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Geography programmes at Makerere University have multiple linkages across the Art/Science divide. Geography programmes are a perfect embodiment of the Makerere University philosophy of interdisciplinary and open disciplinary boundaries Perhaps no other subject in the University engages with such a wide range of other disciplines in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Environmental Studies. Being one of the foundation "subject groups" of the University, Geography students and staff members have grown rapidly in the last few years after a long period of stasis in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Department of Geography is a balanced and creative blend of established mid-career and young geographers both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is a service department of the Faculties of Science, Social Sciences, Education as well as the Institute of Environmental Science.

Currently, the Department of Geography offers professional programmes such as Environmental Management, Urban Planning, Tourism, Meteorology, on top of other known traditional courses in physical and human Geography. The Department is in the process of developing the Geographical Information Systems (G.I.S.) Unit and has a Departmental Library and a Cartography Unit as support facilities. The Mountain Resource Centre of the Department is currently offering short courses in different computer packages. A number of  staff members and students, research on more concrete topics such as Climate, Agriculture, Population, Environment, Regional and Urban Planning, Land Use and Resource Assessment among others.

Undergraduate Programmes in Geography

First Year
All courses in First year are core

Semester 1 Semester 2
GEO 100 The Earth's Physical Environment GEO 120 Practical Geography and Introduction to Quantitative methods
GEO 101 Spatial Organisation and the Human Environment GEO 121 East Africa


Second Year
Geography Majors offer 2 core and 2 electives plus 2 courses from a minor subject taken during first year while Geography Minors offer 1 core and 1 elective per Semester.

Semester 1 Semester 2
Core Courses Core Courses
GEO 200 Research Methods, Field work and Quantitative Techniques GEO 220 Climatology
GEO 201 Geomorphology GEO 221 Human Geography
Elective Courses Elective Courses
GEO 202 Regional Development Planning GEO 222 Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
GEO 203 Economic Geography GEO 223 Biogeography
GEO 204 Population Geography GEO 224 Principles of Resource Development and Conservation
GEO 205 Geography of Africa GEO 225 Agricultural Geography
GEO 206 Soil Geography GEO 225 Agricultural Geography
GEO 207 Air Photo Interpretation and Remote Sensing GEO 227 Forestry Economics and Ecology
GEO 208 Photography and Basic Chemistry

Photogeology and Basic Chemistry (For B.Sc. Env. Science only) This course is taught from the Departments of Geology and Chemistry. It is only offered to Science based students.

Third Year
Geography Majors offer 2 core and 2 electives plus 2 courses from a Minor subject taken during the Second Year while Geography Minors offers 1 core and 1 elective per Semester.

Semester 1 Semester 2
Core Courses Core Courses
GEO 300 Development of Modern Geography GEO 320 Systematic Geography of Uganda
GEO 301 Rural Settlements and Land use GEO 321 Urban Geography
Elective Courses Elective Courses
GEO 302 Advanced Biogeography GEO 322 Transport Geography
GEO 303 Advanced Climatology GEO 323 Advanced Geomorphology
GEO 304 Advanced Environmental Remote Sensing GEO 324 Advanced GIS
GEO 305 Demography GEO 325 Hydrological Geography
306 Cartography and Introduction to Surveying GEO 326 Tourism and Recreational Resource Management
GEO 307 Political Geography GEO 327 Dissertation
GEO 328 Wild Life and Ecology (For B.Sc. Env. Science only)
Note Note
Students must have offered GEO 223 in the 2 Year Students must have offered GEO 201 in the 2 Year
Students must have offered GEO 220 in the 2 Year Students who didn't GEO 303 in 3 Year Semester 1
Students must have offered GEO 207 in the 2 Year Students must have offered GEO 222 in the 2 Year.
Students must have offered GEO 204 in the 2 Year


Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Management
The main objective of this course is to teach students about environment awareness, to develop understanding and concern for it and to equip them with skills to enhance our environment for sustainable development. The curriculum for the degree course shall extend over three academic years of two semesters each. The curriculum is made up of 28 courses and in addition every student is expected to participate in compulsory field courses and write field reports. Every student studies six core courses in each semester of first year. During the second and third year, students study two core courses and two optional courses each semester as indicated below.

