| NOTE: | The information in this file matches the corresponding print edition. More current information may be found at www.asu.edu/aad/catalogs/. |
Professors: Arreola, Balling, Brazel, Burns, Cerveny, Dorn, Gober, ÓhUallacháin, Pasqualetti, Zehnder
Associate Professors: Fall, Kuby, McHugh
Assistant Professors: Edsall, Ellis, Keys, Li, Wentz
Lecturer: Shaeffer
Geography is a discipline that integrates the physical and human dimensions of the world in the study of places, people, and environments. The mission of the Department of Geography is the creation, dissemination, and application of geographic knowledge and scholarship in a liberal arts and sciences tradition.
Undergraduate students may choose to pursue a B.A. degree in Geography, B.S. degree in Geography, B.A.E. degree in Secondary Education, or minor in Geography. A grade of “C” or higher is necessary in all required Department of Geography courses. Both B.A. and B.S. degrees in Geography consist of a minimum of 45 semester hours. A minor consists of a minimum of 18 semester hours.
A student choosing a B.A. degree in Geography may be interested in a liberal arts and sciences focus on the breadth of the field. A B.A. degree may also focus on a geographic region. In either case, the student crafts an individualized program of study in consultation with an advisor.
The B.A. degree consists of courses in core geographic knowledge (10–11 semester hours), core geographic skills (12 semester hours), a regional course (three semester hours), and electives (12 semester hours), for a minimum of 37 semester hours in geography. At least 18 semester hours in geography must be in upper-division courses. The remaining hours are made up of electives from geography courses or related fields of study, chosen in consultation with an advisor.
| Core Geographic Knowledge | |
| GCU 102 | Introduction to Human Geography SB (3) |
| GCU 121 | World Geography SB, G* (4) |
| GPH 111 | Introduction to Physical Geography SQ (4)
or GPH 411 Physical Geography (3) |
| Total: 10–11 | |
| * | Completion of three semester hours of transfer course work can also be used to fulfill this requirement. |
| Core Geographic Skills | |
| GCU 495 | Quantitative Methods in Geography CS (3) |
| GCU 496 | Geographic Research Methods L (3) |
| GPH 371 | Introduction to Cartography and Georepresentation CS (3) |
| GPH 491 | Geographic Field Methods (3) |
| Total: 12 | |
| Geographic Region | |
| Choose one of the courses below, in consultation with an advisor. (3) | |
| GCU 322 Geography of U.S. and Canada SB, C (3) | |
| GCU 323 Geography of Latin America SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 325 Geography of Europe SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 326 Geography of Asia SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 327 Geography of Africa SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 328 Geography of Middle East and North Africa SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 332 Geography of Australia and Oceania SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 344 Geography of Hispanic Americans SB, C (3) | |
| GCU 421 Geography of Arizona and Southwestern United States SB, C (3) | |
| GCU 423 Geography of South America SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 424 Geography of Mexico and Middle America SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 425 Geography of the Mexican American Borderland L/SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 426 Geography of Russia and Surroundings SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 433 Geography of Southeast Asia (3) | |
| GPH 433 Alpine and Arctic Environments G (3) | |
A student can design, in consultation with an advisor, a general B.A. degree in Geography. In addition, there are three cooperative programs whereby a student receives a B.A. degree in Geography and an emphasis in Asian Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, or Latin American Studies.
Asian and Southeast Asian Emphasis. Students majoring in Geography may elect to pursue an Asian or Southeast Asian emphasis combining courses from the major with selected courses of wholly Asian or Southeast Asian content. The Asian program requires 30 semester hours of Asian content courses, selected from the list drawn up by the Center for Asian Studies. Also required is knowledge of an Asian language; this is deemed to be fulfilled by 20 semester hours or equivalent in Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Thai, or Vietnamese. The Southeast Asian Studies Certificate is awarded to Geography students who emphasize a regional studies specialization in Geography and one year of Indonesian, Thai, or Vietnamese. For more information, see College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, “Asian Studies” and “Southeast Asian Studies.”
