Concentration - Geography

Geography is the science of location. As such, it is concerned with the identification, classification, and locational analysis of peoples and places in the world's major physical and cultural regions. Specifically, geographers try to understand how people use the land they live on and what makes the land different from other areas. Geographic concerns include the nature of places, human impact on the environment and the proper use of land. These concerns have ramifications for travel and tourism, environmental planning, urban, regional and transportation planning, cartography and computer analysis of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This concentration requires a minimum of 36 credits.

Concentration Requirements:

Requirement	Credits	Examples
Lower-Level Core courses	12 credits	Choose four: Introduction to Geography, World Regional Geography, Introduction to Geographic Information Science, Human/Cultural Geography, Environmental/Physical Geography
Upper-Level Core Courses	9 credits	Choose three: Human Geography, Environmental/Physical Geography, Regional Geography (specific countries or areas), Geographic Techniques/Mapping/Geographic Information Systems.
Lower/Upper Level Geography Electives	12 credits
Capstone: Field Experience/Application	3 credits	GEO 499 (Culminating course in concentration)
TOTAL	36

Note:Only grades of C of higher may be included in the concentration.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with a concentration in Geography will be able to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of the location of the world's geographical features, including physical landscapes/environments and the patterns of human activity, including nations and their major cities;
2. explain the origin and nature of the world's cultural regions and their interaction with their physical environment. This will include an understanding of the spatial dimensions of demography, world religions, world languages, geopolitical patterns, and economic regions as a result of patterns of past and present industrial activity and geopolitical ties;
3. demonstrate an understanding of a selection of the introductory concepts, models, analytical techniques, and mapping geographers apply in a work, regional and local context, particularly the use of maps, aerial photographs, and computers for analyses of geographic information (GIS); and
4. explain issues and problems in the world today, including but not limited to: natural hazards and environmental risks, environmental problems and sustainability, economic blocs, cultural regions, international development, and geopolitical conflict.