Geography
Geography stresses the importance of understanding where things are located and the processes that create and change the distribution of an access to physical and human resources, such as clean water and health care. Students learn to better understand how natural and human environments become organized geographically by institutional decisions and the consequences of human actions. Geography students study a number of contemporary problems, among them physical resource development, racial/ethnic patterns, urban decay, business geography and pollution. Geography stresses strategies for solving locational and environmental problems. Mapping, Global Positioning Systems and Geographic Information Systems are important tools that geographers learn to apply and solve problems.
The department offers a number of curricular options that permit a general education or the choice of a more specialized focus, such as environmental or urban planning analysis, the use of maps and geographical information systems, or natural resource management. All options provide preparation for graduate work and careers in public and private planning agencies. The courses emphasize the problem approach, both theoretical and applied. Double majors are encouraged, and special programs may be designed on request.
Geography courses suitable for freshmen include all 100-level courses, plus GEOG 211, 212, 221, 232, 234 and 259. Recommended for students with a general interest in geography and specific issues of global importance, including development, demographic change, urbanization and migration, and international conflict is GEOG 151; for those interested in physical processes, GEOG 121and in racial/ethnic geography, GEOG 103.
The Geography Department views the grade of D as passing but unsatisfactory. Courses passed with a grade of D, or P, do not fulfill requirements for the major.
Grievance Procedure: Resolution of student-faculty grievances should be worked out in accordance with the departmental grievance procedure, available from the department office.
Independent study courses (GEOG 497) count toward the major tracks only with the approval of the director of undergraduate studies. Each track requires a minimum of five upper-division (300 or 400 level) geography courses.
BA, Track 1: General Geography
GEOG 121. Physical Geography
GEOG 151. World Regional Geography
GEOG 360. Introduction to GIS and Cartography
MATH 147. Statistics
two cultural/regional courses
four upper-division geography courses.
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 2: Computer Applications in Human-Environmental Analysis
GEOG 103. Multicultural Geographies of the U.S.
GEOG 360. Introduction to GIS and Cartography
GEOG 361. Introduction to Raster GIS and GPS
GEOG 463. GIS and Spatial Analysis
GEOG 465. Remote Sensing and GIS
MATH 147. Statistics
CS 140 or 160. Introduction to Computer Programming
three courses to be selected from the following (at least two must be upper division):
GEOG 221. Physical Geography of Global Change
GEOG 233. Urban Geography: Race and Place
GEOG 476. Environmental Analysis
GEOG 481. Special Topics (techniques-oriented)
GEOG 482. Applied Urban Research
GEOG 495. Internship
GEOG 497. Independent Study
GEOG 499. Honors Thesis
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 3: Environmental and Resource Management
GEOG 121. Physical Geography
GEOG 221. Physical Geography of Global Change
MATH 147. Statistics
one regional/cultural course
four physical/environmental courses
two mapping and applications courses.
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 4: Urban and Regional Planning
GEOG 121. Physical Geography
GEOG 233. Urban Geography: Race and Place
GEOG 360. Introduction to GIS and Cartography
MATH 147. Statistics
one cultural/regional course
two urban/economic courses:
GEOG 333. Retail Geography
GEOG 335. Legal and Administrative Aspects of Planning
GEOG 345. Urban Planning Analysis I
GEOG 445. Urban Planning Analysis II
GEOG 481. Special Topics Geography
one physical/environmental course:
GEOG 222. (GEOL 211) Earth Surface Processes
GEOG 323. (ENVI 323) Soils: Properties, Processes and Distribution
GEOG 330. (ENVI 330) Natural Hazards
GEOG 337. Natural Resource Conservation: Theory, Policies and Practices
GEOG 339. (ENVI 339) Environmental Management
GEOG 341. Water Resource Planning and Management
GEOG 421. Advanced Physical Geography
GEOG 422. (BIOL 459) Biogeography
GEOG 476. Environmental Analysis
two mapping and applications courses.
