Geography - Climate, Environment & Society Major (B.S.)
Program Overview
Geography bridges the natural and social sciences. Geographers focus on spatial patterns to study physical and cultural environments and how people interact with those environments. Geography is important to humanity because most of the world's problems require deep understanding of the interdependence between human activities and the natural world. Geographic theories and methods provide students with fundamental analytical skills relevant to any occupation focused on solving social and environmental problems. Reflecting the diversity and breadth of geography, the department of Geography offers eight majors to help students specialize in a subfield of their choice.
The Geography - Climate, Environment and Society major is ideal for students interested in studying connections between human activities and Earth's physical systems. This major provides students with deep, yet comprehensive, knowledge of the many challenges associated with thriving in the rapidly changing Anthropocene era. Major coursework along with 'real-world' experiential learning and research opportunities with faculty provide students critical perspectives, practical experience, and cutting-edge analytical skills to address pressing environmental challenges. Students completing this innovative program can tailor their educational experience to develop policy-based and/or applied competencies in a broad array of subjects spanning the natural and social sciences, including climate change, food and water precarity, land degradation, deforestation, urban growth, and uneven development, among many others. Graduates also choose elective geospatial science courses offering cutting edge training in geographic information systems (GIS), cartography, remote sensing, and field methods.
The Geography Department at Ohio University is committed to excellence in both teaching and advising. Several of our faculty members have received teaching awards. We are known across campus for the highest quality of student advising. As a geography major, you will meet one-on-one with your faculty advisor every semester during advising week, and you are always welcome to talk with your advisor at any time throughout the semester whenever questions may arise. In addition to advising our students about their academic programs, we provide timely information about internships, nationally competitive awards, and other opportunities as they arise. Many of our students complete internships and several of our students have received nationally competitive awards.
For more information about our program, please view this video, visit our website, or reach out to the faculty contact person, whose information is listed above.
*This program was previously BS4232 - Geography - Environmental. Both programs have the same curricular requirements as listed below for students entering under the 2023-24 Catalog Year. The name change approval was processed on 6/12/2023.
Admissions Information
Freshman/First-Year Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Change of Program Policy
No selective or limited admission requirements.
External Transfer Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Opportunities Upon Graduation
A degree in Environmental Geography prepares students for careers in a variety of settings, including environmental and sustainability planning, resource management, natural areas preservation, and outdoor and environmental education, as well as in environmental assessment, monitoring, and restoration. In addition, graduates can seek careers in private and public firms and agencies that employ geographic information systems; education (public and private K-12 schools and higher education); local, state, or federal governments; city and regional planning agencies; non-profit organizations; etc.
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