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Undergraduate Programmes

Are you interested in pressing global, national and local issues such as climate change, inequality, migration, urbanisation and hazard management?
Do you want to make sense of our highly complex world and become an informed global citizen?
Do you want to learn IT, field and laboratory techniques that are highly valued by employers, such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS)? 

Founded on a strong tradition of exploration, Geography is enquiry-driven and our curriculum provides both the knowledge and skills to investigate effectively the world around us. Discovering how the world works and our roles within it are at the foundation of a discipline that aims to develop globally informed and spatially sensitive citizens.

Hear From Our Staff and Students

Are you interested in studying Geography at UCD? In this video, Assistant Professor Niamh Moore Cherry and current student Eva Slevin explain what the course is like, what you will be studying each year, and what it's like to be a Joint Major student at UCD.

By studying Geography in UCD, you will understand the context in which environmental, socio-cultural and politicoeconomic decision-making takes place and develop skills that prepare you for the workplaces and societies of tomorrow. Employers value the ability of Geography graduates to investigate, analyse, critique and interpret complex phenomena. During your undergraduate programme you will develop discipline specific and transferable skills in: data collection, analysis and interpretation; oral and written communication; time management; collaborative working and spatial analysis. Geography is taught through lectures, tutorials, labs and fieldwork and includes significant independent reading and study. Some modules have an online component. Assessment is generally a combination of continuous assessment, tutorial or laboratory participation and end-of-semester exams.

Our Geography programmes benefit from the expertise of academic staff members who are very active in their respective research fields and you can be assured that your learning is based on cutting-edge ideas and methodologies in the social and natural sciences. 

Our students say...

"Studying Geography at UCD has been such an incredible experience so far! All of my lecturers are prominent publishing researchers in their respective fields and the modules are designed to help grow your interdisciplinary knowledge of people, space and place. But my favourite is the interactive hands-on learning. I’ve had several opportunities to work in the field alongside my lecturers both in Ireland and abroad which has given me an invaluable opportunity to grow my professional network" Raelene Wnuk

Geography is located within the College of Social Sciences and Law, and we are delighted to be able to offer students the opportunity of the new 4-year Geography degree as part of the BSc Social Sciences. Geographers study major societal and natural challenges including: climate change, globalisation, migration; integration; urbanisation; geopolitical struggles; resilience and sustainability. Our unique perspective is that we highlight the interconnectedness of human and natural processes and advocate a holistic approach to addressing major challenges.

There are a number of different pathways in the (opens in a new window)Social Sciences - Geography degree, each of which are 4 years in duration. These are summarised as:

  • Joint Major in Geography with another Social Sciences subject
  • Major in Geography with a minor in another Social Sciences subject
  • (opens in a new window)Computational Social Science pathway – a multi-disciplinary programme about leveraging the power of big data, computer simulations and social networks to understand social phenomena and individual behaviour.

Why would I do the four-year degree?

This degree allows you to become more competent in both your academic knowledge and your transferable skills. You will be exposed to significant social science skills training from year 1 as well as having a more focused approach to your core subject areas in years 1 and 2; extended opportunities to study abroad for one or two semesters, possible options of internships, and other non-classroom based learning in stage 3; and the opportunity to develop research interests and skills in year 4.

Further details on Geography as a subject, including indicative course content, can be found (opens in a new window)here.

Further details on DN700 degree can be found by clicking here.

Geography is available on the 3-year BA degree programme (DN520). Students wishing to take Geography under this Arts and Humanities routes have two options:

  • Geography as a BA Arts Joint Major
  • Geography as a Minor subject with a Major another Arts subject.

These are the only subject combinations currently possible under the Arts and Humanities routeways, however any student may take Geography as their third subject in first year. 

Further details on Geography as a subject, including indicative course content, can be found (opens in a new window)here.

For detailed information on the D520 degree can be found here.

Complementary to student's Core and Option modules, Elective modules can either deepen their knowledge in their chosen programme (In-Programme Electives) or allow you to explore subjects outside their study area (General Electives). Electives enrich student's learning experience and strengthen their knowledge and skills base. Elective places are available on a large number of modules. It is possible to take Geography modules as electives if you are studying other subjects or another programme at the university. Elective places are available on a large number of modules.

The School also offers students who are not taking Geography as a subject to take a structured elective in Geographic Information Systems. It builds the knowledge and skills of students in location-based data management and interpretation. GIS allow the acquisition, storage, analysis and visualisation of location-based or spatial data. This structured elective provides student's a unique opportunity to develop their spatial awareness and analytical skills. More information can be found here.

Registration for all modules, including electives, is done through the normal Online Registration process.

For more information on choosing electives, a brief guide for Undergraduate students can be found here.