Geography: Degree Requirements

Geography Degree Requirements * ¹

General Information
Bachelor of Arts in Geography

A minimum of 122 credit hours are required to complete the Bachelors of Arts in Geography.

Core Course Requirements

First-Year Experience (1-3 cr.) University College: UC110
Junior/Senior Integrator (3 cr.)

Area I. Communications Core

English Composition (6 cr.) W131 and W132
Speech Communication R110 (3 cr.)
Foreign Languages Requirement. First-year competency is required and second-year competency is strongly recommended. This requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways:

by completing first-year (10 credit hours) courses in a single language with passing grades;
by completing a second- or third-year course with a grade of C or better;
by taking a placement test and placing into the 200 level or higher; this waives the 100 level requirement but does not carry with it credit toward graduation.

This requirement may be met with first-year proficiency in American Sign Language.

Area II. Basic Courses

A. Analytic Skills (6 cr.)
These courses provide the student with insight into the process of logical reasoning. Each student must complete 3 credit hours in mathematics (Math M118 or above) plus Sociology R359

B. Natural Science (9-11 cr.)
The credit hours are to be selected from at least two of the following areas:

Anthropology A103
Astronomy A100, A105
Biology N100, N107, N200, N212, N213 (lab), N214, N215 (lab), N217, N251, N261
Chemistry C100, C101, C102, C105, C106
Geology G107, G117 (lab), G109, G119 (lab), G110, G120 (lab)
Physics 200, 218, 219
Psychology B105
At least one of these courses must be a laboratory course.

C. History (6 cr.)
This requirement is fulfilled by taking H113 and H114.²

D. Arts and Humanities (6 cr.)
The 6 credit hours must come from two of the areas below. Courses in ones major cannot be used to fulfill this requirement; however, one course taken as part of a minor may be used.

English Literature L115
Herron H100
Music M174
Folklore F101²
History H105, H106, H113²
Philosophy P110, P120
Religious Studies R111, R133², R180, R212²

E. Social Sciences (6 cr.)
The 6 credit hours must come from two of the areas following. Courses in ones major cannot be used to fulfill this requirement; however, courses taken as part of a structured minor may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Anthropology A104
Communication Studies C180
Economics E101, E201
Folklore F101²
Geography G110²
Political Science Y101, Y103
Psychology B104, B310

F. Comparative World Cultures (3 cr.)³
Students must take one course from one of the areas below:

Anthropology A104
Geography G110
History H108
Political Science Y217
Religious Studies R133, R212

Area III. Advanced Courses (15 cr. at 300-400 level)

In addition to advanced courses in ones major, the SLA student should conduct in-depth study in other areas of the liberal arts or sciences. Ordinarily, at least 15 credit hours of ones 300 to 400 level courses must be taken outside the major department and in four different departments or interdisciplinary programs within the School of Liberal Arts or the School of Science. Up to four junior- or senior-level courses in a second major will count toward this requirement.

Area IV. Geography Requirements (31 credit hours)

A minimum of 31 credit hours with at least a C grade in core courses are required for a major in geography. The core courses are intended to provide a foundation for more specialized upper-division course, and thus should be taken at the beginning of the major program. Geography 309 is normally offered every fall semester and G311 every spring. The capstone experience is an independent project for senior-level students, taken alone or concurrent with another course.

Core courses (12 cr.)

G107 Physical Systems of the Environment	(3 cr.)
G110 Introduction to Human Geography	(3 cr.)
G309 Frontiers in Geographic Thought	(3 cr.)
G311 Introduction to Research Methods in Geography	(3 cr.)

One Regional Geography course (3 cr.)

G321 Geography of Europe	(3 cr.)
G322 Geography of Russia and Adjacent Lands	(3 cr.)
G323 Geography of Latin America	(3 cr.)
G324 Geography of the Caribbean	(3 cr.)
G326 Geography of North America	(3 cr.)
G327 Geography of Indiana	(3 cr.)
G328 Rural Landscapes of North America	(3 cr.)
G330 North American House Types	(3 cr.)
G390 Topics: Variable Regional Focus	(3 cr.)
G421 Environments of Tropical Lands	(3 cr.)

Two Geographic Techniques courses (6 cr.)

G300 The World of Maps	(3 cr.)
G336 Introduction to Remote Sensing	(3 cr.)
G337 Cartography and Graphics	(3 cr.)
G338 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems	(3 cr.)
G436 Advanced Remote Sensing	(3 cr.)
G438 Advanced Geographic Information Systems	(3 cr.)
G439: Seminar in Geographic Information Science	(3 cr.)
G465 Field Methods in Physical Geography	(6 cr.)
G488 Applied Spatial Statistics	(3 cr.)

