We first get to know the world around us through globes, atlases and maps, right?
Widely known as “The World Discipline”, geography handles a large part of Earth Science. It is the study of the lands, geographical features, inhabitants and phenomena within Earth and on other planets.
Geography is not only devoted to the physical properties of the earth but also considers the human societies spread across it. For those who are interested in the subject and consider a profession within the field of geography, it is an excellent choice with a lot of career opportunities.
Future Scope for a Career in Geography
- Graduates can find policy-related jobs, developmental jobs and corporate jobs in various sectors.
- Cartography is the practice of drawing maps and is an excellent opportunity for geography graduates. About 1,200 openings for cartographers are projected each year, on average, over the last decade.
- Geography graduates can also work as cartographers in architectural and engineering firms, local government or technical consulting services.
- They can work as Surveyors and Drafters in governmental as well as in private organizations.
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recruits geography graduates to their operational wing in various positions.
- Environmental NGOs like the Satpuda Foundation hire graduates in geography to address various environmental problems.
- They can also work as Demographers (those who study the structure of the population) and assist the government as well as various institutions in the private sector.
- Tourism is an attractive field incorporated with geography and graduates can work as analysts in this field.
- They can work as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) officers in natural resource management, urban planning and homeland security.
- Geography graduates can also work as Water Conservation Officers, Soil Conservationists, and Pollution Analysts in CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board).
- They can find career opportunities within engineering consulting firms as geomorphologists who study the geography of rivers.
- The government, as well as military, retail, real estate, environment, and urban planning institutions, employ geospatial analysts to collect data from various sources.
Skills Required to Study Geography
- Analytical skills
- Knowledge of the environment
- Observation skills
- Computer knowledge
- Critical-thinking
- Presentation skills
- Communication (oral and written) skills
- Ability to estimate the distance
- Awareness about climate
Careers in Geography
- Academicians
- Cartographers
- Surveyor
- Drafter
- Environmental Manager
- Urban, regional Planner
- Landscape architecture
- Tourism Advisor
- GIS Specialist
- Demographer
- Hydrologist
- Climatologist
- Location analyst
- Transportation manager
- Pollution Analyst
- Geospatial Analyst
- GIS Specialist
- Water Conservation Officer
- Soil Conservationist
Eligibility to Pursue a Degree in Geography
Students who passed 10+2 from recognized institutions under any stream can apply for a bachelor’s degree in Geography.
Entrance Examinations
- CUCET (Central University Common Entrance Test) – National Testing Agency conducts national-level entrance examinations for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs for 12 participating central universities.
- SAT – Scholastic Assessment Test is an entrance test for students aspiring to admit to undergraduate courses abroad, especially in the US and Canadian colleges and universities.
Top Colleges/Universities in India and Abroad to Study Geography
- University of California, US
- University of Cambridge, UK
- Central University Karnataka, India
- Presidency University, India
- Lovely Professional University, India
- Kirori Mal College, India
- Jadavpur University, India
- Dyal Singh College, India
- Aligarh Muslim University, India
- Nalanda Open University, India
- Asutosh College, India
- Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, India
Famous People Connected With Geography
Alexander von Humboldt
German geographer, explorer, and naturalist. He is widely recognized for his works on botanical geography which laid the foundation for biogeography.
Arnaldo Faustini
Italian polar geographer, writer, and cartographer. He specialized in the poles and wrote nineteen different books on subjects having to do with the poles alone.
Top Institutions that Employ People in this Field
- Cisco systems
- CPCB
- Satpuda Foundation
- NASA
- ISRO
- Central Pollution Control Board
- Geological Survey of India
- Environmental NGOs
- Architectural and engineering firms
- Technical consulting services.
