Nov 21, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin

Geography, B.A.

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The Geography Major focuses on understanding the spatial distribution of human and physical phenomena, and the complexities of human-environment interactions. The major provides students with diverse coursework spanning the natural and social sciences. It also focuses on development of spatial analysis skills, including geospatial technology training in Cartography and GIS. The major delivers skills pertinent to the pursuit of graduate studies or employment in a range of geography-related fields.

Program Learning Outcomes

Juniors and seniors will apply geographic concepts, methods, and/or skills in professional or out-of-classroom experiences. This includes participating in professional meetings, formal workshops, internships, study abroad programs, field courses, directed studies, and/or holding related leadership roles.
Graduates will demonstrate the depth and breadth of their learning experience through their post-graduate educational achievements, career paths, and other geographically-related life experiences. Assessment of their undergraduate education will show that geography provided good preparation for work, further study, and life since graduation.
Students will demonstrate an ability to conduct research: locate, evaluate, synthesize, and convey geographical information from a variety of sources.
Students will demonstrate knowledge and use of methodological approaches to geographic analysis, including cartography, geographic information systems, and quantitative, qualitative, and field methods.
Students will be aware of the major developments in the field, have an understanding of the evolution of the discipline, and demonstrate knowledge of the central debates in the discipline of Geography.

General Education Requirements (30-40 Credits)

Prerequisite coursework may be required to satisfy certain General Education courses and will count as elective credit.

Total Credits Required to Complete Major: 41

Basic Requirements: (20 Credits)

GEOG 102 - Human Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 111 - Physical Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 112 - Physical Geography Laboratory Credit(s): 1
GEOG 278 - Statistics in Geography Credit(s): 3 *
GEOG 286 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Credit(s): 4
GEOG 391 - Cartography Credit(s): 3

One course from the following:

GEOG 123 - The Developing World Credit(s): 3
GEOG 125 - Digital Earth Credit(s): 3
SUST 124 - Sustainability & Environmental Issues Credit(s): 3

Intermediate Geography Electives: (9 Credits)

Advanced Geography Electives (9 Credits) **

Three advanced geography courses from:

GEOG 348 - Sports Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 350 - Urban Historical Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 376 - Political Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 377 - Urban Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 382 - Climate Change and Variability Credit(s): 3
GEOG 383 - Research in Human Geography and Sustainability Credit(s): 3
GEOG 384 - Geography of Food Credit(s): 3
GEOG 385 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems Credit(s): 3
GEOG 386 - Applications in Geographic Information Science (GIScience): (subtitle) Credit(s): 1-3 ***
SUST 345 - Environmental Justice Credit(s): 3
SUST 366 - Sustainability & Environmental Stewardship Credit(s): 3

Senior Seminar Course (3 Credits)

Choose from:
GEOG 474 - Geographic Thought Senior Seminar Credit(s): 3
GEOG 487 - Urban Issues Senior Seminar Credit(s): 3

Footnotes:

*Students who have taken ECON 205 , MATH 242 , MATH 262 , PLSC 251 , PSYC 250 , or SOCL 211 will have fulfilled the GEOG 278 requirement but must take an additional 3 credit GEOG course to satisfy the 20 credits of GEOG courses needed for the Core Geography Requirements category.

**A total of 3 credits in any of the following courses may be applied to the Advanced Geography Elective requirement from GEOG 395 , GEOG 397 , GEOG 399

***A maximum of 3 credits of GEOG 386 may be applied to the Advanced Geography Elective requirement.

Minimum Competence Requirement

A grade of C- or better is required for all courses used in fulfillment of the major.

Department Writing Requirement

The department’s writing requirement is incorporated into Senior Seminar courses, required of all Geography Major seniors (chosen from GEOG 474 or GEOG 487 ). Majors must meet the writing requirement criteria in order to pass the course, so completion of a Senior Seminar course fulfills the Department Writing Requirement.

Study Abroad

The Department offers a semester-long study abroad program in The Netherlands. The program, offered at the University of Groningen, is open to junior and senior geography majors. Students receive 12-15 credits. Instruction is in English. Other study abroad opportunities are available. For additional information contact the Department of Geography and Sustainability Studies.

Sample Course Map

For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2022: please select the bulletin year in which you entered the college (matriculated) at the top right of this page.

Curriculum Map

First Year
- Fall - 14 Credit Hours
  - GEOG 102 - Human Geography
    - Counts for Global Society: CGC and WCV
  - Global Society: DPP - Credit(s): 4
  - Global Society: CAI - Credit(s): 3
  - World Language 101 - Credit(s): 4
- Spring - 14 Credit Hours
  - GEOG 111 - Physical Geography
  - GEOG 112 - Physical Geography Laboratory
    - Counts for Natural Science gen ed requirement
  - GEOG 123 - The Developing World OR GEOG 125 - Digital Earth OR SUST 124 - Sustainability & Environmental Issues
  - WRTG 105 - Writing Seminar: (subtitle)
  - World Language 102 - Credit(s): 4
Second Year
- Fall - 15 Credit Hours
  - GEOG 278 - Statistics in Geography
    - Counts for Math/Quantitative gen ed requirement
  - Intermediate GEOG: human geography elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Global Society: SST - Credit(s): 3
  - Electives - Credit(s): 6
- Spring - 15 Credit Hours
  - Intermediate GEOG: physical geography elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Intermediate GEOG: internationalization elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Elective - Credit(s): 3
Third year
- Fall - 16 Credit Hours
  - GEOG 286 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
  - Electives - Credit(s): 12
- Spring - 15 Credit Hours
  - GEOG 391 - Cartography
  - Advanced GEOG Elective - Credit(s): 3
  - Electives - Credit(s): 9
Fourth Year
- Fall - 16 Credit Hours
  - GEOG 474 - Geographic Thought Senior Seminar OR GEOG 487 - Urban Issues Senior Seminar
  - Advanced GEOG Elective - Credit(s): 3 OR GEOG 399 - Directed Study
  - Integrated & Applied Learning - Credit(s): 3
  - Electives - Credit(s): 7
- Spring - 15 Credit Hours
  - Advanced GEOG Elective - Credit(s): 3 OR GEOG 395 - Geography/Planning Internship
  - Electives - Credit(s): 12

Total Credit Hours: 120

Note: Variation in the order of courses is possible, depending upon prerequisites. Consult course information in the bulletin or your academic advisor to customize your eight semester plan.

KEY - Participation in a Global Society (PGS)

Attributes:

Sub Areas

Abbreviation	Definition
DPP	Diversity, Pluralism, Power
WCV	World Cultures & Values
CGC	Contemporary Global Challenges
CAI	Creativity & Innovation
SST	Sustainability

Learning Areas

Abbreviation	Definition
ARTS	Arts
HUMA	Humanities
SOSC	Social Science