Updated on Jan 3, 2025 10:59 IST

Geography is a fascinating subject that involves the study of lands, people who inhabit them, geographical features, phenomena, and more. The subject can be studied as an undergraduate course or a postgraduate course, depending upon your interests and career prospects. The BA Geography or Bachelor of Arts in Geography is an undergraduate course for three years. Students can opt for an MA or Master’s in Geography course after completing the UG programme. The master’s course is a two-year course to build expertise in the subject or specialise in a related field.

The BA Geography course focuses on the basics of geography such as the regions in India and the world, various environmental occurrences, human geography, climatology, and statistical methods used in geography. Students who want to learn about their surroundings, the story of our planet, climate, physical conditions, and natural resources can opt for a course in Geography.

Syllabus – Important Facts For Geography

Some of the important points related to Geography subject are given below:

  • Duration of the Course: The BA or Bachelors in Arts in Geography is an undergraduate programme for three years. It is divided into six semesters. The Master’s in Arts or M.A. in Geography is a two-year-long, four-semester course of PG level.

  • Updated syllabus based on CBCS: The revised curriculum was created following the Choice-Based Credit System or CBCS to improve grading methods. The credit system allows students to opt for interdisciplinary subjects while studying a course.

  • Examination Pattern: The examination pattern for BA Geography includes internal assessments and external assessments. Students take semester examinations every six months for the duration of the course.

  • Scope in India: Geography is a vast and interesting subject. Studying Geography at the UG and PG levels is essential to choosing a career path in this field. A master’s degree with specialisation helps you get opportunities as geologists, surveyors, environmentalists, and urban planners.

  • A mix of core and elective subjects: The syllabus for the BA in Geography programme includes core and elective subjects. The core subjects build understanding for typical geography subjects, while the electives help to diversify the knowledge with associated subjects.

List of Subjects in Geography

There are two types of subjects in Geography, Typical Core Subjects and Typical Elective Subjects.

Typical Core Subjects

Typical Core Subjects for Geography are given below:

Subject Title

Subject Details

Geomorphology

Geomorphology is the study of Earth and its geographical structure, the types of folds, and faults in the Earth. The subject deals with the scope of geomorphology and various geomorphic processes.

Cartographic Techniques

The subject includes the concepts and applications of cartography, the graphical construction of various scales, and map projections. The various cartographic techniques included in the projection techniques and analysis of areas through these techniques are also learned through this subject.

Human Geography

Students learn to define the concepts of Human Geography, about various races and religions of the world, aspects of population distribution, and the theories and trends of urbanisation.

Climatology

Through this subject, students learn the basic principles of climatology such as atmospheric composition and structure, variation with altitude, and latitude and season. Students learn about the factors affecting insolation and temperature, atmospheric pressure, and winds.

Statistical Methods in Geography

This important subject deals with the various statistical methods used in Geography and their applications. These methods include the geographical data matrix, scales of measurement, tabulation, and measures of central tendency.

Geography of India

The syllabus of this subject has physical geography topics such as physiographic divisions, soil and vegetation, climate, and population. The subject also deals with the economic aspects of geography and the impact of various production methods on geography.

Economic Geography

The subject deals with the concepts of economic geography, such as the classification of economic activity and factors affecting the location of economic activity with special reference to agriculture. The subject also includes the economic activities, manufacturing industries, and the effects of transport and trade.

Environmental Geography

The subject focuses on the concepts of environmental geography, the relationship of humans and the environment, and the various ecosystems.

Typical Elective Subjects for Geography

Typical Elective Subjects for Geography are mentioned below:

Subject Title

Subject Details

Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing includes the definition and development of remote sensing, its platforms and types, and photogrammetry and satellite remote sensing.

Advanced Spatial Statistical Techniques

The subject includes learning statistics and methods of dealing with statistical data of geographical importance. Students learn about statistical distributions and their applications, along with the techniques of analysis for handling data.

Geographical Information System

The Geographical Information System (GIS) is an important subject that deals with the definition and components of the GIS system. It teaches about the principles and uses of various techniques and the way to apply these techniques for geographical processes.

Resource Geography

The subject discusses the classification and techniques of natural resources, the problems around them, and their management.

Agricultural Geography

The subject introduces the field of Agricultural geography, its nature and scope, and various agricultural processes and regions.

