Bachelor's Degrees in Geography

A total of 120 credit hours is required for graduation; a minimum of 39 of these is required for the major. A total of 40 upper division credit hours is required (courses numbered 3000 and above); 21 of these are required within the geography major.

• Course requirements

A total of 120 credit hours is required for graduation; a minimum of 36 of these is required within the major. A total of 40 upper division credit hours is required (courses numbered 3000 and above); 27 of these are required within the major.

• Course requirements

Students who complete the General Geography and Teaching Track will:

Understand the full breadth of the discipline of Geography, from the complexity of the physical environment to the diversity of the human experience over space and time. 

Apply basic skills in geospatial technology and other tools in common use (cartography, GIS, web applications, surveys, field work, etc.) to collect data, analyze patterns and trends, and present results pursuant to solving local, regional, national, and global challenges and problems.

Be prepared to hold a wide variety of jobs in teaching, local and state government, federal agencies, private business, non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations. 

Required Geography Courses (6 credit hours):

• Choose any two of the following geography courses
• GEOG 3060 SUS Environmental Issues: Local to Global Impacts and Solutions
• GEOG 3500 Geography of Utah and the American West (required of teaching majors and minors)
• GEOG 4400 Cartography and Map Design

 

Required Regional Geography Courses (3-6 credit hours): (Choose at least one of the following regional geography courses)

• GEOG 3540 Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean
• GEOG 3590 Geography of Europe: The Land and People who Build a World Power
• GEOG 3640 Geography of Asia: Development, Geopolitics and Environment
• GEOG 3740 Geography of African Culture, Colonialism, Crises and Change
• GEOG 3780 Geographic Area Studies

 

Required Topical Geography Courses (3-6 credit hours): (Choose at least one of the following topical geography courses)

• GEOG 3050 Weather and Climate: from daily storms to decades of drought
• GEOG 3070 Wetland Environments
• GEOG 3080 Arid Environments: Resources, Landforms, and the Quest for Water
• GEOG 3090 Arctic and Alpine Environments
• GEOG 3210 Urban Geography: The How and Why of Cities
• GEOG 3360 Economic Geography: Globalization, Development and Conflict
• GEOG 4410 SUS Sustainable Land Use Planning

 

Required Class for Teaching Majors and Minors (3-6 credit hours):

GEOG 3500 and HIST 4500 are required for Teaching Majors and Minors. GEOG 1500 is strongly recommended for teachers.

Select two from the following:

• GEOG 1500 SUS Climate Change: Science, Society and Solutions
• GEOG 3500 Geography of Utah and the American West
• HIST 4500 Teaching Social Studies in Grades

 

Elective Courses for the Emphasis (3-6 credit hours): (Choose at least one upper division related elective class from any department on campus)

•  Any non-geography department upper division class that deals with geography

Hook: Geography, as a discipline and as a career choice, is enjoying its most vibrant time in decades. Everything is global now. Our countries, people, environment, economies, political systems, natural and human resources, social spaces and marketplaces have never been so interconnected and so interdependent. As we have come to better understand things that are global, we are also better able to understand everything that is local. And who better to understand these local and planet-wide realities than a geographer? This is especially true with a few Geospatial tools in your toolbox.

Students who complete Earth System and Features Track will:

Develop the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize, analyze, and understand the features of Earth’s natural systems, appreciate their interconnectivity, and be able to apply their understanding to natural and anthropogenic problems and challenges.

Acquire experience and expertise that prepare them for geography careers with a variety of scientific government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations, or that ready them for graduate school or advanced research.

Required Courses (12 credit hours):

•  GEOG 1500 PS SUS Climate Change: Science, Society and Solutions (3)
•  GEOG 3050 Weather and Climate: from daily storms to decades of drought (3)
•  GEOG 3080 SUS Arid Lands: Resources, Landforms, and the Quest for Water (3)
•  GEOG 3090 Arctic and Alpine Environments (3)

Technique Courses (3-4 credit hours): (Choose any one of the following courses)

• GEO 3710 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4)
• GEO 3720 Geospatial Analysis (4)
• GEO 3840 Remote Sensing: Principles and Methods (4)
• GEOG 4400 Cartography and Map Design (3)

 

Elective Courses (3 credit hours): (Choose any one of the following courses)

