Environmental Geosciences | BA

Geography is the science of place, space, and environment. Each place on earth is distinguished by a unique mix of natural resources, cultural practices, and socioeconomic and political systems. Geographers study what makes each place unique, as well as the connections and interactions between places.

About this Program

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Department Information

The Geography Department offers a range of topics in contemporary geography and geospatial science, rich and lively cultural and learning environments, BA and BS undergraduate degrees, MA, M.S., and PhD degrees, as well as the largest Medical Geography program in the United States.
Website

CONTACT

Email | 352.392.0494 (tel) | 352.392.8855 (fax)

P.O. Box 117315
330 Newell Drive
3141 TURLINGTON HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-7315
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 Curriculum

The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Geosciences is a joint program between the Department of Geography and the Department of Geological Sciences and is intended for students interested in land and water aspects of the environment. The degree focuses on human impacts, water and mineral resource exploitation and management, disasters, environmental planning, earth science education, or environmental law.

Coursework for the Major

The Bachelor of Arts in environmental geosciences requires a minimum of 41 credits of coursework, plus 3 credits of Statistics. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all coursework for the major.

Required Coursework

GEO 2200
2200L
Dynamic Planet Earth
and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory
4
Select one GeoAI course:3
The Digital Earth
The World & Big Data
GEO 4170Communicating Science in the Geosciences3
GEO 4930Senior Seminar1
GIS 3043Foundations of Geographic Information Systems4
GLY 2010CPhysical Geology4
GLY 2100CHistorical Geology4
or GLY 3105C Evolution of Earth and Life
GLY 3202CEarth Materials3
Select three Geography electives: 19-12
Introduction to Quantitative Analysis for Geographers
Climatology
Principles of Geographic Hydrology
Extreme Floods
The Human Footprint on Landscape
Conservation of Resources
Weather, Climate, and Society
Intermediate Quantitative Analysis for Geographers
River Forms and Processes
Water, Risk, and Extreme Events
Environmental Biogeography
Geovisualization and Map Design
Aerial Photo Interpretation
Digital Image Processing
GIS Programming
Introduction to Spatial Networks
Spatial Surface Modeling and Geostatistics
GIS Analysis of Hazard Vulnerability
Weather and Forecasting
Machine Learning in Meteorology
Hurricanes
Atmospheric Teleconnections
Spatial Analysis of Atmospheric Data using GIS
Select two Geology electives:6-8
Oceans and Global Climate Change
Geology American National Parks
Paleontology
Hydrogeology and Human Affairs
Geology of Florida
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
Structural Geology and Tectonics
Sedimentary Geology
Coastal Morphology and Processes
Total Credits41-46

The same course may not be used to satisfy requirements for more than one bulleted group.

1

Other geography courses may be counted at the discretion of the undergraduate coordinator.

Related Coursework

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements: Structure of a CLAS Degree.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 2

Semester 3

  • Complete the other critical-tracking course with laboratory (GEO 2200/GEO 2200L or GLY 2010C) with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 4

  • Complete STA 2023 and maintain a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

Semester 6

  • Complete 1 geography 3000/4000 elective course.
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 7

  • Complete 1 additional geography and 1 additional geology elective courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 8

  • Complete all remaining geography and geology 3000/4000 courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Students are expected to complete the Writing Requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the General Education International (GE-N) and Diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another General Education requirement (typically, GE-C, H, or S).

3000 level or above Geology courses count towards the 3000 level or above electives outside of the major.

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) 3
State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
State Core Gen Ed Mathematics, pure math 3
Foreign language 4-5
Elective 3
 Credits16-17
Semester Two
Select one: 4
Dynamic Planet Earth
and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Physical Geology (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
State Core Gen Ed Biological Sciences 3
Foreign language 3-5
State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
 Credits13-15
Semester Three
Select one (not taken in semester 2): 4
Dynamic Planet Earth
and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Physical Geology (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
State Core Gen Ed Humanities 3
Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Foreign language if 4-3-3 option 3
 Credits16
Semester Four
STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 3
GeoAI fundamental course (select one): 3
The Digital Earth
The World & Big Data
Gen Ed Biological Sciences 1 3
Gen Ed Humanities 3
Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 1 3
 Credits15
Semester Five
GIS 3043 Foundations of Geographic Information Systems (Critical Tracking) 4
Select one: 4
Historical Geology (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Evolution of Earth and Life (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) 6
 Credits14
Semester Six
GLY 3202C Earth Materials 3
Geography elective (Critical Tracking; from list) 3-4
Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) 9
 Credits15-16
Semester Seven
GEO 4170 Communicating Science in the Geosciences 3
Geography elective (Critical Tracking) 3-4
Geology elective (Critical Tracking) 3-4
Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) 3
Elective 3
 Credits15-17
Semester Eight
GEO 4930 Senior Seminar (Critical Tracking) 1
Geography elective (Critical Tracking) 3-4
Geology elective (Critical Tracking) 3-4
Electives 9
 Credits16-18
 Total Credits120
1

One General Education option taken this term must be a Quest 2 course.

Electives to reach the 120-credit minimum will vary depending on whether students select minimum or maximum credit course options.


A major in Geography enables students to know the earth’s physical environment, to learn social, cultural, and economic concepts from spatial and regional perspectives, and to understand the relationship between environment and society. Students will learn how geographic techniques, skills, and concepts are applied in the subfields of geography. Computer-based lab assignments teach students how to analyze geographic information and to apply an interpretation of data toward problem solving or modeling. They will be able to interpret and to effectively communicate information spatially, graphically, and/or with statistics.

The Bachelor of Arts in Geography enables students to learn how geographic techniques, skills, and concepts are applied in various subfields of geography. The Bachelor of Science enables students to learn basic concepts in sciences related to the earth and its atmosphere.

Before Graduating Students Must

  • Complete a capstone exam in GEO 4930, as developed by geography faculty.
  • Complete a capstone portfolio in GEO 4930, evaluated by geography faculty.
  • Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

  1. Identify and describe the physical and human characteristics of Earth and its regions, the essentials of human‐environment interactions, and the techniques of geographic science.

Critical Thinking

  1. Analyze geographic information and apply interpretation of data toward problem solving or modeling.

Communication

  1. Interpret and effectively communicate information spatially, graphically, and/or with statistics.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Courses SLO 1 SLO 2 SLO 3
GEA 2000-4000 level Regional Geography R
GEO 2000 level Human Geography I
GEO 2200 I
GEO 2200L R
GEO 3162C I I R
GEO 4930 R, A A A
GIS 3043 and GIS 4001C R R R
STA 2023 I
BA Only Plus 15 additional credits in the department R R R
BS Only Plus 12 additional credits in the department and 22 credits outside the department with CHM, GLY, MET, PHY, SWS prefixes R R R

Assessment Types

  • Capstone exam
  • Portfolio