COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a concentration in Geographic Information Science (GIScience) is a 46-unit program designed to provide students with skills in geospatial technologies, spatial analysis, and geographic problem-solving. The lower-division core establishes a foundation in physical and cultural geography through courses such as Atmosphere, Landscapes and Life, Cultural Geography, and Introduction to Maps and Geographic Technologies, along with a laboratory in physical geography. The upper-division core consists of 36 units and includes courses such as Ideas and Skills in Geography, Geographic Information Systems, Earth Transformed, and a Senior Research Seminar. Students also complete a regional geography core elective by selecting one course focused on a specific area, such as United States and Canada, Africa, Europe, California, or other regions.The GIScience concentration emphasizes applied technical skills through required courses in Spatial Analysis in GIS, Programming for GIS, and GIS Data Acquisition and Management. Students also complete two techniques electives from options including Cartography, Remote Sensing, Applied GIS, Programming for GIS II, and Quantitative or Qualitative Methods in Geography. In addition, students select one human geography elective and one physical geography elective from courses such as Environmental Hazards and Society, Urban Geography, Climate, Biogeography, or Global Climate Change. Research courses such as GEOG 195A or GEOG 199 may be used to satisfy concentration requirements with approval from the advisor and department chair.General education requirements cover six areas including English communication, mathematics, arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, physical and biological sciences, and ethnic studies, along with additional upper-division courses, totaling 43 units. Overall, the program integrates theoretical and applied geography, providing students with expertise in GIS, spatial analysis, and interdisciplinary knowledge that prepares them for careers in environmental consulting, urban planning, public policy, disaster management, and further graduate study in geography and related fields.