Major in Geography (BA/BS)
To meet society's needs for greater geographic and geospatial understanding in the twenty-first century, the Department of Geography and Meteorology offers bachelor's degrees (BA/BS) in Geography (with specializations in Tourism and Human Geography; Geospatial Science and Technology; and Meteorological Studies) as well as a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and Climatology. All programs prepare students for employment as well as graduate study.
- Concentration 1. Tourism and Human Geography. Students gain the geographical knowledge, the analytical skills, and the practical experience for successful careers in the travel/tourism and other industries. Specialized courses address spatial, organizational, social, and economic aspects of sustainable tourism development, as well as the interaction between tourists and destinations. The program's graduates are in demand in varied travel industry fields including retail travel, tour operations, meetings and conventions, transportation and hospitality companies, along with governmental, corporate, and community organizations involved in travel/tourism promotion and development.
- Concentration 2. Geospatial Science and Technology. This concentration is a technical specialization for students interested in solving social and environmental problems through advanced geospatial information technology. Students learn how to visualize information in ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends by using computer software for cartography, remote sensing, and GIS. Cartography is the art and science of making maps; remote sensing provides a means to capture visual and digital information about the earth through airborne cameras and advanced electronic spaceborne sensors; a geographic information system is a set of computer tools for analyzing spatial data. Geographic information processing and mapping systems are used by many public and private organizations worldwide, and students graduating with these technical skills are in great demand.
- Concentration 3. Meteorological Studies. This concentration is intended for students with interests in weather and climate who seek positions in which knowledge of meteorology and climatology is ancillary to satisfying primary task objectives. Students completing degrees in this concentration find employment in a variety of enterprises, including emergency management, homeland security, environmental analysis, and transportation planning.
42-54 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, 30-33 credits
Students are required to take only 3 credits from either GEOG 369 or GEOG 479 as part of requirement for this concentration.
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. These two courses are also prerequisites for any business major/minor.
| 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 |
Techniques and Spatial Analysis Electives, 9 credits from:
| 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 |
Global Culture Electives, 6 credits from:
| 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 |
Regional Geography, 3 credits from:
Concentration 2: Geospatial Science and Technology, 36-39 credits
Recommended minors for concentration 2 include computer science, geology, mathematics, urban planning and development, biology, natural resources, and environmental management.
| 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 |
Advanced Geographic Information Science electives, 6 credits from:
| 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 |
Geography and Meteorology electives, 6 credits from:
Regional Geography, 6 credits from:
| 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 |
Concentration 3: Meteorological Studies, 27-30 credits
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 media.
Regional Geography, 3-6 credits from:
| 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 |
| METC 490 | Field Observation of Severe Local Storms | 6 |
Techniques and Spatial Analysis Electives, 6 credits from:
| GEOG 369 | Professional Experience | 3 TO 6 |
| GEOG 433 | Cartography and Visualization of Spatial Data | 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 448 | Geographic Information System Design | 3 |
| GEOG 479 | Practical Experience | 3 TO 6 |
| METC 426 | Client-Based Forecasting | 1-3 |
| METC 435 | Satellite, Radar, and Forecasting | 3 |
Meteorology Electives, 9 credits
Please select any METC 300-400 level course.
Total Credit Hours: 42-54