Geography stresses the importance of understanding where things are located and the processes that create and change the distribution of access to physical and human resources, such as clean water and healthcare. Students learn to better understand how natural and human environments become organized geographically by institutional decisions and the consequences of human actions. Geography students study a number of contemporary problems, among them physical resource development, urban spatial management, racial/ethnic patterns, urban decay, business geography and pollution — just to name a few. Geography stresses strategies for solving not only locational but also environmental problems. Mapping, Global Positioning Systems and Geographic Information Systems are important tools that geographers learn to apply and solve problems.
The department offers a number of curricular options that permit a general education or the choice of a more specialized focus, such as environmental or urban planning analysis, cartography and geographical information systems, or environmental and natural resource management. All options provide preparation for graduate work and/or for careers in public and private agencies. Courses emphasize problem-solving approaches in both a theoretical and applied manner. Double majors are encouraged and special programs may be designed on request.
Geography courses suitable for freshmen include all 100-level courses and all 200-level courses. Recommended for students with a general interest in geography and specific issues of global importance, including development, demographic change, urbanization and migration, and international conflict is GEOG 151; for those interested in physical processes, GEOG 120, GEOG 121, and in racial/ethnic geography, GEOG 103 and GEOG 203.
The Geography Department requires that students take four courses in the major in residence at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ.
The Geography Department views the grade of D as passing but unsatisfactory. Courses passed with a grade of D or P do not fulfill requirements for the major.
Grievance Procedure: Resolution of student-faculty grievances should be worked out in accordance with the departmental grievance procedure, available from the department office.
Independent study courses (GEOG 497) count toward the major tracks only with the approval of the director of undergraduate studies. Each track requires a minimum of five upper-division (300- or 400-level) geography courses.
Note: The following course is required for the geography major: MATH 147. If students do not place into MATH 147, then MATH 107 is also required for completion of the major.
Harpur College Requirements
Harpur College students must complete the following requirements in addition to those listed for the major:
- 126 credits
- 94 liberal arts and sciences credits
- Minimum of 46 upper-level credits
- Completion of the Harpur College writing requirement (four to five courses as described
in the All-College Writing section of the Harpur College
Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin. Maximum of one C/J course and two W courses may be transferred). - Minimum of 44 credits in residence in Harpur College
- 2.0 or higher GPA
Harpur College requirements are described in detail in the Requirements for Graduation section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin.
BA, Track 1: General Geography
At least six of the following 10 courses (24 credits) must be taken at the 300-level or above
- GEOG 120 or GEOG 121
- GEOG 103 or GEOG 151 or GEOG 160 or GEOG 180
- GEOG 260 Intro to GIS/Spatial Analysis
- One course in statistics
- Two GEOG courses on cultural/regional geography or GIS
- Four additional GEOG courses
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 2: Computer Applications in Human-Environmental Analysis (GIS)
At least six of the following 10 courses (24 credits) must be taken at the 300-level or above
- GEOG 260 Intro to GIS/Spatial Analysis
- One course in statistics
- CS 100, 110 or 140 Introduction to Computer Programming
- GEOG 461 Advanced Raster GIS and GPS
- GEOG 463 GIS and Spatial Analysis
- GEOG 465 Remote Sensing and GIS
- Five additional GEOG courses
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 3: Environmental and Resource Management
At least six of the following 10 courses (24 credits) must be taken at the 300-level or above
- GEOG 121 Physical Geography
- GEOG 221 Global Climate Change
- One course in statistics
- One GEOG course in cultural or regional geography
- Four GEOG courses on physical or environmental geography
- Two GEOG courses on mapping or computer applications
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 4: Urban and Regional Planning
At least six of the following 10 courses (24 credits) must be taken at the 300-level or above
- GEOG 121 Physical Geography
- GEOG 234 Urban Geography: Global Linkages or GEOG 235 Introduction to
Urban and Regional Planning - GEOG 260 Intro to GIS/Spatial Analysis
- One course in statistics
- One upper-level GEOG course on cultural or regional geography
- Two upper-level GEOG courses on urban or economic geography
- One upper-level GEOG course in physical or environmental geography
- Two upper-level GEOG courses in mapping or computer applications
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
BA, Track 5: Urban: Economic/Retailing Emphasis
At least six of the following 10 courses (24 credits) must be taken at the 300-level or above
- GEOG 101 or 103 or 151
- GEOG 260 Intro GIS/Spatial Analysis
- One course in statistics
- Select one of the following:
- GEOG 232 Economic Geography
- GEOG 233 Urban Geography: Race and Place
- GEOG 234 Urban Geography and Global Linkages
- GEOG 235 Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning
- One upper-level cultural or regional geography course
- Two upper-level urban/economic courses
- Two upper-level mapping/applications courses
- One upper-level elective
TOTAL: 10 courses (40 hours). Credit is granted for equivalent courses.
Geography Honors Program
Honors in Geography
- The student must be an undergraduate geography major with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and 3.3 GPA in geography.
- The student must submit a report based on a project that is completed during his or her last year.
- This project may be based on any one of the following:
- an original research topic or
- an extension of an internship, or
- an extension of a previous class project
- The project must be completed under the direction of a faculty advisor and must be approved by at least two other faculty members in the Geography Department.
