What is Physical Geography: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2025, Colleges, Salary & Scope

Physical Geography is a subfield of Geography that deals with the study of naturally occurring processes and structures in the environment. It falls under the domain of Humanities & Social Sciences.

The duration of the Physical Geography course is different for each course level. On completing Class 12, candidates can take admission in Physical Geography UG Courses. After completing graduation, candidates can pursue PG level courses in Physical Geography.

Admission into Physical Geography courses can be merit-based or based on entrance exams such as CUET, CUET PG, UGC NET etc.

The Physical Geography Course Fee ranges from INR 48 to INR 4.84 Lakh.
Soil conservationist, Environmental Analyst and Geospatial Analyst are some of the eminent job profiles that candidates who complete Physical Geography courses can pursue.

Delhi University (DU), Banaras Hindu University, Amity University and K L University are some of the renowned educational institutes that offer Physical Geography courses.

Latest Updates:

• CUET 2024 is scheduled to be held from 15 May '24 to 24 May '24. 

Physical Geography Highlights 2024

The candidates. who are willing to pursue a course in Physical geography can refer to the table below for course specific details such as eligibility, duration, fee range, top colleges, salary, entrance exams, top recruiting fields and job scope:

Course Name	Physical Geography
Physical Geography Course Eligibility Criteria	UG: Class 12 PG: Graduate PhD: Master’s degree holder
Physical Geography Course Duration	UG: 3 years PG: 2 years PhD: 3-6 years
Physical Geography Course Fee Range	INR 48 – INR 4.84 Lakh
Physical Geography Course Top Colleges	Delhi University (DU) Banaras Hindu University Amity University, Noida K L University, Guntur
Physical Geography Course Salary	INR 4.5 LPA
Physical Geography Course Job Scope	Climatologist, Soil conservationist, Environmental Analyst, Geospatial Analyst
Physical Geography Course Entrance Exams	CUET CUET PG UGC NET
Physical Geography Course Top Recruiting Fields	Government Research Departments, Educational Institutions, Environment Protection Agencies

All about Physical Geography Course

The scientific study of Earth's surface nature-related features, such as land formation, climate, currents and the distribution of flora and fauna is known as physical geography. It is less concerned with human-related issues and more with the spatial relationships and distribution of natural elements such as rocks, mountains, water, soil vegetation, and landforms.

A Physical Geography course can involve the study of physical features at a global level, that is, World Physical Geography. It can also restrict its area of study to a particular country or region, for example, Indian Physical Geography.

Why Study Physical Geography Course?

There are several reasons due to which candidates prefer to study Geography. Here are some of the reasons:

• Physical Geography is a combination of natural science and social science. Therefore, candidates can seek job opportunities in a wide range of professions.
• It is an evergreen field. The candidates who pursue this course would not have to worry about the course becoming irrelevant over time. 
• Physical Geography has a broad range of applications in various fields such as urban planning, drainage basin, transportation, agriculture and geographic information systems.
• Environmentalists and Climate Change activists can pursue this course to gain a better understanding of this field.

Physical Geography Course Eligibility Criteria

The candidates must note that the eligibility mentioned below may change depending on the college. Candidates can have a look at the eligibility criteria of Physical Geography courses for various course levels.

Course Level	Eligibility Criteria
Physical Geography UG	Class 12 from a recognized board or equivalent in any stream
Physical Geography PG	Graduate in any field
Physical Geography PhD	Master’s programme in Geography

Courses covering Physical Geography Subject

The candidates must note that Physical Geography is a sub-set or a subject of Geography and not a separate course. Therefore, candidates can pursue Geography courses at different academic levels which cover Physical Geography as a subject in its syllabus.
Given below are various courses that include Physical Geography in its course curriculum:

Courses with Physical Geography as a Subject
BA Geography	BSc Geography
MA Geography	MSc Geography
MPhil in Geography	PhD in Geography

Physical Geography Course Entrance Exams 2024

As Physical Geography is a Humanities subject, candidates who wish to pursue a Physical Geography course can appear for entrance exams that are conducted for admission in Humanities courses. They can apply for the Physical Geography entrance exams once their notifications are released.

