Human geography, a branch within the discipline
Since 1945, the definition of human geography or anthropogeography is the branch of the discipline that focuses on human aspects of the society, mainly five divisions —economic, social, cultural, political and historical and their interrelation with the environment, particularly their spatial interdependencies by application of mixed methodologies of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
But what are some human geography examples? The main focuses of human geography represent subdisciplines of the branch, and they can be studied in different modules to acquire your speciality when you study human geography, here are some examples of human geography topics and subdisciplines:
- Economic geography: Its traditional focus has been the distribution of various productive activities—with subdivisions into, for example, the geography of agriculture, industrial geography, and the geography of services—and patterns of trade such as transport geography. This subdiscipline researches the economic shifts that happens since the extension of globalization.
- Political geography: its main concerns are state and territory and the relationships between governments and citizens, and the geography of conflict that is connected to local or global issues.
- Social geography: concentrates on the different aspects that constitute society, class, ethnicity, religion, gender, age and more. Allowing to map the different groups and their relation to a place, space and possible conflict. Some other subdisciplines are associated with social geographies, such as population and its demographic characteristics of fertility, mortality and migration.
- Cultural geography is closely related to anthropology and how people and societies develop their culture within an environment and how this is expressed in contemporary places such as cities with different people and cultures living together.
- Historical geography has a unique identity and distinction in researching the development of a specific location and its analysis. As well as the history of geography itself, which highlights the importance of place and context in its evolutions.
The 21st-century challenges of a human geographer
Because human geography is mainly concerned with the human aspect of how we relate to the physical and environmental processes and systems, human geographers work mainly on environmental policy and management through political ecology or explorations of culture-nature interrelations. Nevertheless, human and physical geography are strongly connected and interdependent.
This means that a much wider range of approaches and methods are used within human geography, as a consequence of the diversity of theories of knowledge and human behaviour. Quantitative methods and qualitative methods require different ways of research and ways of gathering data. For the qualitative approaches, observing, recording and analysing the world is essential to be able to transmit acquired understandings and explanations to others. While quantitative methods in human geography require mathematical notation and procedures, as well as GIS —Geographical Information System, to deliver geographical analysis.
Human geography degree
As a branch of the broader study of the subject of Geography, Human Geography gathers topics related to earth with the natural science and humanities, while understanding all the changes that concern us as humans.
In the academic field, geography is a broad and diverse subject, your degree can be more natural science-oriented (BSc) if you are more interested in physical geography which is more focused on natural phenomena like abrasion, but can also have a social orientation. In this case, human geography's job is to research societal changes and how they affect our social and natural environment. The data that is collected needs different courses because the methodology is different from the branch of the natural sciences.
We strongly encourage students to consider this broad and fascinating subject because each year more experts in the field are necessary to lead research that will build better policies to protect our environment but also understand how humans influence the environment and what can be done to protect our planet. Here are some human geography dissertation ideas:
- Write a review on urban Geography citing strengths and weaknesses. Study various parts of cities, such as London or Manchester, and spatial reconstitution in terms of the post-industrial era.
- What changes in the weather are impacting our coastal ecosystem or creating coastal erosion?
- What is contemporary gentrification? Why it is considered a global urban strategy?
- What is the function of GIS in determining real locations? How digital data can be integrated with it?
A human geography degree opens a variety of possibilities a human geography graduate can pursue an academic career in research or work in the following:
- Mapping
- Data Analyst in Planning and Construction
- Sustainability Coordinator in Corporations
- Policy Analyst in Municipal Government
These are only a few examples of human geography degree jobs but anything related to space, place and culture, environmental management and environmental movements, urbanization and urban processes, community and social change processes and land, development, and social justice issues are great topics to start a career as a human geography graduate.
Geography qualifications and requirements in the UK
GCSE geography
Among the 5 main subjects that students must choose for their GCSE qualification, students must choose between Geography or History.
If you are not sure what is the difference between those two subjects or what to expect, here is a first thought: Geography at GCSE tends to look at decision-making, and analytical skills, and it gets you to consider the world in a wider sense on a deep level. History helps you with essay-writing, critical skills and analytical skills. Plus Geography is considered a fairly easy subject, in 2018 the pass rate for students that took Geography was 64.7%.
Focusing on Geography at GCSE, it is the subject that lays the foundation of what geography is and the different disciplines and subdisciplines that exist, as well as the set of skills that every geographer must know, even more so if you are considering including geography in your A-Level examination.
The GCSE specifications in geography are very specific and include the following subject's contents: Locational Knowledge and developing competence in Maps, Fieldwork and Geographical Skills as they study the content of the following four areas of geography: Place: processes and relationships; Physical geography; People and environment; Human geography.
A-Level Geography
The A-Level geography subject has integral content that will prepare you for your university application. AQA A-Level geography defines the programme content for this discipline, it entails four main subjects or components divided into several modules, human geography is one of them and is composed as follows:
Human geography
- Global systems and global governance
- Changing places
- Contemporary urban environments
- Population and the environment
- Resource security
What do you need to study human geography in the United Kingdom?
Universities in the UK are some of the most highly regarded in the world, and for good reasons. Some of the world's most highly regarded research takes place in British universities, which are regularly featured in international rankings.
The United Kingdom has a tied history with the development of geography in academia, many universities propose degrees and programmes related to geography.
As a scientific and social course, the A-Level entry requirement to apply for a Geography programme varies from each university starting at AAA/ A*AB, A-Level grades. For Human Geography, concepts such as what is a scale will have to be fully dominated.
Most Geography undergraduate (BSc) and graduate degrees (MSc) offer their student and international exchange or residential fieldwork overseas in another university, this allows the students to gather sufficient experience even before their future job.
As a human geographer graduate you will acquire the following skills:
- Strong analytical and writing skills
- Interpretation of conceptual and data-based information
- Projection of socio-economic trends
- Teamwork skills
- Multi-perspective approach to problem analysis
- Design and conduct Social Surveys
- Analyze and use statistical methods
- Conduct field studies and observe interactions
- Gather, organize, and analyze land use data
- Manipulate and map geographic data
- Plan long-term projects
- Understand natural and social processes
- Write and present information clearly
Prepare your revision for a Human Geography degree
The subject of geography level is very demanding regarding the skills and requirements you have to acquire through the years because this will prepare you to be a geographer or physical geographer! Before getting started you might consider a crash course on human geography to get started.
Another good way to plan ahead is to create your study and revision timetable, this should include the time you dedicate to studying the core subjects, and modules, dedicate more time to acquire a specific skill or achieve a certain study goal; but it should also include the time in which you gather all the information you might need for your future application including the specific requirements for your A-Level and university exam and applications, tuition fees, specific dates or deadlines for the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
If you feel comfortable with your study plan and just require a Superprof tutor to support you with a specific course, this is also possible! Remember that asking for help and support from your family, friends and tutors during your studies is essential for your general well-being and for avoiding stressful situations.
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