Detailed Syllabus For Geography

The detailed syllabus for BA in Geography has several core subjects and a few elective subjects. Students can choose appropriate elective subjects as per their preferences or as supported by the institution. Here is the detailed syllabus for Geography:

Semester

Core/Elective

Subject Title

Subject Details

 

 

 

Semester I


 

 

Core

Geomorphology

The subject of Geomorphology deals with the nature and scope of Geomorphology and the recent trends in the studies. Students learn about the origin of the continents and oceans, the major landforms, and major Earth movements through this subject.

Core

Climatology and Oceanography

Students learn about the aspects of climatology and meteorology such as the atmosphere, weather and climate, temperature, atmospheric pressure, and pressure belts through this subject.

Core

World Geography

The subject deals with the various geographical details such as the physical and human overview of the geography of the world, Asia, and India. Students also learn about mineral resources and the geography of the western world.

Semester II

 

 

Core

Hydrology

Hydrology is the subject that teaches about the hydrological cycle and various water sources such as precipitation, runoff, evaporation, and transpiration. Students also learn about the water-bearing properties of rocks and groundwater problems.

Core

Principles of Ecology

The subject deals with the introduction to ecology, environmentalism, and the preservation and conservation of ecology. Students learn about the nutrient and biogeochemical cycles, the ecosystem, and energy flows through this subject.

Core

Environmental Issues and Management

The subject introduces the concept of the environment and the issues related to it. Students learn about environmental disorders and global problems, including climate change, global warming, and ozone depletion. The focus is on the local and regional problems and environmental strategies for sustainable development.

Semester III

 

 

Core

Human Geography

Human geography deals with the nature and scope of human Geography and its braces. Students learn about the Dichotomy of physical and human geography and patterns of population along with the growth and distribution of population in the world.

Core

Economic Geography

Economic geography teaches about the approaches to the study of economic geography, various geographical factors, and the production and world distribution of crops. It also focuses on the world distribution and production of Iron ore, coal, petroleum, and the changing forms of international trade.

Core

Basic Mathematics and Statistics

The study of basic maths and statistics involves the measures of central tendency and association, Karl Pearson’s Correlation; Spearman’s Rank Correlation; Simple Linear Regression. It also includes the types of sampling and the nature of statistical data. The measures of geographical importance such as quantitative and qualitative data and matrix and calculus are also included in the subject.

Semester IV

 

 

Core

Geography of India

This is an important subject that deals with the aspects of Indian geography. The students learn about the geology, structure, and physical divisions of India. Important geographical aspects such as soil, climate, and natural vegetation are also included.

Core

Population and Settlement Geography

The subject introduces the concept of Population Geography, Population Dynamics, and Composition of population. Students learn about literacy, sex ratio, historical evolution of settlements, types of settlements and theories of city structure.

Core

Disaster Management

The study of disasters, risk, and vulnerability are focussed on this subject. Students learn the types of risk and vulnerability and mitigation and planning.

Semester V

 

 

Core

Urban Geography

Urban Geography is a new subject that focuses on cities: Growth and Evolution, Urban morphology and Land use patterns, models of urban growth and evolution, and Contemporary Urban Issues.

Core

Rural Geography

The subject introduces aspects of rural Geography, rural settlement, types and patterns of rural settlement, and the rural economy and development.

Elective

Fundamentals of Remote Sensing

Students learn about the types and historical development of Remote Sensing and learn to use Remote Sensing as a Tool for Geographers. The subject teaches the basic principles of remote sensing, microwave remote sensing, and remote sensing platforms and sensors.

Semester VI

 

 

Core

Regional Development and Planning

The aspects of region and development are discussed in this subject. Students learn about the types of development and sustainable development and human development from the national perspective.

Core

Evolution of Geographical Thought

This subject introduces the theories of the early origin of geographical thinking with reference to Thales, Hecataeus, Herodotus, Eratosthenes, and Ptolemy. It also discusses the dark age in Europe and its Impact on Geography.

Elective

Acquisition and Analysis of Climatic Data

This subject is of high practical importance as it teaches about climatic data, its types, various weather instruments such as the thermometer and barometer, and the interpretation of weather data and its representation using these instruments.

