The following areas are administered by this department:

Global Studies

Professor Saff, Chairperson
Professors Janer, Jensen, Longmire, Rodrigue, Saff
Associate Professor Dalton

Global studies provide students with the theoretical and practical tools to critically analyze the ongoing processes of economic, political, and cultural change that have collectively become known as “globalization.” The key tenet of global studies is that the multifaceted process of globalization transcends traditional academic boundaries. While required courses have a clear theoretical core, the program also draws theoretical and practical insights from disciplines and programs across the social sciences, humanities, and international business, providing students the theoretical tools and knowledge to interpret our interconnected and rapidly changing world. Majors have found employment in a very wide range of industries, including media, banking, public relations, education, journalism, law, medicine, international organizations (such as the UN), and non-profit and advocacy groups.

It is recommended that students majoring or minoring in global studies participate in study abroad programs. The study of a foreign language is recommended for all majors and minors. Students are also encouraged to complete an internship as part of their major.

All majors are required to take a comprehensive final exam as part of the required seminar in Global Studies and Research Methodology (GS 180 ). This course is also designed to promote the students’ development of competency in oral communication in the field of global studies.

Geography

Professor Saff, Chairperson
Professors Janer, Jensen, Longmire, Rodrigue, Saff
Assistant Professor Dalton

Geography is the science of place and space. Geographers ask where things are located on the surface of the earth, why they are located where they are, how places differ from one another, and how people interact with the environment. Our Department offers a BA major in Geography, with specializations in either general Geography or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and also a BS major in GIS.

There are two main branches of geography: human geography and physical geography. Human geography is concerned with the spatial aspects of human existence — how people and their activity are distributed in space, how they use and perceive space, and how they create and sustain the places that make up the earth’s surface. Human geographers work in the fields of urban and regional planning, transportation, marketing, real estate, tourism, and international business. Physical geographers study patterns of climates, landforms, vegetation, soils, and water. They forecast the weather, manage land and water resources, and analyze and plan for forests, rangelands, and wetlands.

All our Geography majors are required to complete at least one class in GIS. GIS skills are highly sought after in many occupations and offer multiple proven career paths involving the social sciences, natural sciences, medical sciences, journalism, digital humanities, engineering, business, and computer science. Completing a major in geography is the established path for entry into graduate programs in GIS. The BA major in geography  offers a broad introduction to the field of geography, including the discipline’s various core sub-fields, such as cultural, economic, transportation, regional and urban geography. We also offer a comprehensive selection of courses in regional area studies, such as African, Asian, Caribbean, European, Latin American, and North American geography.

The BS in GIS  major is an interdisciplinary course of study centered in geography that emphasizes scientific and technological training in geographic data management, analysis, and communication. BS in GIS students can double-major with other BS majors, thereby adding GIS training to their work in other fields.  

All majors are required to take a comprehensive final exam as part of the required seminar in Geographic Methodology (GEOG 191 ). This class is also designed to promote the students’ development of competency in oral communication in the field of geography. It is recommended that students majoring or minoring in geography participate in study abroad programs. Students are also encouraged to complete an internship as part of their major.

The Geography Department is also home to an active campus chapter Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international geographical honor society.