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BA - Geography as a major

If you’re fascinated by the history and creative activities of humankind and how this shapes societies and our future, then a Bachelor of Arts (BA) is for you. Our graduates are in demand for their flexible skills, practical outlook and depth of understanding they bring to their roles.

Geography matters because it is about basic human relationships - between people and the environment, and between people and other people. Ranked among the top geography programmes in the world, the Geography programme at Waikato is the only solely human geography programme in New Zealand.

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Key information

Years: 3
Points: 360
Start Dates: Trimester A (March) and Trimester B (July)
Estimated Fees* (Domestic): $6,591 - $7,608 per year
Estimated Fees* (International): $29,425 - $38,305 per year
Entry Requirements: Undergraduate International
Area of Study:
*Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.

Career opportunities

  • Cartographer
  • Consultant
  • Environmental Manager
  • Immigration Policy Analyst
  • Researcher
  • Urban or Regional Planner

Degree Planner

Degree planner — BA in Geography

For the list of level 200 and 300 papers please see the degree footnote section.

Year 1

GEOGY101
Sustainable Geographies

GEOGY102
A Planet Under Pressure

One from List A

ARTSC110
Old Worlds - New Worlds

Field of the Degree
100 level

Field of the Degree
100 level

Elective

Elective

Year 2

Any 200 Level
paper listed below

Any 200 Level
paper listed below

Any 200 level
paper listed below

One from List B

Field of the Degree
200 level

Elective

Elective

Elective

Year 3

Any 300 level
paper listed below

Any 300 level
paper listed below

Any 300 level
paper listed below

Any 300 level
paper listed below

One from List C

Elective

Elective

Elective

  • Major
  • Compulsory
  • Elective

Geography matters because it is about human relationships: between people and the environment, between people and other people. A clear grasp of Geography can provide insight into environmental, social and cultural problems and help us manage our resources effectively.

Geography is available as a first major for the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Climate Change (BCC) and the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc). Geography may also be taken as a second major or minor in other undergraduate degrees, subject to approval of the Division in which the student is enrolled.

To complete Geography as a single major for the BA, BCC and BSocSc, students must gain 135 points from papers listed for Geography, including 105 points above 100 level, and 60 points above 200 level. Students must complete GEOGY101 and GEOGY102.

To complete Geography as part of a double major for the BA, BCC, BSocSc or other undergraduate degrees, students must gain 120 points from papers listed for Geography, including 90 points above 100 level, and 45 points above 200 level. Students must complete GEOGY101 and GEOGY102.

To complete a minor in Geography, students must complete 60 points from the papers listed for the Geography major, including at least 30 points above 100 level.

Some Geography papers include practical work in the laboratory and/or fieldwork. Fieldwork may be carried out in weekends or in teaching recesses.

Further details are available from the Geography Programme.

100 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
GEOGY101Sustainable Geographies15.024B (Hamilton), 24B (Online) & 24B (Tauranga)
An introduction to the rich field of social and cultural geography with links to the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals. A foundation paper for second year papers on contemporary cultural geographies, health geographies, and Maori geographies.
GEOGY102A Planet Under Pressure15.024A (Hamilton) & 24A (Online)
In recent decades humans have become geological agents, changing physical processes of the earth by such actions as burning fossil fuels, expanding cities, altering diets, and extinguishing species. This paper explores the human motivations and actions that find expression in the natural world. In addition to offering descriptions ...

200 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
ENVPL201Introduction to Resource Management15.024A (Hamilton)
This paper is designed to provide students with an introduction to law and policy relevant to the practice of environmental planning and management in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
GEOGY209Health, People, Place0.024B (Online)
No description available.
GEOGY219Māori Lands and Communities15.024B (Hamilton)
This paper introduces students to Maori geographical perspectives and examines key events that shape Maori communities and their relationships to land, water and other taonga.
GEOGY228Introduction to Geographical Information Systems and Big Data15.024A (Hamilton)
GIS and big data are revolutionising the application of Geography in the job market. This paper provides foundational knowledge in digital Geography and Geographical Information Systems, which are used at level 3 and postgraduate level. Students will develop confidence in the use of GIS, cartography, and data handling techniques.
PHILO217Environmental Ethics15.024H (Online)
A study of ethical questions about the relation of humans to the rest of the natural world, including the attribution of value and rights to the non-human world and ethical issues in environment and development.
POPST201Population Studies15.024A (Hamilton) & 24A (Online)
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the multidisciplinary field of Population Studies. Students will develop a sound understanding of the demographic drivers of population change and composition, while exploring some of the rich theories and methodological approaches which comprise Population Studies.