• BTNY 1203 LS Plant Biology (3)
• BTNY 1403 LS SUS Principles of Environmental Science (3)
• GEOG 3060 SUS Environmental Issues: Local to Global Impact and Solutions (3)
• GEOG 3070 Wetland Environments (3)
• GEOG 3500 Geography of Utah and the American West (3)
• GEOG 4410 SUS Sustainable Land Use Planning (3)
• GEOG 4890 INT Cooperative Work Experience (1-6 credit hours)
• GEOG 4950 Advanced Regional Field Studies or Field Trips (1-3)
• GEO 1110 PS Dynamic Earth: Physical Geology (3)
• GEO 1350 PS Principles of Earth Science (3)
• GEO 3010 Oceanography and Earth Systems (3)
• PHYS 2090 PS Energy and the Environmental Physics (3)

 

Hook: The Earth Systems and Features Track offers students a detailed look at how our amazing planet works! Topics include; the interaction among the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. The track highlights physical elements that affect and/or are affected by people including anthropogenic climate change, air quality, and hazards such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes. The track also offers an introduction to analytical tools in geography used to assess the Earth’s physical components including geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing.

Students completing the Climate Science Track will:

Recognize that climate variability and climate change occur at multiple scales of both time and space.

Understand the fundamental forcings and feedbacks that drive Earth’s climate and climate change.

Distinguish accurate from inaccurate information about Earth’s climate and climate change.

Understand the variety of evidence used to study climate change and distinguish it from climate variability, both in the past and in the present, with a recognition of the strengths and limitations of each.

Be positioned to pursue work in climate policy, climate communications, or advanced degrees in climate science, depending on chosen specializations.

Required: Climate Science Core (9 credit hours)

• GEO PS 1130 Introduction to Meteorology (3)
• GEOG PS SUS 1500 Climate Change: Science, Society and Solutions (3)
• GEOG 3050 Weather and Climate from daily storms to decades of drought (3)

 

An additional 9 credit hours of elective classes are required, chosen from the following classes, organized by specific subfields. Other classes may be substituted with the department chair’s consent. 

Climate Policy and Planning Subfield:

• PSY 1010 SS Introduction to Psychology (3)
• PHYS 2090 PS SUS Environmental Physics Energy and the Environment (3)
• POLS 2100 SS GLB Introduction to International Politics (3)
• POLS 3760 State Government and Politics (3)
• ECON 3300 Environmental Economics (has prerequisites)

 

Climate Communications Subfield: (Choose any combination of the following courses, totaling at least 9 credit hours)

• COMM 1020 HU Principles of Public Speaking (3)
• COMM 1130 Media Writing (3)
• COMM 1500 Introduction to Mass Communication (3)
• PSY 1010 SS Introductory Psychology (3)

 

Technical Subfield: (Choose any combination of the following courses, totaling at least 9 credit hours)

• CS 1030 Foundations of Computing (3)
• GEO 3710 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4)
• GEO 3720 Geospatial Analysis (4)
• GEO 3840 Remote Sensing Principles and Methods (4)
• GEOG 4400 Cartography and Map Design (3)

 

Climate System Subfield: (Choose any combination of the following courses, totaling at least 9 credit hours)

• GEO 3010 Oceanography and Earth Systems (3)
• GEOG 3060 SUS Environmental Issues: Local to Global Impacts and Solutions (3)
• GEOG 3080 (SUS) Arid Lands: Resources, Landforms, and the Quest for Water (3)
• GEOG 3090 (SUS) Arctic and Alpine Environments (3)

Hook: If you understand climate science, you understand what are arguably the single biggest challenges facing the world: human-caused climate change, and what to do about it. The Climate Science track explores these critical issues in depth, as well as associated questions: How do major climate drivers like El Nino work? What causes monsoons to fail? How has Earth’s climate changed in the past? If you are curious about these and similar questions, the Climate Science track is for you.

Students who complete the Global Studies Track will:

Understand how the interconnections of physical environmental systems and human cultural, political and economic systems shape global and regional development efforts. 

Develop the skills to analyze issues and evaluate potential solutions to global and regional development issues through sustainable methods.

Be prepared to participate in the field of global and regional development through careers with a variety of government agencies, non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations. 