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 5: Urban: Economic/Retailing Emphasis
GEOG 101, 103 or 151
GEOG 232. Economic Geography
GEOG 234. Urban Geography and Global Linkages
GEOG 235. Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning
GEOG 333. Retail Geography
GEOG 345. Urban Planning I
GEOG 445. Urban Planning II: Economic Development
GEOG 481. Applied Urban Research
two of the following:
GEOG 360. Introduction to GIS and Cartography
GEOG 361. Introduction to Raster GIS and GPS
GEOG 463. GIS and Spatial Analysis
GEOG 495. Internship in Planning (var. cr.)
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 6: Urban-Environmental Planning
GEOG 121. Physical Geography
GEOG 235. Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning
GEOG 323. Soils: Properties, Processes and Distribution
GEOG 330. Natural Hazards
GEOG 360. Introduction to GIS and Cartography
GEOG 421. Advanced Physical Geography
GEOG 476. Environmental Analysis
two of the following:
GEOG 101. Introduction to Geography
GEOG 103. Multicultural Geographies of the U.S.
GEOG 222. Earth Surface Processes
GEOG 232. Economic Geography
GEOG 233. Urban Geography: Race and Place
one of the following:
GEOG 335. Legal Aspects of Planning
GEOG 361. Introduction to Raster GIS and GPS
GEOG 463. GIS and Spatial Analysis
GEOG 495. *Internship in Geography (var. cr.)
GEOG 497. Independent Study
GEOG 499. Thesis
* No double counting with ES internship
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours) Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
Honors in Geography
1. The student must be an undergraduate geography major with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and 3.5 GPA in geography.
2. The student must submit a report based on a project that is completed during his or her last year.
3. This project may be based on any one of the following:
an original research topic;
an extension of an internship; or
an extension of a previous class project.
4. The project must be completed under the direction of a faculty adviser and must be approved by at least two other faculty members in the Geography Department.
5. Designation of honors will depend on creativity, technical analytical soundness and the overall quality of the final product.
High Honors in Geography
1. The student must be an undergraduate geography major with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and 3.5 GPA in geography.
2. The student must write an honors thesis to be completed in the last semester of his or her undergraduate studies.
3. The student must register for GEOG 499.
4. The student must talk to his or her faculty adviser about intentions and topic.
5. The thesis must represent original research on a geographic theme and/or technique.
6. The thesis must be approved by the faculty adviser and an honors thesis committee of one or two faculty members.
7. The thesis must be completed two weeks prior to the end of the semester in which the student plans to graduate.
Inability to complete the work will result in a grade for GEOG 499, but no honors recognition.
Requirements for Geography Minors
Geographical Information Systems
The six courses required for this minor are:
GEOG 103. Multicultural Geographies of the U.S.
Any other 100- or 200-level GEOG course
GEOG 360. Introduction to GIS and Cartography
GEOG 361. Introduction to Raster GIS and GPS
One of the following:
GEOG 463. GIS and Spatial Analysis
GEOG 465. Remote Sensing
GEOG 476. Environmental Analysis
Environmental Resource Management
The six courses required for this minor are:
GEOG 121, 151, 232
any three courses from GEOG 323, 330, 337, 339, 341, 361, 421 and 422.
Physical Geography
The six courses required for the minor are:
GEOG 121, 151 and either 221 or 222
any three courses from GEOG 323, 341, 360, 361, 421 and 422.
Urban Planning
The six courses required for the minor are:
Any 100-level course
Two of the following:
GEOG 233. Urban Geography: Race and Place
GEOG 234. Urban Geography: Global Linkages
GEOG 235. Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning
Two of the following:
GEOG 333. Retail Geography
GEOG 335. Legal and Admin Aspects of Planning
GEOG 361. Introduction to Raster GIS and GPS
One of the following:
GEOG 345. Urban Planning Analysis I
GEOG 445. Urban Planning Analysis II