stream at Royal Holloway.

The stream has been managed using leaky log dams in its upper section and restored meanders further downstream. These measures are designed to slow water flow, manage sediment and reduce the risk of flooding in nearby areas.

To investigate how well these measures are working, Saskia collected data at different points along the stream, looking at factors such as water depth, flow speed, channel morphology and sediment size. Her research also compared normal conditions with higher flows created through controlled water releases.

Even though we haven’t seen much rain lately, the next big downpour will put these natural flood management measures to the test! With climate change likely to increase the intensity of heavy rainfall events in the UK, understanding how natural flood management works is becoming increasingly important.

Research like Saskia’s demonstrates how our campus can provide a valuable living laboratory for student research. Saskia also received a Geography Excellence Prize for her outstanding performance during her degree at last month’s graduation. A well-deserved recognition of her hard work and achievements! We wish you all the best for the future, Saskia! 🎓🌍

13/08/2026

🎓 Thinking about joining us this September? Come and get a feel for campus!

If you’ve already got your place, we can’t wait to welcome you in September.

Still unsure? Come along for a tour of our department and campus, meet the team and get a feel for what student life is like. More information on the RHUL website. We still have vacancies available through Clearing.

📞 Our Clearing hotline: +44 (0) 1784 772455
💬 DM us with any Geography questions

Come and see where your next chapter could begin!

13/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations on your A-Level results! 🎉

If you have a place to join us in September, we are looking forward to welcoming you to .
If you are still exploring your options and would like to find out more about studying Geography with us, we have Clearing vacancies available.

📞 Give our Clearing team a call on
+44 (0) 1784 772455, or if you have specific Geography questions, then please do DM us.

We are running in-person department and campus tours, giving you the chance to explore our campus and meet with staff. Find out more on our website.
 
📸 And be sure to check out to see what our Geographers get up to during their degrees! We hope to see some of you in September!
 

We expect to have vacancies available through Clearing and would love to welcome keen Geographers to our department!📅 On...
12/08/2026

We expect to have vacancies available through Clearing and would love to welcome keen Geographers to our department!

📅 On A-Level Results Day, please check our website for the latest list of available vacancies and information on how to apply. If you have any questions, give us a call on the number provided here, we would love to hear from you and help you explore your options.

In the meantime, take a look at our social media channels to get a feel for departmental life, meet our community and see what it’s like to study with us !

Good luck to everyone receiving their results!🤞🎉

Did you know we offer Placement Years? 🌍Our Placement Year is available between Years 2 and 3, giving you the opportunit...
12/08/2026

Did you know we offer Placement Years? 🌍

Our Placement Year is available between Years 2 and 3, giving you the opportunity to gain valuable experience alongside your degree. You can spend the year studying abroad, working or carrying out voluntary work. You apply for the standard degree through UCAS, then apply for a Placement Year in the autumn term of Year 2.

Our student Will is wrapping up his industry placement year and has shared why he chose to undertake a placement:

“One of my main motivations was to explore the wide range of career opportunities that a Geography degree can lead to. I wanted to gain real-world experience, develop practical skills and build confidence before graduating. I am looking forward to returning to my studies next month and am particularly excited about the modules Applied UAV Use in Geoscience & Bioscience, Global Conservation Challenges and Volcanoes. I like that no two areas of the degree are quite the same.”

We look forward to hearing more on Will’s placement experience in September!

Recent graduate Gonçalo has shared his , reflecting on his dissertation: “Impacts, Perceptions, and Sustainability of T...
11/08/2026

Recent graduate Gonçalo has shared his , reflecting on his dissertation: “Impacts, Perceptions, and Sustainability of Tourism Development in Ponta do Sol (Madeira): Employment, Space, and Environment.” 🌍

With anti-tourist protests emerging across popular destinations such as Barcelona and Venice, sustainable tourism development is becoming increasingly important for understanding and mitigating tourism’s impacts. Gonçalo’s research explored Ponta do Sol, Madeira, a rising destination where anti-tourist sentiment had yet to be reported despite the island’s post-pandemic tourism boom.

His research drew on interviews with both local residents and visitors, exploring their experiences and perspectives on tourism development and its impacts across three key areas: employment, spatial use and the environment.

“What was at first an intimidating task, interviewing strangers became one of my favourite experiences of my degree. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, strengthened my communication skills, and deepened my understanding of perspectives across different global contexts. I also had the opportunity to apply GIS skills developed throughout my studies, thanks to Dr Varyl Thorndycraft and Dr Gwilym Eades.  A special thank you goes to my dissertation supervisor, Professor Vandana Desai for her attentive guidance throughout my research.

My time at Royal Holloway has been full of fieldwork adventures. From Nerja (Spain) to Nicosia (Cyprus), these experiences remain prominent memories of my academic journey. Our dissertations gave us the freedom to investigate a destination of our choice, near or far.”

Congratulations, Gonçalo, and thank you for sharing your research with us! 🎉

07/08/2026

This takes us to Sicily, where our second-year Physical Geography students spend a week investigating the island’s volcanic, fluvial, and coastal environments. From Mount Etna to surrounding river catchments and the coastline around Taormina, they explore how geological, hydrological, and ecological processes interact to shape landscapes and drive ecological succession.

Field classes are an important part of our Geography degree, giving students the opportunity to develop practical skills, work collaboratively and experience how geographical concepts are applied beyond the classroom.

Hear from our students as they share what they got up to on the trip!

Last week, our technical team enjoyed a fascinating and informative visit to the Grundon Waste Management Centre in Slou...
07/08/2026

Last week, our technical team enjoyed a fascinating and informative visit to the Grundon Waste Management Centre in Slough.

The visit provided a great opportunity to see where the waste collected from our laboratories and across the wider campus more widely ends up, with a tour of the Energy from Waste facilities.

They learned how non-recyclable waste is safely incinerated at high temperatures, with the heat generated used to produce steam that drives turbines, generating electricity for the National Grid.

The majority of byproducts from this process are also recycled or reused in products such as construction materials and metal works-pretty neat!

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Department Of Geography, Royal Holloway, University Of London
Egham
TW200EX

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Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

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