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Major and Minor in Environmental Geography

Environmental Geography forms a critical juncture between the natural and social sciences, exploring interactions between people and their environment. This program seeks to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to analyze environmental questions and to recommend solutions. Students majoring in Environmental Geography develop skills in field work, computer mapping and geographic information systems (GIS), and gain knowledge on climate, landforms, water resources, and environmental policy. Environmental geographers are well positioned in a society in which the environment has become a priority of many businesses and government agencies. Graduates may work in a variety of fields including environmental consulting or management, map production, spatial database management, education, or regional planning.

What you can do with a Major or Minor in Environmental Geography

Geography is a rapidly growing field with job openings in a variety of careers in higher education, government, business, and industry.  Environmental geographers are employed as:

Environmental Analysts Hydrologists Map Makers
Image Analysts Land Use Specialists Soil Conservationists
Urban/rural Planners Location Analysts Travel Consultants
Teachers Intelligence Officers Park Rangers

 

GEOG 3050  Introduction to Computer Cartography & Geographic Information Systems.  An introduction to computer-based map production and spatial processing.  Lectures and laboratory exercises cover data gathering, manipulation, analysis, and display, with an emphasis on cartographic principles such as symbolization, generalization, titling and labeling. GEOG 3051  Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing.  Survey of GIS hardware and software, spatially referenced database management and querying.  The latter part of the course will integrate multispectral satellite imagery into GIS, with an emphasis on data processing and interpretation.  Laboratory exercises supplement lecture topics.
GEOG 3052  Advanced Geographic Information Systems.  Advanced applications of GIS including: overlay analysis, writing short macros for repetitive operations, spatial modeling and technical support of complex land use and natural resource management decision making.   Laboratory exercises designed to form a cartographic and software portfolio for students. GEOG 3053  Application Issues in Geographic Information Systems.  Operational and planning issues in GIS.  Students will learn which issues need to be considered when proposing and implementing a GIS and will have opportunities to evaluate how a GIS can be used to solve specific planning problems.
GEOG 3100  Regional Planning and Environmental Management.  Introduction to planning for economic development, service provision and resource management at scales larger than municipalities with an emphasis on the environmental impacts of planning policy and regulation. GEOG 3150  Meteorology and Climatology.  A detailed examination of atmospheric motions and climatic controls including the Earth's radiation and energy balance, air mass dynamics, weather systems, and past and present climates of the Earth.
GEOG 3200  History of Life.  Principles of paleontology with emphasis on the history of life including vertebrates.  Includes an account of the outstanding forms of life from the beginning of earthtime to the present, and those paleontologically significant groups that are uncommon, different, or extinct today GEOG 3220  An Introduction to Hydrology.  An introduction to surface and sub-surface hydrology, examining components of the hydrologic cycle.  Topics include local and global water balance, precipitation, interception and infiltration, runoff, stream flow, water storage, and groundwater.  This course makes use of some mathematical equations.
GEOG 3300  An Introduction to Process Geomorphology.  An introduction to process geormorphology examining landforms and their formative processes.  Topics include weathering and slope, fluvial (river), coastal, aeolian (wind), glacial and periglacial processes.  This course makes use of some mathematical equations. GEOG 3310  Physiography of North America.  The physiographic description, including the landforms, soils, structural framework, climate, plant and animal geography, natural resources, and the unique environmental problems of each major physiographic province of the United States and Canada, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
GEOG 3410  Cultural Geography.  A study of the Earth as the home of humankind, emphasizing the spatial and functional complexes of human geography.  Topics to be considered are population, settlement form, settling processes, resources, and economic, political, and societal organizations. GEOG 3510  Urban Community Planning.  Principles and applications of planning for neighborhoods, towns and cities with an emphasis on the United States.  Topics covered include: public services, land-use decision making, economic development, growth management and the role of non-government organizations.
GEOG 3610  Economic Geography.  A study of area variations in human economic activities as related to production exchange, and consumption of economic goods and services.   Emphasis is placed on location of economic activities and related theories. GEOG 3710  Introduction to Soil Science.  Examines the nature, formation, properties, and distribution of soil, stressing analysis and use of soils for proper urban, agricultural, and environmental purposes.  Two lectures and one laboratory per week.
GEOG 3810  Introduction to Biogeography.  An overview of spatial and temporal patterns in the distributions of plant and animal species across the Earth's surface.  Topics covered include ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, competition and predation, interpreting past life, effects of climate change, and effects of community. GEOG 4700  Field Methods in Environmental Geography.  Study of field techniques and field problems in physical geography.  Course includes classroom presentations, field projects, field trips, and writing technical reports.
GEOG 4800  Internship in Environmental Geography.  A supervised, practical experience using physical geography skills in an appropriate organization.  Provides the student with an opportunity to apply skills learned during pursuit of environmental geography degree to real world situations. GEOG 4850  Capstone in Environmental Geography.  Discussion of the scholarly use of materials in various aspects of ;physical geography, training for effective data collection and analysis, and practice in effective presentation in both written and oral form.
GEOG 4900  Special Topics in Geography.  Topic to be assigned by instructor; the course may be repeated more than once if the topics are different. GEOG 4990  Directed Study in Geography.  Study in area or subject not normally found in established courses offered by the department; may also allow students to explore in more detail and/or depth an area or subject covered by the department.