Geography (GIS Emphasis)

What Is Geography (GIS Emphasis) ?

Effective Autumn 2009, the college will significantly change the A&S core requirements. Continuing students should consult their new degree audits for changes until the information below can be updated!

Geography focuses on the spatial dimensions of human activities and their interactions with physical landscapes.  The interrelationships between humans and their environments uniquely allow geographers to link the social and physical sciences. Geographers analyze information represented on maps representing data produced in the traditional form (computer generated or drawn by hand) or images generated by satellites (remote sensing).

Success Factors

Students are successful when they have an interest in learning about and understanding: (1) world events; (2) local events within cities; (3) the urban, global, economic and political processes underlying world and local events; (4) human impact on the physical environment; and (5) how to process, display and analyze geographic information.

Career Possibilities

The geography major offered by the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) provides a good educational background for students interested in a variety of careers in business, various government agencies (federal, state, county, city), nonprofit agencies, or careers as college and university professors. Geography provides strong preparation for professional and graduate schools (law, medicine, business, geography or other physical or social sciences). Employment for students with strong geographic computer skills (GIS) is particularly strong. Examples of geography related jobs in various areas include:

• Agency of Internal Development
• Audubon Society
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of the Census
• Cartographer
• Geographic software programming
• Housing and Urban Development
• Market research
• Sierra Club
• Teaching
• Travel industry

Major Details

Geography majors are encouraged to develop individualized programs within one of the five geography tracks in consultation with the geography undergraduate advisor.  There are three concentrations (tracks) for the BA degree:  urban-economic geography, human geography, and environmental geography.  There are two concentrations (tracks) for the BS degree: geographic information sciences and environmental geography.  All majors must take environmental, human, regional and mapping courses.  Either environmental geography or the human/regional geography sequences may be counted toward A&S college core requirements.  Geography majors are required to take statistics (15MATH 147-149) or calculus (BS environmental) to fulfill the A&S mathematics requirement.

McMicken College's flexible degree requirements allow for and highly encourage students to pursue multiple areas of study. Free electives allow for enough credits for students to pursue a minor, certificate program or even complete a second major. Some of the most common pairings are listed below.

• Anthropology
• Communication
• Geography
• History
• International human rights
• Journalism
• Languages or area studies
• Psychology
• Security studies
• Sociology

Minor Details

GIS Geography Minor Requirements*:

I. Environmental Geography (3 hours)
    101 Introduction to Environmental Geography I (3) E
    102 Introduction to Environmental Geography II (3) E
    103 Introduction to Environmental Geography III (3) E

II. Human Geography (3 hours)
    104 Intro to Human Geography I (3) E
    105 Intro to Human Geography II (3) E
    106 Intro to Human Geography III (3) E 

III. Regional Geography (3 hours)
      See electives below     

IV. Upper Division Geography (12 hours)
      See electives below

V. Spatial Techniques (4 hours)
    574 Principles of Computer Cartography (4) R
    580 Introduction to GIS (4) (574) R
    581 GIS Environmental Applications (4) (580) R
    582 GIS Urban Economic Applications (4) (580) R

*Students must pass all required Geography courses with a C or better.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

Course Name	Course Number	Credits
First Year
*English Composition	ENGL 101-102	6
*Elementary Probability & Statistics I, II, III	MATH 147-148-149	9-15
*Introduction to Environmental Geography I, I, II	GEOG 101-102-103	9
*Environmental Geography Lab I, II, III	GEOG 111-112-113	6
Introduction to Computer Science	20-CS-110	3
Computer Science I & II	20-CS-110, 121	6
Free electives		3
Total		39-45 cr hrs
Second Year
*English Composition	ENGL 289	3
*Foreign Language	see checklist	9-15
*Literature	see checklist	6
Introduction to Human Geography I, II, III (choose one)	GEOG 104-105-106	3
Regional geography elective	see list below	3
Human or regional geography elective	see list below	3
Data Structures	20-CS-122	3
Algorithms	20-CS-332	3
Free electives		12
TOTAL		45-51 cr hrs
Third Year
*Behavioral/Social Science	see checklist	9
*Humanities	see checklist	9
*Foreign Language (if necessary)	see checklist	9
Principles of Computer Cartography	GEOG 574	4
Introduction to GIS	GEOG 580	4
Urban & economic or environmental geography electives	301, 302, 303, 322, 323, 341, 342, 521, 522, 573	12
TOTAL		47 cr hrs
Fourth Year
*History	see checklist	9
*Behavioral/Social Science	see checklist	6
Geographic Methods & Quantitative Techniques	GEOG 585	3
Capstone I	GEOG 500	2
Capstone experience electives (field trip, senior thesis, readings)	GEOG 507-508-509	3
GIS Environmental Applications or GIS Urban Economic Applications	GEOG 581 or 582	4
Free electives		7-19
TOTAL		34-46 cr hrs

Electives & Advanced Courses

Regional Geography Electives
GEOG 123     Americas: NAFTA (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 124     World Regional Europe (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 125     World Regional Africa (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 126     World Regional Asia (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 211     Geography of Latin America (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 216     Geography of Europe (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 226     Geography of Africa (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 231     Geography of the Middle East (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 236     Geography South and East Asia (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 237     Geography of China (3 cr. hrs.)

