Twin Cities campus
 
Twin Cities Campus

Geography Minor

Geography, Environment, Society
College of Liberal Arts
  • Program Type: Undergraduate minor related to major
  • Requirements for this program are current for Spring 2017
  • Required credits in this minor: 14
Geography minors study how human-made places & natural systems interact and change at local, regional, and global scales. Students may develop a specialization in human/social geography, environmental geography, or spatial analysis, or may combine courses of interest to create a unique area of specialization.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Minor Requirements
Students may complete no more than one degree in geography: a BA or a BS or a minor.
Minor Courses
Take 14 or more credit(s) from the following:
· GEOG 3xxx
· GEOG 3101 - Geography of the United States and Canada [SOCS, TS] (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3111 - Geography of Minnesota (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3211 - East Asia (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3371W - Cities, Citizens, and Communities [DSJ, WI] (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3373 - Changing Form of the City [HIS, GP] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3376 - Political Ecology of North America [ENV] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3377 - Music in the City [DSJ, AH] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3388 - Going Places: Geographies of Travel and Tourism [CIV] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3401 - Geography of Environmental Systems and Global Change [ENV] (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3411W - Geography of Health and Health Care [WI] (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3431 - Plant and Animal Geography (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3511 - Principles of Cartography (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3521 - Digital Planet: Understanding Your World in the Information Age [TS] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3523 - Digital Mapping: Introduction to Making Online Maps for the Humanities and Sciences (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3531 - Numerical Spatial Analysis (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3561 - Principles of Geographic Information Science (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3839 - Introduction to Dendrochronology (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3900 - Topics in Geography (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3973 - Geography of the Twin Cities [SOCS] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 4xxx
· GEOG 4001 - Modes of Geographic Inquiry (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 4002W - Environmental Thought and Practice [WI] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 5xxx
· GEOG 5361 - Geography and Real Estate (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 5393 - Rural Landscapes and Environments (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 5401 - Geography of Environmental Systems and Global Change (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 5426 - Climatic Variations (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 5511 - Principles of Cartography (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 5531 - Numerical Spatial Analysis (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 5561 - Principles of Geographic Information Science (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 5563 - Advanced Geographic Information Science (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 5564 - Urban Geographic Information Science and Analysis (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 5565 - Geographical Analysis of Human-Environment Systems (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3145 - The Islamic World [SOCS, GP] (3.0 cr)
or GLOS 3645 - Islamic World [SOCS, GP] (3.0 cr)
or RELS 3711 - The Islamic World [SOCS, GP] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3161 - Europe: A Geographic Perspective [GP] (3.0 cr)
or GLOS 3921 - Europe: A Geographic Perspective [GP] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3331 - Geography of the World Economy [SOCS, GP] (3.0 cr)
or GLOS 3231 - Geography of the World Economy [SOCS, GP] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3361W - Geography and Public Policy [WI] (3.0 cr)
or BSE 3361W - Geography and Public Policy [WI] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3374W - The City in Film [AH, WI] (4.0 cr)
or GEOG 5374 - The City in Film (4.0 cr)
· GEOG 3379 - Environment and Development in the Third World [SOCS, ENV] (3.0 cr)
or GLOS 3303 - Environment and Development in the Third World [SOCS, ENV] (3.0 cr)
· GEOG 3381W - Population in an Interacting World [SOCS, GP, WI] (4.0 cr)
or GLOS 3701W - Population in an Interacting World [SOCS, GP, WI] (4.0 cr)
 
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GEOG 3101 - Geography of the United States and Canada (SOCS, TS)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3101/3102
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Analysis of the ways in which the aspirations and abilities of diverse groups of people interact with the complexities of the natural environment to produce the contemporary pluralistic cultures and regional differentiation of the United States and Canada.
GEOG 3111 - Geography of Minnesota
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring & Summer
The evolution of Minnesota and its current geographical characteristics. The state is a unique political entity that possesses similarities with other states because of the homogenizing influence of the federal government.
GEOG 3211 - East Asia
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3211/3215/5211/5215
Typically offered: Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer
Physical and human geography of Japan, mainland China and Taiwan, North and South Korea; population pressure, economic and urban development, and international relations.
