An overview of the Department

The Department of Geography and Geo-Information Sciences is one of the five departments in the School of Environmental Sciences. The other departments of the School are: Hydrology and Water Resources; Mining and Environmental Geology; Ecology and Resource Management and Urban and Regional Planning. Within the School, the niche of the Department is its emphasis on the analysis of spatial organisation of both the human and the physical environments. The processes that influence this organisation are analysed as the basis of understanding major issues in the environment in all the disciplines relevant to the School.

The Department’s major focus is spatial science providing mapping services, education and training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS), Surveying and Geomatics. The Department serves the School, the University and the northern region (Vhembe District) of the Limpopo province and South Africa as a whole.

Three-year undergraduate, Honours, Master’s and Ph.D. degree programmes are offered. The main objective of the undergraduate programme is to provide students with a strong background to work as environmental and geo-information scientists. The structure of the modules that constitute the programme provide for a broad based introduction to major world environments and associated techniques in the first year. In the second year students are introduced to theoretical thrusts and methodology. In the third year students begin to specialize. Masters and doctoral programmes are mainly geared towards research and applied work.

Students are also prepared to pursue career areas in line with the South African education policy that puts emphasis on career-oriented training and one that combines knowledge with skills training. Tourism Geography, Rural Development Planning, Population and Demography, Industrial and Settlement Studies, Applied Geomorphology, Climatology, Biogeography, Geography and Geo-Information Science are specific fields of study.

For more information contact the Head of Department:

Mission

To offer training & tertiary education in Physical & Human geography, & Geographical Information Sciences, while actively engaging in research & community work in order to respond to the development needs of the region, nation & southern Africa.

Vision

To be a centre of excellence in tertiary education in Geography & Geo-information Sciences in South Africa & to contribute to sustainable rural & regional development of southern Africa.

Programmes

(with Geo as major)

B.EnvSc

B.EnvScH(GEO)

M.EnvSc

PhD (GEO)

Programmes under Development: Bachelor in Disaster Risk Science; Diploma in GIS & Remote sensing

Modules

Undergraduate Modules

Staff

Dr. N.S. Nethengwe, Deputy Dean: Environmental Sciences & HOD

Qualifications: B,UED(UNIVEN), B(Hons) UCT, M(Wits), PhD (West Virginia), Cert. (GIS) Univ. of Southern Mississippi, USA).

Research Interests: Applications of PGIS/GIS/RS in Flood Risk; Gully extraction; Modelling Soil Erosion; Cross-border Trade & Green economy.

Tel: +27 15 962 8593
Email: Nthaduleni.nethengwe@univen.ac.za
Office: F026, School of Environmental Science Building

Professor A. Musyoki, Professor

Qualifications: PHD (Howard University. Washington DC); Masters (Ohio University, Athens Ohio); Bachelor of education (Nairobi University, Kenya).

Research interests: Environment and development, climate change and green economy, Land reform and rural development, Gender and development

Tel: +27 15 962 8586
Email: agnes.musyoki@univen.ac.za
Office: F021, School of Environmental Science Building

Professor B.D.O. Odhiambo, Professor

Qualifications: PHD (geography): University of Waterloo Ontario, Canada; MSc (Geology): University of Nairobi; Postgraduate Diploma (geomorphology) I.T.C Netherlands; Bachelor of Science (Hon): University of Nairobi, Kenya; Certificate of Achievement in remote sensing, Toulouse, France.

Research interests: Environmental Biogeochemistry, GIS and Remote Sensing, Exploration of economic mineral deposits using biogeochemical and geobotanical techniques.

Tel: +27 15 962 8587
Email: beneah.odhiambo@univen.ac.za
Office: F022, School of Environmental Science Building

Dr T.M. Nelwamondo, Lecturer

Qualifications: PEd, BSc (Hons) Fort Hare, Masters (University of Port Elizabeth), PhD (UP). 

Research Interests: Settlement Development and urbanisation; Tourism development.

Tel: +27 15 962 8582
Email: tshililo@univen.ac.za
Office: F017, School of Environmental Science Building

Dr N.V. Mudau, Lecturer

Qualifications: PHD Environmental Sciences (North West University); Masters Environmental sciences (Univen); BA (Univen); Diploma in education (Univen); BA (Univen).

Research interests: Human environment relationship, rural development and waste management.

Tel: +27 15 962 8591
Email: virginia.mudau@univen.ac.za
Office: F028, School of Environmental Science Building

Mr M.J .Mokgoebo, Lecturer

Qualifications: B.Ped; BA Hons (Durban-Westville); Masters Environmental Sciences (Univen).

Research interests: Conservation of natural resources, biodiversity management, society and conservation

Tel: +27 15 962 8581
Email: matjutla.mokgoebo@univen.ac.za
Office: F016, School of Environmental Science Building

Mr E. Kori, Lecturer

Qualifications: BSc Hons GES (Zimbabwe); Masters Environmental Sciences (UNIVEN).

Research interests: Mountain Geomorphology and climatology.

Tel: +27 15 962 8565
Email: edmore.kori@univen.ac.za
Office: G03, School of Environmental Science Building

Mr H. Chikoore, Lecturer

Qualifications: MSc Climatology (UniZulu). Graduate Diploma in Meteorology (Bureau of meteorology training center, Australia. BSc degree (University of Zimbabwe).

Research interests: extreme weather and climate Southern Africa, Societal aspects of climate variability and environmental change

Tel: +27 15 962 8331
Email: hector.chikoore@univen.ac.za
Office: FE03, School of Environmental Sciences

Mrs K.H. Netshisaulu

Lecturer

]Qualifications: BSc (Hons) Environmental Sciences (Univen), Master Environmental Sciences (Univen).

Research interests: GIS and Remote Sensing, Population and Demography

Tel: +27 15 962 8590
Email: khathu.mathivha@univen.ac.za
Office: F029, School of Environmental Science Building

Mr F. Dondofema, Chief Technician

Qualifications: Bsc (Hons) Agriculture Anim.Sc (University of Zimbabwe); BSc (Hons) Applied remote sensing and GIS (UNISA); MSc. Pasture Ecology (UNISA); MSc. IWRM (UZ).

Research interest: application of GIS and Remote Sensing in ecology, water management and agriculture

Tel: +27 15 962 8044
Email: farai.dondofema@univen.ac.za
Office: Resource Centre, School of Environmental Science