Geography, Bachelor of Arts

Requirements

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree

See the "Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree" in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 40 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

Elective Requirements

Completion of elective courses (beyond the requirements listed below) to reach a total of a minimum of 120 units.

General Education Requirements (43 units)

See the "General Education" requirements in the University Catalog or the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education requirements and course offerings.

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (3 Units)

See the "Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement" section in the University Catalog.

Statutory Requirements: United States History, Constitution and American Ideals (6 Units)

See the "University Graduation Requirements" section in the University Catalog. 

Minor Requirements

Students completing this major will need to complete a minor in another field.

Major Requirements (34 units)

The following courses (or for lower division courses, their approved transfer equivalents) are required for all candidates for this degree:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Lower Division Required Courses
GEO 100	Human Geography	3
GEO 200	Physical Geography	3
Upper Division Required Courses
GEO 310	Geomorphology	3
GEO 357	Urban Environmental Geography	3
GEO 370	Numerical Methods in Geography	3
GEO 415	Geographic Information Systems	3
EAR 490	Sr Sem In Earth Sciences	1
Elective Courses
Select at leat five courses from the following:
GEO 305	Cartography
GEO 315	The Weather
GEO 318	Cultural Pluralism The Human Environment: Methods of Knowledge and Truth
GEO 350	World Geography
GEO 360	North America
GEO 380	Biogeography
GEO 408	Remote Sensing and Image Processing
GEO 412	Rivers and Streams
GEO 416	Earth's Climates
GEO 420	Natural Resources
GEO 433	Environmental Analysis and Planning
GEO 495	Special Topics In Geography
EAR 376	Field Mapping
EAR 460	Global Change

Program Learning Outcomes

• Geographic Literacy: Students will apply their knowledge of the world’s geography by interpreting topographic and thematic maps. They will demonstrate their ability to think geographically by analyzing geographic problems at a variety of scales.
• Environmental Processes: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the utilization and distribution of key natural resources. This will include fundamental transport processes such as the hydrologic cycle, the rock cycle, and circulations through the world ocean and global atmosphere and their relationship to contemporary environmental issues.
• Geotechniques: Students will demonstrate their understanding of geotechniques such as GIS, remote sensing, spatial statistics, and field maps. Students will apply spatial statistics and other forms of numerical analysis to interrogate existing and original geographical data sets.
• Field Experience: Students will apply field research techniques toward the completion of field mapping and other data collection exercises.
• Written and Oral Communication: Students will demonstrate their ability to describe research and to summarize research results in essays, written reports and oral presentations.
• Group Activities: Students will be able to work together in small groups to collect and analyze classroom/field data and they will demonstrate their ability to collaborate with other students to deliver research presentations.
• Professional Preparation: Students will hone research skills and work on research projects which reflect their command of the subject matter and its relevance to contemporary environmental issues, as well their command of geotechniques and their application. The research projects prepare students for graduate school and/or the workforce, and can be used as examples of the kinds of knowledge and expertise that they could bring to prospective employers.

4- Year Degree Roadmap

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Hours
GE Area 1A English Composition		3
GE Area 1B Critical Thinking		3
GEO 100	Human Geography (meets GE Area 4B)	3
GE Area 3A Arts		3
Free elective		3
	Hours	15
Spring
GE Area 1C Oral Communication		3
GEO 200	Physical Geography (meets GE Area 5A)	3
GE Area 2 Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning		3
GE Area 3B Humanities		3
GE Area 4A Social and Behavioral Sciences		3
	Hours	15
Second Year
Fall
GE Area 5B Biological Science		3
GE Area 5C Laboratory		1
HIS 101	History Of United States	3
Minor course		3
Minor courses and/or free electives		5
	Hours	15
Spring
POL 101	American Institutions	3
GE Area 6 Ethnic Studies		3
Minor course		3
Minor courses and/or free electives		6
	Hours	15
Third Year
Fall
GEO 357	Urban Environmental Geography	3
GEO 415	Geographic Information Systems	3
Major elective		3
GE Area 5 UD Integrative Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences		3
Minor course		3
	Hours	15
Spring
GEO 370	Numerical Methods in Geography	3
Major elective		3
GWAR-certifying course		3
Minor course		3
Minor course or free elective		3
	Hours	15
Fourth Year
Fall
Major electives		6
GE Area 3 UD Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities		3
Minor course		3
Minor course or free elective		3
	Hours	15
Spring
GEO 310	Geomorphology	3
Major elective		3
GEO 318	Cultural Pluralism The Human Environment: Methods of Knowledge and Truth (meets GE Area 4 UD)	3
EAR 490	Sr Sem In Earth Sciences	1
Minor courses and/or free electives		5
	Hours	15
	Total Hours	120

2-Year Roadmap (transfer students)

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Hours
GEO 357	Urban Environmental Geography	3
GEO 415	Geographic Information Systems	3
Major elective		3
GE Area 5 UD Integrative Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences		3
Minor course		3
	Hours	15
Spring
GEO 370	Numerical Methods in Geography	3
Major elective		3
GWAR-certifying course		3
Minor course		3
Minor course or free elective		3
	Hours	15
Second Year
Fall
Major electives		6
GE Area 3 UD Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities		3
Minor course		3
Minor course or free elective		3
	Hours	15
Spring
GEO 310	Geomorphology	3
Major elective		3
GEO 318	Cultural Pluralism The Human Environment: Methods of Knowledge and Truth (meets GE Area 4 UD)	3
EAR 490	Sr Sem In Earth Sciences	1
Minor courses and/or free electives		5
	Hours	15
	Total Hours	60