Human Geography

Human geography examines the relationships between people and the places and environments they inhabit. Where physical geography attends to the natural world, human geography focuses on the social, cultural, economic and political processes that shape how people organise space, how cities and regions develop and change, how resources and wealth are distributed, and how communities respond to pressures including migration, climate change and economic restructuring. It is a discipline that sits at the intersection of social science and environmental thinking.

At the University of East Anglia you will follow this four-year full-time programme, developing both theoretical understanding and empirical research skills across the range of human geography's concerns. You will engage with urban geography, economic geography, political geography, cultural geography and the geographies of development and inequality, learning to apply different analytical frameworks to understand how people and places interact. UEA's strong tradition in development, environmental and social science enriches the curriculum, and the four-year structure gives you the time to develop real intellectual depth as well as breadth.

You will also develop practical research skills, including the ability to collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data, which are valuable for both academic research and professional roles.

Human geography trains you to think spatially and socially simultaneously, to understand how global processes play out in particular places, and to engage critically with questions of power, inequality and environment. These are rich and transferable intellectual capabilities.

Graduates from human geography degrees pursue careers in urban planning, environmental management, international development, research, the civil service, local government, the charity sector, consultancy, journalism and education. The degree is also an excellent foundation for postgraduate study in human geography, urban planning, development studies, social research or related fields, and for professional training in town planning and related disciplines.