Program Overview
The Geography Minor enhances understanding of Earth's landscapes, human interactions with the environment, and spatial organization of society. It develops analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills sought by employers. The program features engaging courses on topics ranging from Earth Science to Urban Geography, taught by renowned faculty with cutting-edge research. It takes approximately 2-3 semesters to complete, requiring 18 credit hours.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Add to your education by learning more about the people, places and landscapes of the world around you. Earning a minor in Geography will enhance your understanding of how people have interacted with the environment to impact the development of Earth, the spatial organization of society, and how people and locations are interconnected. Studying geography gives you an edge by augmenting nearly any major course of study, and emphasizes the analytical and critical thinking skills as well as communication skills that employers seek.
Other:
- Program type: Minor
- Format: On Campus
- Est.
- time to complete: 2-3 semesters
- Credit Hours: 18
- 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.
Geography Minor Courses You Could Take:
- Earth Science (3 hrs)
- Principles and processes of physical geography. Introduction to mapping, weather and climate, soil and vegetation, and landforms of rivers, coasts and deserts.
- Political Geography (3 hrs)
- Examines how political processes, space, and power are inter-connected. Specific topics include nations and nationalism, identity politics, borders, colonialism, core-periphery relations, electoral geography, globalization, and war and violence.
- Geography of China: Environment and Society (3 hrs)
- Introduces students to the history, culture, physical environments, and diverse populations of China to better understand current and future affairs. Evaluate recent developments in China from a geographical perspective.
- Development of high-energy society; renewable and nonrenewable energy resources; physical and social economies of energy use; geography of energy; energy problems and decisions; dependence of other resources on energy; alternative energy futures.
- Urban Geography (3 hrs)
- Examines urban processes, urban landscapes, and urban transformations. Specific topics include structure of cities, gentrification, suburbia, ghettoization, displacement, race, class, and ethnic dispossession, globalization of cities, urban riots, slums and homelessness, and social justice.
- 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.
