Geography and Politics MA (Hons)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Kent

Program Overview

If you're curious about how climate change, migration, elections, or global conflicts affect real people and real places, this degree is a perfect match. Dundee brings together Geography and Politics to help you understand why the world works the way it does — and how political decisions influence environments, communities, and global futures.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Exploring the Basics
You start by discovering how politics, environments, and societies are connected. You’ll study:

Politics & Public Policy – how governments make decisions and why they matter.
Global Challenges – climate change, pandemics, inequality.
Introduction to Geography & Environmental Science 1 & 2 – human and physical geography foundations.

Year 2 – Understanding Systems & Power
In second year, you go deeper into how the world is organised:

International Relations and Comparative Politics – exploring how countries interact and why governments differ.
Dynamic Human Worlds or Dynamic Physical Worlds – understanding societies, cultures, economies, or physical environments like water, ice, and landforms.

Years 3 & 4 (Honours) – Choose Your Path
Now it's your turn to specialise. You can choose topics like:

Russian politics, human rights, international security
Urban futures, climate resilience, health geographies, or GIS & digital mapping tools
In your final year, you’ll complete a dissertation — your own research project on a topic you care about.

Focus Areas (string format)

“Environmental futures, geopolitics, digital & geospatial mapping, justice & inequality, city planning, hazards & risk, globalisation, policing & security”

Learning Outcomes (string format)

“Graduates will be able to critically analyse political systems and global issues, use geographic tools like GIS and fieldwork data, understand how policies impact people and places, compare international political structures, and apply research skills to solve real-world problems.”

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This program isn’t tied to a specific professional body, but it’s designed with careers in government, environmental policy, urban planning, NGOs, international organisations, research and sustainability fields in mind. You’ll also gain practical experience through fieldwork, GIS training and community partnership projects.

Reputation & Employability

University of Dundee is ranked Top 20 in the UK for Geography & Environmental Studies (Guardian University Guide 2025)
Dundee graduates are highly employable, with many entering sectors like public policy, environmental consultancy, diplomacy, local government, international development and research.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

What makes this degree at Dundee stand out is that you don’t just learn about the world — you go out and experience it. From field trips across Scotland and Europe to political simulations and GIS lab work, you’ll constantly apply what you learn to real places, real people, and real issues. You’ll also get access to specialist software, professional-standard field equipment, and even chances to work with organisations on live projects.

Here’s how the hands-on learning actually happens:

Field Trips & Residential Visits:
You won't stay stuck in lecture halls. Students travel to local Scottish sites and international destinations like Spain or Iceland to study climate change, urban planning, landscapes, migration and community development directly in the field.
Digital Mapping & GIS Labs:
Geography students use industry tools such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems), remote sensing technologies, and digital mapping software in specialist computer labs — skills that are in high demand in planning, environment and government careers.
Political Simulations & Real-World Policy Work:
Politics modules include simulations — like negotiating in a mock European Union summit — and even placements with human rights or advocacy organisations, where you work on real campaigns and policy tasks.
Working with Organisations & Communities:
Through project-based modules, students collaborate with councils, NGOs, and community groups to solve practical issues such as local planning, sustainability, public policy or development.
Micro-placements & Careers Support:
Optional 30-hour micro-internships are built into some modules. You’re also supported by Dundee’s Careers Service, employer events and volunteering opportunities to help you build a strong CV before you graduate.

Progression & Future Opportunities

A degree in Geography & Politics from Dundee opens doors to careers where you can make real impact — whether that’s shaping public policy, helping communities adapt to climate change, using digital mapping to solve urban problems, or working with governments and NGOs. Graduates from this course go into roles such as Policy Officer, Environmental or Sustainability Consultant, Urban & Regional Planner, or GIS and Geospatial Data Analyst.

To help you get there, the university supports you every step of the way:

Career Support Built In: Dundee’s Careers Service offers one-to-one career advice, CV and interview coaching, employer networking events, and exclusive internship/job listings — all tailored to your degree.
Strong Graduate Outcomes: According to Discover Uni data, Dundee Geography & Politics graduates earn around £27,000–£29,000 within 15 months of graduating.
Real Industry & Community Links: You’ll work on live projects with local councils, NGOs, and environmental or policy organisations as part of your coursework — giving you work experience before you even graduate.
Skills Employers Want: The mix of GIS/digital mapping, research, political analysis, fieldwork and policy planning means you graduate with both practical and analytical skills that employers actively look for.
High Employability Reputation: Dundee ranks strongly for graduate employment — with over 64% of graduates going into professional-level jobs within 15 months, one of the highest in Scotland.

Further Academic Progression:

If you want to continue your studies, you can progress into master’s degrees like MSc Environmental Sustainability, MSc Geospatial & Mapping Science, MSc International Relations, Climate Change Policy, Urban Planning, or even go into PhD research in Human Geography or Political Science. Your final-year dissertation and fieldwork experience will give you a strong foundation for postgraduate study.