What Are Some Careers In Geography

Employable Skills Of Graduates

Geography programs can teach you a set of skills as well as a knowledge base that is unique to the major, and highly employable in geography-related careers. Some of these skills include:

Ability to effectively use geospatial technologies, such as Geographic Information Systems , computer mapping, remote sensing and others

Ability to use geographic concepts and skills, such as cartography, geographic information systems, statistics and qualitative methods

Ability to understand the natural and social processes that form our environments, as well as the changing interrelationships between environment and society

Ability to perform geographical analysis of social, physical, and cultural issues

Ability to manipulate geographic data and working with maps, graphs, and diagrams, using related computer equipment and software

What Are Geography Skills

Geographic skills provide the necessary tools and techniques for us to think geographically. They are central to geographys distinctive approach to understanding Earths physical and human patterns and processes. All of these decisions involve the ability to acquire, arrange, and use geographic information.

Our Graduateswhere Are They Now

Alumni who graduated in the past 1 to 5 years have obtained employment as:

• Outreach Coordinator, Gowanus Canal Conservancy
• GIS Specialist, Bowne AE& T Group
• Transportation Planning Specialist Trainee, PennDOT
• Customer Service Representative, General Dynamics Information Technology
• Regional Environmental Educator, New York State Parks

Alumni who graduated in the past 6 to 10 years have obtained employment as:

• Forward Deployed Engineer, Bluecore
• Project Scientist, Environmental Resources Management
• Environmental, Health and Safety Manager, Hexagon Metrology
• Planner II, City of San Jose

Alumni who graduated over 10 years ago have obtained employment as:

• Geospatial Analyst, Self Employed
• Short Line Development Manager, Norfolk Southern Corporation
• Executive Director, Mohonk Preserve

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Sample Occupations And Jobs

Below is a sample of the many types of occupations and jobs pursued by graduates of this program.

1a. Sample Occupations

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Detailed career profiles are available in the Career Centre. Some occupations require further education and experience.

* View these titles at Career Cruising, available on CLN under the Resources tab.

1b. Sample Job Listings

Below is a sample of delisted positions that have been posted on UofT’s Career Learning Network . To access current listings, login to CLN and click on Jobs.

• Location Research Analyst, Pizza Pizza
• Hydrogeologist, MMM Group
• Community Cultural Coordinator, Ontario Native Womens Association
• Research Assistant – Water Pollution, Department of Economics, UofT
• Fisheries Habitat Technician, Credit Valley Conservation
• Student Planner, Toronto Transit Commission
• Waste Management Research/Policy Analyst, Department of Geography, UofT
• Meteorologist, The Weather Network
• Communications and Membership Coordinator, Ontario Clean Air Alliance
• Forestry Co-op Student, Regional Municipality of York
• Traffic Data Analyst, Transearch
• Animal Control Officer, City of Toronto
• Cultural Research Database Developer, OISE, UofT
• Museum Program Instructor, Parks, Forestry, and Recreation, City of Toronto

1c. Sample Areas of Employment

Resources For Geography Majors

Geography students and professionals should make use of professional organizations and open courseware. These resources help geography professionals stay current on new theories and technology in the industry.

Below, readers can find more information about professional organizations, publications, and free courses in geography.

American Association of Geographers: This nonprofit organization includes members in more than 100 countries. Founded in 1908, the AAG focuses on networking and facilitating discussion between geography professionals. The association’s website offers publications and an annual conference for members.

American Geographical Society: AGS promotes advancement in geographic knowledge across business, government, and academia. The organization focuses on education and research, especially research that creates sound public policy and national security. Members gain access to several online publications and a geography podcast.

National Council for Geographic Education: This national organization focuses on geographic education at all levels. NCGE offers professional development opportunities and advocates for more geography education in schools. The council offers annual conferences, educational programs, publications, and webinars.

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Some Career Options For Geography Majors

• Cartographer

• Meet with a career educator
• Work with community through volunteer opportunities

Search for work

CEO

Steven’s degree in geography and associated co-op experience served as the foundation for starting Latitude Geographics while still an undergraduate student. The company has evolved into a web mapping software company, employs 90 people and helps customers around the globe use geographic information to make better decisions about the world around us. Read more

Geography – BSc

Hydrologist

Arelia is a hydrologist at the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, where she investigates the influence of climate change on streamflow for several major watersheds in BC. Her areas of expertise include hydrologic modelling, selecting global climate models, evaluating future projections and statistical downscaling. Read more

Geography – MSc

Chief Administrative Officer

As CAO, Mark is responsible for managing the governance of the District of Ucluelet, ensuring the maintenance of infrastructure systems, and overseeing the finance, planning, and parks and recreation departments. He also looks to incorporate sustainability best practices across all aspects of municipal functions. Mark came to Ucluelet after 9 years working in local government in Southern Vancouver Island as the sustainability and climate action lead for the City of Victoria and the District of Saanich. Read more

