is geography a real subject

I thought about this as I heard a debate about it on the radio can geography be classed as a real subject? In my opinion I think it's difficult to see because the subject is so broad and it doesn't really seem like it has any boundries.from earthquakes to cbds. Also what is geography defined as?

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Reply 1

Belle88

Well, not that this really matters to me or maybe you but I was just looking at it so thought I would tell you it's in Cambridges list of A subjects - ie. ones they respect as being 'hard'.

Also, people studying Geography at uni are seen to be very well rounded people and emplyers like that. I was told that by someone who did geography at uni though so...

Reply 2

pork products

No it is a block of cheese in disguise

Reply 3

neomilan

Human Geography can be called development economics etc.
Physical Geography can be called Physics or Geology etc.

However, it is a well respected A Level and a good degree to do since it opens a lot of doors in planning and transport stuff and environment things...!

Reply 4

arkbar

ITS A MYTH.

Yes it is a real subject, you complete moron.

Reply 5

Crisps

I'm a geography graduate, and I understand that it's a mix of chemistry, physics, biology, geology, geomorphology, demographics, archaeology, sociology, politics, history (and that's without going into detail!) all rolled into one,that makes people think it isn't. However, I also believe that it is it's own discipline in it's own right, and should be treated as such. As stated above, graduate employers like geographers (but dont seem to want to give myself or the majority of my friends jobs :rolleyes:

) because they're so well-rounded and gain a broad range of skills from their university career.

AFAIK geography is defined as the study of the Earth, it's forms and processes, as well as the people who live on it and their forms and processes. That's why it's so diverse, because that definition is so broad.

Reply 6

necessarily benevolent

I actually find it piss easy at A level. It's not specific enough. But I'd expect that at uni it's more rigorous.

Reply 7

terpineol

We all joke that they do nothing but colour in, which is sad really as of the subjects I wish I could have taken for A level geography was one.

I think the biggest problem is its such a vast subject to try and describe, hence the trend towards saying 'colouring in'.

Reply 8

Crisps

I haven't coloured in since GCSE level. Except using GIS, but that doesn't count :p:

Reply 9

hazzypants

necessarily benevolent

I actually find it piss easy at A level. It's not specific enough. But I'd expect that at uni it's more rigorous.

Yeh it's def my easiest A Level. Such a blaggy subject. I did no revision at all for GCSE and got one of my best results. Then again, I do want to do Geoggers at uni, so I'm bound to say that. It does get alot harder past A2 though apparently...

I believe it does deserve to be it's own discipline; you have to be areal all rounder to be good at geography; good at decision making (like law, history, politics) good at statistics (like in maths, biology) good at science (like in physics, geology, chemistry), have an awareness of the world around you (politics, economics, current affairs), many people would stuggle with such a mix, because they are more sciency or more artsy; I feel that I'm a nice mix of both. Then again I spose you could just do a Bsc or BA in the subject, hence concentrating on one thing. It can lead after university into journalism, law, banking, finance, teaching, a whole list of careers......

Reply 10

TheOneWho

Geography is a synthesis of all the other sciences (physical/natural as well as social) so it is very broad. Although you'll rarely find a geographer who has interests that range that widely. It's a fairly 'new' subject to be accepted as an academic discipline since it's just over 100 years old, and it's went through a lot of changes over the years.

Reply 11

undiscovered

I have a geography degree and I don't have a clue what it is anymore... :s-smilie:

Reply 12

goats

Crisps

I haven't coloured in since GCSE level. Except using GIS, but that doesn't count :p:

lol

Reply 13

trm90

Yeah, definitely. The real crux of geography is the concept of space and place on Earth and how dynamic it is - humans live in a natural environment which they interact with and change anthropogenically. This 'requires' us to explore what's going in our natural environment (physical geography), our social, built & artifically changed environment (social geography) and the way in which we interact with the natural environment (environmental geography)

Naturally this means you're going have to study almost every subject out there to some depth, and that's totally understandable. :smile:

Reply 14

LH123

It's a cross over between humanities and sciences, therefore encompasses pretty much everything relevant to the planet and the fauna that inhabit it, including humans.

Reply 15

Grapevine

LH123

It's a cross over between humanities and sciences, therefore encompasses pretty much everything relevant to the planet and the fauna that inhabit it, including animals.

I swear fauna is animals?? Wikipedia definition "Fauna is all of the animal life of any particular region or time"

Reply 16

LH123

Grapevine

I swear fauna is animals?? Wikipedia definition "Fauna is all of the animal life of any particular region or time"

I meant including humans. :doh:

oh ok

lol. it's mainly colouring in. lol

on a serious note, yeah it's pretty real because it covers topics from physics to economics, although it only scratches the surface.

Reply 19

ThisNameNowTaken

Its one of the highest earning degrees i remember reading a couple of years ago. And yes its very broad...studying everything from population to the global economy over the past year