Latin American Studies Emphasis. Students majoring in Geography may elect to pursue a Latin American studies concentration combining courses from the major with selected outside courses of wholly Latin American content. At least 30 upper-division semester hours of the program must be in Latin American content courses, including 15 hours in geography (or in courses approved by the Department of Geography advisor) and 15 in other disciplines. A reading knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese is required and a reading knowledge of the other language is suggested. The program must be approved by the Latin American Studies Center. See College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, “Latin American Studies,” for more information.
The B.S. degree consists of courses in core geographic knowledge (10–11 semester hours), core geographic skills (12 semester hours) and core geographic techniques (from three to four semester hours), and electives (12 semester hours)—for a minimum of 37 semester hours in geography. At least 18 semester hours in geography must be in upper-division courses. The remaining hours are made up of electives from geography courses or related fields of study, chosen in consultation with an advisor.
| Core Geographic Knowledge | |
| GCU 102 | Introduction to Human Geography SB (3) |
| GCU 121 | World Geography SB, G* (4) |
| GPH 111 | Introduction to Physical Geography SQ (4)
or GPH 411 Physical Geography (3) |
| Total: 10–11 | |
| * | Completion of three semester hours of transfer course work can also be used to fulfill this requirement. |
| Core Geographic Skills | |
| GCU 495 | Quantitative Methods in Geography CS (3) |
| GCU 496 | Geographic Research Methods L (3) |
| GPH 371 | Introduction to Cartography and Georepresentation CS (3) |
| GPH 491 | Geographic Field Methods (3) |
| Total: 12 |
| Core Geographic Techniques | |
| Choose one of the courses below, in consultation with an advisor. (3–4) | |
| GPH 372 Air Photo Interpretation (3) | |
| GPH 373 Geographic Information Science I CS (4) | |
| GPH 471 Geographics: Interactive and Animated Cartography and Geovisualization CS (3) | |
The remaining four courses (12 semester hours) of geography electives and nine hours of geography or related fields of study vary among the options available for a B.S. degree in Geography. There are two specific departmental concentrations: meteorology-climatology and urban studies. In addition, a student can design, in consultation with an advisor, an individualized B.S. degree emphasizing other areas within the major.
Meteorology-Climatology Concentration. See an undergraduate advisor in the Department of Geography for the latest National Weather Service certification requirements. The required courses for the meteorology-climatology concentration include a minimum of 39 semester hours in geography plus course work in mathematics and physics:
| Core Courses | |
| GCU 102 | Introduction to Human Geography SB (3) |
| GCU 121 | World Geography SB, G* (4) |
| GCU 495 | Quantitative Methods in Geography CS (3) |
| GCU 496 | Geographic Research Methods L (3) |
| GPH 111 | Introduction to Physical Geography SQ (4)
or GPH 411 Physical Geography (3) |
| GPH 370 | Geographic Information Technologies CS (3) |
| GPH 371 | Introduction to Cartography and Georepresentation CS (3) |
| GPH 491 | Geographic Field Methods (3) |
| Total: 25–26 | |
| * | Completion of three semester hours of transfer course work can also be used to fulfill this requirement. |
| Required Meteorology Courses | |
| GPH 213 | Introduction to Climatology (3) |
| GPH 215 | Introduction to Climatology Laboratory (1) |
| GPH 409 | Synoptic Meteorology I (4) |
| GPH 410 | Synoptic Meteorology II (4) |
| GPH 412 | Physical Climatology (3)
or GPH 413 Meteorological Instruments and Measurement (3) or GPH 414 Climate Change G (3) |
| Total: 15 | |
| Mathematics and Physics-Related Courses | |
| MAT 270 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I MA (4) |
| MAT 271 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II MA (4) |
| MAT 272 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry III MA (4) |
| PHY 121 | University Physics I: Mechanics SQ1 (3) |
| PHY 122 | University Physics Laboratory I SQ1 (1) |
| PHY 131 | University Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism SQ2 (3) |
| PHY 132 | University Physics Laboratory II SQ2 (1) |
| Total: 20 | |
| 1 | Both PHY 121 and 122 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
| 2 | Both PHY 131 and 132 must be taken to secure SQ credit. |
