The Bachelor of Arts in Geography is available to students through two options.
The option in environmental studies. This option provides students interdisciplinary perspectives on critical environmental issues. Drawing from the natural and social sciences, this option equips students to understand issues at a global scale and also provides them opportunities to engage in problem-solving at the local level. This option is tailored for students interested in environmental policy, planning, stewardship, applied conservation, restoration, ecological sustainability, and global climate change. Students gain knowledge and skills to understand and intervene in urban, rural, and regional processes. Graduates will contribute to the creation of livable communities, regenerative economies, and sustainable places.
The option in landscape studies. The focus of this option is on cultural and physical landscapes and the natural processes and diverse cultures that have shaped them. Students examine landscapes from the perspectives of physical and human geography at scales that range from the local to the global. Knowledge of climate patterns, vegetation, and landforms combined with an understanding of societal trends such as urban expansion and migration will demonstrate how landscapes are a synthesis of human and natural environments of the past, present, and future. An emphasis on field-based learning sharpens students’ observational and interpretive skills and helps them learn about real-world social and environmental issues while recognizing and drawing from the knowledge of diverse peoples and places to become more mindful citizens as they engage in environmental stewardship, policy, and land-use planning.
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
Course Requirements for the Major: 45 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
Select courses not taken to satisfy the core requirements.
Geography and Economics Double Major
Students may take two geography and two economics courses from the following list. All 12 units will count toward both majors (geography courses will count toward 100-level electives in the economics major).
Students may elect a geography and history double major. Up to nine units of appropriate upper-division History (HIST) courses may be applied to the geography major. Prior approval by a department advisor and the chair is required.
Electives Requirement
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires six units of honors coursework completed over two semesters.
The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.
Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:
You must take six units of Honors in the Major coursework. All six units are honors courses (marked by a suffix of H), and at least three of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each course with a minimum grade of B.
You must have completed 9 units of upper-division coursework or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the six units of coursework over the two semesters of their senior year.
Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.
Honors in the Major is not part of the Honors Program. Each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings.
General Education Courses Suggested for Geography Majors
The following General Education courses are recommended to support the student in either of the options for the geography major:
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in US Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.
