The Major

Last updated: Spring 2020

The Geography major combines a solid grounding in required courses with the maximum opportunity to shape an individual program serving personal interests and career intentions. Students should consult with their faculty adviser to ensure that a sound individual program is developed.

All seven degree choices share a 20 credit Geography Core Curriculum which establishes a foundation in Geography and builds job-related skills such as GIS and statistical analysis, professional writing, and field research design and methodology. Each concentration option in the BA degree program includes the core curriculum plus an upper-division concentration.

A minimum of a 2.000 average in the courses applied to the Geography major is required for graduation. The Junior Year Writing requirement is fulfilled by enrolling in GEOGRAPH 314.

Geography Core Curriculum Requirements for both the B.A. Geography (all concentrations) and the B.S. Geography Degrees (20 credits)

Introductory Courses (8 cr):

GEOGRAPH 110 Global Environmental Change OR GEOGRAPH 100 Introduction to Physical Geography
GEOGRAPH 102 Intro to Human Geography OR GEOGRAPH 150 The Earth Transformed: World Environmental Issues

Skills and Techniques (12 cr):

GEOGRAPH 314 Junior Year Writing (required for primary majors)
GEOGRAPH 340 Quantitative Methods (required; may substitute equivalent statistics course)
GEOGRAPH 486 Field Methods in Geography (required for primary majors; fulfills integrative experience requirement)

plus one of the following:

GEOGRAPH 352 Computer Mapping
GEOGRAPH 426 Introduction to Remote Sensing
GEOGRAPH 593G Introduction to GIS (may substitute an equivalent GIS course)

Upper-Division Elective Courses (21 cr):

Students take 21 credits in Geography courses numbered 200 and above. These courses are chosen in consultation with the chief undergraduate adviser and are organized by concentration as follows:

B.A. Geography, Human Geography Concentration

In addition to the Geography Core Curriculum courses, students take 21 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses are chosen in consultation with the chief undergraduate adviser. Up to two courses may be approved cognate courses. Students may choose electives from the methods and skills courses (see list above) which they have not used to fulfill those requirements, may use any other GEOGRAPH courses, and may also take cognate elective courses outside of the Geography Program with the approval of the undergraduate advisor. Up to 3 credits may be independent study and an additional 3 credits may be senior thesis credits.

B.A. Geography, Environmental Geography and Sustainability Concentration

In addition to the Geography Core Curriculum courses (20 credits), students take 21 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses include:

Environmental Geography and Sustainability Core Course (3 cr):

GEOGRAPH 497S Sustainability: Critical Perspectives and Pathways, or a substitute approved by the Chief Undergraduate Adviser.

Environmental Geography and Sustainability Elective Courses (choose 3; 9 cr):

GEOGRAPH 360 Economic Geography
GEOGRAPH 364 Geography of Development
GEOGRAPH 372 Urban Issues
GEOGRAPH 397WG Water Geographies: Conflict and Sustainability
GEOGRAPH 420 Political Ecology
GEOGRAPH 440 Political Geography
GEOGRAPH 450 Indigenous Peoples and Conservation
GEOGRAPH 458 Climate Change
GEOGRAPH 497C Climate Crisis: Political Ecology of Climate Change
GEOGRAPH 497E Geography, Policy and the Environment
GEOGRAPH 497EG Energy Geographies
GEOGRAPH 492NP National Parks and Protected Areas
GEOGRAPH 492PA Protected Areas and Indigenous Peoples
GEOGRAPH 492UH Urban Environmental History

Other environmental studies/sustainability classes, such as courses in natural resource management, sustainable communities, economics, history or politics numbered 200+, with approval.

Upper Division Elective Courses:

Students take 9 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses are chosen in consultation with the chief undergraduate adviser. At least 6 of these elective credits must be in Geography courses. Students may choose electives from the core courses or methods and skills courses (see lists above) which they have not used to fulfill those requirements, may use any other GEOGRAPH courses, and may also take elective cognate courses outside of the Geography Program with the approval of the Chief Undergraduate Adviser. Up to 3 credits may be independent study and an additional 3 credits may be senior thesis credits.

B.A. Geography, Climate Change and Society Concentration

In addition to the Geography Core Curriculum courses (20 credits), students take 21 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses include:

Climate Change and Society Core Courses (6 cr):

GEOGRAPH 354 Climatology
GEOGRAPH 497C Climate Crisis: Political Ecology of Climate Change

Climate and Society Elective Courses (choose two courses; 6 cr):

GEOGRAPH 372 Urban Issues
GEOGRAPH 458 Climate Change
REGIONPL 585 Planning for Climate Change

Other climate-centered social science/humanities classes, such as history, politics, or literature, numbered 200+, with approval of the Chief Undergraduate Adviser.

Upper Division Elective Courses:

B.A. Geography, Globalization and International Studies Concentration

In addition to the Geography Core Curriculum courses (20 credits), students take 21 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses include:

International Experience Requirement:

Students must complete at least 6 of the credits for the degree (in any category except junior writing and integrative experience) in conjunction with a study-abroad program, internship, experiential learning program or other appropriate international academic experience involving a period of residence outside the United States. These courses are chosen in consultation with, and must be approved by, the Chief Undergraduate Adviser.

