Geography

Geographers are social and physical scientists who continually improve our understanding of the human and physical environments in which we live.

This double degree major explores the relationships between people, places and environments.

You will examine the opportunities and threats that communities are encountering – regarding urbanisation, globalisation and climate change, for example – in local, national and international contexts.

You can explore indigenous rights, migration changes and social movements; effective systems of local, national and international governance; and learn the processes of securing food and energy supplies for those in need.

You’ll also develop essential analytical and practical fieldwork skills, such as interviewing and surveying, mapping, participant observation and statistical analysis, recording field notes and writing demographic reports.

This program also provides excellent opportunities to engage with industry – for example, with the Bureau of Meteorology, Canning River Eco Education Centre and the Southeast Regional Centre for Urban Landcare.

Please refer to the handbook for additional course overview information.

How to apply

This course sits within the double degree combination of Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts, and also the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce.

Applicants have the choice of which double degree combination they would like to study.

To apply for this course, you will apply for the most preferred double degree. In step 3 of the application process, you will be asked to confirm the major you wish to study.

Ready to apply?

I want to apply for the Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts

I want to apply for the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce

Why study

• Enrolling in the geography major at Curtin places you in a diverse community of students from around the world, surrounded by leading researchers working in the Southeast Asian region and Australia.
• There is a worldwide shortage of trained geographers, couple this with the rediscovery of the discipline in the education sector and the employment market for geographers is growing.
• Geography is about being in the field and taking part. There are opportunities to learn outside the classroom and opportunities to study and work abroad.

Student profile

View our student profile table to get an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students at Curtin University. This table provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and passed the census date in the most relevant recent intake period for which data are available. It includes those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

Career information

Careers

• Natural resource manager
• Social assessment officer
• Regional development coordinator
• Landcare advisor
• Environmental assessor

Industries

• Local government
• International development

What you'll learn

• apply interdisciplinary concepts and methods to understanding the environmental, social and economic aspects of development; extend the boundaries of knowledge about climate change
• think creatively to generate innovative solutions to climate change, social and environmental imperatives
• access, evaluate and synthesise information from various disciplines and integrate it for understanding climate change and adaptation
• communicate effectively for the development of policy solutions for sustainable development
• use of current technologies when applied to finding information and making decisions about sustainable development
• utilise lifelong learning skills and strategies for understanding climate change and its impact on human activities and the ecology
• describe the global context of climate change and the need for a change to sustainable development, explore best international practices for finding solutions, apply these concepts within a regional/local environment
• recognise the importance of cultural diversity, including indigenous perspectives, in understanding and responding to climate change, environmental and social imperatives
• work both independently and in teams to find effective policies and ethical solutions to climate change imperatives, show leadership as a professional practitioner or collaborator