Program Overview

Fieldwork in Geography, Environmental Science, and Marine Science

The University of Exeter, Cornwall offers fieldwork courses in Geography, Environmental Science, and Marine Science. These courses are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in fieldwork techniques and to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations.

Destinations

• Isles of Scilly: A week-long field trip to the Isles of Scilly, taken by all first-year students studying for Geography, Environmental Science, and Marine Science degrees.
• West Penwith: A field course module that provides students with the opportunity to explore key ideas in their disciplines in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
• Cot Valley and Falmouth Harbour: A first-year fieldtrip for Environmental and Marine Science students, which goes to Cot Valley and Falmouth Harbour.
• Scotland: A field course that explores geographical, environmental science, and social issues through hands-on fieldwork.
• Oban (Marine Scientists): A field course for Marine Science students, which combines hands-on research with real-world applications in diverse marine ecosystems.

Example Itineraries

Isles of Scilly

• Day 1: Travel to Penzance, take the Scillonian to Isles of Scilly, make camp at Garrison Farm on St Mary’s
• Day 2: Orientation to life on Scilly, introduction to the field course, and overview of the sustainability challenge on Scilly
• Day 3 and 4: Visit the off-islands of Tresco and St Agnes in two groups, swapping over each day
• Day 5: In-depth research day where students choose a project
• Day 6: Students work in groups to lead staff on a short walking tour on St Mary’s
• Day 7: Return home on the Scillonian to Penzance

West Penwith

• Day 1: Geevor and Zennor Moor, local geology, social histories, and industrial heritage
• Day 2: Cornwall as a site of representation through contested spaces of St. Ives
• Day 3: Chysauster

Cot Valley and Falmouth Harbour

• Day 1: Cot Valley, conducting a vegetation survey and water quality assessment
• Day 2: Falmouth Harbour, to collect and analyse sea-surface temperature data

Scotland

• Group 1 (focusing on cultural landscapes): Spend two nights in Edinburgh, then head north for two nights in Tomintoul, on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park
• Group 2 (focusing on physical landscapes and ecology): Spend four nights at Inchree, near Fort William

Oban (Marine Scientists)

• Week 1: Introduction to SAMS, all day boat work, laboratory analysis
• Week 2: Coastal sampling and data analysis, data analysis

Student Support

The university provides extensive briefings on travel arrangements, accommodation options, equipment, and support offered throughout the trip. Students are also supported during the process of deciding their field trip destination and embarking on the field trip.

Testimonials

• "The biggest highlight of my course so far was the field trip to West Penwith, as I built close relationships with my course mates." - Marky, BA/BSc Geography
• "The biggest highlight for me was the Isles of Scilly trip in second year. Although the weather was mixed, it was a brilliant chance to put the skills we had gained over the last two years into practice in a stunning environment." - Harry, BSc Environmental Sciences