Geography
Students in geography must complete both the core courses in geography and one of the five options in consultation with the Department of Geography Undergraduate Adviser. This major is administered by the Department of Geography.
Major in Sciences and Letters Curriculum
E-mail: geograph@uiuc.edu
Degree title: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minimum required major and supporting course work normally equates to 42-57 hours including at least 40 hours of Geography courses.
General education: The LAS General Education requirements are set up so students automatically complete the Campus General Education requirements.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours
Departmental distinction. All students majoring in geography who have maintained a University grade point average of 3.25 and who satisfactorily complete an independent project (GEOG 391) in their senior year will be eligible to graduate with distinction in geography. Students should consult their advisers about distinction requirements as soon as they enter the major (no later than the end of their junior year).
Students must complete the core requirements listed below and select one option in consultation with an academic advisor.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 11-12 | Select three of the following four courses: |
GEOG 101–Geog of Developing Countries |
|
GEOG 102–Weather and Climate |
|
GEOG 103–Earth’s Physical Systems |
|
GEOG 104–Social and Cultural Geography |
|
| 4 | GEOG 371–Spatial Analysis |
| 15-16 | Required total core hours |
NOTE: Students are strongly encouraged to elect GEOG 473. Students are encouraged to elect techniques courses as part of their programs: GEOG 280, 373, 379, 390, 470, 473, 476, 477, 478, or 479.
Environmental Geography Option
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 25-26 | Students must take the following courses: |
GEOG 102–Weather and Climate |
|
GEOG 103–Earth’s Physical Systems |
|
GEOG 280–Intro to Social Statistics |
|
GEOG 210–Contemp Social & Env Problems |
|
GEOG 371–Spatial Analysis |
|
GEOG 390–Individual Study |
|
| Choose one of the following: | |
GEOG 101–Geog of Developing Countries |
|
GEOG 104–Social and Cultural Geography |
|
GEOG 110–Geography of Intl Conflicts |
|
| 14-15 | Students must take at least three courses from one of the next two groups and two courses from the other group |
| Group 1 | |
GEOG 403–Landform Studies |
|
GEOG 404–Soil Geomorphology |
|
GEOG 405–Zoogeography |
|
GEOG 415–Physical Climatology |
|
| Group 2 | |
GEOG 390–Individual Study (3 or 4 hours) |
|
GEOG 405–Zoogeography |
|
GEOG 467–Dynm Simul of Nat Res Problems |
|
GEOG 468–Biological Modeling |
|
GEOG 477–Introduction to Remote Sensing |
|
GEOG 478–Techniques of Remote Sensing |
|
| 16-18 | Supporting courses. Students must take two of the following three (biology, chemistry, and physics) sequences |
IB 101–Biological Sciences, and |
|
IB 104–Animal Biology |
|
| or | |
CHEM 102–General Chemistry I, and |
|
CHEM 103–General Chemistry Lab I, and |
|
CHEM 104–General Chemistry II, and |
|
CHEM 105–General Chemistry Lab II |
|
| or | |
PHYS 101–College Physics, Mech & Heat |
|
PHYS 102– College Physics, E&M & Modern |
|
| The following more advanced sequences may be substituted for the above Biology and Physics sequences: | |
PHYS 211–Univ Physics, Mechanics |
|
PHYS 212– Univ Physics, Elec & Mag |
|
| or | |
PHYS 213–Univ Physics, Thermal Physics |
|
| or | |
PHYS 214– Univ Physics, Quantum Phys |
|
| 21 | Students must take: |
| MATH 220–Calculus I | |
| MATH 125–Elementary Linear Algebra | |
| ECON 102–Microeconomic Principles | |
| PS 101–Intro to US Gov & Pol | |
| Either: | |
| CS 101– Intro to Computing, Eng & Sci | |
| or | |
| C S 125– Intro to Computer Science | |
| Either: | |
RHET 105–Principles of Composition |
|
| or | |
RHET 108–Forms of Composition |
|
| 6-8 | Students must also take two advanced environmental courses under the guidance of LAS and Department of Geography Advisers |
| 36-48 | Students must take twelve (12) elective courses under the guidance of LAS and Department of Geography Advisers |
NOTE: Students must have at least 40 hours in the major, including core courses.
General Geography Option
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| >15 | Geography courses, selected from 200- to 400-level courses, of which 6 hours must be at the 300 or 400 level |
| 12 | Supporting courses selected with the approval of the Department of Geography undergraduate adviser |
NOTE: Students must complete at least 40 hours in the major including core courses.
