Graduation Requirements for the Major

Note: the graduation requirements listed below apply only to students matriculating prior to fall 2015. For students matriculating in fall 2015 and after, the major in geography will no longer be offered at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

A.  Major Requirements (36 credits)

The major in geography is offered by the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS). It involves 15 credits of general courses; 3 credits of techniques; 3 credits of International Regional; minimum 12 credits from one track and 3 credits from another track. Twelve of 15 credits must be at the 300 or 400 level. No more than one course with the grade of D can be applied toward the major. Please refer to the SAS section of the catalog for a full description of the requirements of the major.

B.  Additional SEBS Core Requirements for Students Majoring in Geography (43 credits)

SEBS majors in geography must complete the SEBS core, involving a total of 43 credits. With careful planning, however, it may be possible for a student to use up to 9 credits of courses that fulfill the major requirements to also fulfill some of the SEBS core requirements. Students are strongly urged to consult both with their academic adviser and with an assistant dean at SEBS for guidance in developing a plan of coursework.

I.  School Mission: Interdisciplinary Critical Analysis (3 credits)

One 3-credit Junior/Senior Colloquium (See the 

for a description of this requirement.)

A.  Life Sciences

See suggested courses in the SEBS Degree Requirements chapter.

B.  Physical Sciences

This SEBS requirement is automatically fulfilled by the introductory geography courses (450:101 and 450:102) required for the major.

III. Humanities and the Arts (6 credits)

                See suggested courses in the SEBS Degree Requirements chapter.

                IV. Multicultural and International Studies (6 credits)

See suggested courses in the SEBS Degree Requirements chapter. Students should note that this SEBS requirement could be fulfilled with the following two 3-credit courses that could also be used toward the geography major requirements: 01:450:103 (Human Geography: Space, Place and Location) and 01:450:205 (World Cultural Regions).

                V. Human Behavior, Economic Systems, and Political Processes (9

                credits)

                See suggested courses in the SEBS Degree Requirements chapter.

                VI. Oral and Written Communication (6 credits)

                See suggested courses in the SEBS Degree Requirements chapter.

                VII.  Experience-Based Education (3 credits)

01:450:485,486  Internship in Geography (BA,BA) or 01:450:491,492 Geographic Problems (3,3) or equivalent independent research project or appropriate placement in cooperative education. Students should be aware of the possibility of applying course 450:491 or 492 both toward the requirements of the major and for fulfilling this SEBS requirement for experience-based education.

VIII.  Additional SEBS Core Requirements for Students Majoring in Geography (6 credits)

A.  Quantitative Skills

01:960:211  Statistics I (3) or equivalent

B.  Professional Ethics

01:730:250  Environmental Ethics (3)

C.  SEBS Minor or Certificate Program (minimum of 18 additional credits)
All SEBS students majoring in geography must complete either a SEBS minor or a certificate program offered by SEBS (18 or more additional credits, depending on the student's choice of program). Students should review the available minors and certificate programs as soon as possible after entering SEBS, since the requirements of the minor could affect the student's selection of courses fulfilling some of the SEBS core requirements (such as items B.IIA and B.V above). 

Students are urged to consult with their academic adviser or with one of the assistant deans in the SEBS Office of Academic Programs and Research (Martin Hall, second floor) regarding their choice of minor or certificate program.

D.  Unspecified Electives (up to 28 credits)

In addition to courses meeting the above requirements, students can take any other courses offered by the university, for which they meet the course eligibility requirements, to bring their total number of credits to the minimum of 128 required for graduation. The number of unspecified credits needed will depend on the student's choice of a SEBS minor or certificate program (item C above).