Major: Geography
If you think geography is all about staring at maps and memorizing state capitols, you couldn’t be more wrong. As a geography major, you’ll study a wide variety of subjects: deserts in the making, the causes of racially segregated housing, the paths of tornados, and the way international trade agreements affect business in a small town.
As one senior geography major put it, “What we study is how the world works. Is there anything more important or more engaging than that?”
Geography majors study how space on the earth’s surface is placed and used. Students who concentrate on physical geography focus on the land itself, studying such topics as climate, soil, and water. Cultural, or human, geography explores the relationship between people and the land.
“I do everything from calculus to paper writing to map analysis ….Things stay interesting. ”
Carolyn, senior, geography, Arizona State University
Are You Ready To...?
- Start from scratch -- since college geography is so different from the way it’s taught in most American high schools, you’ll put in a lot of time just learning the basics
- Spend lots of time in the computer lab working with specialized geography software
- Assemble facts and numbers in written reports
- Work out in the field
- Create an independent research project
It Helps to Be...
An observant, detail-oriented person who’s creative, good with computers, and able to translate ideas into images. If you’re interested in the earth and its people, this could be the major for you.
College Checklist
- Does the program focus more on physical or cultural geography?
- Can you choose an area of concentration, such as historical or conservation geography?
- Can you earn a certificate in skills such as GIS and remote sensing?
- Will you study with professors or will graduate student TAs (teaching assistants) do most of the teaching?
- Do the computer labs have the latest geographic information systems (GIS) software?
- Does the library have a large map collection as well as up-to-date digital materials, including aerial photographs and population information?
Did You Know?
- Geography majors go on lots of field trips: you might study the layout of a local neighborhood or collect rock and sand samples.
Course Spotlight
Geography majors often conduct research off campus. This fieldwork can take a variety of forms. If your focus is on physical geography, you might study the rocks and soil in a lakebed to discover its age. Or you might use a computer to make a 3-D model that shows how a forest has changed throughout the ages. As an urban geographer, you might interview city residents to find out how their lives have changed since the construction of new housing.
Explore this major in more depth on MyRoad™