Geography

www.geog.uiuc.edu

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.