Program Overview

Geography

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Geography

Major

• Geography BA
• Geography BA - Earth Systems Science Concentration
• Geography BA - Urban and Regional Analysis Concentration

Combined

• Geography BA/MA

Minor

• Geography Minor

What will I learn?

Geography at UB is a flexible major, with a small number of required classes, and then the freedom to take lots of electives in areas like earth science, urban geography, development geography, forest ecology, environmental hazards, health behaviors, oceans and international trade. Whether you choose to concentrate in a specific area or not, you'll learn how to collect, describe, analyze and interpret data. You'll discover how to create and analyze maps and models. And you'll get hands-on training in the software required to be successful in your future career.

What can I do outside of class?

• Internships
• Student Clubs
• Events
• Study Abroad

What can I do with a geography degree?

Develop a more efficient map for bus routes in a city. Help a hospital prevent the spread of diseases in a community. Reduce the risk of life-threatening floods. Find the ideal sites for solar panels and other sources of renewable energy. These are just a few of the paths you can follow as a geography graduate, in a career that can take you around the world.

This degree provides opportunities for a career with a government agency (including federal agencies, state organizations and local planning offices), a university, a nonprofit organization, or a business (such as a consulting company or real estate developer).

Popular career choices include:

• GIS analyst
• Cartographer
• Geospatial data scientist
• GIS software engineer
• Computer analyst
• Crime analyst
• Demographer
• Ecologist
• Environmental scientist
• Geomorphologist
• Health care analyst
• Market research analyst
• Meteorologist
• Natural resource manager
• Urban and transportation planner

Who will I learn from?

At UB, you'll find faculty with expertise in a wide range of areas such as watershed processes, environmental management, remote sensing and dynamic modeling.

Our faculty members are respected scholars and researchers who have received support from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, as well as other government agencies and companies. In addition, they have been named SUNY Distinguished Professor and earned the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. They have been quoted in "Forbes," "New York Magazine" and other leading media outlets.

But perhaps most importantly for you, our faculty members are teachers and mentors who bring real-world experience to the classroom and are here to help guide you along your path.