Concentration in Water Resources (Bachelor of Arts in Geography)

Students on Summer 2019, Fall 2019, or Spring 2020 requirements GEOGWRCON

View Degree MapA semester-by-semester path to completing degree and major requirements

Requirements

The concentration requires at least 15 credit hours (including at least 12 credit hours at the 300–499 level), including the requirements listed below.

Select from the following:
- GEOG-G 304 Physical Meteorology and Climatology
- GEOG-G 305 Current Issues in Climate, Land and Environmental Change
- GEOG-G 306 Current Issues in Globalization, Development and Justice (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- GEOG-G 338 Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG-G 341 Ecological Restoration: Science, Politics, and Ethics
- GEOG-G 368 Water in the Midwest
- GEOG-G 438 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG-G 439 GIS and Environmental Analysis
- GEOG-G 440
- GEOG-G 444 Climate Change Impacts
- GEOG-G 449 Political Ecology
- GEOG-G 451 Physical Hydrology
- GEOG-G 452 Tree-Ring Science
- GEOG-G 453 Water and Society
- GEOG-G 461 Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
- GEOG-G 467 Ecohydrology
- GEOG-X 473 Internship in Geographical Analysis (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- GEOG-X 490 Undergraduate Readings and Research in Geography (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- One (1) additional course from the Geographic Methods course list
GEOG-G 304 Physical Meteorology and Climatology
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Provides an introduction to the physical basis of Earth\'s atmosphere and climate system from global to local scales, emphasizing physical processes and properties. Analyzes surface energy and water balances in varied landscapes. Covers issues related to climate change.
Repeatability
Credit given for only one of GEOG-G 304, EAS-A 340, or GEOL-G 340.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-G 305 Current Issues in Climate, Land and Environmental Change
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
An examination of current problems concerning climate, land and environmental change from a geographical perspective. The specific topic to be considered will vary from semester to semester.
Repeatability
May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-G 306 Current Issues in Globalization, Development and Justice
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
An examination of current problems concerning globalization, development and justice from a geographical perspective. The specific topic to be considered will vary from semester to semester.
Repeatability
May be repeated once with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 338 Geographic Information Systems
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Overview of the principles and practices of geographic information systems (GIS). The course will deal with issues of spatial data models, database design, introductory and intermediate GIS operations, and case studies of real-world GIS applications. Laboratory exercises will provide significant hands-on experience. Lecture and laboratory.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-G 341 Ecological Restoration: Science, Politics, and Ethics
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Can humans restore ecosystems and undo the environmental harm they have caused? To what state/extent should ecosystems be restored? What drives the ecological restoration movement? Investigates the deeply interconnected history, philosophy, ecology, geomorphology, and political economy of restoration through readings, discussions, and fieldwork.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 368 Water in the Midwest
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Explores the science, politics, and ethics of water in the Midwest from the Bloomington campus to the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins. Critically examines such water issues as pollution, environmental justice, flooding, invasive species, agricultural and urban water demand, and effective regulation.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 438 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
Credits
3
Prerequisites
GEOG-G 338 or consent of instructor
Description
Covers intermediate and advanced theory in geographic information science and spatial analysis using GIS software. Provides an in-depth look into this rapidly developing field and teaches the skills needed to construct, manage, and analyze data and models.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-G 439 GIS and Environmental Analysis
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Applications of geographic information science principles in the collection and analysis of spatial data. Integration of GIS, remote sensing, and/or GPS technologies. Review of current literature on techniques, theory, technology, and applications with an emphasis on environmental issues. Discussions, laboratory, and research project.
Repeatability
May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-G 444 Climate Change Impacts
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are causing climate to change at an unprecedented rate. This course will explain how and why anthropogenic activity is causing climate to change, how this impacts society and options for adaptation and mitigation, plus the potential to reduce climate change through geoengineering.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-G 449 Political Ecology
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
An introduction to political ecology, an approach which focuses on the political-economic context of natural resource conflicts with particular attention to issues of equity, justice, and power. Covers the theoretical lineage of political ecology, its development over the last twenty years, and current hot topics in the field.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 451 Physical Hydrology
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Introduction to hydrological processes occurring at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Principles of water resources such as infiltration, runoff, surface- and groundwater flow will be explored. Topics covered also include the environmental, economic, and social implications of floods, droughts, dams, and water usage as well as current and future issues in water quality, water pollution, and water-resource regulation.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-G 452 Tree-Ring Science

Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Examines the science of dendrochronology. Developing a scientific understanding of the information recorded by trees is essential to our quest to better understand natural and human processes.
GEOG-G 453 Water and Society
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Do we control water, or does it control us? Introduces geographic perspectives on the interaction of water and society. Takes the holistic view and asks the big questions about how water shapes, and is shaped by, social, political, and cultural dynamics.
- Summer 2025CASE GCCcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE GCCcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 461 Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Introduction to global environmental change (GEC), focusing on the human causes and consequences of biophysical transformations of land systems. Emphasis on socioeconomic, political, institutional, and environmental dimensions of land change; tropical forests, grasslands, and urbanizing areas; international environmental regimes; spatial methodologies in GEC research, and integrated approaches.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE SHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 467 Ecohydrology
Credits
3
Prerequisites
Consent of instructor
Description
Introduces basic principles and concepts in forest ecohydrology, focusing on modeling perspectives. Examines processes and feedback among water, carbon, and nitrogen fluxes in application to water resources and forest management: control of climate, vegetation change, and disturbance regimes on hydrological and biogeochemical processes.
- Summer 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE NMcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE NMcourse
GEOG-X 473 Internship in Geographical Analysis

Credits
1–6 credit hours
Prerequisites
Consent of instructor
Notes
Maximum of 3 credit hours will count toward major
Description
Supervised field experience in geography, normally in conjunction with approved work at a government agency or private firm. Requires 45 hours of work per 1 credit hour.
Repeatability
May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours in GEOG-X 274, GEOG-X 374, GEOG-X 473 and GEOG-X 474.
Grading
S/F grading.

GEOG-X 490 Undergraduate Readings and Research in Geography

Credits
1–3 credit hours
Prerequisites
Consent of instructor
Description
Individual readings and research in geography.
Repeatability
May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours in GEOG-G 450 and GEOG-X 490.
Concentration GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
1. At least 9 credit hours in the concentration must be completed at the 300–499 level.
2. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the concentration.
3. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the concentration—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
4. Exceptions to concentration requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.