What can you do with a geography degree?

As a town planner, you may deal with the management and development not only of towns, but also cities, villages and rural areas. You will put your analytical skills and knowledge of the environment into use to improve existing infrastructure and find solutions to environmental issues, as well as ensuring new developments are in line with various policies and regulations.

A large part of your job will be to satisfy the needs of businesses and local communities, while ensuring that development is sustainable and natural environments are maximally preserved. You are likely to need a postgraduate qualification in order to increase your prospects of becoming a chartered town planner.

If, as well as the environment, you’re interested in working with data, analytics and computer systems, then this role might suit you. Geographic information systems (GIS) are computerized systems used for the collection, storage, analysis, management and presentation of complicated geographical information, for example radar.

Geographical information systems officers carry out the gathering and examination of geographical data generated by GIS. The data can be applied in a variety of areas, such as defense, meteorology, oil, gas, telecommunications and transportation, to make decisions which benefit the environment.

For entry into this role, you may find it useful to have previously studied GIS as a module during your degree, and many employers also highly value a relevant postgraduate degree and/or work experience.

If you are passionate about the environment and want to encourage others to appreciate and safeguard the natural world, you might like to become a conservation officer. In this career you will work to protect a natural environment and raise awareness of the ways in which the local community can enjoy its settings without having a negative impact. Similarly, a sustainable development officer would promote their particular employer’s sustainability practices in the local area. To increase your chances of pursuing this career, it is essential to gain some relevant work experience, through paid or voluntary work, and a master’s degree in sustainable development may be useful.

If you have a creative side which you’re keen to explore whilst still protecting the environment, then this role could be for you. Landscape architects create, design and manage the open spaces around us to ensure that they are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also safe and sustainable. To become a landscape architect, you will need to complete an accredited postgraduate degree in architecture.

You may also like to pass on your geography skills and knowledge to the next generation as a geography teacher in a secondary school, college or further education institution. Like other teaching roles, this will usually require completion of a specialized teaching qualification and/or specialized study at master’s or PhD level. You’ll need excellent communication skills, creativity and commitment to your subject. You’ll also need to keep up to date with new developments in geography and perhaps arrange field trips as a practical learning method.

Geography degrees, particularly those specializing in human geography, are great for developing skills and knowledge that would be useful for a career in politics or the non-profit sector. If you want to get into politics, it’s wise to be involved with political groups at your university, or to take on leadership roles in societies. Similarly, volunteer work for environmental charities will give you a head-start in the non-profit sector.

If none of the above geography careers are appealing to you, there are still plenty of options available. The skills you’ve gained during your degree would also be useful for careers in a wide range of other industries, from commerce and the public sector, to transport and tourism.