Geography, B.A.

We offer a high-quality, award-winning undergraduate program incorporating a wide range of courses in human and physical geography, as well as cartography and geospatial techniques. Students obtain a strong geographic foundation through a sequence of introductory classes, along with a skills-based methodology course and research lab. Geographic concepts, ideas, and skills are developed and mastered in upper-division regional, systematic, and in-depth geography courses. Our majors further develop and demonstrate geographic mastery through a research-based senior capstone. While our program is designed to ensure breadth in geographic education, students may focus their geographic education by specializing in one of the department’s three emphasis areas of systematic geography:

The Human World
The Physical Environment
Geospatial Systems

The department upholds a strong tradition of field study, including exploration of the local communities, the Cascades, the Sierra Nevada, and other landscapes of the American west, as well as linkages to overseas programs.

We recommend that students who are interested in this major take history, government, mathematics, science and study a foreign language in high school.

Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree requires a total of 120 units. Students must fulfill General Education & All-University Requirements , residency, unit, and GPA requirements as outlined in the Bachelor’s Degree Requirements . This major includes a Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) certified course.

Major Academic Plan, Geography, B.A.

Program MAPs represent recommended or possible pathways toward degree completion in four years (or two years for transfer students). Please see an advisor and use the DARS planner to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs.

Geography, B.A. MAP

Requirements for the Major (41-46 Units)

Students must earn a minimum grade of C- in all required courses for the major.

Geographic Foundation (14 Units)

GEOG 105 - Human Geography Units: 3
GEOG 106 - Physical Geography Units: 3
GEOG 106L - Physical Geography Laboratory Units: 1
GSP 101 - Geospatial Concepts Units: 3
GEOG 310L - Geographic Research Laboratory Units: 1
GEOG 311W - Geographic Research and Writing Units: 3
or
ESM 230 - Environmental Methods Units: 3 (recommended for students who wish to specialize in the physical environment)

Regional Synthesis (3-4 Units)

Select one of the regional courses below:

GEOG 319 - Emergence of the Modern Middle East Units: 4 *
GEOG 322 - California Units: 3
GEOG 472 - Topics in Regional Geography Units: 1-4

Systematic Geography (18-22 Units)

Complete six systematic geography courses, with at least one course from each of the systematic emphasis areas (the Human World, the Physical Environment, Geospatial Systems). Students may specialize in one area of systematic geography by taking at least two of the remaining three required systematic courses in one emphasis area.

Depth Experience (2 Units)

Select a minimum of two upper division depth experience courses:

GEOG 302M - Global Ecology and Biogeography Depth Experience Units: 1
GEOG 322M - California Depth Experience Units: 1
GEOG 352M - Weather, Climate and Natural Hazards Depth Experience Units: 1
GEOG 357M - Climate, Ecosystems and People Depth Experience Units: 1
GEOG 363M - Political Geography Depth Experience Units: 1
GEOG 471M - Topics in Human Geography Depth Experience Units: 1
GEOG 472M - Topics in Regional Geography Depth Experience Units: 1
GEOG 473M - Topics in Physical Geography Depth Experience Units: 1

Senior Capstone (4 Units)

The following capstone course is required.

GEOG 411W - Senior Field Research Units: 4

Geography Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to apply appropriate technology to locate, collect, and analyze geographic and spatial data.
Graduates will be able to design graphic and cartographic presentations according to professional disciplinary standards.
Graduates will be able to identify, evaluate, and use primary and secondary sources of information to conduct geographic research.
Graduates will be able to identify connections and implications through analyzing, synthesizing, and interpreting spatial relationships at multiple scales.
Graduates will be able to apply and communicate geographic thinking and the traditions, theories, practice, and sub-disciplines of Geography to appraise real-world societal issues.