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Undergraduate degree in Geography
Geography is the study of the surface of the earth. It considers the variability in physical and human landscapes, and the inter-relationships binding them together. Geography is a uniquely integrative subject, standing at the intersection of natural and social sciences, as well as drawing inspiration from the arts and humanities. It also teaches us a wide range of analytical and interpretative skills, including fieldwork and group work. It is an ideal platform for securing future employment, and our graduates perform very well in the job market.
Find an outline of the Geography degree here and the more detailed programme specifications of the Geography degree here.
Geography may be studied in the Faculties of Science, Arts and Law, Business & Social Sciences.
Why Study Geography?
Geography affects us all. It helps us to understand many of the major issues of today, such as global warming, drought and famine in Africa, the migration of refugees or of skilled workers, the causes of unemployment, and even why family structure is changing in Britain. To do this, we must appreciate how physical factors (climate, landforms, soils and vegetation) interact with human ones (population, production, political power) to form a particular environment and landscape on the earth’s surface.
Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences
Geography was founded at the University of Glasgow in 1909, and since that time has grown to its present importance as the largest in Scotland and one of the ten largest in the U.K. Its distinctive character is based on the inclusion of human, physical and regional geography as complementary studies throughout the undergraduate degree programme in Geography. Furthermore, the specialised degree with Geomatics offer high level studies in GIS, surveying, cartography, photogrammetry, geodesy, remote sensing, digital mapping, etc. - concerned with land surveying and map-making. The Department has a high research profile, which focuses upon designated research fields, within which a range of specialists are active in co-operative programmes.
• in the last Teaching Quality Assessment carried out by independent assessors from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, the Department was rated in the highest possible category.
• in the more recent Quality Assurance subject review, Geography again received the highest grades;
• in the 2006 National Student Survey, our students’ rating of the Geography degree placed it second in the UK in terms of student satisfaction and the highest in the University;
• typical student evaluations of the Geography degree include: “A well organised department running interesting and varied options producing an enjoyable and stimulating degree”; “the department is very warm, welcoming, friendly and supportive - a good and happy University experience”; “Have had an absolutely fantastic time whilst studying here at Glasgow. I have learned from approachable lecturers and have been made to feel very welcome”.
See a video interview with one of our recent graduates.
The first year course, called Geography 1: Living in a changing world, will introduce you to a wide range of concerns and interests within both physical and human geography. Though most students doing Geography 1 will have studied Geography at school or college before coming to university, there is no compulsion to have done so; it is perfectly possible to embark on Geography 1 as a novice to the subject. The course can stand alone as an introduction to the subject, but is also the foundation year for those wishing to continue into an Honours degree in Geography. The themes covered in Geography 1 are:
• A world of resources
• An underdeveloped world
• A world of changing environments
• A shrinking world
• A changing biosphere in a changing environment
• A world of difference
Geography-2 builds on the foundations of Geography-1. In human geography, the course focused on globalisation and its counterpart, localisation, examining both in their economic, cultural and political dimensions. In physical geography, there is emphasis on the role of processes in shaping landscapes and on the ways in which the Earth changes over different timescales. Human and physical processes are looked at interactively through co-taught sessions examining environmental problems, and their nature and possible resolutions through policy. Other important elements in this course are training in statistical methods and laboratory analysis using the Department’s own IT and physical geography laboratories, and fieldwork. All students intending to continue to Honours Geography attend a week-long residential field course to extend field skills introduced in Geography-1. Group projects, involving data collection, problem solving and presentations, form the main focus of this field programme.
In the third and fourth (Honours) years, there are two types of course, core courses and option courses. ‘Core courses’ related to advanced training methods (such as IT, modelling, Geographical Information Systems, interviewing and interpretative qualitative methods) and the relevance of geographical perspectives to understanding the world. These courses explicitly tackle employability issues and student personal development.
One of the chief assets of the Honours degree at Glasgow is its flexibility, the extent to which you can mould their curriculum to meet your own interests, and the range of courses on offer. The option courses complement the core courses and allow you to build a programme around particular topical interests. Department staff have a wide range of research interests that feed into the options. Thus, you will have the opportunity to work with staff whose research is at the cutting edge of geographical research. The large number of options taught in the Department currently include (amongst others): Environmental Hazards, Developing World Cities, Coastal Processes and Forms, Conservation and Urban Geography, and also include regional research expertise in Africa, Latin America and Polar Environments.
