Welcome

The Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning Programmes are within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). The Programmes are strong in both theory and applied aspects of geography, tourism and environmental planning. They seek to provide appropriate academic conditions both for staff and students who are interested in ideas, and for those whose interests are more practical.

There are strong undergraduate and graduate study programmes and excellent advanced research performance and capacity. Our three study programmes are Geography, Tourism Studies and Environmental Planning. In research and study it specialises in several overlapping 'fields': Resources and Environmental Planning (REP); Society, Culture and Place; Technology in Geography (including Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Cartography); Tourism Studies; and Māori Geographies.

Those interested in a more 'traditional' mix of geography, containing both physical geography as well as human geography, are very welcome. The Programmes have close teaching and research involvement with physical geographers in the nearby School of Science and Engineering (especially the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences) and in the International Global Change Institute. And also maintains strong links with the New Zealand Geographical Society.

Careers

Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning are good career paths because they provide you with many options, which is useful if you are not sure what you want. It is also useful in a rapidly changing world. As a Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning graduate you will readily find a career in business, local government, the public service, teaching, or the international market place. Because Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning students are taught to understand processes that make and change places, their skills are valued in consultancy, marketing, publishing, journalism and tourism promotion.

Employers also value the ability of Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning graduates to use their practical skills and process a wide range of information. Students learn the practical use of computers for such tasks as analysing travel times to services, drawing of maps and diagrams, and analysis of economic data. Other job-related skills include environmental planning, questionnaire surveys, and studies of the impact of major construction works, such as power stations and motorways. Changes to legislation on our management of resources and the environment have enhanced employment opportunities for graduates.

Some of the jobs in which Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning graduates may be found include: dairy company research, environmental management, foreign affairs, forest research, private consultancy, regional councils, teaching, union organising, urban and regional planning, immigration policy analysis, health planning, and transport network development. A wide range of government departments and ministries employ geographers.

Geography and Jobs

'Careers in Geography' and 'Jobs in Geography' are listed in the Association of American Geographers' Newsletter. It contains interesting pages on what you can do as a geographer, how you know if geography is for you.

http://www.aag.org/cs/careers