GEOG 3371W - Cities, Citizens, and Communities (DSJ, WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Introduction to cities and suburbs as unique crossroads of cultural, social, and political processes. Competing/conflicting visions of city life, cultural diversity, and justice. Focuses on the American city.
GEOG 3373 - Changing Form of the City (HIS, GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Urban origins, ancient cultures/cities, the medieval city, rediscovery of planning, colonial cities. Industrialization and urban expansion. Speculative cities, utopian cities, planning triumphs/disasters. Cities as reflections of society, culture, the past.
GEOG 3376 - Political Ecology of North America (ENV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Social production of nature in North America related to questions of social/environmental justice. Economic, political, cultural, ecological relations that shape specific urban/rural environments, social movements that have arisen in response to environmental change. Importance of culture/identity in struggles over resources/environments.
GEOG 3377 - Music in the City (DSJ, AH)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Geographical conceptions of place, space, embodiment, identity. Case studies of music.
GEOG 3388 - Going Places: Geographies of Travel and Tourism (CIV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Global flows of tourism from perspective of debates about consumption, development, identity, and the environment. Close reading, field trips, discussion of films, research paper.
GEOG 3401 - Geography of Environmental Systems and Global Change (ENV)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3401/5401
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Geographic patterns, dynamics, and interactions of atmospheric, hydrospheric, geomorphic, pedologic, and biologic systems as context for human population, development, and resource use patterns.
GEOG 3411W - Geography of Health and Health Care (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3411W/5411W
Typically offered: Every Fall
Application of human ecology, spatial analysis, political economy, and other geographical approaches to analyze problems of health and health care. Topics include distribution and diffusion of disease; impact of environmental, demographic, and social change on health; distribution, accessibility, and utilization of health practitioners and facilities.
GEOG 3431 - Plant and Animal Geography
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3431/5431
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Introduction to biogeography. Focuses on patterns of plant/animal distributions at different scales over time/space. Evolutionary, ecological, and applied biogeography. Paleobiogeography, vegetation-environment relationships, vegetation dynamics/disturbance ecology, human impact on plants/animals, nature conservation. Discussions, group/individual projects, local field trips.
GEOG 3511 - Principles of Cartography
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
History and development of U.S. academic cartography, coordinate systems and map projections, data classification and map generalization, methods of thematic symbolization, and cartographic design. A series of computer-based lab exercises will apply conceptual lecture material to the creation of thematic maps. prereq: 3 cr in geog or instr consent
GEOG 3521 - Digital Planet: Understanding Your World in the Information Age (TS)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Mobile geospatial information technologies-- from cell phone tracking/vehicle navigation to virtual globe mapping. Potentials, limits, and concerns about their use and ongoing developments. Use GPS and video to produce a GeoDiary. Surveillance, cyberspace, and more common geospatial applications, especially those relying on mobile devices.
GEOG 3523 - Digital Mapping: Introduction to Making Online Maps for the Humanities and Sciences
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Digital technologies with an emphasis on creating online maps and using digital geobrowser technologies. Google Earth, NASA WorldWind. Quantum GIS, GPS software/hardware. Manipulating data, preparing analysis, and making online interactive maps, called mashups.
GEOG 3531 - Numerical Spatial Analysis
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3531/5531
Typically offered: Every Fall & Summer
Introduction to theoretical and applied aspects of geographical quantitative methods with a focus on spatial analysis. Emphasis placed on the analysis of geographical data for spatial problem solving in both the human and physical areas of the discipline.
GEOG 3561 - Principles of Geographic Information Science
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: 02490
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Introduction to study of geographic information systems (GIS) for geography and non-geography students. Topics include GIS application domains, data models and sources, analysis methods and output techniques. Lectures, readings and hands-on experience with GIS software. prereq: Jr or sr
GEOG 3839 - Introduction to Dendrochronology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Historical development, operational techniques, biological background, and principles of tree ring analysis. Applications of tree-ring data to investigate environmental change and past cultures. prereq: [1403, [BIOL 1001 or BIOL 1009 or equiv]] or instr consent
GEOG 3900 - Topics in Geography
Credits: 3.0 [max 9.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Special topics/regions covered by visiting professors in their research fields.
