Geography

Overview

Geography is the study of people, plants, animals, and natural resources, and how each affects the Earth.

This program includes topics such as:

Historical and political geography
Cultural geography
Economic and physical geography
Mapping methods
Land use planning
Geomorphology
Demography
Climatology
Geographic Information System (GIS) - a mapmaking computer system

In geography programs, students take courses from different fields of study, including biology, geology, statistics, and economics.

Concentrations

In geography, students may be able to specialize in:

Cartography
Human geography
Physical geography

Schools

Community colleges and other two-year schools offer associate degree programs in geography. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.

Most colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in geography. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.

Many universities offer graduate degrees in geography. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Advanced Biology courses
Advanced Chemistry courses
Advanced U.S. History courses
Computer Graphics
Geography
Physics
Probability and Statistics
Trigonometry

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Letters of recommendation
Writing sample

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Cultural Geography
Demography
Economic Geography
Environmental Change
Environmental Remote Sensing
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Geography of the United States and Canada
History of Geographical Thought
Introduction to Geographic Data Analysis
Physical Geography
Statistics
Weather and Climate

In addition, you can take different geography courses depending on your interests. Some examples of courses are:

Geography of Africa
Geography of East Asia
Geography of Europe
Geography of Latin America
Geomorphology
Glaciology
Oceanography
Urban Geography

Fieldwork and internships are often required. You can work for a term for a community group, government agency, or private organization.

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate study in geography typically includes:

Required courses
Thesis (master's degree)
Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)

Things to Know

With a degree in geography, you can work as a city planner, environmental analyst, cartographer, or real estate developer. Or you can work for a government agency such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service.