Required Geography Courses (6 credit hours): (Choose any two of the following geography courses)

• GEOG 3060 SUS Environmental Issues: Local to Global Impacts and Solutions
• GEOG 3210 Urban Geography: The How and Why of Cities
• GEOG 3360 Economic Geography: Globalization, Development and Conflicts

Required Regional Geography Courses (3-6 credits hours): (Choose any one of the following regional geography courses)

• GEOG 3540 Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean
• GEOG 3590 Geography of Europe: The Land and People who Built a World Power
• GEOG 3640 Geography of Asia: Development, Geopolitics and Environment
• GEOG 3740 Geography of Africa Culture, Colonialism, Crises and Change
• GEOG 3780 Geographic Area Studies

 

Elective Courses (6-9 credits required): (Choose any two of the following courses)

• ANTH 2010 Peoples and Cultures of the World
• ANTH 3600 Culture Area Studies
• ECON 3110 International Trade
• ECON 3410 Women in the World Economy
• ECON 4170 Economic Development
• EDUC 2300 Global Perspectives on Education and Learning
• ENGL 3730 Literatures of Cultures and Places
• HAS 4620 International Health and Healthcare
• HIST 3230 American Foreign Relations
• HIST 4340 History of England since 1714
• HIST 4370 History of Modern France 1789-present
• HIST 4410 History of Spain and Portugal
• HIST 4450 History of Modern Eastern Europe since 1815
• HIST 4530 Far Eastern History
• HIST 4550 Southeast Asian History
• HIST 4570 Islamic Civilization
• HIST 4590 Middle Eastern History
• HIST 4610 History of Africa
• HIST 4650 Modern Latin America
• HIST 4670 History of Mexico
• MICR 1153 LS Elementary Public Health
• MICR 3012 Microbiology and Global Public Health
• MUSC 3208 World Music
• PHIL 3550 Philosophy of Eastern Religion
• POLS 2100 Introduction to International Politics
• POLS 2500 Human Rights in the World
• POLS 3140 Foreign Policy of the United States
• POLS 3200 Middle East and North Africa
• POLS 3220 Politics and Governments of Asia
• POLS 3290 Democratization and Political Transitions
• POLS 4160 Topics in Global Politics
• POLS 4190 Theories of International Politics
• POLS 4280 Foreign Policies of Major Powers
• PTGS 3540 Latin American Environment and Cultures
• SOC 3850 Race and Ethnicity
• SOC 4410 Sociology of Globalization
• SPAN 3540 Latin American Environment and Cultures
• WGS 2500 Human Rights in the World

Hook: Our world today is anything but static, and the forces that drive global change are increasingly complex. Understanding issues of globalization, development and diversity requires a broad knowledge base rooted in concepts that range from local to global. To meet this challenge, students select from a wide range of courses in the humanities and the social sciences. With this diverse background, graduates are well-equipped to work in the private, public and non-governmental organization sectors playing roles such as consultants, activists, advocates and analysts.

Students who complete the Environment and Sustainability Track will be able to:

Articulate examples of the complex interconnections between environmental, social and economic systems at a variety of scales.

Comprehend that healthy and equitable human societies (physically, socially, politically and economically) are fundamentally dependent on healthy, resilient natural systems and the sustainable use of resources.

Identify and holistically analyze the particular contexts/places in which environmental sustainability challenges occur (including climate change, pollution, resource consumption/waste, habitat/biodiversity loss) and recognize that their solution involves various factors of the human-environment nexus.

Contribute through skills and knowledge of solutions to advancing sustainability goals in their homelife, workplace, communities, region and beyond.

Required Environment and Sustainability Core Courses (9 credit hours):

• BTNY 1403 LS SUS Principles of Environmental Science (3) 
• GEOG 3060 SUS Environmental Issues: Local to Global Impacts and Solutions (3)
• SOC 3300 Environment and Society (3) 

 

An additional 9 credit hours of elective classes are required, chosen from the following classes, organized by specific subfields. Other classes may be substituted with the department chair’s consent. (Curriculum can be individually tailored to meet each student's needs. Students should be aware that some electives may have one or more prerequisites.)

Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations Subfield: (Choose a minimum of three courses with at least two from different disciplines)

• BTNY 3473 Plant Geography (3)*
• EET 3100 Renewable Energy (3)
• GEOG 1500 Science of Global Warming (3)
• GEOG 3050 Weather and Climate (3)
• GEOG 3090 Arctic and Alpine Environments (3)
• HIST 3270 American Environmental History (3) 
• PHYS 2090 PS SUS Environmental Physics - Energy and Power (3)
• POLS 4940 Topics in American Politics and Thought (When topic is Environmental Policy) (3)

 

Advocacy, Education and Communication Subfield: (Choose a minimum of three courses with at least two from different disciplines)

• COMM 2010 Mass Media and Society (3)
• COMM 3820 Persuasive Communication (3)* (or other COMM class in Civic Advocacy Emphasis, e.g., COMM 1020 Public Speaking, COMM 1270 Analysis of Argument, COMM 3650 Communication Law)
• ECON 3300 Environmental Economics (3)
• GEOG 4410 Sustainable Land Use Planning (3) 
• HIST 3270 American Environmental History (3) 
• PHIL 4400 SUS Environmental Philosophy (3)
• PHYS 3570 Foundations of Science Education (3)
• POLS 4940 Topics in American Politics and Thought (When topic is Environmental Policy) (3) or POLS 3340 - Environmental Political Theory (3)
• OCRE 4550 Outdoor Education Philosophies & Principles Credits: (3)

 

Sustainable Land, Food and Water Subfield: (Choose a minimum of three courses with at least two from different disciplines)

• BTNY 2413 Intro to Natural Resource Management (3) 
• BTNY 3214 Soils (4)* 
• BTNY 3454 Plant Ecology (4)*
• ECON 3300 Environmental Economics
• GEO 3010 Oceanography and Earth Systems (3)
• GEO 3080 Applied Hydrology (3) 
• GEO 4560 SUS Environmental Geochemistry
• GEOG 3080 Arid Lands (3)
• MICR 3484 Environmental Microbiology (4)* 
• MICR 3502 Environmental Health (2) 
• NUTR 1240 SUS Nutrition and Sustainable Cooking (3)
• OCRE 3450 (SUS) Adventure Travel and Sustainable Tourism (3)
• POLS 4940 Topics in American Politics and Thought (When topic is Environmental Policy) (3)
• SOC 4990 Seminar in Sociology (When topic is Sociology of Water) 
• ZOOL 3500 Conservation Biology* (3)
• ZOOL 3540 Ecology (4) 

 

Sustainability in the Built Environment Subfield: (Choose a minimum of three courses with at least two from different disciplines)

• BDC 3000 SUS Sustainable Building Design & Codes (3)
• CMT 1310 Materials & Methods (3)
• CMT 2410 SUS LEED-GA Preparation
• CMT 3630 Environmental Issues in Facilities Management (3)
• EET 2180 Solar PV Systems (3)
• EET 3100 Renewable Energy (3)
• GEOG 4410 SUS Sustainable Land Use Planning (3) fall semester only
• GEOG 4420 CEL Advanced Urban and Regional Planning (3) spring semester only
• IDT 2010 SUS Sustainability I: Textiles and Soft Materials OR IDT 2060 SUS Sustainability II: Materials and Hardware

*Completion of this track may also meet the requirements for a Minor in Environmental Studies (19 credit hours), or a Certificate of Proficiency in Sustainability (18 credit hours, to be developed).

Any course with a SUS attribute or strong environment/sustainability component(s) may be applied to the track, with advisor approval.

• Inventory of sustainability courses

Hook: Sustainability encompasses human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods and a better world for all present and future generations. The Environment and Sustainability Track will prepare students through interdisciplinary understanding and skills to address the human-environment challenges of our time including climate change, pollution and resource management.

Students who complete the Urban and Regional Planning Track will:

Understand the importance of balancing the necessities of economic, social and environmental development to create more sustainable places.

Gain experience working with the tools and techniques that are important to the planning profession; GIS is strongly recommended.

Prepare to participate in the urban and regional planning field as skilled professionals who are grounded in the theories, methods and techniques of land use planning at all scales. See advisor for internship opportunities with local planning agencies.

Required Courses (6 credit hours):

• GEOG 4410 SUS Sustainable Land Use Planning (3) fall semester only
• GEOG 4420 Advanced Urban and Regional Planning (3) spring semester only

In addition to the required courses listed above, students must complete an additional 12 credit hours of elective courses. Students may choose to specialize in a particular subfield of planning depending on their interests and goals. See the program advisor for more information about the subfields: Environmental Planning; Urban Planning and Historic Preservation; City Government and Management; or Geospatial Planning Techniques. 

