Program Guide

Geography

College: Social Sciences and Public Policy
Degree: BS, BA in Geography
Specialized Admission: No

*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*

Geography bridges the social sciences and physical sciences in the pursuit of how humans affect, and are affected by, the surrounding environment. Geographers examine many social/physical issues at every scale, such as housing development and urbanization, habitat loss, insurance premiums and storm damage, commercial fishing and marine sustainability, transport flow and air pollution, energy needs and mineral exploitation, and intensive farming and deforestation. Geography is the study of place and space, in the same sense that history is the study of time. Geographers ask: Where are things located? Why are they located where they are? And how do we map them? Geographers are concerned with mapping how changes to the landscape, vegetation, animals, and climate impact where humans live, socialize, work, trade, and form cultural and nationalist identities. They examine agricultural practices, industry, boundary disputes, urban decay, political ideologies, religious principles, and how these relate to perceptions of the environment, concern for global warming, and recycling/sustainability practices. All of these can be mapped using computer-based GIS, GPS, and satellite surveillance techniques with ever-improving geographic accuracy and precision.

Prerequisite Coursework: (6 hours)
Two (2) introductory courses in Geography with GEO prefix.

Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org .

Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major
To be admitted, students must complete at least 52 hours of coursework with a minimum FSU GPA of 2.00 and most of the General Education requirements met, including freshman English composition and mathematics, or an AA degree.

Introductory Geography: (3 hours)
Take one (1) course from this list (anything not taken here can count toward tracks below)

GEA 1000 (3) World Regional Geography
GEO 1400 (3) Human Geography
GEO 2200C (3) Our Planet Earth
GEO 1330 (3) Environmental Science

Methods Courses: (6 hours) 

GEO 2XXX (3) Research Methods
GIS 2040 (3) Essentials of GIS

Geography Tracks: (9-11 hours) 
Complete one (1) course from each of the following tracks-

Human and Nature-Society Geographies Track

IDS 2180 (3) Future Cities (GenEd)
IDS 2492 (3) Sports: Place, Competition & Fairness 
IDS 3336 (3) “Great” Britain: Geography, Imperialism, Industry & Culture
IDH 3404 (3) Environmental Justice (Honors Only)
GEA 1000 (3) World Geography (if not taken before to meet introductory requirement)
GEA 2210 (3) United States & Canada 
GEA 3563 (3) The Mediterranean 
GEA 4405 (3) Latin America 
GEA 4500 (3) Europe 
GEA 4520 (3) Britain and Ireland 
GEA 4554 (3) Russia and Southern Eurasia 
GEA 4635 (3) Geography of the Middle East 
GEO 1400 (3) Human Geography (if not taken before to meet introductory requirement)
GEO 2477 (3) Political Ecology 
GEO 3502 (3) Economic Geography
GEO 4xxx (3) Disaster, Risk, Vulnerability, & Resilience 
GEO 4340 (3) Living in a Hazardous Environment 
GEO 4344 (3) Environmental Disasters & Apocalypse
GEO 4357 (3) Environmental Conflict & Economic Development
GEO 4355 (3) Geography of Food & Environment 
GEO 4403 (3) Global Change, Local Places 
GEO 4404 (3) Black Geographies
GEO 4412 (3) Environment and Gender
GEO 4421 (3) Cultural Geography
GEO 4450 (3) Medical Geography
GEO 4471 (3) Political Geography
GEO 4503 (3) Globalization
GEO 4505 (3) Fossil Fuels and Environmental Conflict
GEO 4602 (3) Urban Geography
GEO 4700 (3) Transport Geography
GEO 4703 (3) Communications Geography 
GEO 4804 (3) Geography of Wine
GEO 4930 (3) Special Topics in Geography*
GEO 4xxx (3) Qualitative Methods 

Physical Geography Track

IDS 2471w (3) Glaciers, Geysers, and Glades: Exploring U.S. National Parks (GenEd)
GEO 1330 (3) Environmental Science (if not taken before to meet introductory requirement)
GEO 2200C(3)  Our Planet Earth (if not taken before to meet introductory requirement)
GEO 4283 & GEO 4283L (3, 1) Hydrology & Environment & Lab
GEO 4210 (3) Landforms and Landscapes
GEO 4251 (3) Geography of Climate Change & Storms 
GEO 4280 (3) Geography of Water Resources
GEO 4300(3)  Biogeography
GEO 4376 (3) Landscape Ecology
GEO 4930 (3) Special Topics in Geography*
GEO 4941 (3) Internship*

Geographic Information Systems & Technology Track

GIS 3015 (3) Cartography 
GIS 4006 (3) Computer Cartography 
GIS 4035 & GIS4035L (3, 1) Intro to Remote Sensing & Lab
GIS 4043 & GIS4043L (3, 1) Geographic Information Systems & Lab
GIS 4330 (3) Florida GIS Applications 
GIS 4421 (3) GIS & Health (currently spots reserved only for Public Health majors)
GEO 4162C (3) Spatial Data Analysis
GEO 4930 (3) Special Topics in Geography*
GEO 4941 93) Internship*

*May count in any of the tracks, at Undergraduate Director discretion

Geography Capstone: (3 hours)
GEO 4xxx (3) TBA

General Geography electives: (12 hours)
Geography courses (GEA/GEO/GIS) at the 3000/4000 level
GEO 4930 Special Topics (A maximum of 9 credit hours may be used)
GEO 4905 or GEO 4941 Internship (A maximum of 3 credit hours may be used)

Minor Coursework: (at least 12 hours)
Students are required to complete a minor in any departmental or interdisciplinary area of interest approved by the undergraduate advisor. A minor will normally range from 12 to 18 hours.

Digital Literacy: (0 hours beyond major)
This requirement can be met by GIS3015 and/or GIS4043, if taken, for this major. If not, then an approved Digital Literacy course is needed.

Oral Communication Competency: (0-3 hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met through an approved college-level course.

Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Major Coursework 33
Minor Coursework 12
Digital Literacy 0 hours beyond major coursework
Oral Competency 0-3
Electives to bring total hours to 120

*NOTE: Up to 6 hours of major coursework may also be used to partially satisfy the Social Science area General Education requirement.

Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at academic-guide.fsu.edu/.

1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
4. The Bachelor of Arts Degree requires completion of a foreign language through the intermediate (2220) level and 9 additional hours in the fields of history and humanities beyond General Education requirements.
5. The master's degree is the usual minimum requirement for employment as a professional geographer.

Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Representative Job Titles Related to this Major with Baccalaureate: Economic, Social or Political Geographer, Urban Planner, Transportation Planner, Map Curator, Geographic Information Scientist Technician, Economic Development Officer, Land Management Specialist, Market Researcher, Industrial Developer, Travel Agent, Conservationist, Environmental Technician, Environmental Outreach Coordinator, Aerial Photo-Interpreter. With Additional Training: Cartographer, Land use Planner, Geographic Information Systems Analyst, International Economist, Climatologist, Water Resource Planner, Map Analyst, Location Analyst.

Representative Employers: Federal, State, and Local Governments, Environmental non-governmental organizations, Conservation non-profits, Real Estate Developers, School Boards, Resource Management Agencies, Planning Agencies, Mapping Agencies, Business Consultants, Utilities, Port and Airport Authorities.