Geography – BSc

Multidisciplinary Hydrographer

Geography – BSc

President

Geography – BA

Geography – BA

Postsecondary Geography Teacher Career

Postsecondary geography teachers instruct college students in geography and perform research on the subject. They prepare and deliver lectures, evaluate and grade student efforts and write grant proposals to obtain external research funding. ONET OnLine states that most had a doctoral degree. It also shows average job increases for postsecondary teachers to be a fast 15 percent between 2016 and 2026. In 2017, postsecondary geography teachers made $87,810 per year on average. The BLS did not compile hourly wages because these professionals did not work full-time year-round jobs. The biggest employers were colleges, universities and professional schools that offered an average of $87,080 annually, while junior colleges offered the best pay at an average $90,340 per year.

References

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Why Pursue A Career In Geography

Careers with a geography degree offer the opportunity to work indoors or outdoors. Geographers and survey and mapping technicians spend time out in the field collecting data and studying the land. Careers like postsecondary teacher include more desk work and less time spent outdoors.

Geography students need excellent analytical thinking skills and attention to detail. Some geography professionals work alone, while others work as part of a team, meaning students should develop the ability to both work individually and compromise with others.

Careers for a geography major also require a deep understanding of the earth and how humans interact with it.

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Types Of Career Opportunities For Geographers

Geographer is a small occupation, with a workforce of just 1,500 across the United States, the BLS reported. However, the opportunities that exist in this profession particularly within the government are surprisingly diverse.

Nearly two-thirds of all geographers work for the government, with 60 percent of this workforce finding federal government jobs and another 6 percent working for state government entities, according to the BLS. Although you might expect government jobs in geography to exist in the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, these roles also encompass so much more. As a government geographer, you could work for NASA as the Earth Observations Chief Scientist, according to O*NET, or as a research geographer and science advisor with the Department of the Interior.

The next highest employing industry for geographers is the architecture and engineering industry. In one of these roles, you might hold a job title like Geographic Information Systems Geographer, GIS Physical Scientist or Supervisory Geographer, O*NET reported.

Additional Resources

Ready To Start Your Journey

Geography majors learn about the physical features of the earth including climate, soil, and topography and how people relate to the land. Learners study both physical and social science.

Geography careers include geoscientist, geographer, and cartographer. Below, readers will find more information about pursuing a career in this field, including salary potential and links to helpful resources.

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Geographical Information Systems Officers

Under the career scope of Geography, you can explore job opportunities in managing Geographic Information systems which are mainly designed for assimilating, storing, assessing as well as for recordkeeping of data related to different land areas across states. Geographical Information Systems Officers operate these systems and are needed in varied fields such as Defence, Transportation, Communication, etc.

Along with these, here are some other career options you can choose from to avail the scope of Geography:

• Mining Consultant

What Geography Teaches You

Geography is the study of earth spaces and places. The field of geography is concerned with the patterning of physical and human phenomena in earth space. This includes examining the nature and depth of the impact humans have on our natural and social environments.

Geography degree programs are typically wide in scope, and aim to provide you with training in both the physical and social elements of geography. They also aim to teach you skills, such as GIS and remote sensing, that are necessary for you to succeed in future geography careers.

These programs must also enable you to examine the political, social and economic processes involved in shaping local and regional human landscapes. You can apply this knowledge in a variety of geography-related careers, such as those that involve analyzing demographic data.

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What Can I Do With A Geography Degree

With its opportunities for hands-on learning, as well as its interdisciplinary and holistic approach that spans the natural and social sciences, a degree in Geography will prepare you for many types of careers in private industry, government, non-profits, research, and higher education. For example, a geography degree will prepare you to become an environmental consultant, work in industry, join or start a non-profit, start a career in international development, or put your education to work in the US Geological Survey or US Forest Service, among many others. Because few geography jobs have the job title geographer, these resources describe some of the job titles and career paths for geographers.

• Account Manager

• Managing editor, series on geography and world cultures
• Municipal government professional
• Project Manager, commercial remote sensing
• Project Scientist, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
• Real Estate Appraiser
• Senior Manager in Information Technology
• Social Work

• Air/Water Quality Control Manager

• International Development Project Officer, Facilitator
• Journalist

What Do Geography Students Do

The top ten jobs held by geography graduates employed in the UK include secondary education teaching professionals, environment professionals, marketing associate professionals, chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants, business associate professionals, construction project managers and related professionals and data analysts.

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What Can I Do After Ba Geography

• Master in Geographic Information Science and Systems.
• Master in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Science.
• Master of Arts in Disaster Management.
• Master of Arts in Environment and Ecology.
• Master of Arts in Geography.
• Master of Arts in Geology.
• Master of Business Administration in Forestry and Environment Management.

