Geography is the study of the spatial distributions and space relations within the human-environment system composing the surface of the earth. Attention is focused on historic and contemporary human activities within the context of the biophysical and cultural environment, and the emergence of humanity as one
of the major agents of change on the earth's surface.
The Associate in Arts Degree option in Geography provides for a liberal education and prepares one for positions in business, government, service in foreign areas and, especially, teaching. When combined with electives in art, music, English, foreign languages, geological sciences and mathematics, geography is excellent preparation for elementary teaching. When combined with other social science fields (anthropology, economics, history, political science, sociology, social psychology, social science), geography is excellent preparation for secondary teaching in social studies. Combining an emphasis in physical-biotic geography with other science fields (biology, chemistry, earth sciences, mathematics, physics, psychology, statistics) is excellent preparation for secondary teaching in science and environmental studies.
Course work in geography, which includes Geographic Information Systems (GIS), prepares students for a wide range of jobs that employ computers to gather, manipulate, analyze and report spatial data. There is rapid growth in the use of GIS in natural resource management, urban planning, marketing, real estate, criminology, emergency services, public health, scientific research and many other areas. GIS courses are also useful for transfer students in geography and other environmental and natural science-oriented disciplines. GIS is an important tool for many other disciplines which use maps and spatial referenced data.
Career Alternatives
Regional or Urban Planner
Cartographer
Geographic Information Systems Analyst
Teacher
Park Ranger
Meteorologist
Land Use Planner
Climatologist
Ecologist Field Analyst
Marketing Analyst
Photographic Interpreter
Research Analyst
Travel Agent
Earth Scientist
Recreational Resource Planner
Demographer
Foreign Area or Intelligence Analyst
Environmental Scientist
Realtor
Regional Systems Analyst
Surveyor
Map Librarian
Resource Economist
Research Geographer
Research in:
Landforms
Marketing
Political Structures
Soils
Transportation
Urban Systems
Vegetation
Water
Faculty & Offices
David Elliot, Chair (IDC-347, ext. 2481)
Karl Halbach (R-1, ext. 2470)
Jan Schultz (R-1, ext. 2313)
Carl Sundbeck (R-1, ext. 2317)
Emeritus Faculty
George E. Frakes
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