Physical Environment Option
Physical geography is concerned with understanding the forces that shape the physical environment upon which humans depend. A knowledge of physical geography can aid students in understanding present environmental stresses as well as prepare them for a career in one of several environment-related occupations.
Graduates with a bachelor's degree often find employment in private firms or in local, state, and federal agencies. Types of jobs available include environmental research coordinator, soil technician, water resource planner, hydrologist, research meteorologist, natural resource planner, land management specialist, and climatologist.
B. Required Courses:
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Geography 340 (3 cr) - Environmental Degradation
or
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Geography 344 (3 cr) - Environmental Hazards
Two of 352, 353, and 358:
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Geography 352 (3 cr) - Geomorphology
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Geography 353 (3 cr) - Physical Climatology and Meteorology
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Geography 358 (3 cr) - Biogeography
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Geography 377 (3 cr) - Air Photo Interpretation
or
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Geography 379 (3 cr) - Remote Sensing of the Environment
or
C. Additional courses selected from the following list to total 40 credits in Geography/Geology (plus Math 355):
D. Recommended Courses:
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Biology 305 (3 cr) General Ecology
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Computer Information Systems Introduction to Computing and Systems 101-102 Practicum in Computing
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English 254 (3 cr) Introduction to Scientific and Technical Writing
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Geology 320 (3 cr) Structural Geology
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History 366 (3 cr) American Environmental History
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Philosophy 380 (3 cr) Environmental Ethics
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Political Science 304 (3) Environmental Policy
*Students who elect the Physical Environment Option should be advised that they may need to take only a few additional geography and/or geology courses for an Earth Science Minor.