Geography, BA Major in

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Professor Saff, Advisor

Students who major in Geography must choose between either a general BA in Geography or a BA in Geography with a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Students who choose the general Geography option are trained in all aspects of geography, including regional geography, and may also take classes in GIS. Students who choose the GIS option take courses in topical geography, and receive training in advanced GIS that will allow them to use GIS skills and techniques in their chosen profession.

General Geography Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 30

At least 12 of the s.h. must come from 100-level courses. A grade of C- or better is required for each course in the major requirements.

4) Depending on subject matter, credit for the following courses may be counted toward either the topical or the regional courses.

GEOG 100 - Departmental Honors Candidacy: Essay Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 104 A-Z - Special Topics in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 151 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 152 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 153 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 154 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 190 - Internship in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3

5) The following courses:

Up to 9 s.h. chosen from the following courses may be included in the 30 s.h. toward the major in geography. An additional 3 s.h. of non-geography courses may be counted toward the major, with permission of the chairperson.

GS 001 - (IS) Introduction to Global Studies Semester Hours: 3
GS 002 - (CC, IS) Cultural Globalization Semester Hours: 3
GS 120 - (IS) iGlobalization: Moving the Things We Buy Semester Hours: 3
GEOL 001 - (NS) Planet Earth Semester Hours: 3
GEOL 005 - (NS) Environmental Geology Semester Hours: 3
TPP 001 - (NS) Introduction to Environmental Systems Semester Hours: 3

6) Grade requirement

A grade of C- or better is required in each course.

7) Residency requirement

At least 15 s.h. must be in residence.

Geography Specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - Total Semester Hours: 30

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a technical sub-field of geography. It answers spatial questions and solves geographical problems. A background in geography and GIS is valuable to many careers and real-world applications. Using geographical knowledge through GIS, we can better understand and act on a range of spatialized issues. The BA in Geography with a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides a conceptual geographic foundation with focused training in GIS techniques, methods and theories, as well as related applications in other liberal arts and professional fields.

Completion of a minimum of 30 s.h. of course work is required as outlined below, consisting of:

12 s.h. of core required courses in GIS/geography courses; 3 s.h. in applied GIS elective courses;

6 s.h. of geography elective courses; 6 s.h. of electives, selected from the list of courses specified below.

At least 12 of the s.h must come from 100-level courses. A grade of C- or better is required for each course in the major requirements.

1) Required Courses – Total Semester Hours: 12

GEOG 060 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Digital Maps Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 160 - Intermediate Geographic Information Systems Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 170 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 191 - Seminar: Geographic Methodology Semester Hours: 3

2) Minimum of 3 s.h. of applied GIS electives chosen from:

GEOG 159 - (IS) Cartographic Communication: The Power of Mapmaking Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 161 - Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the Natural Sciences Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 162 - (IS) Geospatial Remote Sensing Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 190 - Internship in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3

3) Minimum of 6 s.h. of geography electives chosen from:

GEOG 001 - (BH) World Regional Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 002 - (BH) Human Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 005 - (BH) Population and Migration Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 006 - (BH) Resources and Energy Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 014F - First-Year Seminar Semester Hours: 3-4
GEOG 014S - First-Year Seminar Semester Hours: 3-4
GEOG 080 - (BH) Transport Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 100 - Departmental Honors Candidacy: Essay Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 102 - (BH) Population, Resources and Environment Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 103 - (BH) Urban Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 104 A-Z - Special Topics in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 106 - (BH, CC) Urbanization in the Developing World Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 135 - (BH) Economic Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 151 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 152 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 180 - Field Studies in Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 190 - Internship in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3

4) Minimum of 6 s.h. of electives chosen from:

