Geography Major

Geography Major

IN THIS SECTION

Train for a career in earth sciences.

As climate change becomes more severe, it is more important than ever to understand earth systems and their interrelationship with human actions. With the Geography Major, you will analyze weather systems, landforms, and hydrology and investigate how social processes such as globalization, demographics, urbanization, and the construction of cultural identities shape the earth’s surface and climate. You will develop important analytical and problem-solving skills that are relevant to a wide range of scientific, environmental, and public policy–oriented careers. Then you will put theory into practice through hands-on experimentation and research in our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and earth science laboratories and in an off-campus internship or research opportunity with a local organization. Membership in Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geography honor society, is available to distinguished students.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

  • Learn geospatial technologies like cartography, remote sensing, and GIS
  • Conduct both field- and laboratory-based analysis
  • Participate in faculty-led undergraduate research on topics like water pollution, urban geography, atmospheric carbon sequestration, cartography, remote sensing of the environment, drone-based imaging, and more
  • Focus your studies with a concentration in earth science education, earth system science, environmental studies, geographic information systems, and general geography
  • Discover the relevance of geography to a wide array of disciplines in the natural and social sciences, including biology, chemistry, environmental science, sociology, urban studies, political science, and public policy

Options in Geography

Explore the different concentration opportunities that Worcester State has to offer.
Explore sample courses in this program.
GS-101 Physical Geography
Geographic principles of location; characteristics of landforms, soil, climate, minerals, water, flora, and fauna.
3 credits
GE-102 Human Geography
Introduction to human geography, emphasizing globalization, human-environment relations, and spatial patterns of population, development, economics, politics, urbanization, and culture.
3 credits
GS-110 Meteorology
Weather elements, frontal storms, air mass characteristics, winds, temperature, precipitation, and pressure patterns throughout the world; weather instruments, forecasting.
3 credits
GE-110 World Regional Geography I
This survey examines characteristics of land and peoples of Europe and Asia.
3 credits
GE-111 World Regional Geography II
This survey examines characteristics of land and peoples of Africa, Australia, Oceania, and the Americas.
3 credits
GE-130 Introduction to Energy Studies
Foundation concepts in energy studies. Overview of environmental and societal implications of energy systems—past, present, and future.
3 credits
GS-140 Physical Geology
Introduction to geological science: rocks and minerals, internal and external geologic processes, topographic map and air photo analysis, local field study. 3 hours lecture and 2 hours laboratory per week.
4 credits
GS-150 Humans and the Cold Regions
Winter intersession. Examines earth’s cold regions, including physical geography, cryosphere’s role in earth systems, human adaptations. Includes outdoor activity.
3 credits
GS-165 Geographic Information Systems I
Introduction to the use of geospatial technologies including geographic information systems and GPS.
3 credits
GE-193 Special Topics in Geography for First-Year Students
Introductory level course covering topics of special interest to first-year students. Offered only as a first-year seminar.
3 credits
GE-200 Geography Literature Seminar
Geography majors attend research seminars, conduct literature searches, identify relevant primary literature, read and take notes on primary literature, compile annotated bibliographies, and create written syntheses.
1 credit
GE-210 Geography of North America
Analysis of the physical and human geography of North America.
3 credits
GS-210 Geomorphology
The study of landforms and the processes that form them. Labs focus on interpretation of maps and aerial photographs. 3-hour lecture and 2-hour laboratory.
4 credits
GE-214 Critical Cartographies: Digital Mapping and Spatial Data Visualization
This course introduces the fundamental theories, art, and science of map making using web-based platforms. It provides an interdisciplinary approach for students to learn both practical and conceptual skills to collect, interpret, and present data in the form of online, interactive maps and data visualizations.
3 credits
GS-217 Spatial Data Methods
Introduction to the methods used in GIS programming and quantitative geospatial analysis.
3 credits
GS-218 Introduction to Remote Sensing
Introduction to the use and analysis of remotely sensed images such as aerial photographs and satellite imagery.
3 credits
GS-225 Oceanography
The principles of physical, chemical, biological, and geological oceanography.
3 credits
GS-230 Biogeography
The distribution patterns of plants and animals, processes affecting this distribution, and how these patterns change in space and time.
3 credits
GS-235 Contemporary Climate Change
The global climate system, factors influencing climate, recent climate change, and the role of human activity.
3 credits
GE-240 Energy Conservation
