Department of Geography
Bachelor of Arts in Geography
Students on Summer 2022, Fall 2022, or Spring 2023 requirements GEOGBA
Requirements
The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Environment and Society. One (1) course:
- GEOG-G 208 Environment and Society
GEOG-G 208 Environment and Society
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Just as we shape the environment, the environment shapes us. From globalization to food production to climate change, learn how humans and environments interact.
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- Geographic Methods.
- Geographic Methods Core. One (1) course:
- GEOG-G 237 Mapping our World: From Mercator to Mashups
- GEOG-G 338 Geographic Information Systems
GEOG-G 237 Mapping our World: From Mercator to Mashups
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Mapping lets us visualize our world and see how patterns change across places. For example, we can analyze how a bike-share program changes commuting patterns, or how urban farming emerges in a transforming city. Students learn how to develop digital maps and interpret spatial processes while gaining valuable experience with GIS software.
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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.
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- Geographic Methods Electives. One (1) additional course:
- GEOG-G 250 Computing in the Geospatial Sciences
- GEOG-G 336 Environmental Remote Sensing
- GEOG-G 338 Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG-G 350
- GEOG-G 388 Qualitative Methods in Geography
- GEOG-G 438 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG-G 488 Applied Spatial Statistics
GEOG-G 250 Computing in the Geospatial Sciences
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- A first course in scientific computing that emphasizes practical applications in the geospatial and environmental sciences. Requires high-level programming using MATLAB for visualization, data analysis, and modeling. Teaches problem solving through analysis and interpretation of a wide range of environmental and geographic data.
GEOG-G 336 Environmental Remote Sensing
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Principles of remote sensing of the earth and its atmosphere, emphasizing satellite data in visible, infrared, and microwave portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Emphasis on practical applications and digital image analysis.
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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.
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GEOG-G 388 Qualitative Methods in Geography
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Focuses on and provides practice in the various qualitative methods employed by geographers to solve problems within the geographic landscape. Each methodology is practiced in the field or within the laboratory so that students develop competency using these methods and can then apply them to a research project.
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.
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GEOG-G 488 Applied Spatial Statistics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- 6 credit hours of geography or consent of instructor
- Description
- Extension of traditional statistical analysis to spatial data. Spatial means and spatial variances, the examination of differences in samples over space, spatial autocorrelation, nearest neighbor analysis, map comparison techniques. Emphasis is on practical applications.
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- Geographic Methods Core. One (1) course:
- Job and Internship Search. One (1) course:
- ASCS-Q 296 College to Career II: Navigate Your Arts and Sciences Experience
ASCS-Q 296 College to Career II: Navigate Your Arts and Sciences Experience
- Credits
- 2
- Prerequisites
- At least sophomore standing
- Description
- Explores the relationship between academic and extracurricular choices and life after graduation. Students assess their skills, develop a portfolio to highlight them, and create a plan to address gaps. Focuses on a paradigm of job searching that emphasizes research and highly customized, focused application materials.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of the following: ASCS-Q 296, BUS-T 275, or SPEA-V 252.
- Grading
- S/F grading.
- Capstone. One (1) course:
- GEOG-G 498 Capstone in Geography
- GEOG-G 499 Honors Research in Geography
GEOG-G 498 Capstone in Geography
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- Geography major; and senior standing; or consent of instructor
- Description
- In this capstone course, majors will put their Geography training to work in a collaborative, practically-oriented research project supervised by a faculty member.
GEOG-G 499 Honors Research in Geography
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- GEOG-G 450, at least 18 credit hours in geography, a minimum 3.500 GPA in geography with a minimum 3.300 GPA overall, and consent of honors advisor
- Description
- Training in research and scholarly writing, culminating in an honors thesis to be written under the direction of a faculty member. An oral examination of the thesis is conducted by two faculty members.
- Concentration. Choose one of the following options:
- Comprehensive Option. 15 additional credit hours in Geography courses.
- Concentration Option. One (1) of the Geography concentrations listed below.
- 400–499 Level Geography Courses. Six (6) credit hours:
- Any GEOG-G 400–499
- Electives. Additional Geography courses, as needed, to complete remaining requirements.
- Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
- Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.
