Modern problems need modern solutions, and when you find the right coordinates, you can map a better future. Explore the links below to learn how earning your Bachelor of Science in Geographical Sciences will give you the tools and knowledge necessary to address the human dimensions of global change. Or explore our degree specializations in Geospatial Data Science and Computational Earth Observation Science which can launch you into the analytical world of GIS and satellite monitoring that applies the latest computer technology to urgent real-world environmental and social issues. If you want to change the world, you belong here!
We offer one Bachelor of Science degree with three options that students can pursue within the Geographical Sciences major.
Our Programs
Geography concerns the relations between people and the natural world, the effects of ecosystems on human beings and vice versa, the choices people make, the effects of past actions on people today, and the effects of today’s choices on future generations. Students specializing in Geographical Sciences will be exposed to a diversity of coursework that will focus on human-environmental interactions.
Students specializing in Geospatial Data Science gain the technical skills needed to acquire, manage, and analyze large amounts of geographic data. Students will get computer training in digital processing of remote sensing observations and cartographic vector data, spatial analysis, and the display of information in Geospatial Information Science (GIS) software.
The Computational Earth Observation Science specialization allows students to explore the analytical capabilities offered by current Earth-observing satellite missions, including the different types of information collected by various satellites and how this information is analyzed to solve important environmental and societal problems.
Students minoring in Geographic Information Science (GIS) gain the technical skills needed to acquire, manage, and analyze large amounts of geospatial data. Students will get computer training in digital processing of remote sensing observations and cartographic vector data, spatial analysis, and the display of information in Geospatial Information Science (GIS) software.
The Remote Sensing of Environmental Change minor program (RSEC) is designed to build students’ understanding of global environmental change in order to assess their impacts on the physical and human landscapes, and to use remote sensing as an analytical tool for identifying those impacts.
The Department of Geographical Sciences’ Combined, Five Year BS/MS Program is an opportunity for top-achieving undergraduate students to enhance their academic portfolio, and best prepare to enter the workforce or a doctoral program.
The Social Studies Education/Geography program is intended for students seeking certification to teach social studies with a focus in geography in grades 7-12. Completion of the content area courses, in conjunction with the professional education courses and field experiences, results in the awarding of a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree with a double major in Social Studies Education and Geography.
Environmental Science & Policy - Geographic Concentrations
ENSP's Land Use concentration provides students with a background in the ecological, cultural, regional, and international dimensions of land use, while developing broad technical skills in Geographic Information Science and remote sensing. As a result, this concentration prepares students for positions in land use planning, sustainable land development, and land conservation.
In ENSP's Marine and Coastal Management concentration, students will learn the basic principles of oceanography and littoral processes, and their relationship to meteorological conditions and forcing; learn about factors influencing biological productivity in the coastal zone; utilize geospatial analysis and data assimilation to become familiar with computer modeling; and gain a background in environmental policy as it relates to marine and coastal management and land use.
ENSP's Global Environmental Change concentration prepares students to addresses the scientific underpinnings, societal impacts, and policy responses to global environmental issues.
