MA Geography/Scottish History

About this course

Geography is among the most genuinely integrative of university subjects, sitting at the intersection of the natural and social sciences to examine the surface of the Earth as the place where human societies and physical environments interact. It asks how landscapes are shaped, how people organise space, what drives migration and urbanisation, how climate and ecological systems function, and how communities respond to hazards and environmental change. Scottish history, in turn, is a richly substantive field that traces the political, economic, social, and cultural development of Scotland from its earliest recorded past to the contemporary period, engaging with questions of nation, identity, religion, empire, and modernity that resonate well beyond the country's borders. Studied part-time at the University of Glasgow, this degree combines both disciplines across a programme that includes a year abroad. Geography will develop your skills in both qualitative and statistical data analysis, fieldwork, spatial reasoning, and independent research. You will examine physical processes alongside human geography, exploring topics such as coastal management, environmental hazards, migration, urban development, and the politics of place. Scottish history equips you with archival and historiographical skills, training you to interpret primary sources critically and to situate Scotland's story within broader British, European, and global frameworks. The year abroad provides the opportunity to study at a partner institution in a different academic and cultural environment, broadening your comparative perspective on both geography and historical inquiry. The combination of analytical and research skills the degree produces is attractive to employers in a wide range of sectors. Graduates enter careers in planning, environmental consultancy, local government, education, heritage, journalism, international development, and the public sector more broadly. Many go on to postgraduate study in geography, urban planning, environmental management, history, or heritage studies, building the specialist expertise that advanced professional roles often require.

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