| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Entry Points (2022) 409
Course Overview
There is a growing demand for a work force literate in the scientific and geographic protocols used to advance environmental issues such as climate change, energy use, sustainable development, and policy. This new degree course will allow you to become an expert in many decision-making fields that now rely on a fundamental understanding of how human activities depend upon natural systems, through the interpretation of the scientific, spatial, and economic aspects of geographic principles and processes.
This new programme - beginning in 2020 - is aimed at motivated school leavers and mature students with a strong interest in how natural systems function and how the ecosystem goods and services provided by the environment are impacted by human activity
.
Interdisciplinarity at the heart of understanding human-nature interacting is reflected in the programme structure with the disciplines of
Geography,
Earth and Ocean Sciences,
Botany & Plant Sciences,
Mathematics, Statistics & Applied Mathematics, the
School of Law, and the
School of Political Science and Sociology
coming together to deliver this innovative programme.
Fieldwork facilitates an understanding of geographic concepts in ways that the classroom cannot. The course therefore focuses on field-based learning to provide students with diverse opportunities to supplement their academic learning with hands-on research and technical experiences outside the classroom.
As a graduate of this programme, you will become an expert in human-environment relationships with a focus on the spatial dynamics of the natural world and the sustainable management of our natural resources.With this skill set you will be equipped to integrate scientific understanding into existing decision making processes.
Watch our introductory video from our May 2021 Virtual Open Day
Program Outline
Course Outline
YEAR ONE
Year One of the programme introduces students to the fundamental concepts that govern both Physical and Human Geography. In parallel, students will receive a foundational scientific understanding of principles that govern the natural world (e.g., Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics).
YEAR TWO
In Year Two, core modules focus on traditional Physical Geography (Climate, Biogeography, and Earth surface & interior processes) alongside introductions to Environmental Law and Statistics. In addition students will choose two of the four possible pathways:
This pathway allows students to become proficient in both Oceanography and Coastal Sciences with an option to enhance their knowledge of sedimentary systems. The provision of trained graduates in Marine and Coastal Sciences is essential to underpin Ireland’s use of national aquatic resources, as outlined in the Marine Knowledge, Research and Innovation Strategy 2017-2021, which highlights the renewed focus by the State on the value of the marine sector to the Irish economy.
This pathway reinforces the identification and evaluation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Students taking this pathway will be able to perform environmental assessment for a variety of physical settings and environments. These skills are all highly relevant for young professionals intending to work in the private or public institutions involved in research and monitoring of our coastal, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems (i.e., Marine Institute, EPA, BIM, GSI, NPWS, An Taisce, Environmental Consultancy, and county councils).
This pathway will expose students to the role of environmental planning in policymaking. Students will be able to evaluate the relationships between environment and society at relevant local, national, and international scales. Students will apply various conceptual frameworks, including social-ecological systems and human-environment interaction theory, to explore and understand the importance of environmental planning. Students will learn about major national and EU policies how such legal bodies govern resource use and how they provide regulatory space for planning objectives. Finally, this pathway will train students to apply field-based assessments to develop conservation tools consistent with sustainable management.
This pathway exposes students to long-term environmental change and how it relates to modern environmental systems and issues. Gaining this long-term perspective provides students with an appreciation for the history of Earth’s dynamic systems, which is crucial if we want to understand and estimate future environmental change. Only by understanding the long-term effect of climate change, and human impacts on environmental systems (e.g. pollution of freshwater and marine environments) can we assess the potential future impact on ecosystem resilience and essential human infrastructure.
YEAR THREE
Study Abroad – Work Placement – Research Placement – Further Study
Semester 1:
Core modules in Semester 1 focus on the introduction to GIS, alongside the development of career readiness and research design. These skills will support the student in Semester 2, regardless of their chosen pathway, and in Year Four, when they must apply their research and technical skills during their independent research projects.
Semester 2:
The work placement or internship will enable students to apply their class-based skills critically in a real-world setting. Students will also have the option to travel to one of our partner universities abroad as part of the ERASMUS programme. Students opting to complement their portfolio with further studies will have the opportunity to enrol in modules from pathways and/or modules that they have not chosen in Year Two.
