Geography & Geographic Information Science: Human Geography, BALAS
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Human Geography Concentration
A Bachelor of Arts in Geography & Geographic Information Science, with the Human Geography concentration, prepares students to explore the social science aspect of modern geography. The curriculum includes the systematic study of human social organization and its environmental consequences.
Employment opportunities for human geographers include urban and regional planning, transportation, marketing, real estate, tourism, and international business.
Departmental distinction: Students majoring in Geography & Geographic Information Science (GGIS) can earn distinction, high distinction, and highest distinction upon graduation. The requirements for these awards are:
- Distinction: 3.3 GPA overall; 3.3 GPA in GGIS courses.
- High distinction: 3.3 GPA overall; 3.75 GPA in GGIS courses.
- Highest distinction: 3.3 GPA overall; 3.75 GPA in GGIS courses; satisfactorily complete an honors independent project (GGIS 391).
Please visit our department website for more distinction information and consult with a GGIS advisor about it as soon as you join the major (no later than the end of junior year).
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Human Geography Concentration
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours
Minimum required major and supporting coursework: A minimum of 35 credit hours of Geography & Geographic Information Science courses. Twelve (12) hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300 and 400 level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree, including courses outside of GGIS. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement. The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-10 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English, or completion of the third semester in two different languages other than English is required) | 0-20 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation and Professional Development | ||
| LAS 101 | Design Your First Year Experience | 1 |
OR | ||
| LAS 100 & LAS 101 | Success in LAS for International Students and Design Your First Year Experience | 3 |
OR | ||
| LAS 102 | Transfer Advantage | 1 |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Geography & GIS Core Requirements | 10-12 | |
| Physical Geography Course (Select one): | ||
| Introduction to Meteorology | ||
| Earth's Physical Systems | ||
| Landscapes, Ecosystems and Environmental Change | ||
| Big Rivers of the World | ||
| Human Geography Course (Select one): | ||
| Global Development & Environment | ||
| Social and Cultural Geography | ||
| Geographies of Globalization | ||
| Social & Environmental Issues | ||
| Geographies of Global Conflict | ||
| People, Places, and Environments of the US | ||
| GIS Course (Select one): | ||
| Spatial Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Human Geography Concentration Requirements | 25-27 | |
| Selected from the following (at least 6 hours must be at the 300- or 400- level): | ||
| Cities of the World | ||
| Business Location Decisions | ||
| Social & Environmental Issues (if not taken to satisfy the Human Geography Core requirement in the major) | ||
| Landscapes, Ecosystems and Environmental Change (if not taken to satisfy the Physical Geography Core requirement in the major) | ||
| Geographies of Global Conflict (if not taken to satisfy the Human Geography Core requirement in the major) | ||
| Geopolitics & Technology | ||
| Environmental Data Science | ||
| People, Places, and Environments of the US (if not taken to satisfy the Human Geography Core requirement in the major) | ||
| Intro to Social Statistics | ||
| Environment and Society | ||
| Sustainability and the City | ||
| Water Planet, Water Crisis | ||
| Spatial Analysis (if not taken to satisfy the GIS Core Course requirement in the major) | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (if not taken to satisfy the GIS Core Course requirement in the major) | ||
| Geographic Information Systems II | ||
| Enterprise GIS | ||
| Population Geography | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Honors Independent Study | ||
| Geographic Information Science and Systems | ||
| Geography Field Course | ||
| Foundations of CyberGIS & Geospatial Data Science | ||
| Green Development | ||
| Geospatial Technologies & Society | ||
| Urban Geographies of Migration | ||
| Amer Vernacular Cultural Land | ||
| Geography of Health Care | ||
| Health Applications of GIS | ||
| Sustainable Planning Seminar | ||
| Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
| Aerial Photo Analysis | ||
| Transportation &Sustainability | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Modern Geographic Thought | ||
| Digital Cartography & Map Design | ||
| Environmental Remote Sensing | ||
| Introduction to Remote Sensing | ||
| Techniques of Remote Sensing | ||
| Advanced Topics in GIS | ||
| Principles of Geographic Information Science | ||
| Challenges of Sustainability | ||
| Urban Geography | ||
| Programming for GIS | ||
| Advanced Topics in Geography | ||
| Climate & Social Vulnerability | ||
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Human Geography Concentration
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| LAS 101 | 1 |
| Human Geography Core Course | 3 |
| Composition I or General Education course | 4 |
| Language Other Than English (3rd level) | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours 15 | |
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| Physical Geography Core course | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course or Composition I | 3 |
| Language Other Than English (4th level) | 4 |
| 14 | |
| Total Hours 14 | |
| Second Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 3 |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours 15 | |
| Second Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 3 |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours 15 | |
| Third Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 3 |
| GGIS 379 or 371 | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 16 | |
| Total Hours 16 | |
| Third Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 3 |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours 15 | |
| Fourth Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| Human Geography Concentration course | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 16 | |
| Total Hours 16 | |
| Fourth Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 2 |
| 14 | |
| Total Hours 14 | |
Total Hours: 120
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Human Geography Concentration
Geographic Understanding
GGIS students will understand the interconnectedness of places and scales in human-environmental systems, including the sustainability of those systems.
Spatial Patterns and Processes
GGIS students will be able to analyze spatial patterns, distributions, processes, and connections within and among different human-environmental systems, using qualitative, quantitative, computational, and/or spatial methods of research appropriate to their level of training and their field of geographic inquiry.
Problem-Solving and Communication
GGIS students will be able to formulate and conduct geographic analyses and communicate the results in verbal, written, and visual form.
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Human Geography Concentration
For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Major in Computer Science & Geography & GIS, BSLAS
- Major in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Geographic Information Science Concentration, BSLAS
- Major in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Physical Geography Concentration, BSLAS
For the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Science in Geography & Geographic Information Science, Human Geography Concentration
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