BSocSc - Geography as a major
Major, Second Major, Supporting
The Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc) will challenge your thinking about the world and the people who live in it. The degree focuses on contemporary social issues, the ways in which humans interact with these issues and how such actions can be monitored and modified.
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.
Apply to enrol
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): | $28,025 - $35,420 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 — BSocSc in Geography
Year 1
One from List A
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
PSYCH211 or SSRES200
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
BSocSc Papers
Lists A, B and C
List A: Academic Foundations
- ARTSC103 Rights and Reason
- ARTSC106 Critical Social Science Research: The Crisis of Climate Change
- ENSLA103 Undergraduate Research Writing for ESL Students
- ENSLA202 Academic Oral Strategies
List B: Cultural Perspectives
Any Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies paper, or
- ANTHY101 Exploring Cultures: Introduction to Anthropology
- ANTHY102 Exploring Cultures: Aotearoa and the Pacific
- ANTHY201 Patriots, Racists, and Foreigners: Ethnicity and Identity in Global Perspective
- DSIGN252 Cultural Perspectives in Design
- EDUCA200 Te Hononga Tāngata
- ENGLI200 Global Fictions
- FRNCH231 French Language Intermediate 1
- GEOGY219 Māori Lands and Communities
- INTLC101 International Languages and Cultures
- INTLC221 Understanding East Asia
- INTLC222 European and Latin American Cultures: Tradition and Modernity
- LINGS203 Language, Society and Culture
List C: Work-Integrated Learning
- ALPSS301 Work Integrated Learning - Placements
- ARTSW300 Arts and Cultural Festivals
- ARTSW301 Professional Practice in the Arts
- ARTSW302 Work-Related Arts Research Project
- LINGS301 Research Apprenticeship
- POPST300 Population Studies Work-Related Project
- PSYCH301 Psychology Research Assistantship
- SOCSC301 Work-Integrated Learning - Work-Related Project
- WRITE396 Writing Studies Work Placement
*Please consult our Student Advisors for the correct work-integrated learning paper.
*Not all papers are offered each year.
Papers
Papers available within Geography
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOGY101 | Sustainable Geographies | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton), 23B (Online) & 23B (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. | |||
| GEOGY102 | A Planet Under Pressure | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23A (Online) |
| This paper investigates the current, Anthropocene epoch – during which human activity has become the dominant influence on the physical environment and its systems. | |||
200 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENVPL201 | Introduction to Resource Management | 15.0 | 23A (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 New Zealand. | |||
| GEOGY209 | Health, People, Place | 15.0 | 23B (Online) |
| This paper draws on critical analysis of health, people and place to introduce contemporary developments in socio-cultural geography. Attention is paid to spatial well-being at a range of scales. | |||
| GEOGY219 | Māori Lands and Communities | 15.0 | 23B (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. | |||
| GEOGY228 | Introduction to Geographical Information Systems and Big Data | 15.0 | 23A (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. | |||
| PHILO217 | Environmental Ethics | 15.0 | 23H (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. | |||
| POPST201 | Population Studies | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23A (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALPSS390 | Directed Study | 15.0 | 23X (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. | |||
| ENVPL300 | Planning in Aotearoa New Zealand | 15.0 | 23A (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. | |||
| ENVPL302 | Māori Resource Management | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces Maori principles of resource management and examines their relevance to contemporary planning processes. | |||
| ENVPL309 | Urban Spatial Analysis | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper will provide students with hands-on spatial analytical skills for planning practice in an urban context. Students will develop quantitative problem solving and spatial thinking skills applied to real-world urban problems. | |||
| GEOGY301 | Disasters and Development | 15.0 | 23B (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... | |||
| GEOGY309 | Social and Cultural Geographies of Difference | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| 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. | |||
| GEOGY328 | Geographical Information Systems | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23A (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... | |||
| PHILO317 | Environmental Ethics | 15.0 | 23H (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALPSS590 | Directed Study | 30.0 | 23X (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. | |||
| ENVPL504 | Plan Making | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| Students gain a comprehensive understanding of plan development processes and develop skills relevant to plan making in professional planning practice. | |||
| ENVPL506 | Planning Law | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge of the legal context of planning relevant to the practice of environmental planning and management in New Zealand. | |||
| ENVPL508 | Plan and Consents | 15.0 | 23X (Block) |
| This paper is designed to provide students with skills and experience in the application of resource management plans and the resource consent process under the RMA. Students are engaged in experiential learning relevant to the practice of environmental planning and management in New Zealand. | |||
| ENVPL509 | Urban Spatial Analysis | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper will provide students with hands-on spatial analytical skills for planning practice in an urban context. Students will develop quantitative problem solving and spatial thinking skills applied to real-world urban problems. | |||
| ENVPL510 | Planning Theory | 15.0 | 23B (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. | |||
| GEOGY500 | People, Place, Power | 30.0 | 23A (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. | |||
| GEOGY520 | Human Dimensions of Environmental Change | 30.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines the increasing risks imposed on human communities by global environmental change such as global warming and the occurrence of so-called natural disasters. The paper establishes a platform for the critical analysis of these processes by introducing students to important theoretical developments including the role... | |||
| GEOGY538 | Automated Spatial Analysis using Geographic Information Systems | 15.0 | 23X (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... | |||
| GEOGY558 | Applied Geographic Information Systems for Research and Planning | 15.0 | 23A (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... | |||
| GEOGY591 | Dissertation | 30.0 | 23I (Hamilton) & 23X (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | |||
| GEOGY592 | Dissertation | 60.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | |||
| GEOGY593 | Geography Thesis | 90.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | |||
| GEOGY594 | Geography Thesis | 120.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | |||
800 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOGY800 | Geography MPhil Thesis | 120.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | |||
900 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOGY900 | Geography PhD Thesis | 120.0 | 23I (Hamilton), 23I (Tauranga), 23J (Hamilton), 23K (Hamilton), 23X (Hamilton) & 23X (Tauranga) |
| No description available. | |||
Scholarships and prizes
Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships
Subject links
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:
Contacts
School of Social Sciences
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4702
General Enquiries: [email protected]