The Department of Geography and Geology
The Department of Geography and Geology started in the beginng of year 2011. It was established by merging departments of Geography and Geology in the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Before that the departments had long traditions: The Department of Geography was founded in 1924 and the Department of Geology in 1958.
The department has particular focuses for its research and teaching: regional environmental research, research into regional development, urban studies and applied geoinformatics. In all of these, it has a long tradition of teaching and project work, and they also account for the majority of the doctoral dissertations produced.
Good relations with adjacent disciplines provide opportunities for students to broaden and deepen their scientific perspectives. The department also participates in joint educational programmes within the university and in the work of the Open University and the Finnish Virtual University. It has strong connections with instruments of social and regional development in South-Western Finland and in a broader perspective both nationally and internationally.