Program Overview

Environmental Studies Geography Degree

Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Geography with a concentration in Environmental Studies focuses on the complex interactions between the environment and society. Students will develop skills to address both the natural and social aspects of environmental issues.

Program Details

• Program Type: Major
• Format: On Campus
• Estimated Time to Complete: 4 years
• Credit Hours: 120

Marketable Skills

• Solve problems using situational assessments
• Oral and written communication
• Critical thinking
• Analyze geospatial information and data
• Teamwork

Program Highlights

• Highly successful faculty with cutting-edge research
• Engaging undergrad and graduate programs
• Active student organizations related to programs
• High investment in students by faculty
• Students employed in a diverse array of internships and careers

Career Opportunities

The concentration in environmental studies is ideal preparation for careers in sustainability, natural resources, and other fields that emphasize human-environment interactions.

Coursework

• Culture, Environment and Society (3 hrs): Exploration of the dynamic relations between culture and environment addressing ethnic diversity and conflict, development and underdevelopment, settlement patterns, movement of commodities and people (including refugees), and environmental degradation.
• Geosystems, Environment and Society (3 hrs): Examines the physical and human dynamics associated with topics such as earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, coastal processes, streams and flooding, soils, ground water, mineral extraction/processing, air pollution, energy production, water resources, and waste disposal.
• Environmental Geology (3 hrs): Environmental geology is applied geology and focuses on applying geologic information to solve conflicts in land use, to minimize environmental degradation, and to maximize the beneficial results of using natural and modified environments.
• Ecosystems: Structure, Function and Services (3 hrs): Examines interactions between organisms and the physical environment as an integrated system and the factors that regulate the quantity and flow of materials and energy through ecosystems.
• Capitalism, Nature and Climate Change (3 hrs): Examines political-economy of human and natural resources and their implications for our environment and global climate change.
• Foundations of Geographic Research (3 hrs): Introduction to research for entry-level geography majors. Journal articles are examined in detail with reference to exploring research design and implementation.