Concepts, technologies, and policies for energy conservation. Inefficiencies of current systems; technical and social changes for energy efficiency.
3 credits
GS-240 Coastal Environments
Summer session course examining the physical geography of coastal environments including human impacts. Includes field trips.
3 credits
GS-245 Planetary Geology
Solar system formation and evolution with emphasis on planetary interiors and surface features.
3 credits
GE-250 Urban Geography
World urbanization, location, and central place concepts, economy of cities, land use patterns, urban, physical, and societal environmental problems.
3 credits
GS-250 Hydrology
Hydrologic processes and their estimation and measurement. Includes precipitation, evaporation, runoff, groundwater, and water resources management.
3 credits
GE-255 Geography of Africa
Analysis of the physical and human geography of Africa.
3 credits
GE-258 Global Environmental Change
An introduction to the science, political economy, and ethics of global environmental change.
3 credits
GS-260 Introduction to Soil Science
The study of the formation, processes, classification, and composition of soils with emphasis on environmental applications, including watershed delineation.
3 credits
GS-270 The Sedimentary Record
Theoretical, laboratory, and field investigations of modern sedimentary processes, depositional environments, the sedimentary record of earth history, principals of stratigraphy. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of lab.
4 credits
GE-285 Sustainable Communities
Exploration of changes in US and global economic landscape, 1970 to present. Approaches to sustainable economic development.
3 credits
GE-307 American Public Lands: Environmental Issues
Exploration of the environmental management issues on US public lands such as national parks, national forests, and BLM lands.
3 credits
GE-308 Environment and Development
The global ecology of rich and poor environmental implications of poverty, economic development, mass consumption, globalization, and demographic change.
3 credits
GE-312 Sustainable Food Systems
Overview of the structure, evolution, costs, and benefits of the global food system. Exploration of local and global alternatives.
3 credits
GS-318 Geographic Information Systems II
Advanced production of digital choropleth maps on PCs using a GIS vector-oriented software.
3 credits
GS-328 Digital Landscape Analysis
Computer-based methods of representing, storing, and analyzing landscape features. Explores technologies such as LiDAR and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for gathering landscape data and the use of geospatial tools to analyze and represent landscape features. 3 hours of lecture and 2 hours of lab.
4 credits
GS-335 Hydrogeology
Underground water and its movement. Aquifer identification and test; wells, contamination, and remediation; ground water as a geologic agent.
3 credits
GS-338 Atmospheric Science
Atmospheric Science introduces students to the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere and examines the science behind current issues such as global climate change, air pollution, and reductions in stratospheric ozone. Atmospheric physics includes both weather (clouds, rain, winds) and climate (weather averaged over longer timescales, as well as trends in climate over time). Atmospheric chemistry investigates processes controlling the chemical composition of the atmosphere, including related processes in the biosphere, as well as anthropogenic pollution (smog, stratospheric ozone loss, etc.)
3 credits
GE-341 Fundamentals of Renewable Energy
Analysis of renewable energy concepts, policy, and politics. Technologies and methods for renewable energy capture, storage, and distribution.
3 credits
GE-342 Sustainable Housing and Techniques
Principles of green design with an emphasis on building construction. Material and energy flows, choice of materials, designing for sustainability.
3 credits
GS-348 Fundamentals of Earth Data Analytics
The theory and practice of data analytics using remote sensing and in-situ earth observations and communicating the science.
4 credits
GS-365 Climate Change Over Earth History
A record of climate change on Earth, methods used to reconstruct past climates, relevance of past changes to the current climate.
3 credits
GS-370 Lakes and Environmental Change
Modern physical, biogeochemical, and sedimentary processes in lakes. Lake sediments as archives of past climate and environmental change. Includes fieldwork.
4 credits
GE-400 Geography Seminar
Capstone course for geography majors. Students prepare a comprehensive term paper and present on the topic. Course includes portfolio and career development.
3 credits
GE-408 Directed Study: Geography
Directed study offers students the opportunity to complete an existing course with an established syllabus under the direction and with the agreement of a faculty member.
3 credits
GE-410 Independent Study: Geography
Opportunity for advanced students to pursue a topic of special interest involving extensive reading, experimentation, and research.
1 to 6 credits
GE-420 Advanced Geoscience Research and Fieldwork
Lab- and or field-based research on a specific geoscience topic under supervision of a faculty member.
1 to 6 credits
GE-450 Readings and Directed Research
Directed study on selected topics; open to senior majors.
3 credits
GE-460 Internship: Geography
Students assigned to various government and private agencies under joint supervision of agency and faculty. Major GPA of 3.0 or above required.
1 to 6 credits

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