Geography Concentration
The Geography Concentration prepares students for a holistic examination of the Earth including ecosystem and atmospheric processes, natural hazards and environmental management, relationships between nature and society, and understanding relationships between events around the world that cause changes to both in natural and socio-economic systems. Coursework will discuss topics such as spatial analysis, environmental protection, global security, international cooperation and regional development that ensure that students will become better stewards of the planet. Geography is interdisciplinary and offers diverse career opportunities in areas such as environmental management, disaster management and response, regional and economic development, careers abroad, and geographic information systems.
Areas of Study
Examines the causes and impacts of both natural and human-caused changes to our environment. Earth’s natural systems, environmental hazards, public policy, and legislation are all studied in detail. Graduates are well prepared to work for local state, and federal agencies, as well as private environmental consulting and engineering firms.
Develops expertise with geographic information technology: geographic information systems (GIS), the global positioning system (GPS), and remote sensing (imaging of the earth from aircraft and satellites). Students in this area of focus develop skills in spatial analysis, environmental modeling, and computer programming.
Focuses on understanding the evolving international arena through regional and thematic studies of economic interrelationships, geopolitical systems, and various cultural aspects associated with challenges of human society’s interactions with the natural environment. Graduates focused in this area are prepared for work in positions concerned with political, economic and health issues at the global scale as well as in other fields ranging from foreign service, geography education, local, state and federal agencies, and private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Advising Resources for Geography Students
Earth and Environmental Sciences majors are assigned a faculty advisor who can guide students on what courses they should be taking to achieve their career goals. Faculty advisors are listed on student’s One Stop Advising page. Students are required to meet with their advisor every fall and spring before they register for classes. The department encourages all students in the Geography Concentration to be familiar with the requirements for the concentration within the B.S. in Earth and Environmental Sciences degree. Below you can find links to degree checklists for the Geography Concentration, a schedule of when upper-division courses will be offered, and the General Education requirements (courses that need to be completed for all degrees at APSU).
Your advisor will give you the best advice for what specific courses you should be taking each semester. In general, the department suggests that students take any required lower-division (1000-2000 level) math and chemistry course as early as possible. Completion of these courses will greatly assist your success in upper-division Earth and Environmental Sciences courses (3000-4000 level courses). With regards to the order in which upper-division courses should be taken, it is recommended that majors take GEOG 3150/3151 Geographic Information Systems I and GEOL 3060/3061 Statistics as early as possible.