About this Program
- College: Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Degrees: Bachelor of Arts | Bachelor of Science
- Specializations: Environmental Geosciences (BA) | Geographical Science and Sustainability (BA) | Medical Geography in Global Health (BA) | Medical Geography in Global Health (BS)
- Credits for Degree: 120
- Contact: Email
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
Map
Curriculum
- Combination Degrees
- Geographic Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Certificate
- Geography
- Geography Minor
- Geography Minor UF Online
- Geography UF Online
- Geospatial Information Analysis Certificate
- Medical Geography Certificate
- Medical Geography in Global Health Minor
- Meteorology and Climatology Certificate
The Bachelor of Arts in Geography in Geographical Science and Sustainability is a joint program (specialization) co-offered by Geography and Sustainability Studies, and is intended for students interested in using geospatial technologies to advance sustainability. Students in this specialization learn modern geospatial technologies, such as geographical information system, remote sensing and spatial analysis, and use them to maintain ecological and environmental health, create economic welfare, and pursue social justice in a changing world.
Coursework for the major
This specialization under the Bachelor of Arts in Geography requires a major coursework of 46 credits from the geography program and sustainability studies program, and 3 additional credits of STA2023. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all coursework for the major.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 | 3 |
| Geography Fundamentals-13 credits | ||
| GEO 2200 & 2200L | Dynamic Planet Earth and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory | 4 |
| GEO 2006 | Natural Hazards Geography | 3 |
| GEO 2351 | Geographical Sciences and Sustainability | 3 |
| Select one GeoAI course: | 3 | |
| The Digital Earth | ||
| The World & Big Data | ||
| Sustainability Fundamentals-12 credits | ||
| IDS 2154 | Facets of Sustainability | 3 |
| Select one: | 3 | |
| History of Sustainability | ||
| Classical Antiquity and Sustainability | ||
| Sustainability and Religion | ||
| BSC 2862 | Global Change Ecology and Sustainability | 3 |
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Anthropology of Sustainability | ||
| Politics of Sustainability | ||
| Economics of Sustainability | ||
| Psychology of Sustainability | ||
| Geospatial Technique courses-8 credits; Select two: | 8 | |
| Geovisualization and Map Design | ||
| Foundations of Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Digital Image Processing | ||
| Communication skill course | 3 | |
| Communicating Science in the Geosciences | ||
| Capstone course | 1 | |
| Senior Seminar | ||
| Geography electives for Sustainability-9 credits; Select three: | 9 | |
Other geography courses can be counted under the discretion of the undergraduate coordinator. | ||
| Extreme Weather | ||
| Climatology | ||
| Principles of Geographic Hydrology | ||
| Hungry Planet: Global Geographies of Food | ||
| Managing for a Changing Climate | ||
| Extreme Floods | ||
| The Human Footprint on Landscape | ||
| Conservation of Resources | ||
| Introduction to Medical Geography | ||
| Peoples and Plagues | ||
| Special Topics in Geography (Sea Level Variability & Change) | ||
| Special Topics in Geography (Weather, Climate, & Society) | ||
| Special Topics in Geography (Extreme Droughts) | ||
| Environmental Biogeography | ||
| Aerial Photo Interpretation | ||
| GIS Programming | ||
| GIS Analysis of Hazard Vulnerability | ||
| Total Credits | 49 | |
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
- Complete either one geography fundamental course or one sustainability fundamental course (recommended GEO 2200 & GEO 2200L or IDS 2154) with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
- 2.0 UF GPA required
SEMESTER 3
- Complete the other fundamental course that is not taken in Semester 2 (recommended GEO 2200 & GEO 2200L or IDS 2154) with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
- 2.0 UF GPA required
SEMESTER 4
- Complete one additional geography fundamental course (recommended GEO 2351), and STA 2023 with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
- 2.0 UF GPA required
SEMESTER 5
- Complete one additional geography fundamental course, one additional sustainability fundamental course with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
- 2.0 UF GPA required
SEMESTER 6
- Complete all geography and sustainability fundamental courses
- Complete a GIS 3000/4000 technique course.
- 2.0 UF GPA required
SEMESTER 7
- Complete 1 additional geography technique course (GEO or GIS 4000 level)
- 2.0 UF GPA required
SEMESTER 8
- Complete all remaining geography (GEO, GIS, or MET) 3000/4000 required 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).
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.
| Semester One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| IDS 2154 | Facets of Sustainability (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Mathematics; pure math | 3-4 | |
| Foreign language | 4-5 | |
| Credits | 13-15 | |
| Semester Two | ||
| Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) | 3 | |
| GEO 2200 & 2200L |
Dynamic Planet Earth and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) |
4 |
| Foreign language | 3-5 | |
| Sustainability Fundamentals course | 3 | |
| Credits | 13-15 | |
| Semester Three | ||
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 | 3 |
| Geography fundamental course (Critical Tracking) | 3 | |
| Sustainability Fundamentals course (Critical Tracking) | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Biological Sciences | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Four | ||
| Geography fundamental course (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 | |
| Sustainability Fundamentals course | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Humanities | 3 | |
| Quest 2 (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Science or Gen Ed Biological Science) | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Biological or Social and Behavioral Science (Option not taken as Quest 2 above) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Five | ||
| Geography fundamental course (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement | 3 | |
| Geography elective | 3 | |
| Elective or foreign language if 4-3-3 option | 4 | |
| Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Six | ||
| Geospatial technique course (Critical Tracking) | 4 | |
| Gen Ed Biological Sciences or elective | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Humanities (if needed) or elective | 3 | |
| Geography elective | 3 | |
| Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Seven | ||
| GEO 4170 | Communicating Science in the Geosciences | 3 |
| Geography Elective (Critical Tracking) | 3 | |
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 6 | |
| Electives | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Eight | ||
| GEO 4930 | Senior Seminar | 1 |
| Geography elective | 3 | |
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 6 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
1 Students must choose either GIS 2002 or GIS 2114 to fulfill all Geography Fundamental courses.
Electives to reach the 120-credit minimum will vary depending on whether students select minimum or maximum credit course options.
Geography Electives for Sustainability Specialization
Other geography courses can be counted under the discretion of the undergraduate coordinator
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 2242 | Extreme Weather | 3 |
| GEO 3250 | Climatology | 3 |
| GEO 3280 | Principles of Geographic Hydrology | 4 |
| GEO 3315 | Hungry Planet: Global Geographies of Food | 3 |
| GEO 3341 | Extreme Floods | 3 |
| GEO 3352 | The Human Footprint on Landscape | 3 |
| GEO 3372 | Conservation of Resources | 3 |
| GEO 3452 | Introduction to Medical Geography | 3 |
| GEO 3454 | Peoples and Plagues | 3 |
| GEO 3930 | Special Topics in Geography (Weather, Climate, & Society) | 3 |
| GEO 3930 | Special Topics in Geography (Extreme Droughts) | 3 |
| GEO 4300 | Environmental Biogeography | 3 |
| GIS 4021C | Aerial Photo Interpretation | 3 |
| GIS 4102C | GIS Programming | 3 |
| GIS 4324 | GIS Analysis of Hazard Vulnerability | 3 |
| GEO 4938 | Selected Topics in Geography (Population GIS) | 3 |
| GEO 3930 | Special Topics in Geography (Weather, Climate, & Society) | 3 |
| GEO 3930 | Special Topics in Geography (Sea Level Variability and Change) | 3 |
Recommended Outside Major Electives
18 credits of upper division (3000 and 4000-level) electives outside the major are required. These courses would strongly complement the BA track in geographical sciences for sustainability in both the Geography and Sustainability Studies majors.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AEB 3450 | Introduction to Natural Resource and Environmental Economics | 3 |
| AGG 3501 | Environment, Food and Society | 3 |
| AGR 4212 | Alternative Cropping Systems | 3 |
| ALS 3133 | Agricultural and Environmental Quality | 3 |
| BSC 3307C | Climate Change Biology | 4 |
| DCP 3200 | Methods of Inquiry for Sustainability and the Built Environment | 3 |
| DCP 3210 | Sustainable Solutions for the Built Environment | 3 |
| DCP 3220 | Social and Cultural Sustainability and the Built Environment | 3 |
| ECP 3302 | Environmental Economics and Resource Policy | 4 |
| EES 3008 | Energy and Environment | 3 |
| EES 4050 | Environmental Planning and Design | 3 |
| FAS 4270 | Marine Ecological Processes | 3 |
| FNR 4660 | Natural Resource Policy and Economics | 3 |
| FOR 3202 | Society and Natural Resources | 3 |
| FOR 4664 | Sustainable Ecotourism Development | 3 |
| SWS 3022 | Introduction to Soils in the Environment | 3 |
| SWS 4245 | Water Resource Sustainability | 3 |
| WIS 3401 | Wildlife Ecology and Management | 3 |
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
- 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
- Analyze geographic information and apply interpretation of data toward problem solving or modeling.
Communication
- 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