Geography Undergraduate Major Requirements

Geography Core Curriculum

All geography majors must complete the following 24-25 credits in geography:

1. One of the following introductory courses in human geography, 3 cr:

   Geog 105: Introduction to Human Geography
   Geog 110: The World: Peoples and Regions
   Geog 114: Geography of Race in the United States
   Geog 140: Our Urban Environment: Introduction to Urban Geography
   (Students in the Urban Track are required to take Geog 140.)

2. One of the following introductory courses in physical or environmental geography, 3 cr:

   Geog 120: Our Physical Environment
   Geog 125: Introduction to Environmental Geography
   (Students in the Physical Systems Track must take Geog 120; those in the Environmental Track must take Geog 125.)

3. One of the following mid-level (200 or above) regional or world geography courses, 3 cr:

   Geog 213: Geography of Asia
   Geog 214: Wisconsin
   Geog 216 (510): Geography of United States and Canada
   Geog 231: Geography of Islam
   Geog 330: Europe: East and West
   Geog 309: Nationalities and Nations of the World
   Geog 400: Geography of Population
   Geog 410: Gendered Geographies
   Geog 421: Geography of Latin America
   Geog 470: Geography of South Asia

4. Geog 215: Introduction to Geographic Information Science, 3 cr

5. Geog 247: Quantitative Analysis in Geography, 3 cr

6. One of the following upper-level techniques courses, 3-4 cr:

   Geog 403: Remote Sensing: Environmental and Land Use Analysis
   Geog 405: Cartography
   Geog 525: Geographic Information Science
   Geog 547: Spatial Analysis
   (Students in the Geographic Information Track must take Geog 525.)

7. Geog 600: Perspectives on Geography, 3 cr (satisfies L&S research requirement)

8. One of the following fieldwork courses, 3 cr: [Fieldwork Guidelines (pdf)]

   Geog 650: Geography Field Work
   Geog 654: Tropical Field Course

   With faculty approval before enrolling, students can also fulfill this requirement by completing field research in one of the two following courses:

   Geog 489: Internship in Geography, Upper Division
   [Requirements (pdf), Approval Form (Word)]
   Geog 497: Study Abroad

Major Tracks

Geographic Information Track. Bachelor of Arts Degree (14-15 credits within the track; 39-40 total credits to complete the major)

1. Geog 625: Intermediate Geographic Information Science, 4 cr
2. Two upper-level techniques courses, in addition to Geog 525, listed in requirement f) of the core curriculum, 7- 8 cr beyond core
3. Geog 698: GIS/Cartography Internship, 3 cr
   Requirements (pdf), Approval Form (Word)

Urban Track. Bachelor of Arts Degree (9 credits within the track; 37 total credits to complete the major)

1. Any two of the following urban geography courses, 6 cr:

   Geog 440: City Systems and Metropolitan Development
   Geog 441: Geography of Cities and Metropolitan Areas
   Geog 443: Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography
   Geog 540: Globalization and the City

2. One of the following courses on urban environments, 3 cr:

   Geog 464: Environmental Problems
   Geog 520: Physical Geography of the City
   Geog 564: Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice

Environmental Track. Bachelor of Arts Degree (9 credits within the track; 37 total credits to complete the major)

1. Any 3 of the following mid- or upper-level environmental geography courses, 9 cr:

   Geog 350: Conservation of Natural Resources
   Geog 520: Physical Geography of the City
   Geog 464: Environmental Problems
   Geog 564: Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice

Physical Systems Track. Bachelor of Science Degree (15 credits within the track; 40 total credits to complete the major)

1. Geog 310: General Climatology, 3 cr
2. Geog 340: Biogeography, 3 cr

3. One of the following, 3 cr:

   Geog 420: Methods and Principles in Land Form Geography
   Geog 424: Karst Geomorphology
   Geog 475: The Geography of Soils
4. Electives, 6 cr. Any two upper division (numbered 300 or above) courses approved for natural science credit (pdf) that have not been selected to fulfill the above requirements. A maximum of 3 credits from outside Geography may be applied to the major.

Regional and Educational Track. Bachelor of Arts Degree (9 credits within the track; 37 total credits to complete the major)

1. One of the following courses in urban geography, 3 cr:

   Geog 440: City Systems and Metropolitan Development
   Geog 441: Geography of Cities and Metropolitan Areas
   Geog 443: Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography
   Geog 540: Globalization and the City

2. One of the following courses in environmental geography, 3 cr:

   Geog 350: Conservation of Natural Resources
   Geog 464: Environmental Problems
   Geog 520: Physical Geography of the City
   Geog 564: Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice

3. One of the following courses in physical geography, 3 cr:

   Geog 310: General Climatology
   Geog 340: Biogeography
   Geog 420: Methods and Principles in Land Form Geography
   Geog 424: Karst Geomorphology
   Geog 475: Geography of Soils
   Geog 520: Physical Geography of the City