Future Students

Geography

Geographers seek to understand the processes that form our physical and cultural environments; what people gain through organising their activities; and the complex interplay among environments, environmental processes, human activities and social and political objectives.

An important component of geography is the interpretation of environmental and human processes from both spatial and regional perspectives. Geographical knowledge plays an interdependence between human activities and the environment, both natural and cultural. Consider, for example, the ongoing debate on ''global warming''.

Geography can be studied as a major in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science (Earth Science), Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science), or Bachelor of Science (Conservation Biology). Geography can also be studied in a combined degree: Science/Arts, Science/Commerce, Science/Economics, Science/Education, Science/Engineering, or Science/Law.

Level 1 units serve as an introduction to the more detailed and specialised studies that may be taken in Levels 2 and 3. Depending on how you choose to study Geography, you will be able to choose a variety of units as listed below.

Level 1
You will follow a foundation package and study Earth and Environmental Science, and choose units from Chemistry, Maths and/or Stats, Biology and Physics.

Level 2
In Level 2 you will choose units from the following: Geographic Information Systems; Coastal Environments and Processes; Geographies of Development;  Environmental Policy and Law; Geographies of Cities; The Climate System; Global Climate Change and Biodiversity; and Earth Surface Processes and Soils.

Level 3
In Level 3 you will choose at least four units from the following: Social Geography and Planning; Regional Geography and Planning; Environmental Planning, Management and Sustainability;  Environmental Change; Geography of Australia and the Asia-Pacific; Marine and Coastal Planning and Management; Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing; Environmental Geomorphology of Coasts and Rivers;  Climate Dynamics; and Climate Change Policy and Planning.

If you are interested in finding out which subjects you will study then have a look at the Course Outline. This will show you the core units and the options for the course, along with course rules.

You will notice that each unit has a unit code. for example EART1105. The first number in the unit code indicates the level of the unit - in this case level one. For a more detailed description of a particular unit, click on the unit code.

Career opportunities

Modern geographers apply four distinctive approaches to a wide range of problems—an understanding of environmental processes, an understanding of social, economic and political processes, an integrating perspective and a locational or regional method of analysis. These attributes are being increasingly valued by employers, particularly in the fields of urban and regional planning and environmental research and management.

Geographers also obtain employment in social welfare agencies, policy-making areas of government, and teaching. A fourth (honours) year enhances your skills and improves your prospects of advancement in some careers.