Geographic Information Science Option
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | GEOG 280- Intro to Social Statistics |
| 3 | GEOG 379- Introduction to GIS |
| 3 | GEOG 473- Map Compilation and Construct |
| 3 | GEOG 477- Introduction to Remote Sensing |
| 3 | GEOG 479- Princ Geog Information Systems |
| 9-18 | Select a minimum of three courses from each of the following: |
| GEOG 205- Business Location Decisions | |
| GEOG 460- Anal & Interp Aerial Photo | |
| GEOG 469- Spatial Ecosystem Modeling | |
| GEOG 468- Biological Modeling | |
| GEOG 470- Intro Quant Methods in Geog | |
| GEOG 476- Applied GIS to Environ Studies | |
| GEOG 478- Techniques of Remote Sensing |
The Geography Department recommends that electives among offerings in computer science and math be chosen in consultation with the advisor.
Human Geography Option
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| >15 | 200-to 400-level Geography courses (of which at least 6 hours must be at the 300 or 400 level) selected from the following: |
GEOG 204–Cities of the World |
|
GEOG 205–Business Location Decisions |
|
GEOG 210–Contemp Social & Env Problems |
|
GEOG 214–Conserv Natural Resources |
|
GEOG 224–Geog Patterns of Illinois |
|
GEOG 373–Spring Field Course |
|
GEOG 384–Population Geography |
|
GEOG 390–Individual Study |
|
GEOG 391–Honors Individual Study |
|
GEOG 394–Special Topics Social Geog |
|
GEOG 410–Geography of Dev and Underdev |
|
GEOG 425–Hist Geog Amer Land to 1880 |
|
GEOG 426–Hist Geog Amer Land Since 1880 |
|
GEOG 427–Amer Vernacular Cultural Land |
|
GEOG 438–Geography of Health Care |
|
GEOG 453–Russia and Eurasia |
|
GEOG 455–Geog of Central & South Africa |
|
GEOG 465–Trans Systems and Spatial Dev |
|
GEOG 467–Dynm Simul of Nat Res Problems |
|
GEOG 468–Biological Modeling |
|
GEOG 470–Intro Quant Methods in Geog |
|
GEOG 471–Recent Trends in Geog Thought |
|
GEOG 473–Map Compilation and Construct |
|
GEOG 477–Introduction to Remote Sensing |
|
GEOG 478–Techniques of Remote Sensing |
|
GEOG 479–Princ Geog Information Systems |
|
GEOG 483–Urban Geography |
|
GEOG 484–Migration and Spatial Interact |
|
| >12 | Supporting courses selected with approval of the Department of Geography Undergraduate Adviser |
NOTE: Students must complete at least 40 hours in the major including the core courses.
Physical Geography Option
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| >15 | 200- to 400-level Geography courses (of which at least 6 hours must be at the 300 or 400 level) selected from the following: |
GEOG 210–Contemp Social & Env Problems |
|
GEOG 214–Conserv Natural Resources |
|
GEOG 373–Spring Field Course |
|
GEOG 390–Individual Study |
|
GEOG 391–Honors Individual Study |
|
GEOG 403–Landform Studies |
|
GEOG 404–Soil Geomorphology |
|
GEOG 405–Zoogeography |
|
GEOG 406–Fluvial Geomorphology |
|
GEOG 415–Physical Climatology |
|
GEOG 467–Dynm Simul of Nat Res Problems |
|
GEOG 468–Biological Modeling |
|
GEOG 470–Intro Quant Methods in Geog |
|
GEOG 471–Recent Trends in Geog Thought |
|
GEOG 473–Map Compilation and Construct |
|
GEOG 477–Introduction to Remote Sensing |
|
GEOG 478–Techniques of Remote Sensing |
|
GEOG 479–Princ Geog Information Systems |
|
| >12 | Supporting courses selected with approval of the Department of Geography Undergraduate Adviser |
| 12-14 | All students taking this option must take the following courses: |
| MATH 220–Calculus I | |
| Select one of the following: | |
PHYS 101–College Physics, Mech & Heat |
|
| or | |
PHYS 211–Univ Physics, Mechanics |
|
| CHEM 102–General Chemistry I and | |
| CHEM 103–General Chemistry Lab I | |
| or | |
| CHEM 104–General Chemistry II and | |
| CHEM 105–General Chemistry Lab II |
NOTE: Students must complete at least 40 hours in the major including the core courses.
For All Options
Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.
All foreign language requirements must be satisfied.
A Major Plan of Study Form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours). Please see your adviser.
Minor in Geography
The minor in Geography is designed to complement any major. Students must select 7-8 hours from specified courses drawn from the department's core program, plus another six hours at the 200 to 400 levels from each of the department's designated human and physical geography clusters. At least 6 of the latter 12 hours must be at the 300 or 400-level. The minor is designed to expose students to a comprehensive selection of courses embracing the widely recognized subdivision of geography into human and physical sub-disciplines. The full listing of courses and requirements is available in the Department of Geography and the LAS General Curriculum Office.