The Diploma Programme geography course integrates physical, environmental and human geography, and ensures that students acquire elements of both socio‑economic and scientific methodologies. Geography takes advantage of its position to examine relevant concepts and ideas from a wide variety of disciplines. This helps students develop life skills and have an appreciation of, and a respect for, alternative approaches, viewpoints and ideas. 

It is useful to have taken the IGCSE course as it provides an excellent foundation for the knowledge and understanding that is required for IB Geography. Students who have an interest in global issues and the impact of the environment will enjoy this subject.

The aims of the geography course at SL and HL are to enable students to:

• • develop an understanding of the dynamic interrelationships between people, places, spaces and the environment at different scales

  • acquire an in-depth understanding of how geographic issues, have been shaped by powerful human and physical processes

  • synthesise diverse geographic knowledge to form viewpoints about how these issues could be resolved

  • understand and evaluate the need for planning and sustainable development through the management of resources at varying scales.

It is difficult to read the front page of a newspaper without reading about issues covered in the geography curriculum, from the migration of refugees to the causes and consequences of climate change. Geography is the subject that deals with these big, important global issues. It is for students who want a better understanding of what is going on in their world. 

Part One: Geographic themes (two options are studied at Standard Level and three at Higher Level):

• Freshwater – drainage basins; 

• Oceans and their coastal margins; 

• Extreme environments; 

• Geophysical hazards; 

• Leisure, tourism and sport; 

• Food and health; 

• Urban environments.

Part Two: Geographic perspectives – global change (Standard Level and Higher Level both study the three topics)

• • Population distribution – changing population; 

  • Global climate – vulnerability and resilience; 

  • Global resource consumption and security.

Part Two extension: (Higher Level only) Global perspectives – global interactions

• Power, places and networks; 

• Human development and diversity; 

• Global risks and resilience.

Part Three: Internal assessment (Standard Level and Higher Level)

Fieldwork report based on one fieldwork question, information collection and analysis with evaluation – data will be collected during a residential field trip to Thailand. 

Geographers are very employable due to their transferable skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking. Many careers relate directly to the course content, for example, town planners, meteorologists, or working for NGOs specialising in development or climate change. Times Higher Education notes that nearly 1/5 of geography graduates go on to work in Business, Finance and Human Resources.