Human Geography

Human Geography is the branch of geography concerned with how people organise themselves on the earth's surface: how cities grow, how economies develop and decline, how cultures and identities are shaped by place, how power operates across space, and how human activities transform natural environments. It draws on social science theory, spatial analysis and fieldwork to examine the connections between people, places and processes at scales from the local to the global. Human geography equips you to think spatially about social and environmental questions, and to contribute to debates about planning, development, sustainability and justice.

At Aberystwyth University this four-year full-time degree is offered with an integrated year in industry, built into the programme structure to give you substantial professional experience as part of your degree. The Geography and Earth Sciences department at Aberystwyth is one of the most established in the UK, and the university's location in mid-Wales provides a distinctive environment for geographical study. You will develop both theoretical understanding and practical skills in research, data analysis and field investigation, building the competencies needed to engage professionally with geographic questions in a range of workplace settings.

Graduates from Human Geography degrees go on to careers in urban planning and development, environmental consultancy, local government, international development organisations, social research, transport planning, housing and regeneration, and the charitable sector. Many also find roles in market research, business intelligence and geographic information systems, where spatial thinking and data analysis are directly applicable. The broad research and analytical skills the degree develops are valued across virtually every field that involves understanding how human activity is organised in space.

Postgraduate study in human geography, urban planning, development studies or related social science disciplines is a common route for those wishing to develop further.