300 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
ALPSS390Directed Study15.024X (Hamilton)
This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology, and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their major or minor under the guidance of academic staff.
ENVPL300Planning in Aotearoa New Zealand15.024A (Hamilton)
This paper provides students with a practical understanding of the broad range of different types of contemporary urban planning which occurs in New Zealand cities, towns and regions.
ENVPL302Māori Resource Management15.024A (Hamilton)
This paper introduces Maori principles of resource management and examines their relevance to contemporary planning processes.
ENVPL309Urban Spatial Analysis15.024B (Hamilton)
This paper will provide students with hands-on spatial analytical skills for environmental planning practice in an urban context. Students will develop quantitative problem solving and spatial thinking skills applied to real-world problems such as sea-level rise and housing inequality.
GEOGY301Disasters and Development15.024B (Hamilton)
Development has a significant influence on the way in which hazards impact on people, and the occurrence of disasters alters the scope of development. This paper identifies the value of focusing on disaster reduction and sustainable development as part of the same agenda. Addressing the importance of approaching and applying a disa...
GEOGY309Social and Cultural Geographies of Difference15.024A (Hamilton) & 24A (Tauranga)
This paper is a forum for debate in critical geographies of difference. Key concerns are intersections between gender, ethnicity, nationality and other social divisions in relation to place and environment.
GEOGY328Geographical Information Systems15.024A (Hamilton) & 24A (Online)
GIS is used widely in a range of industries and government agencies, and graduates competent in GIS are sort after for employment. This paper is compulsory for the GIS minor and covers all aspects of GIS analysis, including remote sensing and model building. ArcGIS Pro is used in the labs and students have the opportunity to instal...
PHILO317Environmental Ethics15.024H (Online)
Do we have moral obligations toward nature? How should human beings treat the natural world? This paper examines questions such as these in light of our current ethical theories.

500 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
ALPSS500Academic & Professional Research & Writing30.024A (Online), 24B (Online) & 24C (Online)
In this course, students will gain the skills and confidence to seamlessly transition from study to work. This course works to enhance the 'skills for the future' identified by the World Economic Forum (2020), in order to produce resilient, creative students with strong analytic and critical thinking skills.
ALPSS590Directed Study30.024X (Hamilton)
This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their major under the guidance of academic staff.
ALPSS591Research Project30.024X (Hamilton) & 24X (Tauranga)
A research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 12,500 words maximum).
ALPSS592Dissertation60.024X (Hamilton) & 24X (Tauranga)
A research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 25,000 words maximum).
ENVPL504Plan Making15.024B (Hamilton)
This paper covers the steps involved in plan-making and plan-implementation processes. This includes issues identification; visioning; definition of planning outcomes; development of programmes, policies and actions to achieve vision; and plan-implementation matters.
ENVPL508Plans and Consents15.024X (Block)
This paper is designed to provide students with skills and experience in the application of resource management plans and the resource consent process. Students are engaged in experiential learning relevant to the practice of environmental planning and management in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
ENVPL509Urban Spatial Analysis15.024B (Hamilton)
This paper will provide students with hands-on spatial analytical skills for environmental planning practice in an urban context. Students will develop quantitative problem solving and spatial thinking skills applied to real-world problems such as sea-level rise and housing inequality.
ENVPL510Planning Theory15.024B (Hamilton)
This paper discusses the various theories that influence how we plan our world. It will cover issues such as power, justice, governance, politics, neoliberalism, marxism, gender, democracy and environmental racism.
GEOGY500People, Place, Power30.024A (Online)
This paper is a forum for debate in geographies of people and power. Key concerns are the intersections between gender, Maori, Indigeneity, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, nationality and other social divisions in relation to geographies of justice.
GEOGY520Human Dimensions of Environmental Change30.024B (Hamilton)
This paper examines the increasing risks imposed on human communities by global environmental change. The paper establishes a platform for the critical analysis of human-environment relations by introducing students to important theoretical developments including the role of culture-nature dualisms, theories on population-environme...
GEOGY538Automated Spatial Analysis using Geographic Information Systems15.024X (Block)
Automated GIS, using programming or scripts, are extremely powerful compared to the 'point and click' environment, and are the most practical method for the spatial analysis of large data sets. GIS professionals are expected have the skills to write their own scripts, as well as execute and manipulate existing scripts. In this pape...
GEOGY558Applied Geographic Information Systems for Research and Planning15.024A (Hamilton)
GIS is used widely in a range of industries and government agencies, and graduates competent in GIS are sort after for employment. This paper is designed as an introduction to GIS for graduate students and is co-taught with GEOGY328. It covers all aspects of GIS analysis, including remote sensing and model building. ArcGIS Pro is u...
GEOGY593Geography Thesis90.024X (Hamilton)
An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.

800 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
GEOGY800Geography MPhil Thesis120.024X (Hamilton)
No description available.

900 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
GEOGY900Geography PhD Thesis120.024I (Hamilton), 24I (Tauranga), 24J (Hamilton), 24K (Hamilton), 24X (Hamilton) & 24X (Tauranga)
No description available.

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Subject links

Geography Programme

Subject Requirements

For more information about subject requirements please refer to the Catalogue of Papers for the most up to date information. If you have any questions and need more advice contact one of our friendly student advisors phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4080 or email: [email protected]

Contacts

School of Social Sciences
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4702
General Enquiries: [email protected]