The Department of Geography, Political Science, Ph…
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- 2023
Geography Department
Prof C B Joshi was the founder principal of erstwhile Parle College, now named Sathaye College. He with the assistance of Prof B Arunachalam established the undergraduate and post-graduate department of Geography in the year 1960. It was a pioneering department, which subsequently led to the establishment of the Post-graduation department of the University of Mumbai in the Vidyanagari Campus under the able leadership of Dr. C. D. Deshpande.
Initially, the department offered B. A. as well as B. Sc. at the undergraduate level and M. A and M. Sc postgraduate degree courses in Geography. Now the Department offers the subject Geography at the undergraduate level for Arts students and Environmental Studies for commerce students. Many of the teachers, lecturers, professors, and readers in the college as well as other colleges and University are students who have graduated from this college. Some of the Alumni have made a name for themselves in foreign universities, many have taken up research work as well as the teaching profession in various colleges and Universities of Maharashtra. Many students have completed M. A./ M.Sc. in Geography, M.Sc in Geoinformatics, MBA in Travel and Tourism, Diploma/Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from renowned and prestigious institutions like TISS, IIPS, Symboysis, Institute, and Environmental Planning, etc.
The Department of Geography has been organizing regular Seminars, Conferences, Mobile exhibitions, Orientation training for teachers of both schools and colleges etc. The students are taken for excursion and field trips twice in a year to different parts of India, they are encouraged to participate in inter-collegiate Quiz, seminars, presentation competition, exhibition etc. They have been bringing laurels to the college consistently.
The department was headed by Prof. V G Amrite who retired in December 2002. He was the Chairperson of the Board of Studies of the University of Mumbai and has written several books related to Geography. Prof V G Amrite and Dr. V S Phadke, ex-student of the college and ex-head of the Department of Geography, University of Mumbai are the editors of the Geography magazine ‘Bhoogol-Adhyapak’. After the retirement of Prof. V G Amrite, the department was headed by Prof. Smt Bharati Unni. Since 1st November 2016 Shri. D. D. Bombe has given charge of the Department. Smt Shweta Ranade, Smt. Samruddhi.V.Chawan and Ms.Kasturi. D. Medhekar are the other faculty members. The faculty members have developed a very good rapport with students which helps in the progress and growth of the department. To make the subject interesting and simple, the faculty members use alternative methods of teaching and effective teaching aids. Prof Bharati Unni, an ex-student of the college had been teaching in the college since June 1981 and was the head of the department since December 2002. Her subject of special interest is Environmental Studies, Social Geography with special reference to Tribal and Gender Studies. She has been actively involved in the application of Geography to the activities of Social welfare through the college N.S.S. Unit and Women Development Cell. She has to her credits, several textbooks in Environmental Studies and Geography, and also has been a research project guide for the students of IGNOU in subjects, Environmental studies, Tourism and Travel Management, Disaster Management etc. The department has introduced an Add-on Certificate Course in Tourism and Travel Management affiliated to the University of Mumbai. Certificate Course in Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing has also been introduced recently by the department.
The department has many Topographical Maps, Landuse Maps, Thematic Maps, Weather Maps, Remote sensing Images, Aerial Photographs, Planning series Maps, 3D Maps, Admiral Charts, and Informative Maps. The department is well equipped with computer and internet connection, GIS software, Overhead and LCD projector, Film projector, surveying instruments, GPS device, Mapping instruments, Weather Instruments, Models and good collection of rocks specimens. The college library has a wide range of Geography Books, encyclopedias, magazines, Atlases, Journals. Those interested in carrying out reference work related to maps and books are always welcome to the Department of Geography.
The department organizes lectures of eminent personalities in different fields related to geography regularly and celebrates Geography Day on 14th January every year to create awareness of the significance of the subject. During the Utsav festival, every year students of Geography participate actively and prepare Maps, Models, Charts, Presentations on contemporary themes for the Geography exhibition. Department has competent faculty members to support Surveying, Computer Mapping, Data analysis, Applications of Cartographic Techniques, Planning and Research Project Guidance and Providing Guidance for competitive exams like UPSC and MPSC etc.
About the Subject
Geography is a systematic study of the Earth and its physical and man-made environment. It is a subject which helps to study Man and Environment relationship, Understanding environmental problems and provides solutions through environment-friendly lifestyle for protecting our planet Earth. The subject mainly is divided into two branches - Physical Geography (Stars, Planets, mountains, plains, plateaus, river valleys, Rocks, Minerals, Soils, Water, Air and Winds, Oceans, Plants and Animals etc.) and Human Geography (Population, Health, Tourism, Transport, Economic Activities (agriculture, mining, fishing, forestry, industries, trade, transport, commerce, services etc.) Socio-cultural environment (Races, Cultures, Languages, Religions, Tribes), Geo-politics, Geographical thought, Human Welfare, Urban and Rural Settlements, Regional Planning and Development and Regional Geography etc. Geography has become one of the most important interdisciplinary subjects in the 21st century. Everybody is related to Geography through smartphones, use of GIS, GPS, Google maps etc. it is a very interesting and challenging subject having a lot of job opportunities in the field of Cartography, Remote sensing, GIS, Travel and Tourism, Town Planning, Teaching, Environmental Management and Planning, Surveying etc. The knowledge of the subject is very much useful in our day-to-day activities.
Add-on and Self-financed courses
Certificate Course Tourism and Travel management
The Career Oriented - Add-on Courses for the Under Graduate students along with their conventional degree program have been introduced by the University of Mumbai under the U.G.C. Scheme of vocationalisation. The objectives of the course is to prepare and guide the youth of today in acquiring knowledge, skills and attitude for self-employment and market-oriented jobs. The Certificate Course in Tourism and Travel Management is conducted by the Geography department in collaboration with the Department of Ancient Indian Culture. Special Guest Lectures, Seminars, and Field visits are organized for the enrichment of the program. The performance of the students is evaluated twice. Career Guidance in Travel and Tourism is also provided by the staff and tour and travel company experts.
Certificate Course in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing(RS)
Certificate Course in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) has been introduced to develop capacity building in Geospatial Technologies - Geographical Information System, Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry, GPS and Web Mapping techniques to prepare maps, data analysis, photo and satellite image interpretation. The course develops the skills and prepares the students for various career opportunities related to planning, research, image analysis, photogrammetry and thematic cartography. The training is provided by well-trained faculty. The hands-on training in a well-equipped computer lab for different GIS and RS software is a strength of a course.
Faculties
Courses Available
| Course | Details |
|---|---|
| Add-on Certificate Courses |
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| FYBA |
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| SYBA |
|
| TYBA | Semester V Paper VA: Geography of Maharashtra (Optional) Paper VI: Tools and Techniques in Geography for Spatial Analysis - I (Practical) Paper VII: Regional Planning and Development Paper VIIIB: Geography of Health (Optional) Paper VIIIC: Geography of Disaster Mitigation and Management (Optional) Paper IX: Geospatial Technology (Practical) Semester VI Paper VA: Geography of Tourism and Recreation (Optional) Paper VI: Tools and Techniques in Geography for Spatial Analysis - II (Practical) Paper VII: Economic Geography Paper VIIIB: Social Geography (Optional) Paper VIIIC: Geography of Transport (Optional) Paper IX: Research Methodology in Geography (Practical) |
| FYBCom | [Will be updated soon as per NEP 2020] |
| SYBCom | Semester III and IV Foundation Course |
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