[20W] Geographie

Bachelor of Science (BSc)

German, some English

No

Do you want to understand what is happening in the world? The climate and our environment are changing and global events such as pandemics have revealed huge spatial disparities. The significance of data is steadily on the rise, and with it the need for people who can interpret it properly. If you are interested in gaining a comprehensive overview of the world and of its “spaces”, then you’ve come to the right place. 

Study Geography and contribute to understanding and improving the world. 

The only constant in our universe is change. Our natural, cultural and social spaces are constantly evolving: Urban areas have grown considerably in recent decades, while rural life seems to be gaining in attractiveness due to the ongoing health crisis Today, more often than not, we live alone, but at the same time, digital possibilities allow us to transcend borders and we can easily get together with our friends from all over the world in virtual sessions.

These changes have a reciprocal effect on each other. Our Bachelor’s degree programme in Geography teaches students to examine these developments and identify potential issues. After graduating you will be triple-qualified as follows: thinking geographically, that is, addressing social issues from a geographical perspective, doing geography, in other words, contributing new knowledge to spatial issues, and using geography as interface, and therefore working at the intersection of many different subjects.

We can teach you the basics as well as the specialist knowledge you need to solve space-related questions and problems in an independent, theory-based and method-oriented way. You will acquire the skills you need to approach problems from different angles allowing you to discover new interrelations and insights. We can provide you with the perfect mix of social, natural and cultural sciences. You are free to decide which key areas you wish to focus on!

Geography is a science that doesn’t merely take place in offices, laboratories and libraries. The programme also includes excursions and hands-on project seminars. Together we will go out into the world you seek to understand: to nature reserves, innovation centres, countries and regions that you have yet to explore. After all: By exploring new spaces, you will gain greater scope for new thoughts and ideas.

• We combine theory AND practice: Studying Geography is not confined to desks and libraries. To understand what defines natural and social spaces, you will go out into the world. In addition to excursions, you also have the opportunity to test your skills during several months of work experience (250 hours Your participation in a project seminar will also often involve working on concrete solutions on site.
• International setting: More young international people study at Klagenfurt University than at other universities. The language of instruction is essentially German, but some courses are also held in English. You can also attend optional languages courses, such as Spanish, Russian, Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian, Chinese, to help you prepare for your career, wherever you choose to live and work.
• We will accompany you on your journey. Are you nervous about disappearing among the masses of students at a large university? That won’t happen to you here in Klagenfurt. For us you are not just one among many, you are special. We want to know who you are, what moves you and what you want to achieve. That’s why we offer very good supervision arrangements, small seminars and compact working groups.

• Human Geography: Have you ever wondered why Silicon Valley has developed a cluster of innovative start-ups while many other valleys are experiencing a wave of young people leaving Social, Economic, Settlement and Population Geography provide answers to these questions.
• Physical Geography: These subjects are concerned with our planet Earth: Soil and water, climate and ecology, their origins, history and future. We will also provide you with the necessary  background in the natural sciences.
• Methods of Geography: These days, maps are produced digitally by means of geographical information systems and then called up on a mobile phone or tablet and used for navigational purposes, to give just one example. However, traditional paper maps are also still prepared and interpreted. Here in Klagenfurt you will learn modern methods of representing, analysing, modelling and simulating geographical information.
• Integrated Geography: To scientifically examine certain natural phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions, in isolation would be a rather one-sided project as far as Integrated Geography is concerned. Rather, as an interface between Human Geography and Physical Geography, this discipline attempts to imagine the world as a single human-environment system and to solve various problems in an integrative manner.

We help you to acquire scientific skills, and you can use them to good effect. The challenges facing our planet are manifold and complex. Whoever understands how individuals, society and the environment interact with each other can help contribute to a better world. Does this sound like a meaningful mission? We will equip you with the tools you need to develop creative and feasible visions in order to create something entirely new and lasting.

• Everything you need for the practical setting. Roughly half of our lecturers are highly successful in the professional field. What we offer is nothing out of this world, but rather we allow you to take flight.
• Triumph with soft skills. The world of work needs team players who can work creatively and purposefully, regardless of subjects and cultures. In our seminars you will learn how to boost inspiration and efficiency in group work. Here you will learn to become a moderator and manager of projects.
• Reaching for the sky after graduation. Many of our graduates enter professional life straight after their Bachelor’s degree. However, others are eager for more. At the University of Klagenfurt, we are able to offer you Master’s degree programmes, which are specially tailored to you: Geography and Regional Research and also Science, Technology & Society Studies 

After completing your Bachelor’s degree in Geography, you can work in a wide range of professional fields, including the following areas:

• Engineering and planning offices, public administration:  Choosing a location to build a new park and knowing which places need to be accessible by public transport – these are not trivial matters. You can become a specialist for the design of public spaces.
• Management consultancy: For innovation to flourish and thrive, we need fertile spaces. The corporate world needs you to create an environment in which people can perform well and prosper.
• Designers for living in times of climate change: Global warming is accelerating, tropical summer days are increasingly becoming a test of endurance in cities, and at the same time extreme weather events are unleashing their destructive power. The world needs your vision and ideas to make living spaces habitable in the long term. 
• Preserving nature - and harnessing it: Nature managers work in national parks, among other places. They protect the integrity of the environment whilst also making spaces accessible for tourism.
• Mapping and modelling the Earth and associated processes: The structures of the Earth’s surface are captured in digital aerial and satellite images, analysed in geo-information systems, simulated in models and then displayed on dashboards and story maps on the Internet. As geo-information specialist you will be highly sought after by media companies, insurance companies, public administration and many other sectors.
• Data experts: We need to know how extensive our glaciers are, where the courses of our rivers run, how concentrated or dispersed our settlements are, who travels by what means of transport, or where natural resources are undergoing radical changes. That is why we need geographers who are data experts. Experts like you!
• Civil engineers: Subject to certain conditions, you may be able to train to become a civil engineer once you have completed your degree in Geography.  
• Science: Students who feel at ease in the academic world while they are studying will have the opportunity to pursue a scientific career. Our department regularly undertakes projects that allow you to participate at an early stage.
• City Marketing: What makes a city special and what attracts tourists, but also companies and employees, to come to a city (and maybe even to stay there)? You learn how to define the unique selling points of spaces – and how to use them for marketing purposes.
• Promotion of trade and industry: Countries, regions and cities frequently compete with each other – to attract businesses, students, young families, tourists. Your geographical knowledge will help to promote the development of regions.

Many of our students are young people who are curious about spatial inequalities: Why is nature more severely affected by human activity in one location than in another? Where do structures support new developments and which regions have few chances to succeed within the global growth-oriented competition? In Klagenfurt you will learn to recognise problems and develop solutions – proactively and imaginatively. One way to experience the diversity of  global "spaces" is to spend a semester abroad. Your curiosity is very much encouraged – and we will be delighted to open the door to the world for you. Why not complete a semester abroad at one of Klagenfurt University’s approximately 250 partner universities? We have plenty of scholarships on offer to help you finance your semester abroad.

• Master’s degree in Geography and Regional Research
• Master’s degree in Science, Technology & Society Studies

The introductory and orientation period (STEOP) grants students an overview of the key elements of the degree programme and of the course of studies ahead. Thus, it provides a factual basis for the personal evaluation of the choice of degree programme. 

As students must successfully complete the introductory and orientation period in order to continue their studies, it is recommended that the introductory and orientation period should be scheduled during the first semester. The introductory and orientation period within the Bachelor's degree programme in Geography at the University of Klagenfurt comprises three courses ("Introduction to Geography",  "Principles of Human Geography I" and "Principles of Physical Geography I") amounting to a total of 9 ECTS credits. Prior to completing the STEOP, additional courses worth up to 22 ECTS credits may be taken.

In the area of guided electives, you have the opportunity to complete an internship. The internship must comprise at least 240 hours; you must obtain approval from the programme director before commencing the internship. The content of the internship must be related to the Bachelor's degree programme in Geography or a desired specialisation and may also take the form of a research internship at an academic institution.

Proof of completion is provided in the form of corresponding certificates and an activity report of at least 10,000 characters (including spaces). Please refer to section 15 of the curriculum for more information.

Generaluniversity entrance qualification, knowledge of German B2 [

• General university entrance qualification (e. g. Matura)
• German language skills at level B2 (CEFR)]

There are no limits to your personal development. Enjoy the freedom that only a university degree can offer you and expand your horizons beyond your academic studies. You can pick and choose which competences will set you apart in the world of work in the future. We have lots to offer, for instance:

• We are all global citizens, struggling to live together in peacefully. The Transdisciplinary Peace Studies focus on international conflicts and their links to regional developments – and will transform you into an astute conflict manager!
• Digital transformation has far-reaching implications for society, the economy and our daily lives. If you are keen to expand your digital competences, our extension programme bearing the same name can offer you plenty of useful insights.
• Reflecting on your own cultural imprints, understanding other cultures and interacting with them appropriately requires inter- and transcultural competences, which you can hone by joining our extension programme.
• Are you interested in the construction and significance of gender relations in science and society? The extension programme Gender Studies provides an interdisciplinary insight into the complex interaction of gender, power and inequality.
• Do you want to learn a new language and prepare for an international career? You can learn Russian, Spanish or Chinese (and many other languages besides) at the University of Klagenfurt.

Continue to browse through this overview of all the elective subjects.

Student Guidance Service
E-mail: studieninfo@aau.at

Office of the Programme Director
Website of the Programme Director
E-mail: geo@aau.at
 Website: www.aau.at/en/geography-and-regional-studies/

Student Representatives
E-mail: oeh.geo@aau.at