YEAR FOUR
In Year Four, a large portion of the students’ efforts will be dedicated to an independent research project supervised by staff members in Geography. In parallel, students will further develop their GIS skills and advance their understanding in the pathways of their choices to deepen their knowledge and understanding in these areas.
Curriculum Information
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.
Glossary of Terms
Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject
Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject
A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.
Year 1 (60 Credits)
RequiredMA161:
Mathematical Studies- 15 Credits - Semester 1
Required
BO101:
Biology- 15 Credits - Semester 1
Required
CP102:
Chemistry/Physics- 15 Credits - Semester 1
Required
TI150:
Principles of Human Geography- 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required
TI1101:
Geography in Practice- 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required
TI151:
Principles of Physical Geography- 5 Credits - Semester 2
Year 2 (60 Credits)
OptionalTI2107:
Field Studies in Biogeography- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional
EOS213:
Introduction to Ocean Science- 10 Credits - Semester 3
Optional
BPS202:
Fundamentals in Aquatic Plant Science- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
ST2001:
Statistics for Data Science 1- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
LW217:
Environmental Legislation- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
TI235:
Biogeography- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required
TI216:
Aimsir Agus Aeraid/ Weather And Climate- 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional
TI2106:
Field Studies in Palaeoclimate- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional
TI2108:
Introduction to Palaeoclimatology- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional
TI2104:
Marine Spatial Planning- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional
LW3124:
Legislation for Environmental Scientists- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
TI248:
Coastal Environments- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
ST2002:
Statistics for Data Science 2- 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required
EOS2102:
The Earth: From Core to Crust- 10 Credits - Semester 4
Year 3 (60 Credits)
RequiredTI3500:
Professional Skills and Pathways for Geographers- 10 Credits - Semester 5
Required
TI2102:
Introduction To GIS- 10 Credits - Semester 5
Required
TI335:
Research Project Design & Development- 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required
BSS2103:
Introduction to Sustainability 1- 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional
TI3501:
Work Placement for Geographers- 30 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
TI3502:
Research Placement for Geographers- 30 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
TI3503:
International Work Placement for Geographers- 30 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
TI2106:
Field Studies in Palaeoclimate- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
TI2108:
Introduction to Palaeoclimatology- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
TI230:
Economic Geography- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
TI258:
Rural Environments: Sustainability & Management- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
AJ2101:
Introduction to Wrongful Convictions- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
AJ2110:
How Television Lobotomised the World- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
AJ2116:
Global Migration and Media: Refugees, Climate, Misinformation and Crisis- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
LW358:
Environmental Law II- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
AJ2114:
Communicating Through Storytelling- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
MG3115:
Megatrends- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
ED2104:
Design Your Life Semester 2- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
BSS3105:
Global Engagement Module- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
TI2104:
Marine Spatial Planning- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
AJ4105:
Media Law and Ethics- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
AJ2100:
Online and Social Media: Theory and Practice- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional
PS3110:
Vertically Integrated Projects 1 S2- 5 Credits - Semester 6
Year 4 (60 Credits)
Why Choose This Course?
Career Opportunities
Geography is crucial in informing genuine public concerns about environmental loss and degradation, as well as human-induced climate change. The Geography & Geosystems programme offers clear pathways that lead to an array of career opportunities across a wide range of interests including governmental, policy, and business sectors. Guidance will be offered throughout the programme to ensure students are undertaking the most appropriate modules for their own personal career goals and development.
Potential Career Pathways for graduates include:
Work Placement
In Year Three of the programme students have the option to participate in targeted work or research-based internships (January–August), study abroad, or enrol in further study at University of Galway.
A dedicated member of staff coordinates and places every student within their selected sector and tailors their training and experience. Students will also undertake the module “Career Development and Readiness“, to prepare them for their future careers. There is considerable evidence that participating in professional work placements improves student performance in final year.
Study Abroad
University of Galway students have the opportunity to study at one of our many partner universities abroad as part of our ERASMUS programme. ERASMUS is popular because of the academic, social, personal and professional benefits it brings. There is considerable evidence that participating in ERASMUS improves student performance in final year.
https://www.universityofgalway.ie/erasmus-programme/
About University of Galway
Founded in 1845, we've been inspiring students for 178 years. University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching.
Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint), Computer Science or Agricultural Science) and any two other subjects recognised for entry purposes.
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