Earn your BS in Geography
Are you curious about how the decisions we make about land and resources affect the natural environment? Or how the distribution of natural resources drives human activities? Geographers study how humans interact with the environment, often using digital technologies, and solve problems in order to build a more sustainable world.
A degree in geography can help you:
- Prepare for a career in environmental planning, consulting, or management
- Excel in the rapidly expanding field of geospatial technologies
- Prepare for graduate school in a variety of environmental fields
The major in geography is appropriate preparation for advanced training or careers in geographical and sustainability sciences. Students choose one of three tracks in the major: environmental studies, geographic information science (GISci), or health and society. All students majoring in geography complete a common set of foundation courses in addition to the requirements for their choice of track. Students with strong interest in quantitative analysis and model building should pursue the BS in Geography degree and are encouraged to master an appropriate computer programming language. BS students take additional mathematics coursework.
Requirements
The major in geography requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including at least 45-48 semester hours for the BS. Credit required for the major depends on a student's choice of track. Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program. Transfer students must earn a minimum of 15 semester hours for the major in residence at the University of Iowa.
The BS with a major in geography requires the following course work:
| Course type | Semester hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Common requirements | 18-23 | |
| Statistics, mathematics, or computer science courses | 10 | |
| Track courses | 15-19 | |
| Total hours | 46-49 | |
Consistent with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences maximum semester hours rule, students may count a maximum of 56 semester hours earned in their major department toward graduation.
Geography majors may not earn the minor in geographic information science.
Students may not use a course to fulfill more than one major requirement.
| Course number | Course name | Semester hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| GEOG:1020 | The Global Environment | 3 |
| GEOG:1021 | The Global Environment Lab | 1 |
| GEOG:1090 | Globalization and Geographic Diversity | 3 |
| GEOG:2050 | Foundations of GIS | 3 |
| One of these: | ||
| GEOG:1060 | Geography of Asia: From Japan to Pakistan | 3 |
| GEOG:1070 | Contemporary Environmental Issues | 3 |
| GEOG:2110/GHS:2110 | Eight Billion and Counting: Introduction to Population Dynamics | 3 |
| GEOG:2130 | World Cities | 3 |
| GEOG:2910 | The Global Economy | 3 |
| GEOG:2950 | Environmental Conservation | 3 |
| One of these (not required for GISci track students): | ||
| GEOG:3340 | Ecosystem Services: Human Dependence on Natural Systems | 3 |
| GEOG:3500 | Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEOG:3520 | GIS for Environmental Studies | 3 |
| GEOG:3540 | Introduction to Geographic Visualization | 3 |
| GEOG:3570 | Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR): Principles and Applications | 3 |
| GEOG:4010 | Field Methods in Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG:4020 | Field Methods: Mapping and Mobile Computing | 3 |
| GEOG:4150/GHS:4150 | Health and Environment: GIS Applications | 3 |
| GEOG:4650 | Simulation in Environmental Geography | 3 |
| One of these: | ||
| GEOG:4030 | Senior Project Seminar | 3 |
| GEOG:4995 | Honors Thesis (must enroll for 3 semester hours) | 3 |
| One of these (at least 1 semester hour required): | ||
| GEOG:3400 | Iowa Environmental Policy in Practice | 3 |
| GEOG:3992 | Undergraduate Research (including ICIGO or independent research) | arr. |
| CCP:1201 | Academic Internship | 1-3 |
Senior Project Seminar (GEOG:4030) is offered only in spring semesters. Students who choose GEOG:4995 Honors Thesis must make arrangements with a faculty advisor.
The Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences is a participant in the university's internship program, which provides opportunities for students to participate in paid and unpaid activities related to their academic programs. The Pomerantz Career Center works with students to develop appropriate internships.
Students must earn a minimum of 10 semester hours in statistics, mathematics or computer science coursework by completing the following. Equivalent courses and courses with a higher course number also may be selected in consultation with, and approval by an advisor.
Students who complete the GIS track may not double count their required computer science courses for the statistics, mathematics or computer science courses requirement.
| Course number | Course name | Semester hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these: | ||
| STAT:2010 | Statistical Methods and Computing | 3 |
| STAT:3200/IE:3760/IGPI:3200 | Applied Linear Regression | 3 |
| One of these: | ||
| CS:1210 | Computer Science I: Fundamentals | 4 |
| CS:2110 | Programming for Informatics | 4 |
| CS:2230 | Computer Science II: Data Structures | 4 |
| MATH:1460 | Calculus for the Biological Sciences | 4 |
| MATH:1380 | Calculus and Matrix Algebra for Business | 4 |
Major tracks
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Honors in the major
Students have the opportunity to graduate with honors in the major. Departmental honors students must maintain a cumulative University of Iowa GPA of at least 3.33 and a GPA of at least 3.33 in all work for the major. They must be admitted to the department's honors program by the first semester of their senior year or earlier.
Honors students in geography pursue study beyond the typical undergraduate level. In order to graduate with honors in the major, they work under the direction of a faculty member to conduct original research and then prepare and present an honors thesis based on their research. The thesis is reviewed by a committee of at least three faculty members. Departmental honors students earn credit for their thesis by registering for GEOG:4995 Honors Thesis. They may substitute GEOG:4030 Senior Project Seminar for GEOG:4995, as long as they continue to work on the thesis under the direction of a faculty member.