GEOG 3973 - Geography of the Twin Cities (SOCS)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 1973W/3973W
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Social/physical characteristics of Twin Cities. Their place in U.S. urban network.
GEOG 4001 - Modes of Geographic Inquiry
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Examination of competing approaches to the study of geography. Environmental determinism; regional tradition; scientific revolution; behavioral geography; modeling and quantitative geography; radical geography; interpretive and qualitative approaches; feminist and postmodern geography; ecological thinking and complexity; geographic ethics.
GEOG 4002W - Environmental Thought and Practice (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
Changing conceptions of nature, culture, and environment in Western social/political thought. How our understanding of humans/nonhumans has been transformed by scientific and technological practices. Interdisciplinary, reading intensive. prereq: Jr or sr
GEOG 5361 - Geography and Real Estate
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Origins and evolution of land ownership in the United States.
GEOG 5393 - Rural Landscapes and Environments
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Analysis of three principal components of rural landscape (form of land surface, plant life that cloaks it, structures that people have placed upon it). Structures associated with agriculture, including mining, forestry, resort areas, and small towns.
GEOG 5401 - Geography of Environmental Systems and Global Change
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3401/5401
Typically offered: Periodic Fall
Processes that create/change the spatial patterns of climate, vegetation, and soils. Potential of humans to alter climate, vegetation, and soil processes. Possible impacts of human-altered environmental conditions. prereq: grad student or instr consent
GEOG 5426 - Climatic Variations
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Fall
Theories of climatic fluctuations and change at decadal to centuries time scales; analysis of temporal and spatial fluctuations especially during the period of instrumental record. prereq: 1425 or 3401 or instr consent
GEOG 5511 - Principles of Cartography
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
Topics on data sources for mapping. History of thematic cartography (focused on 19th-century European activity). Multivariate classification/symbolization. Models for cartographic generalization, spatial interpolation, and surface representation. Animated/multimedia cartography.
GEOG 5531 - Numerical Spatial Analysis
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3531/5531
Typically offered: Every Fall
Applied/theoretical aspects of geographical quantitative methods for spatial analysis. Emphasizes analysis of geographical data for spatial problem solving in human/physical areas.
GEOG 5561 - Principles of Geographic Information Science
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: 02490
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Introduction to the study of geographic information systems (GIS) for geography and non-geography students. Topics include GIS application domains, data models and sources, analysis methods and output techniques. Lectures, reading, and hands-on experience with GIS software. prereq: grad
GEOG 5563 - Advanced Geographic Information Science
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Advanced study of geographic information systems (GIS). Topics include spatial data models, topology, data encoding, data quality, database management, spatial analysis tools and visualization techniques. Hands-on experience using an advanced vector GIS package. prereq: B or better in 3561 or 5561 or instr consent
GEOG 5564 - Urban Geographic Information Science and Analysis
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Fall
Core concepts in urban geographic information science including sources for urban geographical and attribute data (including census data), urban data structures (focusing on the TIGER data structure), urban spatial analyses (including location-allocation models), geodemographic analysis, network analysis, and the display of urban data. prereq: 3561 or 5561
GEOG 5565 - Geographical Analysis of Human-Environment Systems
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
Applications of geographic information systems and other spatial analysis tools to analysis of environmental systems patterns, dynamics, and interactions. Focuses on global to landscape databases developed to analyze atmospheric, hydrospheric, geomorphic, pedologic, biologic, and human landuse systems. prereq: 3561 or 5561 or FR 4131 or LA 5573 or one intro GIS course or grad student or instr consent
GEOG 3145 - The Islamic World (SOCS, GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3145/GloS 3645
Typically offered: Every Fall
Foundation of Islam in Arabian Peninsula, its spread to Asia and Africa. Islamic civilization, influence on Europe before rise of capitalism. Rise of Capitalist Europe, colonization of Islamic World Islamic resurgence and post-colonial world. State-society and development. Culture/conflict in Moslem societies. Gender and Islam. Islamic World and the West. Moslems in North America and Europe. Case studies.