Globalization and International Studies Required Courses (6 cr)

GEOGRAPH 220 World Regional Geography
GEOGRAPH 398I International Experience Pre-trip (may substitute an equivalent course)
GEOGRAPH 498I International Experience Capstone (may substitute an equivalent course)

Globalization Elective Courses (choose 2 courses; 6 cr)

GEOGRAPH 360 Economic Geography
GEOGRAPH 364 Geography of Development
GEOGRAPH 372 Urban Issues
GEOGRAPH 397WG Water Geographies: Conflict and Sustainability
GEOGRAPH 420 Political Ecology
GEOGRAPH 440 Political Geography
GEOGRAPH 450 Indigenous Peoples and Conservation
GEOGRAPH 493M Migration, Diaspora and Refugees
GEOGRAPH 497EG Energy Geographies
GEOGRAPH 492N National Parks and Protected Areas

Other globally-based social science/humanities classes, such as history, politics, or literature, numbered 200+, with approval of the Chief Undergraduate Adviser.

World Regional Elective Courses (choose 2; 6 cr)

GEOGRAPH 200 U.S. and Canada
GEOGRAPH 330 East Asia
GEOGRAPH 320 Latin America
GEOGRAPH 332 Southeast Asia
GEOGRAPH 470 The Chinese City
GEOGRAPH 497G Geography of Europe

Other region-based social science/humanities classes, such as history, politics, or literature, numbered 200+, with approval of the Chief Undergraduate Adviser.

B.A. Geography, Urban Geography Concentration

In addition to the Geography Core Curriculum courses (20 credits), students take 21 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses include:

Urban Geography Required Core Courses (6 cr):

GEOGRAPH 370 Urban Geography
GEOGRAPH 372 Urban Issues

Urban Geography Elective Courses (choose 2; 1 may be a cognate course) (6 cr):

GEOGRAPH 470 Chinese Cities
GEOGRAPH 497UE Urban Environmental History
CLASSICS 380 The Ancient City
SOCIOLOGY 360 Urban Sociology
SUSTCOMM 580 Sustainable Cities
ARCH 211 The City
COMPLIT 292U Imagining the City
HIST 591S U.S. Urban History
HIST 382 City in Modern U.S.
POLISCI 214 Urban Government & Politics

Other urban-centered social science/humanities classes, such as sustainable communities, architecture, history, politics, or literature, numbered 200+, with approval of the Chief Undergraduate Adviser.

Upper-Division Elective Courses (9 credits):

Students take 9 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses are chosen in consultation with the chief undergraduate adviser. One course may be an approved cognate course.

B.A. Geography, Geographic Information Science and Technology Concentration

In addition to the Geography Core Curriculum courses (20 credits), students take 21 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses include:

GIST Required Core Courses (3 Courses; 6 credits – one of these courses can count for one of the requirements for “skills and techniques” in the Geography Core Curriculum):

GEOGRAPH 352/592M Computer Mapping
GEOGRAPH 426 Introduction to Remote Sensing
GEOGRAPH 468 Introduction to GIS --OR-- GEOGRAPHY 593G Introduction to GIS

GIST Elective Courses (choose 2 Courses; 6 cr):

GEOGRAPH 493W WebGIS
GEOGRAPH 497ARS/ 626 Advanced remote sensing
GEOGRAPH 497SDA/668 Spatial Data Analysis (advanced GIS)
GEOGRAPH 497GISP Advanced Practicum in GIS**
--OR-- other advanced UMass or 5 College GIST courses with adviser’s approval

Upper-Division Elective Courses (2-3 courses; 9 cr):

Students take 8 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses are chosen in consultation with the chief undergraduate adviser. At least 6 of these elective credits must be in GEOGRAPH courses. Students may choose electives from any of the above courses which they have not used to fulfill requirements or may use any other GEOGRAPH courses. They may also take cognate elective courses outside Program with the approval of the undergraduate adviser. Up to 3 credits may be independent study and an additional 3 credits may be senior thesis credits.

Requirements for the B.S. Degree in Physical Geography

In addition to the courses in the Geography Core Curriculum, B.S. students take 21 additional credits of electives (including 9 credits in physical geography) and 18-31 credits of supporting general science/geosciences courses as follows:

Three advanced physical geography courses (9 cr), including:

GEOGRAPH 354 Climatology
GEOGRAPH 560 Geomorphology

and an additional advanced physical geography course, such as:

GEOGRAPH 591C Introduction to Climate Modeling
GEO-SCI 595D Oceans and Climate
--OR-- other advanced UMass or 5 College physical geography or cognate courses with adviser’s approval.

Upper division geography electives (12 cr):

In addition to the Geography Core Curriculum courses, the advanced physical geography courses, and the supporting science courses, B.S. students in Geography take 12 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses are chosen in consultation with the chief undergraduate adviser. Up to two courses may be approved cognate courses. Students may choose electives from the methods and skills courses (see list above) which they have not used to fulfill those requirements, may use any other GEOGRAPH courses, and may also take cognate elective courses outside of the Geography Program with the approval of the undergraduate advisor. Up to 3 credits may be independent study and an additional 3 credits may be senior thesis credits.

Supporting General Science Courses (18-24 cr):

Calculus (6-8 cr)
General college physics (6-8 cr)
General college chemistry (6-8 cr)

General Geoscience Courses (7 cr):

GEOL 101 The Earth
CMPSCI 121 Introduction to Problem Solving with Computers