The Geography Section of the Faculty of Science represents geography at Charles University. As the only department in the Czech Republic, it comprehensively covers teaching and research in all basic geographical and demographic disciplines.
The Geography Section of the Faculty of Science is one of the most prestigious and largest university geography departments in Europe.
The program covers demography, analyzing demographic processes like fertility, mortality, marriage, divorce, and abortion rates globally. It provides foundational knowledge for fields like anthropology, sociology, and healthcare, with practical applications in administration, education, insurance, and various economic and social sectors.
The Geography Didactics program covers a wide range of topics related to geographic education monitoring, innovation, and assessment. Graduates are prepared for independent and team-based research, educational, and managerial roles in geography education. They contribute to addressing open questions in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating geographic education.
The program trains students for advanced, independent research in physical geography and geoecology. It explores the interplay between nature and society, covering disciplines like geomorphology, hydrology, climatology, pedogeography, and biogeography. A key focus lies in comparing past and present natural processes for predicting environmental changes.
The program integrates geographic information systems, cartography, and remote sensing. Students acquire theoretical and practical knowledge, methodologies, and techniques for solving geographical problems. It encompasses scientific research and applications of advanced spatial data analysis methods, data collection, and interpretation of remote sensing data, database system theory, mapping, spatial data distribution, development of new cartographic methods, and geoinformation infrastructure. The goal is to engage students internationally and develop communication and professional skills through internships.
The graduate is prepared to independent and team scientific research and pedagogical work. He/she has a broad outlook in geography, in the application of theoretical and methodological approaches of natural and social sciences to understand socio-spatial changes in designing integrative solutions to complex problems in the Czech and international context. Can apply integrative approaches developed in geography and related fields in designing problem-oriented interdisciplinary solutions basic and applied research.
The doctoral program explores regional and political geographies in a globalized world at various spatial scales, from local to global. It addresses topics such as (multi-scalar) governance, state geography, nationalism, identities, elections, peace and conflicts, geopolitics, integration and disintegration processes, and institutional structures. It also examines regional dimensions of problems and policies related to the environment or public health.
The doctoral program focuses on studying the socio-geographic transformation of society, its conditions, developmental tendencies, and spatial structure - with implications for societal organization and an emphasis on qualitative changes and connections to the natural environment (environmental perspective). Research is conducted at various spatial scales. Research topics fall within broader thematic areas such as population and settlement development, regional socio-economic development and policy, social and cultural climate, and landscape.