Specialisations Offered In Geography

The students undertaking a bachelor’s course in Geography can opt for a BA Geography pass course or BA Geography Honours course. For postgraduate programmes in Geography, students can opt for various specialisations during the M.A. Geography programme. The specialisations for Geography programmes are as follows:

Specialisation

Specialisation Subjects

Subject Details

Geoinformatics

Scientific Geocomputing, Acquisition and Exploration of Geospatial Data, Extraction

Methods and techniques relevant for geoinformation processing and Earth observation, Analysis and Dissemination of Geospatial Information

Applied Geology

Geological Field Survey, Mineralogy, Stratigraphy and Palaeontology, Remote Sensing and GIS, Hydrogeology, Geological Field Excursion, Metamorphic Petrology

Advanced forms of Geology and functions and techniques of geological survey, usage of remote sensing techniques and GIS tools, the study of minerals, their types and compositions, and the study of metamorphic rocks.

Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing

Geographic Information System, Principles of Remote Sensing, Satellite-Based Navigation System and cartography, Geostatistics, Economic Geology, Research Methodology and Project Management in Geoinformatics

Study of Earth Science and Planetary Geology, Data Processing and Analysis for Geosciences using GIS,

Features and techniques of Applied and Tectonic Geomorphology, principles of Engineering Geology and Groundwater.

Geo-Informatics and Remote Sensing

Photogrammetry and Image Interpretation, Satellite-Based Navigation System and cartography, MATLAB Programming for Spatial Sciences, Geographic Information System, Radar Remote Sensing, Digital Image Processing in Remote Sensing

Principles of GIS, Surveying and Cartography, Geo Image Processing, Photogrammetry, GIS Project Management, GIS application design, using tools such as MATLAB for spatial sciences, Geoinformatics, Applications in Natural Resource Management and utility management.

Books and Authors Related to Geography

Books for BA in Geography comprise coursebooks prescribed by the institution as well as reference books to broaden the student's grasp of critical subjects. These include works from international publishers as well as Indian authors. Here is a collection of books to help you with your Geography course:

Subject

Book Title

Authors

Description

Geomorphology

Geomorphology: A Systematic Analysis of Late Cenozoic Landforms

Bloom A. L.

The book includes important topics of Geomorphology, such as the elements of geomorphology and the essentials of physical geography.

Climatology and Oceanography

Atmosphere Weather and climate,

Routledge Basu S.K.

Barry, R.G. and Chorley R.J. 2009(9th edition)

The authors explain the elements of climatology and oceanology through this book. The book has details about the climatology aspects such as the atmosphere, weather, and hydrology.

World Geography

World Regional Geography: A Question of

Place

English, Paul Ward and James, A. Miller

 

Through this book, the authors explain the importance of world geography, important geographical aspects, and details of Human and economic geography.

Principles of Ecology

 

 

Ecology and Human Well Being

Pushpam Kumar, Reddy B. Sudhakar

 

 

The authors help students to understand the important principles of Ecology, the correlation of ecology and human well being, and the various ecological cycles in nature.

Environmental Issues and Management

Ecology: Principles and applications

Chapman J.L. and Reiss, M.J.

 

Some important aspects of Geography are environmental issues and their management. This book offers an in-depth understanding of common environmental issues, their causes, and the methods of their management.

Economic Geography

Economic Geography

T. A. Hartshorn and J. W. Alexander

The book focuses on the correlation between economy and geography. It deals with the aspects of commercial production and the effect of economic activities around geographical locations.

Entrance Exams for Geography

The majority of BA programmes admit students based on their performance in the 10th and 12th grades. Some renowned universities, as well as those that provide specialisations, have an admission exam for BA programmes. The following are some of the most well-known admission exams for Geography courses:

JMI Entrance Exam: The JMI entrance exam is the test held by Jamia Millia Islamia University for admission to the BA/BSc in Geography integrated programme. The exam is an objective-type test with 100 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. The test includes questions about language, general awareness, social awareness, and reasoning ability. The exam is of moderate difficulty level.

Delhi University Entrance Test (DUET): The Delhi University Entrance Test (DUET) is a national-level entrance test administered by Delhi University. It is a two-hour online examination. The test, which is administered once a year, is used to provide admission to the several degree programmes offered by Delhi University. The exam is of moderate difficulty level.

Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination (JNUEE): The JNUEE is conducted for admission to courses at JNU with a total of 100 questions. The exam duration is 3 hours, and the difficulty level is moderate. The exam includes questions about general knowledge, artificial language, language aptitude, and general English.

Syllabus for Distance Program in Geography

A typical BA in Geography programme necessitates that the student attends classes and visits the campus on a regular basis. The remote learning programme provides students with the option to study at their own pace. In both conventional and distance programmes, the curriculum syllabus is nearly identical.

However, the course duration might be up to six or eight years, as opposed to a defined three-year period for ordinary students. Regular students are evaluated through midterms and semester-ending exams. Students enrolled in distance education programmes must submit coursework and take semester exams twice a year. The course fee for a distance programme is lower than the course fee for a regular programme.

Top Colleges for Geography

Below mentioned are some colleges offering courses in Geography:

College/University/Institution

Syllabus

Miranda House, Delhi

To be Uploaded Soon.

Loreto College, Kolkata

To be Uploaded Soon.

Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi

Download Here.

Indraprastha College for Women, New Delhi

To be Uploaded Soon.

Fergusson College, Pune

To be Uploaded Soon.

Presidency University, Kolkata

To be Uploaded Soon.

Kirori Mal College, Delhi

To be Uploaded Soon.

University of Lucknow

To be Uploaded Soon.

University of Allahabad

Download Here.

S. S. Jain Subodh PG College, Jaipur

To be Uploaded Soon.

FAQs on Geography

Q. What is the BA program?

A. The Bachelor of Arts or BA programme is an undergraduate course for students in India. After successful completion of a BA programme, the student receives a UG degree in the Humanities subject opted by the student. These include English, Economics, Geography, and History.

Q. What is the duration of the UG course in Geography?

A. The UG course in Geography is simply BA or BA/BSc Honours course as per the UGC guidelines. The UG course has a duration of three years.

Q. What are the core subjects included in the BA Geography course?

A. The core subjects in the BA Geography courses include Geomorphology, Physical Geography, Human Geography, Regional Planning and Development, World Geography, Hydrology, Land Surveying and GPS, and Cartographic Techniques.

Q. Which elective subjects are offered in the BA Geography course?

A. Some of the elective subjects included in the BA Geography courses are Fundamentals of Remote Sensing, Regional Development and Planning, Fundamentals of Geographical Information System (GIS), and Visual Image Interpretation.

Q. What are the specialisations offered in Geography?

A. At the undergraduate level, Geography is a specialisation in Arts. There are further specialisations offered in Geography at the PG level. The specialisations in Geography include Geoinformatics, Applied Geology, Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing, Town Planning and Survey, and Geo-Informatics and Remote Sensing.

Q. Which books should a student refer to for Geography?

A. The Geography programme curriculum includes course books and reference books. Some of the books that students can refer to include Physical Geography by D.S Lal, Introduction to Geomorphology by Orient Longman, Elements of Cartography by Robinson A. H., and Population Geography by Hassan, M.I.

Q. What is BA Pass course and BA Honours course?

A. Undergraduate courses in Humanities include the BA Pass course and BA Honours course. These Bachelor of Arts courses are three-year-long programmes. However, the BA Honours course has additional subjects and a choice of better electives for students to choose from. The cutoff for BA Honours are higher than that of a regular BA Pass course.

Q. Is there any entrance exam for BA/BSc in Geography?

A. Most colleges offer direct admission to the BA/BSc course in India. Some prominent institutions conduct entrance exams for the course. These exams include Delhi University Entrance Test (DUET), JMI Entrance Test for Jamia Millia Islamia college, and Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination (JNUEE).

Q. What is the admission criteria for a UG course in Geography?

A. The admission criteria for a UG course in Geography varies as per the course and college chosen by the student. The average criteria for admission include a minimum of 50 to 60 per cent marks in the 12th standard, along with the associated subjects studied compulsorily during 10+2 in school.

Q. What is the scope of a degree in Geography?

A. A degree in Geography opens the door to opportunities for students to become geologists, town planners, surveyors, educators, and weather experts.

Q. Which course can I pursue after BA/BSc in Geography?

A. After completing the BA/BSc course in Geography, students can opt for a master’s course in the same field. The master’s programme can be taken as M.A. in Geography or M.A. in Geoinformatics/GIS and Remote Sensing or a related field.