The table below presents common entrance exams accepted for courses that cover Physical  Geography subject:

Physical Geography Course Entrance Exams	Physical Geography Course Exam Dates	Physical Geography Course Exam Schedule
Common University Entrance Test (CUET)	15 May '24 to 24 May '24	CUET Schedule
Aliah University Admission Test  (AUAT)	Jul '24 (Tentative)	AUAT Schedule
Common University Entrance Test (CUET PG )	Mar '25 (Tentative)	CUET PG Schedule
University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET)	16 Jun '24	UGC NET Schedule

Physical Geography Topics

The candidates must note that given below is a generic syllabus of Physical Geography and the course curriculum can vary depending on the college. The topics in Physical Geography course are theoretical. 
Candidates can refer to the table below to find a brief syllabus of Physical Geography:

Physical Geography Syllabus
Components of Earth System	Definition and Scope of Physical Geography
Lithosphere	Erosion and Weathering–
Hydrological Cycle-Component and Processes	Ocean Bottom Relief Features
Atmosphere	Climatic Classification (Koppen)

Top Physical Geography Course Colleges

Physical Geography is a sub-branch of Geography. It is one of the main subjects in a Geography course. Therefore, interested candidates can look for government and private Geography colleges in India. The candidates must note that the college fees shared below are subject to change based on the course level and college policies.

Top Physical Geography Course Government Colleges

The candidates must note that the fee structure of Physical Geography courses in government colleges is different for each academic level. Many candidates prefer to take admission in Geography courses provided by government colleges due to affordable fee structure and industrial reputation.
Please find some of the top Government colleges for Geography course in the table given below:

Geography Government College	Geography Government College Fees (in INR)
Presidency University, Kolkata	3.84 K - 5.4 K
Calcutta University	2.4 K - 12 K
Delhi University (DU)	10.89 K
Banaras Hindu University	10.93 K
Jawaharlal Nehru University	432

Top Physical Geography Course Private Colleges

The candidates must note that the fee structure of Physical Geography course in private colleges is different for each academic level.Candidates prefer private colleges for pursuing Geography course as they provide good infrastructural facilities, informative seminars, training sessions and placement drives.

Candidates can find some of the top private colleges for Geography course in the table given below:

Geography Private College	Geography Private College Fees (in INR)
Amity University, Noida	3.68 Lakh
DPG Degree College, Gurgaon	1.1 Lakh
K L University, Guntur	4.5 Lakh
Lovely Professional University, Delhi	3 Lakh
Malla Reddy University, Hyderabad	3 Lakh

Physical Geography Course Career Scope: Job Profiles, Salary and Top Recruiters

Studying Physical Geography course opens up career options in a wide range of job profiles. The candidates must note that some job profiles may require the candidate to have additional qualifications or skills. The average salary of various job profiles listed below is subject to change based on the company offering the job. 

Physical Geography Course Job Profiles

Given below are some of the top job profiles that can be pursued by candidates who have completed Physical Geography courses:

Physical Geography Course Job Profiles	Average Annual Salary
Climatologist	5 LPA - 6 LPA
Soil conservationist	2.7 LPA
Environmental Analyst	5.6 LPA
Geospatial Analyst	4.5 LPA
Geography Teacher	3 LPA
Lecturer	7 LPA
Landscape Architect	3.35 LPA

Physical Geography Course Top Recruiters

Physical Geography graduates are sought after in many industries of the government and private sector. 
Given below are some of the top recruiting companies of Physical Geography course:

Physical Geography Top Recruiters
UltraTech Cement	Ecolab
ISRO	IKEA
IBM	Seventh Generation
Colleges and Universities	Philips
Mining Industries	NATMO

Following are the top exams for Physical Geography. Students interested in pursuing a career on Physical Geography, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.