UQ - Geography

bachelor of Science Geographical Sciences

bachelor of Arts Geography

Duration 3 years full-time requiring the completion of 48 units

Duration 3 years full-time requiring the completion of 48 units

Faculty Faculty of Science

Faculty

Faculty of Arts

Location

Location

St Lucia

Application QTAC Code: 731001 - B Science

Application

QTAC Code: 707001 - B Arts

OP score

OP score

10 (2012)

Entry requirements

Year 12 or equivalent English

St Lucia 10 (2012)

Entry Queensland Year 12 or requirements equivalent English, Mathematics B plus one of Chemistry or Physics Fees Commonwealth supported (HECSHELP available); Full Fee

Fees Commonwealth supported (HECSHELP available); Full Fee

Tackling The Big Issues A career in Geography has never been more relevant or important to society and its future. Geographers tackle some of the big issues facing our world today such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, population growth, land degradation and food and water security.

Geography/Geographical Sciences investigates the spatial patterns of physical and human phenomena at local, national and global scales. It examines the patterns and processes of natural and built environments and human activity, how they change over time and how they interact.

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hysical geography is concerned with patterns and processes in the physical P Earth system, including landforms, climate, soils, plants and animals.

Human geography examines patterns of human settlement and human activity, and explores how people interact with the physical environment.

Geographical information systems and remote sensing are among the key tools and techniques geographers use to study human and physical systems, processes and patterns on the surface of the Earth.

You will learn to interpret the world around you through an integrated program of lectures, laboratory exercises and fieldwork designed to teach you how to find solutions for some of the big issues facing our world.

“As an undergraduate student I studied in the fields of both Geographical Science and Earth Science. I enjoyed the variety of courses that I could select from that suited my interests.”

Nick Webb, CSIRO Scientist

The University Of Discoverers Bachelor of Science Geographical Sciences The Geographical Sciences major in the BSc provides students with a scientific basis for the investigation of patterns and processes in the biophysical environment and in human societies, and of how environment and society are influenced by each other. Some pathways for developing specialist expertise within the Geographical Sciences major are listed below. For specific courses related to each of these specialisations see www.uq.edu.au/study (Type in Geographical Sciences and search by program) . arth Systems Science - This stream focuses on developing knowledge and understanding of the interactions that occur between E Earth systems including the hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere and society. limate Change and Environmental Systems - Study the impacts of weather and climate variability on natural and built environments C and apply this knowledge of how our weather and climate evolves at a range of space and time scales to investigate and manage environmental systems.

Society and the Environment - With the Earth’s population set to expand from 7 billion to over 9 billion in the next 50 years, humans will influence and be influenced by the environment more than ever before. Understand how societies and the environment interact to better monitor and assess changes in the environment to ensure a sustainable future for our planet and the human race.

Geographic Information Science - Learn how to measure, map, monitor and model changes in the characteristics of natural and human modified landscapes and of human settlements and systems using global positioning systems, airborne and satellite imaging systems, and software for collecting, analysing and modelling spatial information.

Bachelor of Arts Geography

The Bachelor of Arts is a flexible degree, which provides students with the optimal balance between a defined sequence of study and flexible course options. The Geography major in Arts allows students to develop an understanding of the relationships between people and their environment at spatial scales from local to global, and how those relationships change over time. A key competence for geography students within an Arts degree should be a critical and analytical stance to the built environment, which translates well into vocations concerned with policy and planning. Below are some directions which can be followed or combined within the Geography major .

Demography - Population analysts and forecasters study phenomena like fertility, migration, mortality, the labour force, employment and occupations. Undertaking population projections is an important aspect of the field and demographers are strongly oriented to the five yearly census and other statistical surveys.

Urban and social geography - Allied with demography and regional and town planning are vocational applications which draw on urban and social geography. Housing, transport and community analyses are a likely focus. UQ courses leading in these directions include Human Settlements and Human Spatial Behaviour.

Economic geography - This field ideally combines with a major in Economics and involves study of primary, secondary and tertiary industry, trade, transport, infrastructure and specific applications such as resource availability and quality of life.

Teaching Applications - Prospective school teachers usually aim for a balance of human and physical geography electives within their major, often backed up by an introductory course in geographical information science. Many take extra courses beyond the eight-course major to expand their capabilities in geography teaching.

Your Future Honours and Research Higher Degrees Honours provides the opportunity for high achieving students to undertake a 4th year of study and to work independently under the supervision of world leading scientists. Geography and geographical sciences offer a wide range of specialised fields that will allow you to investigate the big issues of our world today, using contemporary research techniques and methods. An honours program will help you to increase your competitiveness in the job market or prepare you for a career in research.

