geography prospects

Geographers look at issues from a wide perspective and develop a range of skills that are attractive to a very broad range of future employers. Specific technical skills directly relevant to geography-related careers include field work, research and report writing, preparing maps and diagrams, and using social survey and interpretative methods.
Geography graduates are also adept in collecting and analysing information using various technical and laboratory-based methods for the collection and analysis of spatial and environmental information (e.g. GIS, remote sensing and mathematical modelling) and recognising the moral and ethical issues involved in debates and enquiries.
In addition, during your multidisciplinary course you develop other personal and intellectual skills which are required by all employers, whether they are employing graduates in careers related to, or unrelated to, geography. These skills can be developed through your experience at university as a whole but also through your degree programme, as geography is very diverse and includes lots of hands-on, practical application work.
Skills you develop include analysing and problem-solving, decision-making, critically interpreting data and text, developing a reasoned argument, numerical skills (interpreting and presenting relevant numerical information), team-working, planning skills, presenting oral and written arguments and information, communication and technology skills (ICT) - including word processing, databases, internet communications, information retrieval and online searches.
Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. Take a look at job application advice for some useful tips.

job options with degree

The career area you choose may depend on whether you are more interested in physical or human geography. You can consider jobs that are degree-related, jobs that appeal because they incorporate other interests or elements of your degree, or jobs that are not related to your degree at all.
These job options are just a small sample of the jobs open to geographers. Most will require some experience or further training after your degree. The Royal Geographical Society website has a useful careers section, and its booklet Going Places With Geography  includes interesting case studies of geography graduates and their varied career choices.

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Cartographer - evaluates sets of geographical data and presents the information in the form of diagrams, charts, spreadsheets and maps.
• Environmental consultant - collects and interprets data from a variety of sources to help formulate policies for clients. Works in air and land contamination, noise and water pollution or ecological land management.
• Geographical information systems officer - IT professional who uses computer-based systems to handle geographical information.
• Planning and development surveyor - investigates, plans and manages proposals either to build new developments or to organise the refurbishment of existing buildings.
• Secondary school teacher - you'll need to take a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in Scotland or equivalent course, before you can teach geography in schools or colleges.
• Town planner - directs the planning of land use, trying to reconcile any conflicting demands such as the needs related to housing, the environment or recreation.
• Urban general practice surveyor - values, manages and markets residential and commercial property and may act as an agent for clients in the sale, purchase or leasing of property.

A range of jobs in physical systems and the natural environment is also available to geographers who undertake postgraduate study or research, including pollution analyst, earth scientist or coastal engineer.

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Logistics and distribution manager - manages the supply, movement and storage of goods and materials through the whole supply chain process from manufacturer to customer.
• International aid/development worker - focuses on meeting the needs of people and communities in the developing world. The work may be located either in the UK or in a developing country or region.
• Local government officer - works in economic development and regeneration, transport, tourism, housing, environmental services (e.g. sustainability and recycling) or central services such as finance.
• Market researcher - performs a wide range of activities and will often specialise in a particular area such as consumer, industry or social and political research.
• Transport planner - devises transport strategies in line with government policies.

Other options

The technical and interpersonal skills you develop during your degree will equip you to apply for geography-related jobs when you graduate, but it is also useful to do some work-shadowing to find out about particular career areas that are of interest to you.
Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it’s not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.