Major Area Courses
-
Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the
GEOG
prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent - Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
- Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
- Any course, consistent with the policies herein, that is part of a concentration, track, and/or specialization being pursued as part of this academic program
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the
Restrictions
The following restrictions apply to the minimum credit hours required in the major:
- No more than 6 combined credit hours of the following may be counted toward major:
- GEOG-X 274 Sophomore Laboratory in Geography
- GEOG-X 374 Junior Lab in Geography
- GEOG-X 473 Internship in Geographical Analysis
- GEOG-X 474 Senior Lab in Geography
- No more than 6 combined credit hours of the following may be counted toward major:
- GEOG-X 490 Undergraduate Readings and Research in Geography
GEOG-X 274 Sophomore Laboratory in Geography
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of instructor
- Description
- Faculty-directed study of geographical problems based on an internship experience. Student's area of placement must be related to major field of study and may involve staff work or research.
- 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.
GEOG-X 374 Junior Lab in Geography
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of instructor
- Description
- Faculty-directed study of geographical problems based on an internship experience. Student's area of placement must be related to major field of study and may involve staff work or research.
- 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.
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 474 Senior Lab in Geography
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of Instructor
- Description
- Faculty-directed study of geographical problems based on an internship experience. Student's area of placement must be related to major field of study and may involve staff work or research.
- 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.
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.
This program of study cannot be combined with the following:
- Bachelor of Science in Geography (GEOGBS)
- Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (GISRSACRT)
- Minor in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing (GISRSMIN)
- Minor in Geography (GEOGMIN)
Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:
- College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
- Upper Division Courses. At least 42 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
- College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College GPA. A College grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required.
- CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
- CASE Foundations
- CASE Breadth of Inquiry
- CASE Culture Studies
- CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
- CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level coursework
- CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
- CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
- Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.
Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.
Subject areas
- Any AAAD course that carries degree credit
- Any AAST course that carries degree credit
- Any ABEH course that carries degree credit
- Any AFRI course that carries degree credit
- Any AMST course that carries degree credit
- Any ANTH course that carries degree credit
- Any ARTH course that carries degree credit
- Any ASCS course that carries degree credit
- Any AST course that carries degree credit
- Any BIOC course that carries degree credit
- Any BIOL course that carries degree credit
- Any BIOT course that carries degree credit
- Any CEUS course that carries degree credit
- Any CHEM course that carries degree credit
- Any CJUS course that carries degree credit
- Any CLAS course that carries degree credit
- Any CLLC course that carries degree credit
- Any CMLT course that carries degree credit
- Any COGS course that carries degree credit
- Any COLL course that carries degree credit
- Any EALC course that carries degree credit
- Any EAS course that carries degree credit
- Any ECON course that carries degree credit
- Any ENG course that carries degree credit
- Any EURO course that carries degree credit
- Any FOLK course that carries degree credit
- Any FRIT course that carries degree credit
- Any GEOG course that carries degree credit
- Any GER course that carries degree credit
- Any GLLC course that carries degree credit
- Any GNDR course that carries degree credit
- Any HHC course that carries degree credit
- Any HISP course that carries degree credit
- Any HIST course that carries degree credit
- Any HON course that carries degree credit
- Any HPSC course that carries degree credit
- Any HUBI course that carries degree credit
- Any IMP course that carries degree credit
- Any INST course that carries degree credit
- Any INTL course that carries degree credit
- Any JSTU course that carries degree credit
- Any LAMP course that carries degree credit
- Any LATS course that carries degree credit
- Any LING course that carries degree credit
- Any LTAM course that carries degree credit
- Any MATH course that carries degree credit
- Any MELC course that carries degree credit
- Any MEST course that carries degree credit
- Any MLS course that carries degree credit
- Any MSCH course that carries degree credit
- Any NEUS course that carries degree credit
- Any OVST course that carries degree credit
- Any PACE course that carries degree credit
- Any PHIL course that carries degree credit
- Any PHYS course that carries degree credit
- Any POLS course that carries degree credit
- Any PSY course that carries degree credit
- Any REEI course that carries degree credit
- Any REL course that carries degree credit
- Any RMI course that carries degree credit
- Any SEAS course that carries degree credit
- Any SGIS course that carries degree credit
- Any SLAV course that carries degree credit
- Any SLHS course that carries degree credit
- Any SLST course that carries degree credit
- Any SOAD course that carries degree credit
- Any SOC course that carries degree credit
- Any STAT course that carries degree credit
- Any THTR course that carries degree credit