The Honours Geography courses, together with training in appropriate techniques and critical reading/writing, provide the necessary groundwork for the completion of a dissertation. This is an independent piece of research that you undertake individually on a subject of your own choosing. The dissertation provides an important way for you to demonstrate your expertise in the subject, motivation, time-management and research skills.
Throughout the 4-year programme, courses are assessed using a wide range of components undertaken by you working alone and as part of a group. Assessment includes essays, practical work, presentations, unseen examinations, field projects and poster design. Fieldwork continues to play an important part in the Honours degree: all students participate in a week long course in third year and some option courses include additional fieldwork. There are also opportunities to undertake dissertation fieldwork in organised visits overseas. In recent years students have worked in, amongst others, Brazil, Iceland and Egypt.
Some students opt to complete their studies with an Ordinary Degree after three years of study.
SOCRATES and Junior Year Abroad Programmes
The Geography Department is very active in promoting the SOCRATES and J.Y.A. (Junior Year Abroad) programmes, whereby a year of your degree can be taken in a university overseas.
SOCRATES:
This is the officially recognised programme for study in Europe. Glasgow University has one of the largest numbers of participants of any university in Britain. In Geography, all or part of the third (Junior Honours) year may be taken at a university in Eire, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Austria, or Norway. Work in this year is assessed for award of the final degree. Preliminary language training may be given and at present there is some additional financial support for SOCRATES students. Entry is competitive and reserved for those showing good academic progress and high commitment to the scheme.
Junior Year Abroad:
This involves exchange with a student from a university in the U.S.A. or Canada. Studies at the North American or Canadian university are recognised as part of the degree programme in Glasgow. Students normally exchange in the second or third year of their degree.
Further details about these schemes can be obtained from the Department or through the University’s office for European Programmes for ERASMUS, or the Office for International Programmes for J.Y.A.
Employment Opportunities
The most common question we are asked these days is “what sort of jobs are available for someone with a Geography degree?” The quick answer is “just about anything!” From our monitoring of our graduates’ careers, it is clear that a Geography degree opens up more doors than it closes. Our graduates have been consistently successful in obtaining employment over the past 10 years.
Why should this be? We would say that in addition to the strengths of the graduates themselves, it is also because of the subjects studied. Geography provides a broadly based and flexible training from which our graduates are able to embark upon their subsequent careers. If you decide to do a Geography degree, by the time you have competed it, you will possess a wide range of skills attractive to an employer. You will be aware of the geographical, or spatial, dimension of human activity on the face of the Earth and now the environment and resources are used and managed; you will be able to produce structured, logical arguments to support a viewpoint, both written and oral; you will have some statistical expertise to aid you in data analysis; you will have some cartographic skills to illustrate your arguments more effectively; you will have experience of using computers; you will have practical experience of using a wide range of data sources such as maps, air photos, satellite images, published statistics, and questionnaire surveys; and you will have completed to degree level a subject which is widely accepted as providing a sound intellectual training.
Having seen what you have to offer to an employer, you are probably wondering what jobs our graduates actually take up. From a recent survey of our graduates, 15% entered the teaching profession and 20% went on to study for higher degrees in Britain and the U.S.A. About two-thirds of the twenty or so students who have completed Masters’ degrees in America over the past six years have returned to Britain with their career prospects further enhanced by their experience. A further 10% went into the planning profession. About 30% went into business and industry. The range, mix, and quality of skills offered by our graduates have enabled them to gain employment with households names, such as I.C.I., I.B.M., Sainsburys, Argyll, Bank of Scotland, National Westminster Bank, LASMO, United Biscuits, and many more. Some recruits to the business world follow up their degree with an accounting, banking, or other professional qualification.
The Civil Service attracts graduates with interests in public administration, and others have made careers in the armed forces or the police service. The demand for good graduates now outstrips supply, and the career opportunities and prospects available to our graduates are exciting. Whether your choice is directed towards vocational or business employment, future prospects are good. The overall unemployment rate three months after graduation over the last five-year period was only 4% for our graduates. This is the clearest indication that Glasgow Geography graduates possess both the academic and personal qualities sought by employers.
Further information: Please contact Dr Gordon Dickinson using the online form or the address, telephone or fax number below. Dr Gordon Dickinson
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
East Quadrangle
University Avenue
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
G12 8QQ UK
Telephone: 0141 330 4785
Fax: +44 (0) 141 330 4894 |
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