The organization of the space in which we live results from the impact of man on his natural surroundings. It comes from a great many decisions, taken long ago or recently, which have shaped our environment by adapting it to our needs, for better and for worse. These decisions have stimulated development and also created imbalances : more productive world agriculture, industrial concentrations, urbanization, trade at every level, increase in average well-being, but also delocalization, pollution, damage to land, deforestation, erosion of biodiversity or climate change. Geography studies the mechanisms which have led to all these effects, in order to control them better. 

The objective of the training with a research focus is an introduction to the three fundamental aspects of the work of a geographer:

• to observe and describe the environment, especially with computerized databases and advanced satellite observation technology and monitoring the state of the environment through different kinds of measurements ;
• to understand and explain the processes that have been observed, especially by building models which enable them to be simulated;
• to manage resources through land development.

Students will develop skills in the field of geography and especially in the study of the interactions between human activities, geographical space and the natural environment. This is done from the perspective of both human and physical geography: it is important to bring them together. The training also provides students with the geographical techniques necessary for the study of this.

The research focus prepares students for a range of different jobs in the public and private sector or in the voluntary field as well as for being a researcher.

The teaching focus is a specially adapted programme which focuses on teaching at the higher levels of secondary education.