Career Opportunities The demand for geography graduates in Australia and internationally is high, and the mix of industries in which they work means employment growth continues to rise. In particular, there is a current shortage of GIS skills competency in Australia.

From helping to design and manage cities to assessing, monitoring and managing our coastal and outback environments, geographers have key roles in understanding natural and built environments, managing environmental systems and creating a livable environment.

Geographers are employed to observe, analyse, interpret and report spatial patterns in natural resources, the built environment and socioeconomic systems. Expertise in geographical sciences leads to work in private companies and government agencies, both in Australia and internationally. There are exciting opportunities for employment in areas such as; • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Mining Earth systems science Natural resource management including coastal, river and catchment systems Ecotourism Policy development (at all levels of government) Environmental planning and management National parks and wildlife conservation Geographical information science Environmental consultancy Demography Defence Teaching and research Environmental monitoring and pollution control Planning the delivery of human services (health, infrastructure)

View more graduate profiles at http://www.gpem.uq.edu.au/profiles.

David Boughey at Kennedy Space Centre as part of his work on the Christmas Island Launch Facility

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David Boughey Geography has taken David Boughey around the world. He has worked in China; on energy efficiency projects, the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia; consulting with traditional owners over the Jabiluka Uranium Mine, and Kennedy Space Centre in the USA; as part of his work on the Christmas Island Rocket Launch Facility.

Mr Boughey is now the Assistant Director of Lighting and Equipment Energy Efficiency in the Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.

He believes that his studies at UQ across an inclusive range of environmental topics have been one of the keys to his success.

“I was able to study a broad range of topics within my double major in geography. This has been very useful throughout my career – my understanding of a broad range of issues has enabled me to communicate and work with a variety of specialists in multi-disciplinary environments and has often helped me when I have had to rapidly acquire an understanding of challenging subject matter,” he said.

David appreciated studying topics that had direct application to world issues; such as landscape interpretation via satellite imagery, and modelling of AIDS epidemiology through medical geography / demography.

Why Study Geography/Geographical Sciences at UQ? Spatial scientists are in high demand around Australia and very few universities offer courses in this area.

In a number of internationally recognised ranking systems Geography and Geographical Sciences at The University of Queensland have received exceptionally high scores. In the 2011 QS World University Rankings Geography and related disciplines scored 50th on the QS index. Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience at The University of Queensland (UQ) have been rated at World Standard in the recent ERA rankings and Human Geography was judged at above world standard.

UQ is also the only Queensland university to be listed as one of the top 100 universities worldwide in The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2011, with only four universities making the list in Australia.

UQ is one of Australia’s premier learning intitutions and its graduates have include a Nobel Prize winner and numerous leaders in all areas of society and industry.

UQ is also a founding member of the Group of Eight (Go8). This elite group of Australian universities collectively enrols a third of all university students and conducts 70% of all university research in Australia. Go8 graduates boast a full-time employment rate almost 5% above that of other Australian universities.

UQ has won more Australian Learning and Teaching Council awards than any other university — winning 85 awards and citations since the national awards system began in 1997.

Our campuses offer world-class sporting facilities; around 170 social, sport and academic clubs and societies; and a broad range of cultural activities and performances, including theatre, dances, concerts, movies, debates, barbecues, markets, and art exhibitions.

Field Trips Field work is an important part of a geographical education. Courses in geography and geographical sciences include field trips of 1/2 day, 1 day, weekend and week long durations.

Our field trips provide opportunities to travel to diverse locations including: • • • •

The Great Barrier Reef Moreton Bay, the Gold Coast, Stradbroke Island Hong Kong Vietnam

These opportunities will provide you with experience applying your geographical education in the real world.

Equipment and Facilities UQ is well resourced with a wide range of modern, well maintained field, lab and safety equipment to support research and teaching efforts. Studying at UQ you will have access to: •

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ustralia’s most extensive marine science teaching and research facilities, with A field stations in the Great Barrier Reef (Heron Island), Low Isles and Moreton Bay (North Stradbroke Island).

24 hour computer labs with specialised applications Physical geography laboratories capable of electron microscopy and isotope analysis, image processing facility, marine laboratory and more....

www.uq.edu.au/study More information about UQ for International Students, including the study environment, links to estimated living costs, refund policies, support services, information for students with families, and your legal rights as an international student can be found at: http://www.uq.edu.au/international-students Course CRICOS Code: 001942A Institution CRICOS Code: 00025B Details included in this flier are subject to change. For the latest course information please see www.uq.edu.au/study

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