Human Geography and International Relations

Human geography examines the relationship between people and the places they inhabit, asking how human societies are organised spatially, how they interact with natural environments, and how those interactions vary across the remarkable diversity of human cultures, economies, and political systems. It engages with some of the most important questions facing the contemporary world, including urbanisation, climate change, migration, tourism, inequality, and the governance of shared natural resources. International relations, combined with geography, provides the political science framework needed to understand how states, international organisations, and non-state actors cooperate and conflict across borders.

Together, the two disciplines offer a powerful lens on a world in which human and environmental processes are increasingly interconnected.

At Liverpool Hope University, this three-year full-time degree builds substantive knowledge in both disciplines while incorporating several features that strengthen your professional preparation. A sandwich year with a work placement gives you a sustained period of applied experience, connecting your academic learning to real professional contexts and building the evidence of competence that employers value. The option of a year abroad extends your comparative understanding of human geography and international relations through direct engagement with another country and academic system.

Work placement experience is embedded in the programme, supplementing your classroom and fieldwork with direct professional exposure.

Human geography and international relations graduates enter careers in a wide range of sectors. Common destinations include roles in international development organisations, NGOs, government departments, local authorities, planning and environmental consultancy, humanitarian agencies, think tanks, journalism, and the charity sector. The combination of spatial analysis, social science methods, and international political knowledge makes graduates attractive to employers seeking people who can think across disciplines and scales.

Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in areas such as international relations, human geography, development studies, environmental policy, or urban planning, building the specialist depth needed for senior or research roles.