Urban Studies Concentration. The required courses for the urban studies concentration are as follows:
| Core Courses | |
| GCU 102 | Introduction to Human Geography SB (3) |
| GCU 121 | World Geography SB, G* (4) |
| GCU 495 | Quantitative Methods in Geography CS (3) |
| GCU 496 | Geographic Research Methods L (3) |
| GPH 111 | Introduction to Physical Geography SQ (4)
or GPH 411 Physical Geography (3) |
| GPH 371 | Introduction to Cartography and Georepresentation CS (3) |
| GPH 373 | Geographic Information Science I CS (4)
or another three-hour techniques course if GPH 373 is taken to meet a core requirement |
| GPH 491 | Geographic Field Methods (3) |
| Total: 26–27 | |
| * | Completion of three semester hours of transfer course work can also be used to fulfill this requirement. |
| Required Urban Studies | |
| GCU 361 | Urban Geography SB (3) |
| GCU 484 | Human Geography Internship (3)
or one upper-division elective course outside the department in a related field of study chosen in consultation with an advisor (3) |
| Choose one of the courses below (3) | |
| GCU 351 Population Geography SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 357 Social Geography SB (3) | |
| GCU 364 Energy in the Global Arena SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 441 Economic Geography SB (3) | |
| GCU 442 Geographical Analysis of Transportation SB (3) | |
| One upper-division or graduate-level GCU course chosen in consultation with an advisor (3) | |
| Choose two of the courses below (6) | |
| GCU 359 Cities of the World I SB, G, H (3) | |
| GCU 360 Cities of the World II SB, G (3) | |
| GCU 444 Geographic Studies in Urban Transportation SB (3) | |
| GCU 494 ST: Geography of Phoenix (3) | |
| Urban studies total: 15 | |
| * | Completion of three semester hours of transfer course work can also be used to fulfill this requirement. |
A minor in Geography is awarded to students who complete a minimum of 18 hours in geography. A letter grade of “C” or higher is required for all courses taken for the minor.
The following lower-division courses are required:
| GCU 102 | Introduction to Human Geography SB (3) |
| GPH 111 | Introduction to Physical Geography SQ (4)
or GPH 411 Physical Geography (3) |
| Total: – |
The remaining courses are selected in conjunction with an advisor. At least one course should be a geographic skill. Possible courses include: Geographic Information Technologies (GPH 370), Introduction to Cartography and Georepresentation (GPH 371), Air Photo Interpretation (GPH 372), Geographic Field Methods (GPH 491), or a course in Geographic Information Science (GPH 373). At least four courses should be upper-division courses in geography.
Five concentrations in Geography (geography, environmental geography, geographical information science, geography for business, and international geography) are available under the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) degree, a program intended for the student who has academic interests that might not be satisfied with existing majors. Building on two academic concentrations (or one double concentration) and an interdisciplinary core, students in the B.I.S. program take active roles in creating their educational plans and defining their career goals. For more information, see Division of Undergraduate Academic Services, “Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.”
This degree is offered through the Initial Teacher Certification program in the College of Education. Students pursuing a major in Secondary Education have an advisor in the College of Education and an advisor within the department of their academic specialization area.
See “College of Education” for information on admission eligibility requirements, admission deadlines, field experiences, and student teaching. For more information, or to schedule an appointment with an advisor, call the Office of Student Services in the College of Education at 480/965-5555.
| GCU 102 | Introduction to Human Geography SB (3) |
| GCU 121 | World Geography SB, G* (4) |
| GPH 111 | Introduction to Physical Geography SQ (4)
or GPH 411 Physical Geography (3) |
| Total: 10–11 |
| * | Completion of three semester hours of transfer course work can also be used to fulfill this requirement. |
In conjunction with an advisor, students choose the remaining geography courses.
| Cultural Geography (GCU) Courses |
| Physical Geography (GPH) Courses |
| Omnibus Courses: See omnibus courses that may be offered. |
| Page Last Updated:
November 16, 2005 | Visits to this page: |