Geographers study the surface of the earth as the home of human kind. They may focus on physical properties of the earth, or the human or built environment.

Geographers use tools and techniques such as maps, geographical information systems (GIS) and satellite image analysis to examine and better understand phenomena and human-nature interactions.

Geographers' studies and activities often relate to spatial arrangement or spatial analysis, or both. For example, they may provide consulting services in fields such as resource development and management, environmental planning, social planning, business location and market area analysis, environmental hazards, regional cultural history or city planning. They may:

• evaluate and map the locations of people, services or phenomena
• provide advice on environmental issues
• identify new retail site locations
• prepare regional health service plans
• study the effects of pollutants and epidemics on people in particular places
• work in international development agencies or tourism agencies
• provide geographical information systems support to the private and public sector
• provide advice on heritage site plans
• work with land use or socio-economic planners (for more information, see the Community and Park Planners occupational profile)
• teach or conduct research relating to people and social systems, climate, landforms, soils, vegetation, transportation systems, urban structure, resources, industry or the spatial interactions of geographical regions at different scales (neighbourhood, municipal, provincial, national, international, global).

Geographers use laboratory, statistical, interview and field techniques to collect data. They often use computerized data analysis, geographical information systems, qualitative or quantitative survey material, or remotely-sensed imagery. For example, they may use survey data to examine urban, rural and social issues, or GIS and Image Analysis Systems (IAS) technologies for planning and resource management.

Geographers work in offices, laboratories and classrooms. Those who also conduct field studies may experience a wide variety of environments ranging from Arctic tundra to less developed countries depending on their specialization. In the field, hours of work depend on the weather and the duration of the field season.

The minimum education requirement for geographers is a bachelor's degree in geography. To specialize in a particular area of geography, a master's degree or a doctoral (PhD) degree is required.

In Alberta, the following post-secondary institutions offer geography-related degree programs:

• The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary offers a two year Bachelor of Applied Technology Geographic Information Systems degree program by distance and non-distance education that includes a one year practicum. The entrance requirement is a two year diploma from a recognized Canadian college or technical institute or equivalent, or two years at a recognized post-secondary institution and experience in a specific industry sector. Entrance requirements for SAIT's Geomatics Engineering Technology diploma program include English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, Pure Math 30, and Science 30 or Physics 20.
• The University of Alberta in Edmonton offers a four year Bachelor of Arts (BA) Human Geography degree program.The entrance requirement is a competitive average in English Language Arts 30-1 and any four of the following: Biolgoy 30, Chemistry 30, Pure Math 30, Math 31, Physics 30, Science 30, Social Studies 30, a 30-level language other than English, a 30-level fine arts subject. Only one Fine Arts subject may be used for admission.
• The University of Calgary offers four year and five year (co-op) BA and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) programs in geography. The entrance requirement is a competitive average in English Language Arts 30-1, Pure Math 30 or Math 31, and three of the following: Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Physics 30, Social Studies 30, Science 30, a language 30 other than English, a five credit Grade 12 subject. The University of Calgary also offers MA, M.Sc. and PhD programs in geography, and a one year course-based Master of Geograhic Information Systems (Geography) program.
• The University of Lethbridge offers four year BA and B.Sc. degree programs with an optional concentration in Geographical Information Science (GIS) and five year combined B. Ed. degree programs in geography. The entrance requirement is an average of at least 65 per cent in English Language Arts 30-1, Pure Math 30 (or equivalent), Biology 30, Chemistry 30 and a fifth Grade 12 subject. Math 31 or Physics 30 may be required or recommended for courses the B.Sc. program. The University of Lethbridge also offers MA and M.Sc. programs in geography and PhD programs related to water resources, prairie ecology and remote sensing.

Post-secondary institutions throughout the province offer university transfer programs that allow students to apply up to two years of study toward university bachelor's degree programs. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the courses they choose to take will be accepted for credit at the institution to which they wish to transfer.

For current information about programs, admission requirements and mature student admission policies, please check post-secondary calendars or websites.

Geographers may be employed as environmental consultants, resource managers, urban or regional planners, geography specialists or advisors. They may work for:

• municipal, provincial or federal governments
• private consulting firms doing work on retail siting, marketing, health care planning, urban or rural planning
• organizations involved in heritage site planning
• post-secondary institutions
• environmental research agencies
• electronic mapping and graphic design companies
• geographic information systems (GIS) groups
• organizations in the travel and tourism industry.

Geographers may specialize in areas such as climatology, environmental studies, Third World development, resource management, transportation studies, land use planning, social service delivery planning or medical geography. They also may advance to supervisory or administrative positions.

Geographers are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 4169: Other Professional Occupations in Social Science. In Alberta, 75 per cent of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Public Administration.

The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
• size of the occupation.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next ten years.

Salaries vary considerably depending on the geographer's responsibilities and qualifications.

According to the 2009 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Other Professional Occupations in Social Science group earned from $16.00 to $55.81 an hour. The average wage was $32.81 an hour.

For more detailed information, see WAGEinfo.

Post-secondary institution calendars and websites (see Educational Requirements above)

EDinfo website: www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo

American Association of Geographers (AAG) website: www.aag.org

Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG) website: www.cag-acg.ca

Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) website: www.rcgs.org