How to Apply - The University of Iowa undergraduate admissions website.

 


Minor in Geography

The minor in geography provides an opportunity to obtain a background in Geographic Information Science (e.g. GIS), environmental studies, and/or social change.  A minor requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in geography courses, including 12 s.h. taken at The University of Iowa in 100-level courses. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Students are encouraged to concentrate their course work in tracks--geography and social change, environmental studies, or geographic information science. Those who wish assistance in selecting courses may contact the department secretary to request assignment of a minor advisor.


Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts in Geography


Geography is concerned with place and environment and the ongoing processes of change within and between social and physical systems. Geography’s importance to scholarly inquiry is rooted in the complexity of the social and environmental problems with which the science deals. Its analytical power comes from its ability to understand and work with complex systems and with problems that require synthesis and integration. Three concepts at the core of the discipline—space, place, and scale—provide theoretical constructs and methodological tools for a science that investigates the complex character of social and environmental phenomena.

 

Geographers examine issues such as distribution and consumption of natural resources, air and water quality, climate changes and ecosystem dynamics, growth and development of urban areas, population dynamics, politics and practice of international development, social justice, and gender relations. They view society and the environment as a physical/social/cultural system. They apply uniquely geographical perspectives and tools, as well as knowledge from other social and scientific disciplines, to analyze the emergent properties of these systems.


Current undergraduates wishing to declare a Geography Major or Minor -

You may contact the Department of Geography office at 319-335-0151 or stop by 316 Jessup Hall.

 

Major Areas of Study


Each student majoring in geography selects one of three programs of study: geography and social change, environmental studies, or geographic information science. The course offerings in these programs include some overlapping of requirements. Transfer students must earn at least 15 s.h. of geography course work in residence at The University of Iowa.

 


BA/BSc. Requirements


All geography majors must complete the following courses.

One of these:
044:001 Introduction to Human Geography 4 s.h.
044:010 The Contemporary Global System 4 s.h.

All of these:
044:003 Introduction to Earth Systems Science 4 s.h.
044:005 Foundations of GIS 3 s.h.
044:019 Contemporary Environmental Issues 3 s.h.

One of these:
044:150 Senior Project Seminar 3 s.h.
044:151 Senior Thesis 3 s.h.

All majors must complete one 3 s.h. course offered by the Department of Statistics and

Actuarial Science and numbered 22S:025 or above. The following are recommended.

22S:025 Elementary Statistics and Inference 3 s.h.
22S:102 Introduction to Statistical Methods 3 s.h.

Bachelor of Science students must satisfy a mathematics requirement consisting of one of the following sequences.

22M:015-22M:016 Mathematics for the Biological Sciences/Calculus for the Biological Sciences 8 s.h.
22M:021-22M:022 Calculus and Modeling I-II 8 s.h.
22M:025-22M:026 Calculus I-II 8 s.h.
22M:031-22M:032 Engineering Mathematics I-II: Single Variable Calculus/Multivariable Calculus 8 s.h.

 

  • In addition, all geography majors must complete one of the three programs of study described under Geography and Social Change, Environmental Studies, or Geographic Information Science. Students should pay close attention to prerequisites for the upper-level courses in each sequence so that they can develop and complete their programs in a timely fashion.

 

A list of all courses available through geography is available here:

Department of Geography Courses

 

A full description of undergraduate course requirements can be found here:
Department of Geography General Catalog 2007-08

 

 

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