MINOR IN GEOGRAPHY
Geography is the science of place and space. Geographers ask where things are located on the surface of the earth, why they are located where they are, how places differ from each other, how places and people are connected around the world, and how people interact with the environment. Geographers study the linkage between human activities and natural systems.
There are two main branches of geography: human geography and physical geography.
- Human geography is concerned with the spatial aspects of human existence—how people and their activities are distributed in space, how they use and perceive space, and how they create and sustain the places that make up the earth's surface. Human geographers work in a wide variety of fields, including urban and regional planning, transportation, marketing, real estate, tourism, and international business.
- Physical geographers study patterns of climate, land forms, vegetation, soils, and water. They forecast the weather, manage land and water resources, and analyze and plan for forests, rangelands, and wetlands.
Many human and physical geographers have skills in cartography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Remote Sensing (RS). The relatively new technologies of GIS and RS have had a tremendous impact on Geography in recent years. Their applicability is wide-ranging; they can be used, for example, in urban planning, location analysis, natural resource use planning, and environmental impact assessments. US News and World Report identified these fields as "hot tracks" for the next century, as they provide practical and very marketable skills.
Geography minors are designed for students who wish to increase their geographic knowledge and expand their international awareness. A minor in Geography requires completion of 15 credit hours. The minor may be designed to supplement and enhance a variety of majors. (Note the following examples.)
| Total credit hours: 15 | —This may include
courses taken to satisfy requirements for general education.— |
Suggested Geography minor for either Business or Economics majors:
| Basic Courses (6 credit hours)
|
Electives (9 credit hours) selected from the following:
|
Suggested Geography minor for either Biology or Earth Science majors:
| Basic Courses (9 credit hours)
|
Electives (6 credit hours) selected from the following:
|
Suggested Geography minor for Social Sciences, Political Science, History, Sociology, Anthropology, and other majors seeking B.S. or B.A. degrees:
| Basic Courses (6 credit hours)
|
Electives (9 credit hours) selected from the following:
|
Last Updated May 4, 2007