Geography is an interdisciplinary subject with natural and social science content, perspectives and methods. This integrative approach is the strength of this subject. Geography places findings about physical, socio-economic processes in the concrete context of places and regions and thus conveys a differentiated picture of the various cultures, economic forms, political and social systems, physical environments and landscapes that shape our earth. The focus in Basel is on the analysis of human-environment relationships using the example of environmental change and land use change.

The natural scientific "physical geography" focuses on nature and landscape and examines the structure and dynamics of the physical environment and the processes occurring within it. In line with this, theBachelor of Science with a major in Geography and Geology focuses on the physical-geographical aspects of the Earth system, the consequences of environmental change, especially that brought about by humans, and the resulting risks to the sustainability of the environmental services required by humans. The Bachelor of Arts in Geography, on the other hand, considers these natural science factors but focuses on people. The focus is on the analysis of land use change, taking into account socioeconomic factors such as population dynamics, food habits, or agricultural and energy policies. (Image source: ETH-Bibliothek Bildarchiv/Swiss Air Force Foundation)