Human Geography

Entry requirements

First or second class honours degree in Geography or related discipline.

For direct PhD entry, applicants should possess a relevant Master's or MPhil degree in Geography or related discipline.

Months of entry

February, October

Course content

Human Geography seeks to explore the relationship between people and their communities, considering language, religion, economic and government structures, and a broad range of other cultural aspects. Through independent research, supervisory meetings, and departmental seminars, this research programme provides the opportunity to conduct an in-depth research project in an area of human geography, and aims to build key skills for positions in research, spatial/social planning, and development consultancy and management.

The Department of Geography offers the opportunity to work at doctoral level alongside academics whose research has been internationally recognised. Researchers in the Department include Professor Mark Macklin, whose expertise lies in river systems, global environmental change, and in catchment hazard and pollution issues, and Professor of Climate Science and Meteorology, Edward Hanna.

Students can benefit from the supportive academic community, where ideas and experiences are shared with the aim of advancing knowledge.

Lincoln's human geographers are working on projects exploring national and international migration; rural development; the spatial dimension of social and technological innovations; environmental history and geoarcheaology; environmental management, governance and behaviour; and the analysis and mapping of a range of economic and social inequalities from international to sub-regional scales.

Department specialisms

Potential areas of work are aligned with the Department's current research strengths and specialisms and include (but are not limited to): Food production and water security Rural development policy Sustainable rural, agricultural and urban communities Migration and geodemographics Urban security and governance Managing post-disaster scenarios Geographies of health Environmental management/governance and behaviour Environmental history and geoarcheaology Perceptions of ‘place’ Development studies. Development, Inequality, Resilience, and Environments (DIRE) Development, Inequality, Resilience and Environments addresses the most urgent and immediate threats to the resilience of human environment systems and seeks to understand the complex interactions between societies and the landscapes they inhabit that precipitate vulnerability, including rural and urban dynamics. Our scope also contributes to the growing body of research undertaken by University of Lincoln academics around sustainability, in particular environmental justice, and the role of governance, both within the UK and abroad. Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health (LCWPH) The Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health (LCWPH) focuses on solving the most pressing global environmental and societal challenges related to aquatic ecosystems and water resources. These include hydrological and sea-level impacts of climate change, flood-related contamination from metal mining and processing, and water-borne and vector-borne diseases affecting humans and animals, as well as behavioural, political, and economic adaptation mechanisms to mitigate environmental and human health impacts. As part of the LCWPH, we have recently established the Lincoln Climate Research Group (LCGR), which addresses the physical, social, environmental, and political causes and drivers of climate variations over a range of temporal and spatial scales in the Global North and Global South. The interdisciplinary nature of this research group also feeds into other key themes within the University, such as 'Rurality' (e.g. through climate impacts on agricultural production) and 'Communities' (e.g. through climate change impacts of and adaptation to floods and droughts, migration and cites).

Fees and funding

For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, you can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.