Q. Is Mathematics a part of the Geography course curriculum?

A. The Geography curriculum does not include proper mathematics subjects, but it does include some parts of Calculus and Probability. As Geography includes the analysis and forecast of ecological processes, it includes some portions of Statistics and Probability.

Q. What are the top colleges for pursuing a degree in Geography?

A. The top colleges for the UG programme in Geography are Miranda House, Loreto College, Kolkata, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, Indraprastha College for Women, New Delhi, Fergusson College, Pune, and Presidency University, Kolkata.

Q. Which tools and applications are learned during a course in Geography?

A. The tools and applications learned during a course in Geography are MATLAB, maps, surveying equipment, globes, and satellites.

Popular Exams

Following are the top exams for Geography. Students interested in pursuing a career on Geography, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

Jun '24

CT SET 2024 Counselling Start

TENTATIVE

Jun '24

CT SET 2024 Result

TENTATIVE

21 Feb ' 25

SAT Registration Deadline for March Test

25 Feb ' 25

SAT Deadline for Changes, Regular Cancellation, a...

Feb '25 - Apr '25

CUET 2025 Application Process

TENTATIVE

Apr '25

CUET UG 2025 Application Form Correction

TENTATIVE

21 Sep ' 24

Second Phase of Counselling Begins

20 Sep ' 24

Reporting to Respective Colleges

Popular Geography Specializations

Following are the most popular Geography Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.

Popular Specializations

    Popular Geography Colleges in India

    Following are the most popular Geography Colleges in India. Learn more about these Geography colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
    1 Course
    50.45 K
    7.2 LPA

    #5 India Today

    12 Courses
    44.67 K - 52.23 K
    6.89 LPA

    #2 Outlook

    2.0
    3.13 LPA

    #5 Outlook

    1 Course
    540
    5.38 LPA

    #13 Outlook

    91.57 K
    6 LPA

    #21 Outlook

    11.87 K
    2 LPA

    #32 Outlook

    Popular Private Geography Colleges in India

    1 Course
    7.2 L
    4.0
    2 L - 3 L
    4.75 - 6.75 LPA

    Geography Applications open. Apply Now

    20 K - 90 K
    3.45 LPA
    3 Courses
    2 L - 3 L
    4 LPA

    Geography Applications open. Apply Now

    2.6 L - 5.52 L
    4.0

    #44 The Week

    1 Course
    30 K

    Popular Geography UG Courses

    Following are the most popular Geography UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

    UG Courses

    Popular Geography PG Courses

    Following are the most popular Geography PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

    PG Courses

    qna

    Student Forum

    chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
    Write here...

    Answered Yesterday

    Yes, the eligibility for Post Graduate Teacher position in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Army Welfare Education Society, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools is based on the following eligibility criteria;

    General Eligibility Criteria for PGT:
    Educational Qualifications:

    Mas

    ...more

    80954382
    Ujjwal Gupta

    Contributor-Level 9

    Answered 2 days ago

    The syllabus includes professional subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, as well as general subjects like General Awareness, General Arithmetic, and General Science

    A

    Aparna Vinod T

    Contributor-Level 6

    Answered 2 weeks ago

    Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technicians gather, arrange, and manage geographic data for a company. Their responsibility is to guarantee that actual locations are faithfully depicted so that maps, trend analysis, and well-informed decision-making are possible. 

    R

    Rashmi Thakur

    Beginner-Level 4

    Answered a month ago

    A Master of Arts (M.A.) in geography is offered by a number of colleges in Agra. Several well-known choices are:

    Agra's Raja Balwant Singh College provides an M.A. in geography with first-rate facilities and knowledgeable instructors.

    Agra's St. John's College: Under Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, this

    ...more

    R

    Ravi Babu

    Contributor-Level 10

    Answered 2 months ago

    In order to apply for an undergraduate Geography programme through PUBDET candidates must have studied Arts/ Science in their high school with at least three of the following subjects - Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Statistics, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, History, Geography,

    ...more

    A

    Aayushi Madavi

    Contributor-Level 8

    Find insights & recommendations on colleges and exams that you won't find anywhere else

    On Shiksha, get access to

    • 63k Colleges
    • 966 Exams
    • 616k Reviews
    • 1450k Answers