Geography Why study Geography? Geography is an ambitious subject that tackles major global issues: inequality, environmental damage, immigration, climate change, urbanism, locational data security. Geography is one of the most relevant courses you could choose to study. Geographers are highly employable. Geography provides you with knowledge and transferable skills which will help you secure a first job and advance you professionally. The subject has one of the lowest graduate unemployment rates. Geographers are generalists. The world needs generalists who can understand how things interrelate, who can understand the consequences of decisions made by specialists in a fast-moving world. Geographers are by definition equally at home focussing on both broad global or regional issues and local conditions. They have to understand relationships between the hard world of science and the soft world of human behaviour. Geographers cross subject boundaries all the time, equally at home looking at the operation of environmental systems as they are studying aspects of Economics or Politics. Their degree will teach them both quantitative analysis, the hard world of statistics, and qualitative analysis, the ability to evaluate and make judgements. They can use modern technology such as surveying equipment, GIS computer programs and analyse satellite imagery. Geographers are team-players, especially during fieldwork. In all careers, and indeed throughout your life, you will need to collaborate, compromise and communicate. Geography prepares you for this. What is Geography like at university? Fun! Geographers are by nature broad minded, sociable people. They are inherently interested in the world around them. They look outwardly, not inwardly. They are interested in practical solutions. They want to know why the world is like it is. They tend to be busy, energetic people and you will traditionally find them involved in everything on the campus. What will you study? The most popular course for students is a straightforward Geography degree. These degrees have compulsory human and physical geography in Year One, with free choice after that. Many universities have a BA stream and a BSc stream for their straight Geography degrees. Students apply for the stream which suits their preferred area (BA = human) (BSc = physical). But in both streams you usually do physical and human in Year One.
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