After graduation
A degree in Geography offers diverse career opportunities as environmental and climate issues gain importance. Whether you pursue roles like climate change consultant, natural risk manager, urban planner or mobility expert, your skills will be in demand. Geography also opens doors in digital fields like geodata analysis and GIS, as well as in education and research. This degree equips you with the versatility to excel in various careers.
Sofie Vermeulen | Project Coordinator and Senior Researcher at Brussels Studies Institute
"In my research I looked at who is currently living in the Brussels Canal Zone, the problems and opportunities, and how space has been allocated. The second part of my research critically looked into the way politicians, urban designers, spatial planners, real estate investors and citizens arrive at a spatial plan, forming a vision for the future development of the city."
Fast forward to
Further study
If you wish to continue your studies after earning your Master’s degree before entering the professional world, we offer advanced Master’s programmes and a variety of postgraduate courses and microcredentials to further broaden and deepen your academic knowledge.
Pursuing a PhD is also among your options. This extensive and high-quality range of opportunities serves as an additional asset on your CV. Here are some potential further study options.
Your competencies for the labour market
As a geographer, you will be a specialist in techniques for analysing and unravelling complex interactions between man and environment. Your contribution to the debate on environmental change, globalisation, and other societal challenges will be valuable, and you will be in high demand in the search for solutions for the more sustainable development of our planet. The GIS skills which you will acquire during the programme will also give you access to a wide range of jobs in geospatial industry and service provision.
What career opportunities does this programme provide?
With a degree in Geography, you have a wide range of opportunities available on the job market. As a geographer, you are equipped with an interdisciplinary approach that combines both natural and social sciences. This enables you to tackle complex issues related to the environment, spatial planning, and mobility, making you an attractive candidate for various sectors.
A selection of possibilities:
- Research and Environmental Policy: As a physical geographer, you can play a role in the preparation, development, and monitoring of environmental policies, both in government and the private sector. For instance, you could work as an environmental data manager or contribute to studies on environmental impact assessment.
- Weather Forecasting and Meteorology: Geographers specialising in climatology can work at institutions such as the Royal Meteorological Institute or private meteorological companies. Here, you work with meteorological models to create weather forecasts for a range of clients, from media outlets to aviation companies.
- Urban Policy and Spatial Planning: As a human geographer, you contribute to urban development, mobility, and tourism. You might work on sustainability projects for urban distribution or be involved in policy-preparatory research on spatial planning, such as drafting new spatial visions at regional or local level.
- Geo-Information Science: With expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, you could work as a cartographer or GIS expert. This may go from the management of spatial data for mobility studies to the mapping of street trees based on the latest developments in satellite and airborne remote sensing.
- Education: You might also pursue a career in education, either as a secondary school geography teacher or as a lecturer in higher education. In this role, you pass on your passion for geography to the next generation, both inside and outside the classroom.
In short, as a geographer, you are well-prepared to contribute to solving the major societal challenges of today, whether they relate to climate change, urban growth, or sustainable development.
Join our alumni community
In addition to enhancing your standing in the job market, obtaining a VUB diploma grants you access to a supportive network aimed at helping you achieve your professional goals and contribute positively to the world. Need more reasons to join? We've listed a few more below for you.
... it's worth it!
- Benefits on and off campus - A BasicFit annual subscription at half the price, student rates in the Resto... : being a former student pays off.
- Help with job applications - It is sometimes hard for young alumni to find their way on the labour market. We help you get off to a flying start.
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Networking - Join your faculty or study-programme alumni association and keep up to date with the latest networking events and developments in your field.