Why is our world the way it is today? How did it become this way? How can we find solutions to the local and global challenges of environment, sustainability and well-being of societies?
The Department of Geographical and Historical Studies conducts research into the mutual impacts of space, time and environment, as well as educates specialists in the fields of History, Geography and Environmental Policy. Our department is located on the Joensuu campus.
600
Bachelor's and Master's Degree Students
110
Doctoral researchers
75
Employees
Studies
History, Geography and Environmental Policy – The Department of Geographical and Historical Studies is an open and international academic environment that offers multidisciplinary and student-oriented education in these three majors.
The diverse offering of undergraduate and postgraduate studies in English includes a selection of courses in Finnish and General History; Physical, Environmental and Human Geography; Geoinformatics; and Environmental Policy.
In addition, we organise the English-language Master’s Degree Programme, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change: a Master’s Degree Programme in Environmental Policy and Law, which provides advanced training in policy, law and impact assessment concerning climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources. The department also offers the international, non-degree study programme Karelia, Russia and the Baltic Area.
In addition to our programmes taught in English, we also offer a variety of degree programmes taught in Finnish.
Research
Our research is focused on the mutual impacts of space, time and the environment. It responds to the ‘global challenges’ identified in the UEF strategy by developing multidisciplinary approaches, theories, and methods in environmental policy, history, and human and physical geography.
Specific focus areas are, among others,
- the sustainable use of natural resources, the transformation towards circular economy, and the relationships between environmental and social changes,
- borderlands as historical, geographic and environmental transition contexts,
- the relationships between the natural environment, socio-economic conditions, and well-being.
Our research groups
News and events
News
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Contact information
Joensuu Campus
Postal address
University of Eastern Finland
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Department of Geographical and Historical Studies
Joensuu campus
P.O. Box 111, FI-80101
Finland
Visiting address
Yliopistokatu 7, Metria, 3th floor, Joensuu