Campuses:
This is archival data. This system was retired as of August 21, 2023 and the information on this page has not been updated since then. For current information, visit catalogs.umn.edu.
Twin Cities Campus
Geography B.A.Geography, Environment, Society
College of Liberal Arts
The Geography major focuses on the integrated study of our globalizing world, as made by human and non-human forces alike. The major embraces and synthesizes approaches widely used in the humanities and social, biophysical, and information sciences. It is uniquely able to study combinations of social, political, economic, and ecological processes - especially the role of space, place, and geographic networks in shaping these processes and their interactions. Geography attempts to interpret not just these phenomena, but also, in many instances, how they are perceived and what meanings they hold. Such an integrative perspective on global, regional, and local change provides students with a singular understanding of today's complex world. Geographers prize the world's diversity and offer insight into many of the most pressing challenges of the day, from climate change and social-environmental justice, to the uneven effects of globalization and urban transformation, to the skillful and responsible use of geographic information.
Depending on their specific interests, geographers will employ one or more of a variety of research techniques, including field observation, legal and archival analysis, participant observation, interviewing, textual analysis, ethnography, mapping, and spatial statistics and modeling. Many geographers are interested in the intersections of science, technology, and information, such as the impact of geographic information science on decision-making.
There are a variety of opportunities for graduates who have degrees in Geography. Federal, regional and local governmental agencies seek geographers for city and regional planning, park service, law enforcement, and transportation department positions. Private industry consulting, environmental and marketing firms, the non-profit sector, and local, national and transnational non-governmental organizations also seek geographic skills. Many Geography undergraduate majors obtain careers in education and many go on to graduate school.
Both the B.S. and the B.A. offer a solid foundation in the theories and practice of geography. The B.S. offers a greater emphasis on quantitative analysis while the B.A. focuses more on qualitative analysis, but students can tailor their programs to meet their needs and goals.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
Admission Requirements
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the
Office of Admissions
website.
General Requirements
All students in baccalaureate degree programs are required to complete general University and college requirements including writing and liberal education courses. For more information about University-wide requirements, see the
liberal education requirements.
Required courses for the major, minor or certificate in which a student receives a D grade (with or without plus or minus) do not count toward the major, minor or certificate (including transfer courses).
Program Requirements
Students are required to complete 4 semester(s) of
any second language.
with a grade of C-, or better, or S, or demonstrate proficiency in the language(s) as defined by the department
or college.
Special Policies on Counting Courses:
1. Qualifying students may substitute a 5xxx course for a 3xxx course with which it is cross-listed. Students who register for 5xxx-level courses should expect to complete additional work.
2. Courses counting toward the electives requirements must be worth three or four credits each. In some circumstances, students may substitute 2 two-credit courses for one of the electives course requirements.
3. Any given course can only be used to satisfy one requirement for the major.
See major adviser for final approval of individual program.
A note about the senior project: students who double-major and choose to complete the senior project in their other major are still responsible for taking a minimum of 32 total credits within the major.
At least 14 upper-division credits in the major must be taken in residence at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus. At least one upper-division (3xxx-level or above) course in the major must be writing intensive.
Students may earn up to one undergraduate degree in the geography program: a B.A. or a B.S. or a minor in geography. Students may pursue additional degrees in the department's public health, urban studies and/or GIS programs alongside their geography degree.
Beginning fall 2012, all incoming CLA freshmen must complete the appropriate First Year Experience course sequence. Specific information about this collegiate requirement can be found at: http://class.umn.edu/degree_requirements/index.html
Breadth Requirement
Breadth courses expose students to significant parts of the field. Students may count up to one 1xxx course toward this requirement.
