School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies
Welcome

The School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies aims to promote internationally recognised scholarship in a collegial and supportive work environment. With over 100 postgraduate students registered in our various postgraduate programmes, the School provides a vibrant intellectual space for excellence in both research and teaching. It is our mission to build on this foundation in a way that takes account of the School's responsibilities within South Africa today. The School has an outstanding research record and staff regularly contribute to both local and international journals. We are also involved in policy making and a number of our staff hold positions on high level international research bodies.

The School was established in 2003, through the merging of the two related disciplines, Geography and Archaeology. These disciplines have a long history in the University dating back to the 1920s. In the 1960s, the University acquired the Sterkfontein site, this rich site has been researched and championed by the discipline of Archaeology, and has subsequently been declared a World Heritage Site.  The School has an excellent reputation both locally and internationally as one of the leaders in African scholarship on issues such as sustainability, climate change, urban social and environmental justice, tourism and development. We are also one of the leading experts in rock art studies, the Stone Age, paleoarchaeology, ancient livestock herding and ceramics. We offer undergraduate programmes in the disciplines of Geography and Archaeology and postgraduate degrees in Physical Geography, Human Geography, Environmental Studies, Tourism, Archaeology, Rock Art and Palaeoarchaeology.