Geography (GEOG) Major

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Requirements for Geography Major

Bachelor of Science in Arts and Sciences

System General Education Requirements*: 30

Goal #1 Written Communication:
ENGL 101
, and
ENGL 201
Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication:
SPCM 101*
Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences/Diversity Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities/Diversity Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences Credits: 6

Institutional Graduation Requirements** Credits: 8-9

Goal #1 Land and Natural Resources
Credits: 3
Goal #2 Personal Wellness
Credits: 2-3
Goal #3 Social Responsibility/Cultural and Aesthetic Awareness
Credits: 3

College Requirements: 11

See the College of Arts and Sciences for additional information.

Humanities Credits: 3
Natural Sciences Credits: 8

Major Requirements: 35

GEOG Elective Credits: 6

GEOG 131-131L - Physical Geography: Weather and Climate and Lab* Credits: 4
GEOG 132-132L - Physical Geography: Natural Landscapes and Lab* Credits: 4
GEOG 200 - Introduction to Human Geography * ** (G) Credits: 3
GEOG 210 - World Regional Geography * ** (COM) (G) Credits: 3
GEOG 382 - Geographic Research Methods (AW) Credits: 3
GEOG 447 - Geography of the Future Credits: 3
GEOG 472 - Introduction to GIS Credits: 3 or
GEOG 383-383L
or
GEOG 483-483L
.

Choose one course from each of the following categories: 6

Advanced Physical Geography and Human-Earth Relationships: 3

GEOG 310-310L - Soil Geography and Land Use Interpretation and Lab ** (G) Credits: 3
GEOG 337 - Atmospheric Sciences Credits: 3
GEOG 339 - Geomorphology Credits: 3
GEOG 343 - Environmental Disasters and Human Hazards Credits: 3
GEOG 363 - Rural Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 365 - Land Use Planning Credits: 3
GEOG 415-515 - Environmental Geography Credits: 3

Regional Geography and Advanced Human Geography: 3

GEOG 212 - Geography of North America * ** (COM) Credits: 3
GEOG 219 - Geography of South Dakota * ** (G) Credits: 3
GEOG 320 - Regional Geography: Credits: 3
GEOG 351 - Economic Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 353 - Geography of Religion Credits: 3
GEOG 358 - Political Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 400 - Cultural Geography (COM) Credits: 3
GEOG 405 - Historical Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 425 - Population Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 454 - Site Selection and Development Credits: 3
GEOG 461 - Urban Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 464 - Local and Regional Planning Credits: 3
GEOG 467 - Geography of the American Indian Credits: 3

Electives: 43-44

Total Required Credits: 128

Note:

Total 128 credits, 35 credits in Geography, minimum 18 upper division credits. GEOG 382 meets the Advanced Writing Requirement.
Students must earn at least a “C” in each course used to meet the departmental requirements of all majors, minors, and certificates.

Environmental Planning and Management Emphasis

It is strongly suggested that environmental geographers choose a minor from the list of recommended minors available in the Geography Department. The upper division credits within the department should be selected from the following:

GEOG 310-310L - Soil Geography and Land Use Interpretation and Lab ** (G) Credits: 3
GEOG 337 - Atmospheric Sciences Credits: 3
GEOG 339 - Geomorphology Credits: 3
GEOG 343 - Environmental Disasters and Human Hazards Credits: 3
GEOG 351 - Economic Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 365 - Land Use Planning Credits: 3
GEOG 383-383L - Cartography and Lab Credits: 3
GEOG 425 - Population Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 484-484L - Remote Sensing and Lab Credits: 3
GEOG 473-573 - GIS: Data Creation and Integration Credits: 3
GEOG 474-574 - GIS: Vector and Raster Modeling Credits: 3

Greater Emphasis

For those students wishing to pursue a greater emphasis in planning, the upper division hours should be selected from the following courses:

GEOG 365 - Land Use Planning Credits: 3
GEOG 461 - Urban Geography Credits: 3
GEOG 464 - Local and Regional Planning Credits: 3
GEOG 483-483L - Air Photo Interpretation and Lab Credits: 3
GEOG 484-484L - Remote Sensing and Lab Credits: 3
GEOG 473-573 - GIS: Data Creation and Integration Credits: 3
GEOG 474-574 - GIS: Vector and Raster Modeling Credits: 3

Electives

Recommended electives outside of the Department:

Curriculum Notes:

* The 30 credit Board of Regents System General Education Requirements (SGRs) must be completed as part of a student’s first 64 credits.

** South Dakota State University has an 8-9 credit Institutional Graduation Requirement (IGRs).

(G) Globalization Requirement.

(AW) Advanced Writing Requirement.

Students must take the proficiency examination after completing 48 credits. English 101, and a course in each of the General Education areas of social science, mathematics, natural science, and humanities and arts must be taken prior to taking this exam.