GLOS 3645 - Islamic World (SOCS, GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3145/GloS 3645
Typically offered: Every Fall
Foundation of Islam in Arabian Peninsula, its spread to Asia and Africa. Islamic civilization, influence on Europe before rise of capitalism. Rise of Capitalist Europe, colonization of Islamic World Islamic resurgence and post-colonial World. State-society and development. Culture/conflict in Moslem societies. Gender and Islam. Islamic World and the West. Moslems in North America and Europe. Case studies.
RELS 3711 - The Islamic World (SOCS, GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: 00353
Typically offered: Every Fall
Foundation of Islam in Arabian Peninsula, its spread to Asia and Africa. Islamic civilization, influence on Europe. Rise of capitalism, colonization. Islamic resurgence. State-society and development. Culture/conflict in Moslem societies. Gender and Islam. Islam and the West. Case studies.
GEOG 3161 - Europe: A Geographic Perspective (GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3161/GLoS 3921
Typically offered: Fall Even Year
Comparative analysis and explanation of Europe's physical, demographic, ethnic/cultural, economic, political, and urban landscapes. European integration--the European Union. Transformation of Eastern Europe.
GLOS 3921 - Europe: A Geographic Perspective (GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3161/GLoS 3921
Typically offered: Fall Even Year
Comparative analysis/explanation of Europe's physical, demographic, ethnic/cultural, economic, political, and urban landscapes. European integration: European Union, transformation of Eastern Europe.
GEOG 3331 - Geography of the World Economy (SOCS, GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Geographical distribution of resources affecting development; location of agriculture, industry, services; geography of communications; agglomeration of economic activities, urbanization, regional growth; international trade; changing global development inequalities; impact of globalizing production and finance on the welfare of nations, regions, cities.
GLOS 3231 - Geography of the World Economy (SOCS, GP)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: 02044
Typically offered: Every Fall
Geographical distribution of resources affecting development. Location of agriculture, industry, services. Agglomeration of economic activities, urbanization, regional growth. International trade. Changing global development inequalities. Impact on nations, regions, cities.
GEOG 3361W - Geography and Public Policy (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: 01979
Typically offered: Every Fall
Nature/effects of federal policy in the United States. How documents produced as policy are crafted/implemented. Policies relating to food/agriculture, forestry, wildlife, and transportation.
BSE 3361W - Geography and Public Policy (WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: 01979
Typically offered: Every Fall
Nature/effects of federal policy in United States. How documents produced as policy are crafted/implemented. Policies relating to food/agriculture, forestry, wildlife, transportation.
GEOG 3374W - The City in Film (AH, WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3374W/3374V/5374W
Typically offered: Every Spring
Cinematic portrayal of changes in 20th-century cities worldwide including social and cultural conflict, political and economic processes, changing gender relationships, rural versus urban areas, and population and development issues (especially as they affect women and children).
GEOG 5374 - The City in Film
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3374W/3374V/5374W
Typically offered: Every Spring
Cinematic portrayal of changes in 20th-century cities worldwide. Social/cultural conflict, political/economic processes, changing gender relationships, rural versus urban areas, population/development issues (especially as they affect women/children). Meets concurrently with 3374. Additional weekly meeting discusses films, readings. Project on a topic selected in consultation with instructor. prereq: grad student or instr consent
GEOG 3379 - Environment and Development in the Third World (SOCS, ENV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3379/GloS 3303
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Concepts for analyzing relations between capitalist development and environment in Third World. Historical geography of capitalist development. Case studies. Likelihood of social/environmental sustainability. prereq: Soph or jr or sr
GLOS 3303 - Environment and Development in the Third World (SOCS, ENV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Geog 3379/GloS 3303
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Concepts for analyzing relations between capitalist development and environment in Third World. Historical geography of capitalist development. Case studies. Likelihood of social/environmental sustainability. prereq: Soph or jr or sr
GEOG 3381W - Population in an Interacting World (SOCS, GP, WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: 01064
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Comparative analysis and explanation of trends in fertility, mortality, internal and international migration in different parts of the world; world population problems; population policies; theories of population growth; impact of population growth on food supply and the environment.
GLOS 3701W - Population in an Interacting World (SOCS, GP, WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: 01064
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Comparative analysis/explanation of trends in fertility, mortality, internal and international migration in different parts of the world; world population problems; population policies; theories of population growth; impact of population growth on food supply and the environment.