Geography - Bachelor of Science

On the Bachelor's degree course in Geography, students can concentrate entirely on the subject of geography. At the interface between the natural and social sciences, they are familiarized with all aspects of the society-environment debate and prepared individually and flexibly for both specialist Master's degree courses and career entry. In addition to subject-specific and methodological modules, the course also includes research-oriented projects.

Facts

Standard period of study:
6 semesters
Language of instruction:
German, partly English
Admission:
admission-free
Start of studies:
winter semester
Degree:
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)

A group of four young adults is sitting together in a room. A woman is pointing at a laptop while the others watch with interest.
© Uwe Lewandowski

Graduates of the B.Sc. in Geography not only have a broad specialist knowledge of environmentally relevant interface topics, but are also able to place their specialist knowledge in a broader context and question it critically. The degree program is characterized by the following features in particular, which set it apart from comparable degree programs in this combination: 

  • the use of natural science and social science perspectives to deal with current and future challenges in the relationship between society and the environment in a problem- and solution-oriented manner,
  • the strong methodological orientation, in which students not only learn about qualitative and quantitative methods, but also put them into practice,
  • the project and research orientation in the higher semesters with subject-specific and methodological consolidation, particularly in project-oriented teaching research.

The overarching qualification objective of the degree program is to prepare students both for their academic career and for their professional career in terms of subject matter and methodology. In addition to academic and methodological courses, this is ensured primarily through research-, project- and practice-oriented courses.

The Bachelor's degree course thus qualifies students for admission to a Master's degree course (in particular the Osnabrück  degree course “Geography: Society - Environment - Future”), as well as for professional activities in public administration, in consulting firms (both corporate and municipal consultancies), in the energy industry, in urban, regional and environmental planning, in tourism, in non-governmental organizations and in various service and production companies (e.g. expansion, corporate social responsibility, sustainability management, etc.).

Regulations

Every degree has sets of regulations which govern access, admissions, examinations and the structure of the program. More concrete information on the structure of the program is provided here:

Program Schedule

Program schedules are an example of how the degree program may be structured.

Sem.

 

1 Introduction to Geography (12 CP):
Introduction to Studies and Academic Work
Lecture Introduction to Human Geography
Lecture Introduction to Physical Geography

Fundamentals
IAG* I (9 CP):

2 lectures
4 excursion days
Fundamentals of Methods: Statistics (7 CP):
Lecture and exercise
Professional skills development (6 CP):
Offer KoPro
and/or university
2 Fundamentals of Human Geography I
(8 CP):
lecture and seminar
Fundamentals of Physical Geography I (8 CP)
Lecture and seminar
Geodata I
(7 CP):

Lecture and exercise
 





Compulsory elective area of related
disciplines (minor subject)
20 CP
3 Fundamentals of Human Geography II
(7 CP):
lecture and tutorial

Fundamentals of Physical Geography II (8 CP)
Lecture and exercise
Fundamentals
IAG II (5 CP):

1 lecture
2 excursion days
Geodata II
(8 CP):

Lecture and seminar

Practical course
(7 CP)
4 Specialization
Geography I
(10 CP):
2 seminars

Specialization IAG
(9 CP):

Colloquium
2 seminars
Advanced Methods
(5 CP):

Methods seminar
 

Practical course
(7 CP)
5 Specialization
Geography II (10 CP):

2 seminars
Geographical teaching research
(12 CP):

Methods seminar and study project
 
6   Bachelor's seminar
(4 CP)
Bachelor's thesis
(12 CP)
 

Color codes:

    Subject-specific
Fundamentals of Geography
Subject-specific
Basics of human geography
Subject-specific
Basics of Physical Geography
Subject-specific
Specialization in Geography
*Integrative/
Applied Geography
Methodology/Geodata Thesis

General information about university admissions may be accessed at  Admission Requirements. The German Higher Education Entrance Qualification (Abitur) entitles students to commence a first degree qualification at Osnabrück University. The term “first degree qualification” refers to a period of study that culminates in a student’s first professionally-relevant university degree (Bachelor’s degree or First Legal State Examination). Information about the conditions that apply for people seeking to embark on an undergraduate degree without the higher education entrance qualification may be found at  Studying without an Abitur.

Applicants in possession of international certification must demonstrate sufficient levels of  German Language Proficiency.

This program is not subject to admission restrictions.

All applicants must demonstrate a good command of German and English. Further information on the admission requirements can be found in the  Admission Regulations.

All information pertaining to the application process may be found at  Application, Admission and Enrollment.

German and international applicants with German certification can enroll directly for this subject that does not have admission restrictions. You can find all information on enrollment and the enrollment deadline for the desired semester under  Bachelor's degree programs (one subject) - open admission.

Please note: different application conditions and deadlines may apply for  Applicants with Non-German Certification!

The examination regulations do not prescribe an obligatory period of study abroad. However, a number of  Options for Studying Abroad are available to you within a range of exchange programs. The  International Office and the  Office for Study Abroad of Faculty 1 will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Studying at Osnabrück University means you will be subject to semester fees. Depending on how much of your study credit (standard period of study plus tolerance semester) you have used up, you may also have to pay long-term study fees. Additional information on this topic may be found at  How Much does Studying Cost?

Our  Central Study Counseling Service will be happy to provide you with all the information you need about studying, admission requirements and the structure of your chosen program.

The  student advisory service answers specific questions about the course content.

If you are interested in a Master's degree course at Osnabrück University, please take note of its  regulations on access, in which the respective admission requirements are regulated.

In addition to the consecutive degree programs listed below, it may be worth considering other Master's degree programs and checking whether you can be admitted. You will usually receive appropriate advice from the departmental study counseling service or the course coordinators.

This degree program has been accredited by the   German Accreditation Council.