Electives (12 credit hours)*:

• CMT 2360 Commercial Design and Codes (3)
• CMT 2410 LEED-GA Preparation (3)
• ECON 1100 Environmental Issues and Economic Policy (3)
• ECON 3300 Environmental Economics (3)
• GEO 3710 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (3)
• GEO 3720 Geospatial Analysis (4)
• GEO 4200 Geospatial Data Acquisition
• GEOG 3210 Urban Geography: The How and Why of Cities (3)
• GEOG 3360 Economic Geography: Globalization, Development and Conflict (3)
• GEOG 3500 Geography of Utah and the American West (3)
• GEOG 4400 Cartography and Map Design (3) (strongly recommended) 
• GEOG 4600 Geospatial Programming/Online Methods (3)
• GEOG 3600 World Environmental Issues (3)
• GEOG 4890 Cooperative Work Experience (3) (strongly recommended)
• GEOG 4840 Geospatial Internship (1-3)
• GEOG 4850 Geospatial Capstone (3)
• HIST 3130 U.S. Urban History (3)
• MICR 1153 LS Public Health; Sex, Travel, Food & Drugs (3)
• MICR 3012 Microbiology and Global Public Health (3)
• OCRE 3500 Community Recreation and Park Planning (3)
• POLS 2700 Introduction to Public Administration (3) (recommended)
• POLS 3700 Bureaucratic Politics (3)
• POLS 3750 Urban Government and Politics (3)
• SOC 3300 Environment and Society (3)
• SOC 3840 Cities and Urban Life (3)
• SOC 3850 Race and Ethnicity (3)

*Other courses related to planning issues may be accepted with approval from the program advisor.

Hook: The cities and communities we live in are always changing. The goal of the Sustainable Urban and Regional Planning track is to help students develop the knowledge and skills that will help them understand and be prepared to participate in guiding these land use changes. Whether you’re interested in simply knowing more about how we can make communities more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable; or pursuing urban planning, or resource management as a career option; or possibly serving as a planning commission member in your community, this track will help you be an active part of local and regional development processes. 

Students who complete the Geospatial Technology Track will:

Be introduced to the fundamental concepts of geospatial science and how geospatial technologies are used to solve real-world problems across both space and time.

Train hands-on in the rapidly expanding geospatial technologies such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems), remote sensing and satellite imagery, computer mapping, GPS/GNSS, spatial analysis, cartography, navigation systems and drones.

Prepare for internships, graduate school, or employment with geospatial technology.

Note: B.S. and Geospatial Analysis Certificate students must complete the upper division course options. Technology Certificate students may take the lower division courses.

Required Courses (11 credit hours):

• GEO 1710/3710 Geospatial Analysis (4)
• GEO 2200/4200 Geospatial Data Acquisition (4)
• GEOG 2400/4400 Cartography and Map Design (3)
   

Technique Courses (3-7 credit hours):

• GEOG 4600 Geospatial Programming and Online Methods (3)
• GEO 1720/3720 Geospatial Analysis (4)
• GEO 3840 Remote Sensing Principles and Methods (4)
   

Elective Courses (4-8 credit hours):

• GEOG 1002 Map Reading and Land Navigation (2)
• GEOG 1005 Natural Environment Field Studies (1)
• GEOG 2840/4840 Geospatial Internship (1-3) [either the Internship or Capstone is 
• GEOG 2850/4850 Geospatial Capstone (1-3) required for a Geospatial Certificate]
• GEOG 4410 SUS Sustainable Land Use Planning (3)
• GEOG 4420 Advanced Urban and Regional Planning (3)

 

*Completion of this track may also meet the requirements for a Certificate of Proficiency in Geospatial Technology (19-21 credit hours), in Geospatial Analysis (23-25 credit hours), or a Minor in Geospatial Studies (18-19 credit hours).

Hook: Geospatial technologies (computer mapping, GIS, satellite imagery, GPS, drones and navigation systems) have found exponentially more uses and users each year. With these tools in your technological toolbox, your employment prospects have never looked brighter.

A total of 120 credit hours is required for graduation; a minimum of 36 of these is required for the major. A total of 40 upper division credit hours is required (courses numbered 3000 and above); 21 of these are required within the geography major.

• Course requirements