Major in Geography (BA/BS)
The new Tourism and Human Geography Concentration provides students with a broad and practical education that focuses on geographical techniques, critical thinking, and global understanding of cultures. In completing this degree, students will acquire specific skills associated with key aspects of the tourism industry (e.g., tour management and travel consultancy) and learn about core concepts in human geography necessary for professionals in the field.
Besides core classes focusing on spatial analysis methods (cartography and GIS) and a course on global geography, students also will gain insights into thematic aspects such as economic, cultural, and urban geography and applied fields including sustainable tourism development and population geography. Two clusters of electives (Techniques and Spatial Analysis and Global Culture) and regional geography courses (e.g., Latin America, Asia, and Europe) will instill further knowledge and training for the professional qualifications of our students. Whereas Techniques and Spatial Analysis Electives will provide students with skills applicable to specific careers in tourism, data processing and visualization, and other related fields, Global Culture Electives align with the university’s strategic plan goals concerning Undergraduate Excellence and Innovation and Inclusive Excellence. In addition, the coursework will incorporate professional experiences such as internships and opportunities to participate in faculty-led study-abroad trips.
45-54 credits
Core requirements, 15 credits
| GEOG 101 | Earth, Sea, and Sky: A Geographic View | 3 |
| GEOG 150 | Global Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 240 | Maps and Spatial Reasoning | 3 |
| GEOG 250 | Spatial Analytical Methods in Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 265 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
Complete one concentration
Concentration 1: Tourism and Human Geography, 30 credits
While students can register for up to 6 credits in GEOG 369 or GEOG 479, they are required to take only 3 credits from either GEOG 369 or GEOG 479 as part of requirements for this concentration.
| GEOG 121 | Geography, Culture, and Diversity | 3 |
| GEOG 261 | Introduction to Sustainable Tourism | 3 |
| GEOG 491 | Sustainable Tourism Development | 3 |
| GEOG 369 | Professional Experience | 3 TO 6 |
| or | |
| GEOG 479 | Practical Experience | 3 TO 6 |
Recommended minors for concentration 1 include anthropology, environmental management, history, hospitality, international resource management, natural resources, sustainability, and any business, area studies, or modern languages minor. Students considering MGT 300 or MKG 300 are advised to take ECON 116 or ECON 201 as the UCC Tier 1 Domain Social Sciences requirement. These two courses are also prerequisites for any business major/minor.
9 credits from Techniques and Spatial Analysis Electives
| GEOG 360 | Tours and Meetings Management | 3 |
| GEOG 423 | Population Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 433 | Cartography and Visualization of Spatial Data | 3 |
| GEOG 434 | Maps, Environment, and Society | 3 |
| GEOG 436 | Introduction to Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG 438 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems Analysis | 3 |
| GEOG 445 | Geographic Information Systems Applications Design and Development | 3 |
| GEOG 460 | Travel and Tourism Consulting | 3 |
| HOSP 250 | Lodging Management | 3 |
| or | |
| HOSP 376 | Introduction to Event Management | 3 |
| NREM 392 | Environmental Interpretation | 3 |
| or | |
| NREM 473 | Outdoor Recreation Planning and Administration | 3 |
6 credits from Global Culture Electives
| GEOG 120 | Economic Geographies of Globalization | 3 |
| GEOG 262 | Global Destinations | 3 |
| GEOG 323 | Tourism and Geography of Food | 3 |
| GEOG 270 | Geography of International Conflict | 3 |
| GEOG 320 | Immigration and Ethnic Geographies of the United States | 3 |
| GEOG 321 | Urban Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 470 | Political Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 480 | Distant Areas Field Studies | 1 TO 6 |
| NREM 309 | Human Dimensions of Global Change | 3 |
3 credits from Regional Geography
Concentration 2: GIScience, 36-39 credits
| GEOG 433 | Cartography and Visualization of Spatial Data | 3 |
| GEOG 434 | Maps, Environment, and Society | 3 |
| GEOG 436 | Introduction to Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG 437 | Advanced Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG 438 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems Analysis | 3 |
| GEOG 369 | Professional Experience | 3 TO 6 |
| or | |
| GEOG 479 | Practical Experience | 3 TO 6 |
6 credits from Advanced Geographic Information Science electives
| GEOG 446 | Seminar in Advanced Techniques in Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG 444 | Advanced Cartography and Visualization of Spatial Data | 3 |
| GEOG 445 | Geographic Information Systems Applications Design and Development | 3 |
| GEOG 448 | Geographic Information System Design | 3 |
6 credits from Geography and Meteorology electives
6 credits from Regional Geography
| GEOG 350 | Geography of the United States and Canada | 3 |
| GEOG 351 | Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| GEOG 354 | Geography of Asia | 3 |
| GEOG 356 | Geography of Russia and Its Neighbors | 3 |
| GEOG 357 | Geography of Europe | 3 |
Recommended minors for concentration 2 include computer science, geology, mathematics, urban planning and development, biology, natural resources, and environmental management.
Concentration 3: Meteorological Studies, 36-39 credits
6-9 credits from Regional Geography
| GEOG 351 | Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| GEOG 354 | Geography of Asia | 3 |
| GEOG 356 | Geography of Russia and Its Neighbors | 3 |
| GEOG 357 | Geography of Europe | 3 |
| METC 490 | Field Observation of Severe Local Storms | 6 |
6 credits from Techniques and Spatial Analysis Electives
| GEOG 433 | Cartography and Visualization of Spatial Data | 3 |
| GEOG 434 | Maps, Environment, and Society | 3 |
| GEOG 436 | Introduction to Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG 437 | Advanced Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG 446 | Seminar in Advanced Techniques in Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG 445 | Geographic Information Systems Applications Design and Development | 3 |
| GEOG 448 | Geographic Information System Design | 3 |
| METC 410 | Broadcast Meteorology | 3 |
| METC 435 | Satellite, Radar, and Forecasting | 3 |
Additional course work in the basic sciences such as mathematics, physics, and computer science is encouraged. Recommended minors for concentration 3 include natural resources, environmental management, and telecommunications.