BS Geography: emphasis in Global Studies
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE GEOGRAPHY MAJORS ARE CHANGING SLIGHTLY DUE TO COURSE CHANGES. UPDATED VERSIONS OF THE GEOGRAPHY MAJOR REQUIREMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING FALL. IF YOU ARE ALREADY A GEOGRAPHY MAJOR THESE CHANGES WILL NOT AFFECT YOU - PLEASE REFER TO AIM ON ROUTE Y TO SEE WHAT COURSES YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE AND STILL NEED. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT THE GEOGRAPHY DEPT.
A well-rounded liberal arts education
Geography helps us understand how people, places, and problems are related in our increasingly complex world. By studying these connections with a ''spatial perspective'' (i.e., focusing on the relevance of location), geographers are able to propose solutions to challenging social, environmental, economic, and political problems. This emphasis givse students a broad experience with the geographic perspective, both conceptually and professionally. It includes three types of courses:
- systematic geography, the study of spatial processes and patterns of a particular subject (e.g., economy, politics, climate, soils) at global and local scales
- regional geography, the study of interactions among many spatial forces in a particular region, emphasizing the role of those interactions on current issues
- geographic methods, a variety of analytical and communication tools for learning about the world and solving geographic problems, such as statistics, maps, and geographic information systems (GIS)
Some students use this emphasis to prepare for careers that require geographic knowledge and skills, especially at a global scale, such as sustainable development, international business, and the military. Many use it as a liberal arts style degree to satisfy an interest in geography or prepare for graduate studies in geography, business, law, development, or international relations.
This emphasis is ideal for students who: love to explore, watch or read the news regularly, want to help the developing world, and often notice and wonder about the complexities of our world
Career Opportunities
- Typical employers include: multi-national corporations, consultants, federal government
- Job titles include: Geographer, Location Analyst, International Business Liaison
Program Requirements
Required Courses
Expected Learning Outcomes
Successful graduates of this program will be able to
- explain the development and current activities of human societies at world, national and local scales (Courses: Geog 120, 130, regional and human geography courses)
- understand the fundamental principles of the physical environment, the ongoing changes therein, and the interactions between the physical environment and human activity (Courses: Geog 101, 110, 303, 304, 305)
- study practical and theoretical issues in geography, using a variety of methods such as quantitative and qualitative analysis, documentary research, map analysis, geospatial technologies, and written communication (Courses: Stats 221, Geog 211, 212, 222, 223)
- evaluate the core human and environmental processes which create the context for global issues (Courses: Geog 110, 120, human and physical geography courses)
- recommend viable solutions to current world problems (Courses: Geog 120, 331, 341, regional courses)
