Geography courses

Geography goes beyond the study of different countries on a map. It's a broad discipline that includes a range of subjects and research methods.

You'll learn about the key geography concepts of place, space, and the environment, and explore how humans and animals interact in different regions.

Exact topics will vary depending on your course, but may include:

• Physical geography
• Human geography
• Food security
• Resource management
• Environmental management
• Sustainability
• Systems thinking
• Indigenous and decolonial perspectives

You will also learn a range of research techniques, such as:

• Statistical analysis
• Fieldwork
• Survey design
• Spatial data analysis, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Other kinds of qualitative and quantitative analyses

If you’re not looking for a full degree, you can choose to study a single subject or short course in geography.

Read more about the benefits of single subject study.

Geography specialisations you can focus on include:

• Climate geography
• Animal geography
• Rural geography
• Urban geography
• Human geography
• Legal geography
• Indigenous geography
• Social and cultural geography

Not quite what you’re looking for? Browse related courses in sustainability, politics, sociology or Indigenous studies instead.

The study of geography will give you a better understanding of our world. You’ll discover fascinating details about different environments and how humans and other beings interact with them.

After graduating, you can contribute to critical challenges facing our planet, such as how to adapt to the climate crisis and plan for a growing population.

Your communication, data analysis, research and critical thinking skills will be sought after by employers across a range of professions. This will give you many career pathways to choose from.

Studying doesn’t have to dominate your life. As an online student, you have the flexibility to fit your course around a 9 to 5 job, parenting responsibilities, and carer responsibilities. If you want to travel overseas to learn about a region, or complete an internship that will enhance your job prospects, you can, because you don’t have to be in a lecture hall at a set time every week.

Online study is also more accessible for students with disabilities, because you can study from a location that suits you, at times that suit you.

There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.

• You can enrol without entry requirements 
  We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
• You have total control over how you study
  Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.
• You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
  Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.
• We’ll help you navigate the university world
  Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.

Geography graduates work in academia, for government departments, and in the private sector.

You may find work in fields such as:

• Climate change assessment and consulting
• Community development
• Conservation, heritage and land management
• Environmental science
• Geographic information systems (GIS)
• Mapping and cartography
• Market research
• Surveying and geomatics
• Public policy
• Sustainability
• Tourism management
• Research

After completing a degree in geography, you might be interested in further study. An additional qualification can lead to work in an area such as:

• Urban planning
• Meteorology
• Surveying
• Education

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.

Chat with us to find out more.

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.  

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.