Welcome to the Department of Geography, University of Otago

Geography is an environmental science concerned with the causes and organisation of natural and human phenomena across the globe. It is primarily an integrative discipline aiming to establish knowledge of inter-relationships between and among human and natural systems.

Geography provides a basis for comprehending and managing many of the issues facing New Zealand and the World - environmental conservation and degradation, social and economic structures, development regions, demographic influences on society, the spatial characteristics and problems of cities and rural areas, and management of water, soil, air and biological resources.

By studying such themes in different contexts and places, Geography helps break down insularity and contributes to international understanding while providing its students with a wide range of vocationally relevant skills, for instance in information gathering, data analysis and critical assessment.

The Geography Department offers undergraduate courses in physical geography, human geography and environmental studies. Postgraduate studies include Master of Planning, Master of Arts, Master of Science, postgraduate diplomas, and a strong PhD programme.

News Items

The Ron Lister Travel Grant application form is available for 2010. This is a call for a second round of applications. Download the application form as a PDF or as a Word Document. Download the information sheet PDF here.

The Research in Geography book (2006 to 2008) is available for download via the Research Page

Download the 2009 Postgraduate Symposium abstract book

The Graduate Booklet for 2009 is available. Download it here

Course advice documents for BAppSc Environmental Management students, 2009. The main document contains advice on planning an ENVM course, from 100 to 400 level. The second document lists potential elective papers:
ENVM Course Advice 09
ENVM Elective Papers 09

The 2009 Postgraduate Notification of Study form is available for download.

The 2008 graphics seminar is available for download (1.2 Mb)

The Inaugural Professorial Lectures given by Professor Tony Binns and Professor Richard Morgan are now available as video files. Click on their names to be taken to the link locations on their personal pages.

The Geography Map Library map cabinet contents list is available for download (non-printable version only).  A printout is available in the Map Library.