Geography, B.S.

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Major Requirements

The department offers two major programs, a bachelor of arts (B.A.) and a bachelor of science (B.S.). The B.A. requires a minimum of 48 credits, including 44 credits in geography and environmental systems courses. The BS degree requires a minimum of 63 credits, including 41 credits in geography and environmental systems courses.

Core Courses:

Both degree programs require all students to complete the following 14 credits of core courses:

GES 102 - Human Geography (3.00)
GES 110 - Physical Geography (3.00)
GES 286 - Exploring the Environment: A Geo-Spatial Perspective (4.00)
GES 386 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4.00)

B.S. degree

In addition to the core courses identified, a minimum of 27 additional credits in other departmental electives is required.

Distribution requirements for these are as follows:

Four physical geography/ environmental science courses, chosen from the sequences:
GES 111 or GES 120 , GES 305 -GES 319 , GES 405 -GES 419 and sections of selected topics courses (GES 302 or GES 400 ) that are designated by department faculty as meeting the distribution requirement.

Note:

At least one of these four courses must be a 400-level course; no more than one of the four may be a 100-level course.

Either GES 111 - Principles of Geology OR GES 120 - Environmental Science and Conservation may be taken for credit toward the degree requirements, but not both.

Human Geography Electives

PLUS Two upper-division human geography electives chosen from the following sequences:

GES 320-369, 420-469
OR
sections of special topics courses (GES 302 or GES 400 ) designated by department faculty as meeting the distribution requirement.

Additional Electives

PLUS three additional electives at the 300 or 400 level, at least one of which must be a 400-level course.

Note:

Internship and independent study do not count toward the 41 credits within the department that are required for the B.S. degree.

Other courses

Six courses representing a minimum of 22 credits in mathematics and natural sciences, to be selected in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser, as follows:

MATH 151 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (4.00)

Select one course: 3 Credits

Two of the following:

Select one course from each sequence.

BIOL 141 - Foundations of Biology: Cells, Energy and Organisms (4.00)
CHEM 101 - Principles of Chemistry I (4.00)
PHYS 111 - Basic Physics I (4.00)
PHYS 121 - Introductory Physics I (4.00)

One additional course

One additional course to complete a year of study in either biology, chemistry, physics, or math and statistics, to be selected from the following list:

BIOL 142 - Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution (4.00)
CHEM 102 - Principles of Chemistry II (4.00)
PHYS 112 - Basic Physics II (4.00)
PHYS 122 - Introductory Physics II (4.00)
MATH 152 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (4.00)
MATH 221 - Introduction to Linear Algebra (3.00)
MATH 225 - Introduction to Differential Equations (3.00)
STAT 414 - Environmental Statistics (3.00)

Note:

GES 308 - Ecology may be substituted for BIOL 142 .

One additional elective

One additional elective from the above list, or a computer programming course, or another math / science course with approval of adviser.

Note:

A grade of C; or better is required in each course needed to fulfill the B.S. requirements. No course taken on a P/F basis shall count toward the major.