Environmental Geography Electives
GEOG 101     Introduction to Environmental Geography I (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 102     Introduction to Environmental Geography II (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 103     Introduction to Environmental Geography III (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 111     Environmental Geography Lab I (2 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 112     Environmental Geography Lab II (2 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 113     Environmental Geography Lab III (2 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 261     People and the Environment I (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 262     People and the Environment II (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 263     People and the Environment III (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 301     Elements of Climatology (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 302     Elements of Climate and Landforms (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 303     Environmental Geography (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 311     Resource Conservation (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 570     Soils (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 571     Approaching Past Landscapes (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 573     Urban Habitat (3 cr. hrs.)

Human Geography
GEOG 104     Introduction to Human Geography I (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 105     Introduction to Human Geography II (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 106     Introduction to Human Geography III (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 172     Freshman Seminar:  Super-sized (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 203     Geography of Cincinnati and the Tri-state (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 333     Political Geography (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 335     Geography of Religion (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 353     Political Geography:  Geopolitics (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 514     Readings in Geography (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 578     History and Philosophy of Geography (3 cr. hrs.)

Urban and Economic Geography
GEOG 322     Cities and Globalization (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 323     Urban Geography (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 341     Economic Geography: Geography of Consumption (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 342     Economic Geography: Geography of Production (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 521     Urban Development (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 522     Urban Problems (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 523     Niehoff Urban Studio I (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 524     Niehoff Urban Studio II (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 525     Niehoff Urban Studio III (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 589     Urban Geography:  Inner City (3 cr. hrs.)

Spacial Techniques
GEOG 376     Environmental Remote Sensing and GIS (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 574     Principles of Computer Cartography (4 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 576     Principles of Remote Sensing (4 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 580     Introduction to GIS (4 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 581     GIS Environmental Applications (4 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 582     GIS Urban and Economic Applications (4 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 583     Intermediate Remote Sensing (4 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 585     Geographic Methods and Quantitative Techniques (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 586     Advanced Spatial Statistics (3 cr. hrs.)
GEOG 590     Introduction to GPS (3 cr. hrs.)

Special Opportunities

Students in the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-intensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, Tri-state location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.

Special Programs

The Department of Geography offers the following tracks/specializations within the geography degree programs:

• BA & BS Environmental Tracks (15BA-GEOG-E, 15BS-GEOG-E)
• BA Human Geography Track (15BA-GEOG-H)
• BA Urban-Economic Track (15BA-GEOG-U)
• BS Geographic Information Sciences Track (15BS-GEOG-G)

Students interested in these tracks should contact the undergraduate director for specific information.

Admission Requirements

Admission criteria for this program vary based on the relative strength of test scores, class rank and GPA. Please see the Freshman Class Profile for this major in the Quick Facts sidebar on this page for the range of academic credentials typically accepted into this program. Test scores in the lower range may be acceptable with higher class rank and/or GPA. Freshmen applying to this program should also have completed the following state of Ohio articulation requirements with no more than two units missing:

• English (4 units)*
• College-preparatory mathematics (3 units)*
• Science (2 units)
• Social science (2 units)
• Foreign language (2 units)*
• Fine arts (1 unit)
• Additional college-prep subjects (2 units)

*McMicken College of Arts & Sciences does not allow units missing from these areas.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was not in any of the UC colleges must apply through the Office of Admissions. Applicants in this category must submit transcripts for all secondary school and college-level work. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any off-campus applicants who have received an associate degree from an accredited college or university and whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

Although midyear off-campus transfer students are not able to participate in priority registration in the quarter prior to their enrollment, they are included in the summer registration period prior to their fall quarter enrollment.

Changing Major Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was as a degree-seeking student in one of UC’s other colleges can apply directly to the A&S college office. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any on-campus students who have:

• at least a 2.0 GPA in all college-level courses (both at UC and at other institutions),
• successfully completed two quarters of English Composition or its equivalent, and
• gained credit for a college-level mathematics course.

Transfer students should be aware that some A&S programs have other requirements, beyond those listed above, as conditions for admission to the major; further details on individual programs are available in the A&S Office of Undergraduate Affairs and Advising (102 McMicken)

Additional information regarding transfer students is available in the McMicken College Bulletin.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting the university's general education requirements, the requirements listed in the McMicken College core requirements are common to all potential graduates of the college, whether they are pursuing the bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or bachelor of interdisciplinary studies degree.

Application Deadlines

UC operates on a quarter system, with 10-week grading periods beginning in late September, early January, late March and mid-June. While midyear admission is possible, the fall quarter is generally the best time to enter the university, since many course sequences begin in that quarter.

Applicants to the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences who are enrolled or who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking students in A&S or in other UC colleges should apply for admission directly to A&S (in McMicken 102). All other applicants who wish to earn an undergraduate degree from A&S should apply through the Office of Admissions (3rd Floor, University Pavilion).