- Designation of honors will depend on creativity, analytical rigor and the overall quality of the final product.
High Honors in Geography
- The student must be an undergraduate geography major with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and 3.5 GPA in geography.
- The student must write an honors thesis to be completed in the last semester of his or her undergraduate studies.
- The student must register for GEOG 499.
- The thesis must be completed under the direction of a faculty advisor and must be approved by at least two other faculty members in the Geography Department.
- The thesis must represent original research on a geographic theme and/or technique.
- The thesis must be approved by the faculty advisor and an honors thesis committee of two faculty members.
- The thesis must be completed two weeks prior to the end of the semester in which the student plans to graduate.
- Inability to complete work will result in a grade for GEOG 499 but no honors recognition.
- Designation of honors will depend on creativity, analytical rigor and the overall quality of the final product.
- The student will formally present the thesis to the committee.
- The thesis must be bound for the department library.
Highest Honors in Geography
- The student must be an undergraduate geography major with a minimum of 3.0 overall GPA and 3.8 GPA in geography.
- The student must write an honors thesis to be completed in the last semester of his/her undergraduate studies.
- The student must register for GEOG 499.
- The thesis must be completed under the direction of a faculty advisor and must be approved by at least two other faculty members in the Geography Department.
- The thesis must represent original research on a geographic theme and/or technique.
- The thesis must be approved by the faculty advisor and an honors thesis committee of two faculty members.
- The thesis must be completed two weeks prior to the end of the semester in which the student plans to graduate.
- Inability to complete the work will result in a grade for GEOG 499 but no honors recognition.
- Designation of honors will depend on creativity, analytical rigor and the overall quality of the final product.
- The student will formally present the thesis to the committee.
- The thesis must be bound for the department library
Requirements for Geography Minors
General Geography
The six courses required for this minor are:
- Any 100-level geography course
- GEOG 260 Intro GIS/Spatial Analysis
- One of the following:
- GEOG 211 Cultural Geography
- GEOG 212 Historical Geography of the U.S.
- GEOG 232 Economic Geography
- GEOG 233 Urban Geography: Race and Place
- GEOG 234 Urban Geography: Global Linkages
- GEOG 259 Eastern Asia: Land and People
- Any three upper-level (300 or above) courses
Geographical Information Systems
The six courses required for this minor are:
- GEOG 260 Intro GIS/Spatial Analysis
- Any two additional 100- or 200-level geography courses
- GEOG 461 Advanced Raster GIS and GPS
- One of the following:
- GEOG 463 GIS and Spatial Analysis
- GEOG 465 Remote Sensing
- Select one upper-level mapping/application course:
- GEOG 460 Census Geography and GIS
- GEOG 461 Advanced Raster GIS and GPS
- GEOG 480 Special Topics (by permission)
- GEOG 482 Special Topics (by permission)
- GEOG 495 Internship
Environmental Resource Management
The six courses required for this minor are:
- GEOG 121 Physical Geography
- GEOG 151 World Geography
- GEOG 232 Economic Geography or GEOG 239 Environmental Planning and Policy
- Any three courses from:
- GEOG 323 Soils: Properties, Processes and Distribution
- GEOG 330 Natural Hazards
- GEOG 337 Natural Resource Conservation: Theory, Policies and Practices
- GEOG 341 Water Resource Planning and Management
- GEOG 461 Advanced Raster GIS and GPS
- GEOG 421 Advanced Physical Geography Seminar
- GEOG 422 (BIOL 459) Biogeography
- GEOG 480 Special Topics (by permission)
Physical Geography
The six courses required for the minor are:
- GEOG 121 Physical Geography
- GEOG 151 World Geography
- Choose one course from:
- GEOG 221 Physical Geography of Global Change or
- GEOG 222 (GEOL 211) Earth Surface Processes
- Any three courses from:
- GEOG 260 Intro GIS/Spatial Analysis
- GEOG 323 Soils: Properties, Processes and Distribution
- GEOG 341 Water Resource Planning and Management
- GEOG 461 Advanced Raster GIS and GPS
- GEOG 421 Advanced Physical Geography Seminar
- GEOG 422 (BIOL 459) Biogeography
Urban Planning
The six courses required for the minor are:
- Any 100-level geography course.
- Two of the following:
- GEOG 233 Urban Geography: Race and Place
- GEOG 234 Urban Geography: Global Linkages
- GEOG 235 Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning
- GEOG 260 Intro GIS/Spatial Analysis
- Three upper-level urban or economic courses, including but not limited to:
- GEOG 333 Retail Geography
- GEOG 335 Legal and Administrative Aspects of Planning
- GEOG 345 Urban Planning Analysis I
- GEOG 435 Principles of Urban Design
- GEOG 445 Urban Planning Analysis II
Immigration/Migration Geography
The six required courses for the minor are:
- GEOG 103 Multicultural Geographies of the United States
- GEOG 151 World Geography
- GEOG 260 Intro GIS/Spatial Analysis
- GEOG 352 Population Geography
- GEOG 482 Special Topics (by permission)
- One additional upper-level course