First Year
All First Year Courses are Core.
Semester 1 Semester 2
ENV 100 Environment and Society ENV 120 Principles of Natural Resource Management
ENV 101 Principles of Ecology ENV 121 Introductory Economics
ENV 102 Principles of Soil Science ENV 122 Rural Land Use Planning and Management
ENV 103 Population and Environment ENV 123 The East African Environment
ENV 104 Environmental Health ENV 124 Environmental Chemistry
ENV 105 The Earth's Physical Environment ENV 125 Spatial Organisation and Human Environment


Second Year

Semester 1 Semester 2
Core Courses Core Courses
ENV 200 Environmental Law and Policy ENV 220 Principles of Environmental Education
ENV 201 Environmental Economics ENV 221 Research Methods
Elective Courses Elective Courses
ENV 202 Conservation and Sustainable Development ENV 222 Environmental Impact Assessment
ENV 203 Demography ENV 223 Introduction to Computer Skills
ENV 204 Geographical Information System ENV 224 Protected Areas and Landscape Systems
ENV 205 Urbanisation and the Environment ENV 210 Environment and Health
ENV 206 Environment and Culture ENV 226 Communication and Conflict Resolution in Environmental Use


Third Year
Students offer 2 Cores and 3 Electives per Semester.
Semester 1 Semester 2
Core Courses Core Courses
ENV 300 Research Project ENV 320 Environmental Remote Sensing and Assessment
ENV 301 Quantitative Skills ENV 321 Regional Environmental Development and Planning
ENV 322 Planning and Vulnerable Groups
Elective Courses Elective Courses
ENV 302 Forest Economics ENV 323 Urbanisation and Pollution Control
ENV 303 Agricultural Land use and Environment ENV 324 Environmental Planning and Management
ENV 304 Soil Management ENV 325 Politics of Planning
ENV 305 Arid and Semi-Arid land Management ENV 326 Planning for Industrial Development


Bachelor of Tourism
The Tourism Programme is a multidisciplinary programme since Tourism as an industry is multifaced. It is composed of different but inter-related industries such as transport, accommodation, catering promotions, etc.. The programme aims at training human power capable of handling the different sectors that make up the industry. This calibre of human power has been lacking in Uganda due to the absence of training facilities locally.
The programme equips the students with knowledge, skills and attitudes to:
Curriculum It is a Three-Year course which emphasises field trips, practical work and field attachments during the course of study.

First Year
All Courses offered are Core

Semester 1 Semester 2
TOU 100 Introduction to Tourism TOU 120 Zoology for Tourism
TOU 101 Environment and Society in East Africa TOU 121 Quantitative Skills
TOU 102 Introductory Economics TOU 122 Natural History of East African Fauna and Flora
TOU 103 Botany for Tourism TOU 123 Analysis of Topographic Maps
TOU 124 Introduction to Accounting


Second Year
Semester 1 Semester 2
Core Courses Core Courses
TOU 200 Introduction to Computer Use in Tourism TOU 220 Research Methods
TOU 201 Environment and Society in Uganda TOU 221 Principles of Resource Management
TOU 202 Tourism and Hospitality Services TOU 222 Public Relations in Tourism
TOU 223 Field Course and Research Project
Elective Courses Elective Courses
TOU 203 African Economic Problems TOU 224 Micro-economics
TOU 204 Development Concepts and Application TOU 225 Travel Behaviour and Management
TOU 205 Marine Ecology TOU 226 Anthropology and Tourism in Uganda
TOU 206 Man and the aquatic environment TOU 227 Business Law
TOU 207 Ecotourism TOU 228 Park and Wild Life Management
TOU 208 Diet and Nutrition TOU 229 Introduction to a Language
TOU 230 Culture and Tourism in Uganda


