Department of Geography

Department webpage: http://geography.ujep.cz/

Contacts

Assoc. Prof. Pavel Raška, Ph.D.
Head of the Department (KGEO)
Room: CS-408 (České mládeže 8, an old building, 4^th floor)
Phone: +420 475 28 3300

Jana Jandáková
Administrative Officer (KGEO)
Room: CS-439 (České mládeže 8, an old building, 4^th floor)
Phone: +420 475 28 3174

The Department of Geography is the second largest and also the second oldest geographical institution in Bohemia and one of the largest in Czechia. It cooperates with specialists and top research teams from Czechia, Germany, the United Kingdom and other countries. We are convinced that balanced development of regions and society by future generations is only possible if knowledge of natural and social phenomena and processes are integrated. Our goal is to educate and raise specialists in our field for public and private sectors. Our department is also focused on educating teachers who are going to have the skills to integrate, present and interpret this knowledge with the use of modern technologies and communication skills.

The department offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes within various fields. Bachelor’s programmes include Geography, Geography of Central Europe, which goes beyond to spatial development and project coordination in the context of the European integration, and finally Geography (major or minor) in combination with other subject from either the Faculty of Science (e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics), the Faculty of Philosophy (e.g. German language and literature, History, Social Studies) or the Faculty of Education (e.g. Physical Education). These studies are prerequisite for continuing in the teachers training for secondary schools. Since 2020 we will also offer bachelor’s study in Applied geoinformatics conducted together with the Faculty of Environmental Studies UJEP. All the above-mentioned studies are followed by master’s studies in Geography, or (for those pursuing a teacher’s career) major/minor in Teaching Geography for secondary schools. Research-focused graduates can continue at UJEP in the related doctoral programmes, namely Applied Economics and Administration (the Faculty of Social and Economic Studies) and Didactics of Primary Science Education (the Faculty of Education).

Department research is grouped around several topics, explored in international and national teams with the effort to make the results available to professionals. These topics are: diversity of cultures – the study of spatial context of cultural interactions in the contemporary world, environmental risks – natural and social aspects of risk processes, their impact on society and risk reduction strategies, agents of development – the possibilities of identification and acceleration of local/regional development by local actors and innovations, virtual worlds – possibilities of visualization of spatial processes and changes in landscape and society using geoinformation technologies, world in school – the evaluation of the role of geography in understanding the contemporary world. Education and research are interconnected at the department and are provided with facilities including a laboratory of geoinformation technologies, a laboratory of environmental geography, a meteorological station, a geological collection, a reference library and university services (scientific library), and above all by a team of enthusiastic teachers.