A total of three courses in environmental and human Geography, to include at least one course from each group:

Environmental Geography ( 3 or 6 cr):

G303 Weather and Climate	(3 cr.)
G305 Environmental Change	(3 cr.)
G307 Biogeography	(3 cr.)
G310 Human Impact on Environment	(3 cr.)
G315 Environmental Conservation	(3 cr.)
G390 Topics: Environmental Focus	(3 cr.)
G404 Soils Geography	(3 cr.)
G446 Cultural Biogeography	(3 cr.)
G475 Climate Change	(3 cr.)

Human Geography (3 or 6 cr):

G314 Urban Geography	(3 cr.)
G331 Economic Geography	(3 cr.)
G355 Political Geography	(3 cr.)
G390 Topics: Human Geography Focus	(1-3 cr.)
G410 Medical Geography	(3 cr.)

Capstone Courses (1 or 3 cr):

G491 Capstone Experience in Geography	(1 cr.)
OR
G439 Seminar in Geographic Information Science	(3 cr.)

Suggested Program of Study

The following is a proposed program of study. It is meant to be an example of how one could schedule their classes to meet all of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Geography degree. Students are NOT required to take every course listed below. In many cases, there are other courses which can fulfill the same degree requirements. Consult with your advisor as you plan your program of study!

If you wish to take fewer credit hours in the fall and spring semesters, you may take classes during the summer sessions instead.

The IUPUC curriculum offers a significant portion of the IUPUI plan of study. Students transfer to the Indianapolis campus for degree completion.

First Year

First Semester

W131 Elementary Composition (3 cr.)

R110 Fundamentals of Speech Communication (3 cr.)

G110 Introduction to Human Geography (3 cr.)

U110 First Year Seminar (1 cr.)

S131 Intensive Beginning Spanish I (5 cr.)

Second Semester

W132 Elementary Composition II (3 cr.)

R100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.)

S132 Intensive Beginning Spanish II (5 cr.)

G107 Physical Systems of the Environment (3 cr.)

Second Year

First Semester

H113 History of Western Civilization I (3 cr.)

M118 Finite Mathematics (3 cr.)

G109 Fundamentals of Earth History (3 cr.)

G119 Fundamentals of Earth History Lab (1 cr.)

G309 Frontiers in Geographic Thought (3 cr.)

L115 Literature for Today (3 cr.)

Second Semester

H114 History of Western Civilization II (3 cr.)

B104 Psychology as a Social Science (3 cr.)

G311 Introduction to Research Methods in Geography (3 cr.)

B105 Psychology as a Biological Science (3 cr.)

R212 Comparative Religions (3 cr.)

Third Year

First Semester

A104 Cultural Anthropology (3 cr.)

A100 The Solar System (3 cr.)

G326 Geography of North America (3 cr.)

G300 The World of Maps (3 cr.)

I300 Junior/Senior Integrator (3 cr.)

Second Semester

G337 Cartography and Graphics (3 cr.)

E320 Indians of North America (3 cr.)

B310 Life Span Development (3 cr.)

B370 Social Psychology (3 cr.)

R312 Sociology of Religion (3 cr.)

Fourth Year

First Semester

G303 Weather and Climate (3 cr.)

C228 Discussion and Group Methods (3 cr.)

R339 Varieties of American Religion (3 cr.)

J101 American Criminal Justice System (3 cr.)

A460 Anthropology of Globalization (3 cr.)

G305 Environmental Change (3 cr.)

Second Semester

G491 Capstone Experience in Geography (1 cr.)

A348 Civil War and Reconstruction (3 cr.)

G314 Urban Geography (3 cr.)

P110 Introduction to Philosophy (3 cr.)

H100 Art Appreciation (3 cr.)

* The IUPUC curriculum offers a significant portion of the IUPUI plan of study. Students transfer to the Indianapolis campus for degree completion.

1. Courses which meet all general education requirements (approximately 92 credit hours) and Geography courses which meet six of the 31 credit hours for the major are available in Columbus.

2. This course appears on more than one list or in more than one section. However, this course may be used to satisfy only one requirement unless specifically stated.

3. These courses may be used for Comparative World Cultures and one other requirement if they appear on the Arts and Humanities or the Social Sciences lists (see above) toward this requirement. Three courses at the 300 or 400 level in a structured minor, including the business structured minor, can also be counted. The Junior/Senior Integrator course can be used to satisfy one of the Area III requirements.

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