Third Year
Semester I
Core Courses Specialisation Areas

A. Tourism Management Systems Option

Semester 1 Semester 2
TOU 305 Macro - Economics TOU 308 Project Planning and Management
TOU 306 Marketing and Advertising TOU 309 Land Use Planning and Management
TOU 307 Public policy and administration TOU 310 Tourism Operations Management
TOU 312 Recreation Facilities Management TOU 322 International Relations
TOU 311 Advanced Language Studies

B. Hospitality and Recreation Services Management Option

Semester 1 Semester 2
TOU 305 Macro-Economics TOU 315 House Keeping
TOU 312 Recreation Facilities Management TOU 316 Translation and Interpretation
TOU 313 Operation Systems Management TOU 317 Environment, Tourism and Health
TOU 314 Interior Design and Decorations TOU 322 International Relations
TOU 311 Advanced Language Studies

C. Travel and Transport Management

Semester 1 Semester 2
TOU 305 Macro Economics TOU 320 Spatial Organisation and Economic Activities
TOU 312 Recreation Facilities Management TOU 321 Photography
TOU 218 Transport Geography TOU 322 International Relations
TOU 319 Transport Systems TOU 310 Tourism Operation Management

Tourism as a subject
Semester 1 Semester 2
TOU 100 Introduction to Tourism TOU 120 Zoology for Tourism
TOU 102 Introduction Economics (for those not offering Economics as a subject) TOU 122 Natural History of East African Famine
TOU 103 Botany for Tourism

Second And Third Year
Students can either Major or Minor in Tourism. Those offering Tourism as Major do All the Core courses and one elective, while those doing it as a minor offer two cores and one elective as will be advised by the co-ordinator.

Bachelor of Urban Planning The Bachelor of Urban Planning is a three-year course. In the first year of study, all courses are core. During the second and third year, students will offer three core courses, and two electives per semester. During second and third year students are involved in studio work as well as participating in a field planning course and research away from the University. The field project will constitute a major examinable paper.
Course description
First Year
All First Year courses are Core

Semester 1 Semester 2
UP 100 Introduction to Physical Planning UP 120 Planning Philosophy and Theory
UP 101 Historical Development of Urban Planning UP 121 Concepts and Techniques of Urban Analysis
UP 102 Introductory Economics UP 122 Community Health
UP 103 Soil Science UP 123 Regional Planning

Second Year
Students offer 3 Core course and 2 Electives per Semester

Semester 1 Semester 2
Core Courses Core Courses
UP 200 Research Methods and Quantitative Techniques UP 220 Urban Design Theory
UP 201 Legal policy and Administrative bases of urban planning (Planning Law UP 221 Urban Land use Planning and Management
UP 202 Urban Governance and Management UP 222 Drawing and Site Planning
Elective Courses Elective Courses
UP 203 Geographical Aspects of Planning UP 223 Planning of Urban utilities and Public services
UP 204 Economics and Physical Planning UP 224 Urban Geographical Information Systems
UP 205 Sociology and Physical Planning UP 225 Inner City Development
UP 206 Analysis of Topographic Maps UP 226 Building Science

Third Year
Students offer 3 Cores and 2 Electives per Semester.

Semester 1 Semester 2
UP 300 Basic Surveying UP 320 Urbanisation and the Environment
UP 301 Urban Housing UP 321 Professional Practice and Ethics
UP 302 Project UP 322 Planning and Vulnerable Groups
Elective Courses Elective Courses
UP 303 Traffic and Transport Planning UP 323 Urbanisation and Pollution Control
UP 304 Air Photo Interpretation UP 324 Environmental Planning and Management
UP 305 Computer Aided Planning and Design UP 325 Politics of Planning
UP 306 Gender and urban Development UP 326 Planning for Industrial Development