Geography

Geography is a diverse discipline that bridges the arts, social and natural sciences, providing a broad education and addressing pressing issues, including: environmental change, regional and global inequalities, the transformation of global economy and culture, ethnic segregation, urbanisation, planning, natural hazards, and many more. Students obtain a coherent view of the rapidly changing world and the ways in which society influences and is influenced by it.

The Oxford Geography degree focuses on the interrelationships between society and the physical and human environment. Students are introduced to the full range of geographical topics in the foundational courses, which they can then follow up in more detail in the optional papers. There is considerable emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches in the course, with opportunities to explore the cross-fertilisation between geography and other disciplines, such as anthropology, sociology, history, political science, economics, earth sciences and biology.

The tutorial system offers ample opportunity for independent work and the pursuit of subjects of particular interest. Seminars and classes offer the chance to interact with other students in discussing specific issues. Many special lectures by visiting speakers, both within and outside the School of Geography, enrich the opportunities open to Oxford geographers.

The facilities in the school are among the best in the country. The Radcliffe Science Library holds a geography collection, which has 107,000 volumes and the Library has subscriptions to more than 200 journals, many of which are online. Computerised search and database systems are provided. Students may also use the extensive library resources elsewhere in the University. Students taking the physical geography options will use the well-equipped laboratories both for practical courses and for individual research projects.

Geography graduates have a broad set of transferable skills including literacy, numeracy and graphicacy, along with their experience of research projects and working in groups. Some graduates are able to use their geographical knowledge directly in their work or in higher degrees. In recent years Geography graduates have proceeded to employment in management consultancy, local and central government, conservation and heritage management, law, the media, teaching and research, and include an assistant manager for a multinational professional services firm, a government and public sector consultant, and a chartered accountant.

Alison, who graduated in 1999, now works at KPMG as a Knowledge Manager across a global tax business line. She believes the skills she acquired during her Geography undergraduate degree prepared her for the role: being able to deliver business messages at the highest level, being an excellent communicator, project-managing and facilitating several initiatives at once and being able to identify the important issues versus the immaterial ones (and having the confidence to shout about them).

Students interested in this course might also like to consider Earth Sciences (Geology) or Human Sciences.