BIO 020 - Urban Habitats Semester Hours: 2
BIO 114 - General Ecology Semester Hours: 3
CSC 015 - (CS) Fundamentals of Computer Science I: Problem Solving and Program Design Semester Hours: 4
CSC 016 - (CS) Fundamentals of Computer Science II: Data Structures, Algorithms and Object-Oriented Programming Semester Hours: 4
CSC 120 - Algorithms and Data Structures Semester Hours: 3
CSC 170 - Principles of Database Management Semester Hours: 3
ECO 010 - (BH) Economics, Environment and Community Semester Hours: 3
ECO 165 - Urban and Regional Economics Semester Hours: 3
ENGG 010 - Computational Methods in Engineering Semester Hours: 3
ENGG 047 - Environmental Engineering Semester Hours: 3
ENGG 060 - Water Quality for Environmental Engineers Semester Hours: 3
ENGG 110 - Project Management Semester Hours: 3
ENGG 112 - Engineering Drawing Semester Hours: 2
ENGG 120 - Transportation Engineering I Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 001 - (BH) World Regional Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 002 - (BH) Human Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 005 - (BH) Population and Migration Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 007 - Fun with Maps and GIS Semester Hours: 1
GEOG 006 - (BH) Resources and Energy Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 014F - First-Year Seminar Semester Hours: 3-4
GEOG 014S - First-Year Seminar Semester Hours: 3-4
GEOG 080 - (BH) Transport Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 102 - (BH) Population, Resources and Environment Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 103 - (BH) Urban Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 106 - (BH, CC) Urbanization in the Developing World Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 135 - (BH) Economic Geography Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 153 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 154 - Undergraduate Research in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GEOG 159 - (IS) Cartographic Communication: The Power of Mapmaking Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 162 - (IS) Geospatial Remote Sensing Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 161 - Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the Natural Sciences Semester Hours: 3
GEOG 193 - Seminar: Economic Geography Semester Hours: 3
GS 001 - (IS) Introduction to Global Studies Semester Hours: 3
GS 002 - (CC, IS) Cultural Globalization Semester Hours: 3
GS 120 - (IS) iGlobalization: Moving the Things We Buy Semester Hours: 3
GEOL 001 - (NS) Planet Earth Semester Hours: 3
GEOL 005 - (NS) Environmental Geology Semester Hours: 3
GEOL 033 - Environmental Geomorphology Semester Hours: 3
GEOL 104 A-Z - Special Topics in Geosciences Semester Hours: 3
IT 030 - Web Development and Analytics for Business Semester Hours: 3
IT 031 - Data-driven Web Application Development Semester Hours: 3
IT 076 - Introduction to E-Commerce Semester Hours: 3
IT 117 - Database Management Systems Semester Hours: 3
JRNL 055 - Design and Visual Strategies Semester Hours: 3
JRNL 056 - Desktop Publishing Semester Hours: 3
JRNL 057 - Web and Publication Design for Journalists Semester Hours: 3
JRNL 071 - Health, Science and Environmental Reporting Semester Hours: 3
JRNL 083 - Data Journalism Semester Hours: 3
MASS 110 - Media and Urban and Suburban Communication Semester Hours: 3
MASS 130 - Social Media, Technologies and Policy Semester Hours: 3
MKT 144 - Marketing Research and Analytics Semester Hours: 3
MKT 172 - Export/Import Marketing Semester Hours: 3
PHI 101 - (HP) Ecology and Environmentalism Semester Hours: 3
PHI 133 - (HP) Ethics and the Natural Environment Semester Hours: 3
PHI 138 - (HP) Ethics and Sustainability: Personal, Social and Corporate Responsibility Semester Hours: 3
SBLY 002 - (IS) Sustainability Planning and Policy Semester Hours: 3
SBLY 145 - Geospatial Analysis in Sustainability Semester Hours: 3
SOC 141 - (BH) Urban America Semester Hours: 3
SOC 147 - (BH) World Population Semester Hours: 3
SOC 180 - Statistics in Sociology Semester Hours: 4

5) Depending on approved topic, up to 3 s.h. of internships can be counted toward category 2 or 3:

A grade of C- or better is required in each course.

GEOG 190 - Internship in Geography Semester Hours: 1-3
GS 190 - Internship in Global Studies Semester Hours: 1-3
SBLY 180 - Sustainability Internship Semester Hours: 1-6

6) Residency requirement

At least 15 s.h. must be in-residence.

Complete BA Requirements

BA Requirements in HCLAS.

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