About the Program
Environmental geography is a subfield in geography that explores human-environment interactions. The B.S. in Environmental Geography provides students with the opportunity to study how humans impact, manage, and conserve the natural environment, including landforms, water and soil resources, climate, and plant and animal communities. Courses in the program focus on understanding processes and patterns in the natural environment, as well as quantitative analysis and applied, hands-on experiences in the classroom and in the field. The program emphasizes the use of geographic tools, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, to prepare students with the skills to identify, explain, and find meaning in human-environment interactions.
Program Requirements
Intellectual Foundations Requirements
33-39 credit hours 33-39
Environmental Geography Major Requirements (39 credit hours)
A. Required Courses (18 credit hours)
GEG 101 World Natural Environments
GEG 102 Human Geography
GEG 325 Maps and Mapmaking Using GIS
GEG 390 Quantitative Methods in Geography and Planning
GEG 396 Research Methods
Select one course from the following:
GEG 300 World Regional Geography
GEG 359 Arctic Geography
GEG 360 Geography of Asia
GEG 362 Geography of the United States and Canada
GEG 364 Geography of Europe
B. Environmental Geography Electives (12 credit hours) Selected by advisement
GEG 307 Conservation and Environmental Management
GEG 316 Watershed Pollution
GEG 365 Soil Science and Management
GEG 375 Principles of Hydrology
GEG 383 Extreme Weather
GEG 386 Weather and Society
GEG 418 Remote Sensing
GEG 421 Watershed Analysis
GEG 423 Biogeography
GEG 478 Global Change
PLN 360 Environmental Impact Assessment
C. General Electives (9 credit hours) Selected by advisement. Any three upper-division Geography courses
All College Electives 42-48 credit hours
Total Credit Hours 120
Broadening Your Undergraduate Experience
While majoring in Environmental Geography, students should consider undergraduate research and internship experiences. Students can speak with Geography and Planning Department faculty about these opportunities.
Environmental Geography majors also should consider earning an academic minor. Those students more interested in the natural sciences should explore these minors: biology, chemistry, environmental science, environment & society, geology, meteorology & climatology, GIS, and mathematics. Students with an interest in planning, policy, and project management should consider these minor options: business economics, economic policy analysis, ethics, leadership, political science, public administration, and urban & regional planning.
After Graduation
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in the environmental field (e.g., environmental scientists and specialists) have been and are projected to continue to grow at a faster than average rate. Skills learned in the Environmental Geography B.S. program, such as quantitative analysis, mapping and GIS, as well as lab and field methods, will enhance a student’s educational experience and their ability to obtain a job after graduation or go on to graduate school.
The Environmental Geography B.S. will provide career preparation for environmental planning, environmental advocacy, resource management, natural areas preservation, outdoor and environmental education, and environmental assessment, monitoring, and restoration. Graduates will be prepared to work for local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations, and private environmental consulting firms. Graduates also will be prepared for advanced study at the graduate level.
