Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences

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Bob Watrel, Department Head
Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences
109 Wecota Hall
605-688-4511

Faculty

Distinguished Professor

Xiaoyang Zhang

Professor

George White

Associate Professor

Bob Watrel

Assistant Professors

Maitiniyazi Maimaitijiang, Bruce Millett, Saru Saraswati, Hankui Zhang

Instructor

Kimberly Johnson Maier

Emeritus

Don Berg, Charles F. Gritzner, Janet Gritzner, Edward Hogan, Darrell Napton, Roger Sandness

Overview

The Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences offers enriching academic and life experiences, connecting people to the world in which they live. The department offers programs addressing the complex relationships and linkages of human and natural systems; geography is the science of place. As such, students study and analyze pressing issues ranging from climate change, human modification of the Earth’s systems, environmental hazards, resource assessment, and land use to population distributions, urbanization, cultural adaption, political organization of space, and globalization. Students gain experience with geospatial techniques including cartography, remote sensing, Global Positioning Systems and Geographic Information Systems. These are recognized increasingly as essential for solving many contemporary societal questions. This also makes graduates from the department marketable in numerous business and governmental careers, as well as graduate schools for those seeking advanced degrees.

Department Requirements

All general university requirements must be met to qualify for the bachelor’s degrees in the Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences. In addition, the following special requirements and rules have been established for all graduates of the department:

• Bachelor’s degrees must include 30 semester credits from upper division courses (300 and above).
• One declared minor outside of the major prefix OR a second major OR a teaching specialization. The minor may be a traditional minor within one department or it may be interdisciplinary involving more than one department. The minor must be declared no later than the student’s third semester of enrollment. Minor may be from any regental institution.
• Capstone course in the major discipline.
• Natural Sciences Credits: 10
  • Any two lab sciences
  • Coursework must include two prefixes.
  • MATH and STAT courses do not count towards the science requirement.

*The Community and Regional Planning (B.S.)  is excluded from the department’s requirement of one declared minor outside of the major discipline OR a second major OR a teaching specialization, capstone requirement, and natural sciences requirement. Please refer to the major for specific program requirements.  

Programs

Majors

• Community and Regional Planning (B.S.)  
• Geographic Information Sciences (B.S.)  
• Geography (B.A./B.S.)   

Minors

• Geographic Information Sciences Minor  
• Geography Minor  
• Geospatial Intelligence Minor  
• Sustainability Minor  
• Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Minor  

Certificates

• Geographic Information Sciences Certificate  
• Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Certificate  

Graduate Programs*

• Geographic Information Sciences Certificate
• Geography (M.S.)
• Geography (M.S.) - Geographic Information Sciences Specialization
• Geospatial Intelligence Certificate
• Geospatial Science and Engineering (Ph.D.) - Geography Specialization
• Geospatial Science and Engineering (Ph.D.) - Remote Sensing Specialization
• Professional Science (M.S.) - Geographic Information Sciences Emphasis

* Graduate degrees are offered in collaboration with the Graduate School. For details, see the Graduate Catalog.

Facilities and Services

The Geography and Geospatial Sciences department is located in Wecota Hall. The department produces its own annual Geography Convention, the longest running such event in the United States.

Student Support and Engagement Opportunities

The department provides numerous opportunities for student engagement. For example, the Geography Club is a student organization centered on both academic and social functions. Membership is open to anyone interested. Additionally, the South Dakota State Geography Convention is student organized and sponsored.

Students and faculty regularly travel including attendance at regional and national geography meetings, as well as travel to other parts of the world in pursuit of their individual scholarly interests.

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