Human Geography
Take 2 or more course(s) totaling 6 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
GEOG 1301W - Our Globalizing World
[SOCS, GP, WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 1973 - Geography of the Twin Cities
[SOCS]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3101 {Inactive}
[SOCS, TS]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3331 - Geography of the World Economy
[SOCS, GP]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3361W {Inactive}
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3371W - Cities, Citizens, and Communities
[DSJ, WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3373 - Changing Form of the City
[HIS, GP]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3379 - Environment and Development in the Third World
[SOCS, ENV]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3381W - Population in an Interacting World
[SOCS, GP, WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3973 - Geography of the Twin Cities
[SOCS]
(3.0 cr)
Environmental Geography
Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
GEOG 1403 - Biogeography of the Global Garden
[BIOL, ENV]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 1425 - Introduction to Weather and Climate
[PHYS, ENV]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3401W - Geography of Environmental Systems and Global Change
[ENV, WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3431 - Plant and Animal Geography
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3839 - Introduction to Dendrochronology
(4.0 cr)
Geographic Information Science
Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
GEOG 1502 - Mapping Our World
[TS, SOCS]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3511 - Principles of Cartography
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3521 {Inactive}
[TS]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3523 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3531 - Numerical Spatial Analysis
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3561 - Principles of Geographic Information Science
(4.0 cr)
Ways of Knowing
The Ways of Knowing requirement provides a theory-intensive overview of the discipline. Students are encouraged to take 3-5 of their breadth and electives courses before taking their Ways of Knowing course.
Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
GEOG 4001 - Modes of Geographic Inquiry
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 4002W - Environmental Thought and Practice
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
Electives
Students should work with the departmental adviser to develop a coherent set of electives that meet specific educational goals. See above for special policies on counting courses that apply to this electives requirement. Note that the following Urban Studies (URBS) courses may not be used to satisfy the electives requirement: URBS 1001W, 3001W, 3201, 3202 & 3500.
Take 5 or more course(s) totaling 15 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
GEOG 3xxx
·
GEOG 4xxx
·
GEOG 5xxx
·
URBS 3xxx
·
URBS 5xxx
Senior Project
Take at least two credits by choosing one of the following options. Honors students should enroll in the honors version of each option. [Note: enrollment in GEOG 3997/3997H requires concurrent registration in a breadth or elective course.] Students should begin to plan their senior project with potential faculty mentors and/or the dept adviser at least one semester before registering for credit. Students must submit a copy of their thesis and the senior project tracking form before graduating.
Option 1: Senior Project Seminar Course
GEOG 3985W {Inactive}
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
or
GEOG 3985V {Inactive}
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
or
Option 2: Directed Research Project in Geography
Note: this option requires instructor consent prior to the first day of classes.
GEOG 3996 {Inactive}
(3.0-4.0 cr)
or
GEOG 3996H {Inactive}
(3.0-4.0 cr)
or
Option 3: Extra-credit Project
Note: this option requires instructor consent prior to the first day of classes and concurrent registration in a breadth or elective course.
GEOG 3997 {Inactive}
(2.0 cr)
or
GEOG 3997H {Inactive}
(2.0 cr)
Upper-division Writing Intensive within the major
Students are required to take one upper-division Writing Intensive course within the major. If that requirement has not been satisfied within the core major requirements, students must choose one course from the following list. Some of these courses may also fulfill other major requirements.
Take 0 - 1 course(s) from the following:
·
GEOG 3361W {Inactive}
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3371W - Cities, Citizens, and Communities
[DSJ, WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3371V {Inactive}
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3374V {Inactive}
[AH, WI]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3374W - The City in Film
[AH, WI]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 5374 {Inactive}
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3381W - Population in an Interacting World
[SOCS, GP, WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3411W - Geography of Health and Health Care
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 4002W - Environmental Thought and Practice
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3985V {Inactive}
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
·
GEOG 3985W {Inactive}
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
·
URBS 3955W - Senior Paper Seminar
[WI]
(2.0 cr)
|
|
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 1301W/Geog 1301V |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 1973/3973 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3331/GloS 3231 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3379/GloS 3303 |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3381W/GLOS 3701W |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 1973/3973 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 1403/Geog 1403H |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | ESPM 1425/Geog 1425 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3401W/5401W |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3431/5431 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3839/Geog 5839 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3511/Geog 5511 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3531/5531 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3561/ Geog 5561 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3374W/3374V/5374W |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Geog 3381W/GLOS 3701W |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |