Geographical Science and Sustainability | 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
Map

 Curriculum

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

STA 2023Introduction to Statistics 13
Geography Fundamentals-13 credits
GEO 2200
2200L
Dynamic Planet Earth
and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory
4
GEO 2006Natural Hazards Geography3
GEO 2351Geographical Sciences and Sustainability3
Select one GeoAI course:3
The Digital Earth
The World & Big Data
Sustainability Fundamentals-12 credits
IDS 2154Facets of Sustainability3
Select one:3
History of Sustainability
Classical Antiquity and Sustainability
Sustainability and Religion
BSC 2862Global Change Ecology and Sustainability3
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 (Sea Level Variability & Change)
Special Topics (Weather, Climate, & Society)
Special Topics (Extreme Droughts)
Environmental Biogeography
Aerial Photo Interpretation
GIS Programming
GIS Analysis of Hazard Vulnerability
Total Credits49

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.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
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
 Credits13-15
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
 Credits13-15
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
 Credits15
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
 Credits15
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
 Credits16
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
 Credits16
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
 Credits16
Semester Eight
GEO 4930 Senior Seminar 1
Geography elective 3
Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) 6
Electives 6
 Credits16
 Total Credits120

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

GEO 2242Extreme Weather3
GEO 3250Climatology3
GEO 3280Principles of Geographic Hydrology4
GEO 3315Hungry Planet: Global Geographies of Food3
GEO 3341Extreme Floods3
GEO 3352The Human Footprint on Landscape3
GEO 3372Conservation of Resources3
GEO 3452Introduction to Medical Geography3
GEO 3454Peoples and Plagues3
GEO 3930Special Topics (Weather, Climate, & Society)3
GEO 3930Special Topics (Extreme Droughts)3
GEO 4300Environmental Biogeography3
GIS 4021CAerial Photo Interpretation3
GIS 4102CGIS Programming3
GIS 4324GIS Analysis of Hazard Vulnerability3
GEO 4938Selected Topics in Geography (Population GIS)3
GEO 3930Special Topics (Weather, Climate, & Society)3
GEO 3930Special Topics (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.

AEB 3450Introduction to Natural Resource and Environmental Economics3
AGG 3501Environment, Food and Society3
AGR 4212Alternative Cropping Systems3
ALS 3133Agricultural and Environmental Quality3
BSC 3307CClimate Change Biology4
DCP 3200Methods of Inquiry for Sustainability and the Built Environment3
DCP 3210Sustainable Solutions for the Built Environment3
DCP 3220Social and Cultural Sustainability and the Built Environment3
ECP 3302Environmental Economics and Resource Policy4
EES 3008Energy and Environment3
EES 4050Environmental Planning and Design3
FAS 4270Marine Ecological Processes3
FNR 4660Natural Resource Policy and Economics3
FOR 3202Society and Natural Resources3
FOR 4664Sustainable Ecotourism Development3
SWS 3022Introduction to Soils in the Environment3
SWS 4245Water Resource Sustainability3
WIS 3401Wildlife Ecology and Management3

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