General Background

Geography is an academic discipline concerned with understanding the physical and human process that shape the face of the earth.
Geographers also have a special interest in examining spatial differentiation: why things exist where they do. This leads to geography relating to many contemporary processes such as accelerated urban growth, globalization, environmental issues, global warming and climate change, resource depletion and the transformation of the landscape over time.

Key Themes
Environmental Management, Planning and Policy: this deals with physical and anthropogenic influences on the environment using social, economic planning and technological approaches to limit detrimental effects. Particular attention is paid to policy  tools for reducing consumption, preventing resource conflicts, increasing resilience to climate change etc. Key areas of interest are water, energy and food  security. This program brings together students and faculty from varied backgrounds but with a common interest in environmental issues

Urban Geography and Planning: with the majority of the world's population living in urban areas, this is a central focus of study and research. The main areas of knowledge relate to urbanization, city formation and growth, systems of cities and  interactions between urban places of different sizes, the internal structure of cities including infrastructure such as transportation and telecommunications, cities as a factor in globalization, land and housing markets in the city and urban behavior in cities. More advanced studies relate directly to the urban planning profession including dedicated study in the areas of planning law, design, planning studios, social planning and planning processes.

Geoinformatics: the digital revolution has also transformed the way spatial data is collected and analyzed. Geography has been at the cutting edge of a new technology (GIS- geographical information systems) dedicated to storing, analyzing and visualizing spatial data at a scale and quality hitherto unprecedented. Key topics of study in this field relate to acquiring the computing skills to be able to handle this new technology, understanding the importance of different spatial scales, applying these skills to key areas of geographical study such as environment, transport, housing and planning.  

The Physical Environment: natural processes have a great effect on defining the landscape. These processes can be climatic, biological, terrestrial . hydrological and geomorphological. Of course, human (anthropological) activity also needs to be taken into account as it can complement or exacerbate natural processes through intricate feedback processes. These are studied using the analytic toolbox of the geographer than includes GIS, remote sensing and satellite imagery, statistical analytics, field surveys and dedicated study sites.       

Historical and Cultural Geographies: approach the study of landscape and spatial differentiation form a generally qualitative and humanistic perspective. They are interested in discovering how spatial patterns  and cultural practice from the past affect contemporary life. The scale of analysis can cover the global, regional or local scales. In many instances geography combines with other disciplines, such as archeology, history of art and architecture to piece together knowledge from the past and  generate lessons for the future. For example, learning about the effect of historical global climatic change on cities in earlier eras can inform out understanding of contemporary responses to this issue.    

Political Geography: this area looks at the role political processes affect the human and social landscape. Political processes occur at various scales from the global level of geo-politics down to the local level of urban and neighborhood representation. The study of political geography is also related to the study of institutions and policies that promote political change. These can be inherently spatial and related to particular countries societies and cities. As politics also governs the allocation of scarce resources to different groups and places the development of place cannot be understood without reference to its political development.         

 

Why Geography?

Why Study Geography?

Geography is a discipline devoted to studying the human and physical processes and patterns that shape the earth. Studying Geography involves learning about the accelerated growth of cites, the clash between globalization processes and local cultures, coping with  environmental hazards, global warming and climate change, mitigating the pressures  on natural resources and the evolving landscape of Eretz Yisrael both past and present.

Studying Geography at the Hebrew University will equip you with a broad and integrative view of the human and physical process that fashion our environment.  You will be exposed to Urban and Economic Geography, Historical and Cultural Geography, Physical and Environmental Geography, Transportation, Tourism, Cartography, Remote Sensing, GIS and Geoinformatics.  A grounding in geographical and spatial skills presents many employment opportunities in the fields of urban planning, environmental and resource management, transportation planning and management, spatial analytics and geoinformatics, social and community planning and education.
 
Interest in geographical and spatial skills has risen greatly in recent years. This is due greater environmental awareness of the detrimental effects of human activity and the magnitude of natural hazards on an ever-growing population.  In addition the forces of globalization and political change have combined to generate change at the global, national and local scales.  Finally, the revolution in the information technology and the rise of the digital society have redefined human activity and have concomitantly provided new opportunities for research, teaching and employment. 
   
The Department of Geography at Hebrew University combines lectures, group project assignments, clinics and lab classes, field work, site study visits and study tours abroad in a stimulating scientific environment.  The first year of study is devoted to introductory mandatory courses and in subsequent years each student complies their own combination of elective and methodological courses. We offer a Geoinformatics track option to outstanding students from the second year onwards.  This provides the theoretical, technical and applied tools for spatial data analysis and geo- computational skills.  

Department Newsletter

The rationale for publishing 'On the Map'  the department newsletter emanates from a desire to create an effective channel of communication with department alumni, current students and the wider geographic community in Israel  about  the varied teaching and research activities conducted in the Department. Over recent years, significant changes have occurred in the Department relating to faculty, teaching programs, research achievements and involvement in the wider community. 'On the Map' is a means of keeping abreast of these developments.
 

     
Issue 04 Issue 05 Issue 06 Issue 07  

 

         
         

Media

To view a promotional clip on the Department, click here.
 

Departmental Study Tours
Due to the importance of study tours in the Geography curriculum, the Department has re-instituted foreign study tours as part of the program of studies for both BA and MA degrees since 2010. In recent years these have comprised  an annual trip to Rome led by professor Ronnie Ellenblum and a tour to Southern Catalonia and Barcelona led by Professor Noam Shoval. In the near future, a tour to Berlin will also be organized.


Study Tour to South Catalonia and Barcelona
This tour includes in-depth study of the Urban Geography of Barcelona, Tarrgona and Taratossa. In addition, the tour covers the tourism geography of Southern Catalonia's 'Gold Coast' which accommodates 50,000 hotel rooms and 150  recreation and camping sites within an area of only 20 km.
Study Tour to Barcelona and Southern Catalonia 2014.

Study Tour to South Catalonia and Barcelona 2022

Study Tour to South Catalonia and Barcelona 2019

Study Tour to South Catalonia and Barcelona 2017

Study Tour to South Catalonia and Barcelona 2014

Study Tour to South Catalonia and Barcelona 2013

Study Tour to South Catalonia and Barcelona 2012


Study Tour to Rome
This annual tour is comprised of about 25 students from various departments at HU. It is led by Professor Ronnie Ellenbloom in conjunction with faculty from other relevant departments such as History and Italian Studies. The tours allows participants an in-depth understanding of city history and development across different eras.

Study Tour to Rome 2016

Study Tour to Rome 2014


The "Zaltsman"
The "Zaltsman is an antique optical enlargement machine that occupies an entire room. In projects magnified  maps, aerial photographs or pictures  onto a work surface using a system of lenses and lights. This machine served the Department's cartographers and research students in times past for the purpose of enlarging copying and  interpreting aerial photographs. The rise of digital technology rendered this mechanical dinosaur obselete.

To view 'The Zaltsman', a nostalgic clip commemorating the Department's 60th anniversary, click here.