Major Overview

Description

Human Geography and Planning are the essential disciplines for understanding the complexities of cities and regions and guiding their sustainable development. The course explores the complex processes shaping human environments at a range of scales from global to local. To flourish, human and urban development must grapple with economic transformation, cultural diversity, changing demographic pressures, disasters and sustainability.

The conceptual foundations of Human Geography and Planning, along with the focus on fieldwork, skill development and real-world problems provides a diverse range of career opportunities. Students develop the knowledge and skills to help resolve major urban and regional problems and ultimately have the ability to contribute to the creation of liveable communities, vibrant economies and sustainable places.

The major includes opportunities for domestic fieldwork, and students can participate in international field trips, with recent destinations including Germany, Spain, the United States and Indonesia

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) Explain the complex interplay of environmental, economic, social and political processes that influence the spatial organisation of human activities at a range of scales, from global to local; (2) demonstrate an understanding of human geography as an academic discipline, including awareness of its concepts, history and principal sub-fields.; (3) identify the role of planning systems in shaping the characteristics of cities and regions.; (4) Critically review the geographic and planning methods, policies and approaches used to address urban and regional challenges; (5) apply methods for the investigation and interpretation urban and regional phenomena.; and (6) demonstrate the ability to communicate to specialist and non specialist audiences through multiple channels..

Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.

Incompatibilities

MJD-ENGEO Environmental Geography and MJD-GGRPY Geographical Sciences

Courses

Human Geography and Planning can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Example Study Plan

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2022; NS = non-standard teaching period

Note:Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2023 or 2024.

Level 1

Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 GEOG1104 Disasters!
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of at least 6 points from this group:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 GEOG1103 Urbanisation and Sustainability
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 GEOG1106 Climate Change: Environment and Society
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil

Level 2

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
NS GEOG2202 Reading Landscapes: People and Processes
Prerequisites:
GEOG1103 Urbanisation and Sustainability
OR
GEOG1104 Disasters!
OR
GEOG1106 Climate Change: Environment and Society
OR
Approval of Unit Co-ordinator
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 GEOG2205 Geographies of Economic Development
Prerequisites:
GEOG1103 Urbanisation
or
Sustainability
or
GEOG1104 Disasters!
or
GEOG1106 Climate Change: Environment and Society;
or
with permission of Unit co-ordinator based on equivalent studies.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 GEOG2206 Population Geography and Planning
Prerequisites:
Either GEOG1103 Urbanisation and Sustainability
OR
GEOG1106 Climate Change Environment and Society
OR
GEOG1104 Disasters!;
or
approval of the Unit Coordinator.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of at least 6 points from this group:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
Prerequisites:
36 points of prior study
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil
N/A GEOG2204 International Field Work in Geography
Prerequisites:
48 points of prior undergraduate study at UWA and approval by Unit Coordinator
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil

Level 3

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 GEOG3302 Local Places, Global Contexts
Prerequisites:
GEOG2202 Reading Landscapes: People and Processes
or
approval of the Unit Coordinator.
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 GEOG3306 Regional Development and Planning
Prerequisites:
GEOG2205 Geographies of Economic Development
or
ECON2224 Environmental Economics 2
or
approval of the Unit Coordinator.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PLNG3303 Regional Development and Planning
S2 GEOG3309 Global Inequalities and Population Change: Transformation and Crisis
Prerequisites:
GEOG2205
or
GEOG2206
or
approval of unit co-ordinator
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 GEOG3303 Environmental Policy and Planning
Prerequisites:
Enrolment in MJD-CONBI Conservation Biology
or
MJD-NRMGT Natural Resource Management
or
MJD-GGRPY Geographical Sciences
or
MJD-HGYPL Human Geography and Planning
or
MJD-WLCDM Wildlife Conservation
or
MJD-ENVDM Environmental Science and Management
or
MJD-ENVMT Environmental Management
or
MJD-ENGEO Environmental Geography and Planning
or
MNR-SAPEP Science and Policy: Environmental Planning
or
MNR-SPCEU Science and Policy: Climate Change, Environmental Planning and Urban Environments
or
MNR-ENVST Understanding the Environment and Successful completion of 72 points in your chosen degree
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Unit(s) PLNG2203 Environmental Policy and Planning
S1 GEOG3305 Urban Planning and Design
Prerequisites:
URBD1000 Urban Design
OR
GEOG2205 Geographies of Economic Development
OR
GEOG2206 Social Geography and Planning
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 GEOG3308 Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Prerequisites:
GEOG2201
or
GEOG2202
or
approval of unit co-ordinator
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil