Postgraduate Diploma - Geography

Program Description

The aim of the PG Diploma in Geography is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and competence necessary to critically analyse contemporary issues and problems in Ireland, Europe and the broader world from a geographical perspective. Students will be exposed to contemporary debates in human geography for which Maynooth Geographers are internationally recognised for, including in environmental, political, urban, cultural, historical, social, and health geography, among other areas. Students can also gain training in mixed research methods appropriate for geographically-informed research, including fieldwork, qualitative and quantitative research methods, GIS and remote sensing. Students will also be exposed to working with civil society and government partners, and develop their sense of the ethical and practical demands of such collaborative research.

The PG Diploma in Geography offers current and prospective educators the possibility to earn the basic requirement of 15 credits of physical and 15 credits in human geography. For students seeking to teach Geography at secondary level, it is the student’s responsibility to check with the Irish Teaching Council about what specific requirements are needed. If they do not need to take the full 60 credits in Geography, they may wish to enrol in the Postgraduate Certificate (MHN62).

The PG Diploma in Geography is delivered through lecturers, seminars, fieldwork, practicals, projects and other forms of experiential learning (in and out of the classroom). The PG Diploma offers a wide selection of modules to choose from, reflecting the breadth of the discipline and allowing students to specialise given their interests and/or schedules. Students work with the course director to create a programme reflecting their particular needs. The PG Diploma is available either part-time or full-time, is flexible in delivery, innovative in emphasis, and stresses research-led experiential and field-based teaching and learning opportunities for students to develop additional employability competencies.