• 1st-2nd semester: Basic education
  The basic geographic education of the first two semesters is based on an interdisciplinary degree program. First, theoretical foundations of physical geography are laid in the form of lectures and a seminar with a field day on the sub-areas of geomorphology, soil science, biogeography and climatology. In parallel, the cultural geographic basics of the subareas of geographic urban and regional research, population geography, economic geography, political geography and geographic development research are taught in the same form. While in the basic lectures knowledge is mainly presented by the lecturers and followed up in tutorials, the seminars are mainly designed by the students themselves. Here you will learn, in addition to the subject matter, the techniques of scientific work, such as the preparation and presentation of a particular topic and the writing of a written scientific paper. Further lectures give you an introduction to cartography and geoinformation or geostatistics. The 2nd semester is concluded with a six-day field internship, in which survey methods are practiced “in the field” and theoretical knowledge from lectures and seminars is put into practice.
• 3rd semester: Methods
  In the 3rd semester, the focus is on methods training. Here you will learn how to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing data, and in-depth statistical methods. You will also attend in-depth lectures and seminars on selected topics of physical geography..
• 4th-5th semester: Regional geography & large field trip
  The small field seminar introduces you to the geography of nearby regions for a few days. Another region will be examined in depth in a major seminar and then visited during a major field trip. These excursions can sometimes lead to remote parts of the world (e.g. southern Africa, high Asia), but closer destinations in Germany or Central Europe are also offered each year.
• 6th semester: Bachelor thesis
  In a period of maximum two months you will work on your own small scientific project and write a paper about it. At the end, you will defend your research results in the form of a short presentation. In addition, you can attend further in-depth lectures in the 6th semester.

In our degree program, you will deal with the processes and interrelationships that determine the dynamics of the “System Earth”. You will first learn the basics about formative (geo)factors such as relief, climate, soil, vegetation and the influence of humans. Subsequently, you can specialize further in the context of our main research areas of climate research, geoinformatics, environmental research and high mountain research. The focus is on the combination of natural and social science perspectives for a comprehensive understanding of society-environment relationships. In addition, the methodological training at our institute plays a major role. Here you will deal with the recording of geographic data in the field, their computer-assisted or laboratory-analytical evaluation, as well as the processing of remote sensing data.

• Interest in current issues concerning society and the environment, even beyond normal courses
• Desire for critical questioning and networked thinking instead of memorization
• Desire for “outdoors”

Geography is a subject at the interface of natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. Since you can acquire a high level of methodological competence in the degree program Physical Geography and also deal with neighboring disciplines, a wide range of professional activities is open to you. You can increase your career opportunities by choosing an appropriate focus during your studies. Geographers work in the fields of:

• Landscape and environmental planning
• environmental analysis
• or are active as experts/consultants.

Other possible fields of work are:

• Geo-information and remote sensing
• Development cooperation
• Trade publishers/journalism/PR
• environmental protection and nature conservation
• school (teaching) and non-school education, science and research
• numerous other occupational fields in which professional environmental and social competence is expected

In addition to the courses offered at FAU, a minimum six-week, non-university internship must be completed (e.g., in public institutions, planning/consulting offices, business enterprises, non-governmental organizations, etc., with a connection to the content of the geography program).