Geography exists at the crossroads of many disciplines in the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. Because of this unique confluence of knowledge, the geography minor can pave the way for understanding how complex the relationships between humans and their environments can be. The Geography minor can be adapted to your interests and needs, depending on your major or discipline. If you come and talk to us, we can assure you, a geography minor will give you insights into your field that will broaden your horizons and help you see new possibilities.
Because the Geography minor has applications across so many disciplines, we recommend that you make an appointment with an advisor to design a customized plan that will help you achieve your goals. The minor consists of 14 credits (a minimum of 5 courses) in Geography or Atmospheric Sciences. You'll need to get these courses approved by the undergraduate advisor.
Possible major combinations include:
- Anthropology
- Business
- Criminology
- Earth Sciences
- Environmental Science
- Economics
- Geographic Information Science
- International Studies
- Sociology
- Data Analytics
- Political Science
- Public Policy / Affairs
- Psychology
- Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
In the advising sheet below, our department advisors have already developed five sample plans (Climate Change, Environment Sustainability and Development, Global Inequality, Networks Locations and Economies, and Our Urban World) which can help give you a sense for the kinds of coursework involved. These sample plans can be a starting point for you as you explore how geography can be applied to your own areas of interest.
Curriculum
As obvious as it might be to say, all careers connect to the use of space. Having a solid understanding of the way we engage with our environment can help deepen your ability to grapple with complex physical problems facing our future.
Possible career opportunities include:
- Environmental Analyst or Monitor
- Policymaker or Planner
- Real Estate Developer
- Urban Research Analyst or Demographer
- Environmental Law Attorney
- Natural Hazards Specialist
- Cultural Ecologist
- Urban & Regional Planner