Geography BA
Total Units Required: 120
Department website: https://www.csuchico.edu/geop/
The Bachelor of Arts in Geography is available to students through two options.
The option in human geography and planning. This option focuses on major challenges and trends of society, including the growth, ageing, and distribution of populations; urban expansion and decline; the distribution of resources; global cultural and economic diversity; and ecological sustainability. 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 physical and environmental geography. The focus is on the physical geographic processes that take place on Earth as well as human-environment relations. Drawing from the natural and social sciences, physical and environmental geographers study climate patterns; landforms; environmental policy; planning; and stewardship including forests, rangelands, and wetlands; the role of fire in nature and society; applied conservation, restoration, and stewardship; and global climate change, mitigation, and adaptation. Graduates will address critical social and ecological issues into the future through professional work in environmental impact analysis, environmental planning, and natural resource stewardship.
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.
Techniques courses completed for the geography core cannot be double-counted toward the techniques courses taken in the geography options.
Course | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Major Core | ||
GEOG 101 | Earth Systems and Physical Geography | 3 |
GEOG 211 | Introduction to Geographical Information Systems | 3 |
GEOG 219 | Introduction to Geographic Methods | 3 |
GEOG 390W | Foundations of Geographical Analysis (W) | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Peoples, Places, and Environments | ||
California Cultural Landscapes | ||
American West Decolonized | ||
Spatial Concepts: Geographical Patterns and Processes | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Geographies of Disaster | ||
Introductory Cartography | ||
Applied Statistical Methods in Geography | ||
Field Techniques | ||
Remote Sensing of Environment | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Geography and World Affairs | ||
Sustainability and Climate Change Issues | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Earth Systems Analysis of Global Change (W) | ||
American Cultural Landscapes (W) | ||
Major Option | ||
Select one of the following options: | 18 | |
Total Units | 45 |
Major Option Course Requirements
Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.
The Option in Human Geography and Planning: 18 units
Any three unit upper-division course from outside the department may be selected with advisor approval.
Course | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
GEOG 301W | Global Economic Geography (W) | 3 |
GEOG 320 | Introduction to Land Use Planning | 3 |
GEOG 438 | Urban Geography | 3 |
GEOG 506 | Community Service Practice in Sustainability | 3 |
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Introductory Cartography | ||
Applied Statistical Methods in Geography | ||
Geomorphology | ||
Climatology | ||
The United States | ||
Lands and Peoples of Latin America | ||
Geospatial Analysis and Modeling in GIS | ||
Advanced Cartography and Geovisualization | ||
Remote Sensing of Environment | ||
Planning for Sustainable Communities and Regions | ||
Sustainable Water Systems | ||
Environmental Impact Analysis | ||
Land Use Planning Studio | ||
Environmental and Conservation Planning | ||
Sustainable Transportation Planning | ||
Environmental Thought in Action | ||
Biogeography and Landscape Ecology | ||
Pyrogeography | ||
Total Units | 18 |
The Option in Physical and Environmental Geography: 18 units
Any three unit upper-division course from outside the department may be selected with advisor approval.
Course | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
GEOG 342 | Geomorphology | 3 |
GEOG 343 | Climatology | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Biogeography and Landscape Ecology | ||
Pyrogeography | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Conservation, Restoration, and Stewardship | ||
Sustainable Water Systems | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Global Economic Geography (W) | ||
Introductory Cartography | ||
Applied Statistical Methods in Geography | ||
Introduction to Land Use Planning | ||
Geospatial Analysis and Modeling in GIS | ||
Advanced Cartography and Geovisualization | ||
Field Techniques | ||
Remote Sensing of Environment | ||
Planning for Sustainable Communities and Regions | ||
Environmental Impact Analysis | ||
Land Use Planning Studio | ||
Environmental and Conservation Planning | ||
Sustainable Transportation Planning | ||
Urban Geography | ||
Environmental Thought in Action | ||
Total Units | 18 |
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.
While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.
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).
Course | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
ECON 365 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
ECON 375 | The Developing Countries | 3 |
ECON 466W | Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (W) | 3 |
GEOG 301W | Global Economic Geography (W) | 3 |
GEOG 304 | Sustainability and Climate Change Issues | 3 |
GEOG 320 | Introduction to Land Use Planning | 3 |
GEOG 425 | Planning for Sustainable Communities and Regions | 3 |
GEOG 436 | Sustainable Transportation Planning | 3 |
GEOG 438 | Urban Geography | 3 |
Geography and History Double 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.
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:
- Critical Thinking: ERTH 104 or PHIL 102
- Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 105, MATH 118, or MATH 120
- Life Science: BIOL 161, PSSC 101, or SCED 102
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
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.