Academic Programs Catalog

College of Social Science

Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences

Undergraduate Programs
Geography - Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography provides comprehensive academic training in the human dimensions of the environment, particularly how people are affected by the environment, and how they alter and change it. Geographic knowledge is essential for understanding rapid social and environmental change in a globalized society. Geographers describe, analyze, and explain the arrangement of the Earth’s physical and social features. With training in both the natural and social sciences, geographers have a wide range of career opportunities in public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors. Geographers are increasingly in demand for jobs that require expertise in geospatial techniques, such as geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), drones, remote sensing, cartography, data science, and data analytics.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Geography major is met by completing Geography 480. That course is referenced in item 3. a. below.

    The Experiential Learning requirement is satisfied with a minimum numeric grade of 2.0 in GEO 480.
  2. The requirements of the College of Social Science for the Bachelor of Arts degree. 
  3. The following courses with a minimum 2.0 grade-point average across all attempted GEO courses (minimum of 30 credits):
    a. Complete a minimum of 12 credits from the following courses:
    GEO  113 Introduction to Economic Geography     3
         GEO  151 Introduction to Human Geography    3
    GEO 201 Introduction to Plant Geography 3
    GEO 203 Introduction to Meteorology 3
    GEO 204 World Regional Geography 3
    GEO 206 Physical Geography 3
    GEO 206L Physical Geography Laboratory 2
    GEO 208 Physical Geography of the National Parks 2
    GEO 211 Environmental Policy and Practice 3
    GEO 214 Geography of Drugs 3
    GEO 215 Sports Geography 3
         GEO  221 Introduction to Geographic Information  3
         GEO  221L  Introduction to Geographic Information Laboratory 1
         GEO  235 Geography of Environment and Health 3
    GEO 286 Undergraduate Research in Geography 3
    b.  The following course (3 credits):
         GEO  480 Undergraduate Seminar in Geography (W) 3
    c.  Complete an additional minimum of 15 credits from any GEO course at the 300-level or 400-level.
    Students are encouraged to complete a first-year seminar such as UGS 110, as well as an internship experience, which can apply as GEO 498 when approved by the student’s academic advisor. Students planning to complete a graduate degree in geography are encouraged to complete GEO 113, GEO 151, GEO 206, GEO 221, and GEO 363.