Jobs You Can Get With A Geography Degree

Geography is an interdisciplinary field involving the natural and physical sciences and mathematics. A degree in geography prepares students for many different career paths. If you majored in geography, you can pursue careers in the areas of politics, business, education and more. In this article, we discuss what a geography degree is and list 20 jobs you can get with one.

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Occupational & Career Information

Whether you know what you want to do or you haven’t yet made up your mind, you should take action to increase the odds of making choices that will benefit you. To help you get started, click the link below to learn about your “dream” career and other careers you may want to consider. Who knows, while exploring these resources you may broaden your knowledge about what’s out there and open the door to other career possibilities. What you’ll notice is that there is no one plan rather a range of options.

What Are Some Examples Of The Career Of A Geographer

• Degree Finder

Although most students will study geography at some point during their education, you may not know what a geographer actually does. Geographer, one of the highest-paying social science careers, is an occupation that is concerned with places, spaces, maps and much more. If you decide that geography is the major for you, then you might end up working as a physical geographer, a human geographer, a cartographer, a photogrammetrist or a scientist or researcher in other capacities.

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There Are Many Opportunities In Related Areas

• M.A., Geography, California State University – Northridge
• B.A., Geography, University of California – Davis

A common question asked of those studying geography is, “What are you going to do with that degree?” Actually, there are many potential careers for geography majors. While job titles don’t often include the word “geographer,” studying geography teaches young people a wide range of useful skills for the marketplace, including computer, research, and analytical talents that translate well to the workforce.

An internship in an area of interest will get your foot in the door and provide valuable on-the-job, real-world experience that will make your resume much more impressive. Here are some options as you begin your job search:

How To Start Your Career In Geography

A geography degree provides valuable skills in data collection, analysis, and research. Geographers examine qualitative and quantitative information to understand the earth, its land, and the distribution of populations. The skills gained during a geography degree prepare graduates for multiple geography careers, depending on their degree level and interests.

Professionals with a bachelor’s in geography can pursue careers in cartography, surveying, research, and data analysis. With a master’s degree, graduates can work as geographers, survey researchers, and urban planners.

Pursuing a certification or minoring in a related area like environmental science, urban planning, or public health can help geography majors expand their career opportunities.

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Skills You Will Develop

You will acquire specific knowledge and competencies during your program of study. While the skills and knowledge may be directly applicable to your major, your other skills research, project management, team work, and problem solving for example, are valuable skills that you can transfer to a wide range of careers depending on what you want to do and what is important to you.

Your skill set and knowledge is not limited to your course work or academic experiences. Remember to take into account the skills that youve gained outside the lecture hall or seminar room — through your work experiences, volunteering, extra-curricular and leisure activities. There are hundreds of student clubs and leadership opportunities supported by SFSS and LEAD SFU. Check out other Personal and Professional Development Programs.

Best Careers For Geography Graduates

“What are you going to do with a bachelor’s in geography?”

Most geography majors will hear this question at least once during their studies: from their parents, friends, colleaguesmaybe even from themselves.

But although geography sometimes gets a bad rap for being a “useless” degree, in truth, the opposite is true. In this wide-ranging, interdisciplinary major, students develop essential transferrable skills in research, math, statistics, IT, and data analysis. They learn to work with databases, spreadsheets, computer cartography software, and GIS technologies. Students leave the program with extensive experience managing their own time, working with teams, thinking creatively, and solving problemsall of which set them up for success in a wide range of careers.

As with students in any field, what’s next for a geography major depends on their personal interests, academic strengths, previous work experience, and professional goals. But equally important is the kind of geography they prefer. Students of physical geography tend to favor jobs in the natural sciences, exploring all aspects of the earth’s physical properties and processes. Those in human geography, on the other hand, skew towards the social sciences. They often end up in jobs that focus on issues related to human cultures or communities.

Whatever their specialization, the future is bright for geography studentsboth within the field of geography and beyond.

This article will be covering the following careers:

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Career Opportunities After A Geography Degree

A degree in geography from the University of Southampton opens many new doors in terms of your career choices. This section looks at some of the careers chosen by geographers and gives you some information about what the jobs can involve. You can also read profiles from some of our alumni who are in these careers, their routes into the jobs and their advice to you in your job searches.

Researching your future career is important, as employers are increasingly looking for relevant experience. If you are looking to do further study or research it may also be important to think about selecting your modules early.

If any of the careers here catch your eye, or if you feel you want more information, there are a large number of resources available in the Careers and Employability Service

Skills Of Human Geography Grads

• Strong analytical and writing skills
• Interpretation of conceptual and data-based information
• Projection of socio-economic trends
• Multi-perspective approach to problem analysis
• Design and conduct Social Surveys
• Analyze and use statistical methods
• Conduct field studies and observe interactions
• Gather, organize, and analyze land use data
• Manipulate and map geographic data
• Plan long term projects
• Understand natural and social processes
• Write and present information clearly

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