Major Details & Curriculum
Major Details
Geography majors are encouraged to develop individualized programs within one of the three geography BA tracks in consultation with the geography undergraduate advisor. The Department of Geography offers the following tracks/specializations:
- BA - Environmental and Physical Geography (15BA GEOG-E)
- BA - Urban and Economic Geography (15BA GEOG-U)
- BA - Human Geography (15BA GEOG-H)
The College of Arts and Sciences' flexible degree requirements allow for and highly encourage students to pursue multiple areas of study. Free electives allow for enough credits for students to pursue a minor, certificate program or even complete a second major. Some of the most common pairings are listed below.
- Anthropology
- Communication
- History
- International human rights
- Journalism
- Languages or area studies
- Psychology
- Security studies
- Sociology
Curriculum
This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.
If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.
Geography majors are encouraged to develop individualized programs within one of the five geography tracks in consultation with the geography undergraduate advisor. Students must refer to the checklist for their particular chosen track within the Geography major. A typical four-year plan appears below, but students' individual plans will vary based upon their chosen track and interests.
NOTE: THE CURRICULUM BELOW HAS NOT YET BEEN UPDATED TO THE SEMESTER SYSTEM. SEMESTER CREDIT REQUIREMENTS WILL BE POSTED DURING FALL 2013.
| First Year | Course Number | Credits |
| *English Composition | ENGL 101, 102 | 6 |
| Introduction to Environmental Geography with Lab | GEOG 101/111, 102/112, 103/113 | 15 |
| Elementary Probability & Statistics | STAT 147, 148, 149 | 9 |
| *Foreign Language | see checklist | 9-15 |
| Free electives (recommended to count in a minor or other program) | see options | 0-6 |
| Total for first year | 45 |
| Second Year | Course Number | Credits |
| *Intermediate Composition | ENGL 289 | 3 |
| Introduction to Human Geography (depending on track) | GEOG 104 & 105, or 105 & 106 | 6 |
| Regional Geography | see checklist for track | 6 |
| Urban & Economic, or Environmental/Physical Geography | see checklist for track | 12 |
| *Historical Perspectives (HP) | see offerings | 9 |
| *Humanities (HU) | see offerings | 3 |
| *Literature (LT) | see offerings | 3 |
| Free electives (recommended to count in a minor or other program) | see options | 3 |
| Total for second year | 45 |
| Third & Fourth Years | Course Number | Credits |
| Spatial Techniques | see checklist for track | 15 |
| Capstone |
see checklist for track |
5 |
| *Humanities, Literature, or Fine Arts (HU, LT, or FA) |
see offerings |
3 |
| *Social & Ethical Issues (if not already taken, SE) |
see offerings |
3 |
| Free electives (recommended to count in a minor or other program) |
see options |
64 |
| Total for third and fourth years |
90 |
|
| Total overall |
Minimum 180 |
*Needed to fulfill A&S College Core requirements.