Major
	Geography (BA, BS) from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minor
	Geography
Four-year Graduation Plan
	Yes
Honors
	Yes
Teacher Licensure
	Yes, in Social Science
Links
	Web Site Courses General Catalog

Geography is concerned with places or environments and the physical, social, economic, and political processes that change them. It is a composite science, requiring a broad base of knowledge from many related disciplines. Geography also is an analytical science that seeks answers to specific questions from a geographic perspective. To achieve their aims, geographers develop and use advanced geospatial methods, including computer-based mapping, global positioning, and satellite sensing.

• Why Study Geography at Iowa?
• Course Work
• Facilities and Resources
• Internships
• Careers
• Scholarships

Why Study Geography at Iowa?
Iowa’s geography program helps students develop insights and methods of inquiry that are particularly applicable to understanding many of the complex problems confronting societies. Its four tracks encompass issues and problems that concern geographers, such as:

• Distribution and consumption of natural resources
• Air and water pollution
• Management of natural environments
• Patterns of infectious diseases
• Population growth and decline
• Transportation problems
• Availability of health services
• Spatial income inequalities

Iowa’s geography students also learn concepts and methods for organizing urban areas, marketing regions, school districts, health service areas, and drainage basins and for addressing other areas of concern. With the knowledge of data, methods, and processes, geographers are well prepared to make significant contributions toward understanding behaviors of individuals and societies and their relations with the environment.

Course Work
Students majoring in geography earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Both degrees require a minimum of 120 semester hours (s.h.), including credit for the major: at least 35–39 s.h. for BA students and at least 43–47 s.h. for BS students.

Both degrees prepare students for advanced training and for careers in geography or environmental studies. They also prepare students for teaching in elementary or secondary schools, which requires completion of the College of Education's Teacher Education Program. If you're interested in quantitative analysis and model building, you may decide to choose the BS, which requires more math.

You'll take the following courses whether you're earning a BA or a BS.

• Introduction to Human Geography
• The Global Environment
• Foundations of GIS (geographic information systems)
• A course in global, population, or political geography or environmental issues
• A course in geographic visualization, GIS, remote sensing, or field methods
• One statistics course
• Senior project or thesis

BS students also take a two-semester calculus sequence.

Tracks

In addition to completing the courses above, BA and BS students chose one of four tracks: environmental studies, geography and social change, geographic information science, or sustainability. Requirements for the four tracks overlap, so if your interests change, you usually can switch tracks without losing credit.

The Environmental Studies Track is designed for students with environmental interests such as resource management, physical geography, environmental policy or law, global environmental change, sustainable development, or other complex environmental issues. It provides a sound foundation for graduate or professional study in natural or social aspects of the environment.

The Health & Society Track provides an understanding of the modern world’s increasing globalization and related processes. Many geography and social change track students continue their education through graduate programs in geography, public health, or urban and regional planning or in professional programs such as law, business, or policy analysis. The track also helps students prepare for positions in government, nongovernmental organizations, international or regional development, or business.

The Geographic Information Science Track is for students who want to understand the design, implementation, and use of geographic information systems (GIS) and the interpretation of satellite imagery. It prepares students for positions in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, international development agencies, and business as well as graduate work in geography, urban and regional planning, and other disciplines.

The Sustainability Track is designed for students interested in finding ways for people to live that do not threaten the survival of future generations. It prepares students to be effective leaders and agents of change for sustainability in a variety of professions, such as academic researcher and teacher, technology specialist, grassroots advocate, government official, and corporate officer.

For More Details

See Geography in the UI General Catalog to learn more about the major and for information about graduating with honors or earning a minor in geography.

Facilities and Resources
The Geographic Information Systems Instructional Laboratory (GISIL) is one of several resources available to the department’s students. GISIL features 20 state-of-the-art, networked computer workstations plus printers, plotters, and digitizers. GIS courses, other data-intensive courses, and research are conducted in the lab.

The department is central to the University's Winterim India Program, in which students take a three-week course in India. Some financial help is available.

Internships
Geography majors are encouraged to participate in an internship. The department maintains close ties with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and other local agencies that offer internships.

Careers
Courses in geography are commonly required of students preparing to teach at the elementary and secondary school levels or to work in urban and regional planning. The degree also provides a solid background for many related professions, including law, health care, environmental engineering, and business.

The application of GIS to social, economic, and environmental problems has increased considerably during the past decade. This trend is likely to continue into the future; in fact, the U.S. Department of Labor has identified the area as one of its 14 high-growth industries. GIS presents an abundance of career opportunities for geography graduates in local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as in the private sector.

The department’s faculty members help students apply for postgraduate programs and contact potential employers.

Scholarships
Consult multiple sources for scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and departmental web sites.