fsu.edu | FSU Geography Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate Majors and Minors in the Geography Department

The Department of Geography offers two separate majors reflecting the discipline's position straddling the social and natural sciences: the Geography major and the Environmental Studies major. While these programs overlap to some extent, they differ in their substantive focus: the Geography major is oriented more to social, economic, and political concerns, while the Environmental Studies major revolves more explicitly around human interactions with the natural, physical, and biological environment, with a stronger interdisciplinary focus. Students may double major in Geography and Environmental Studies; a maximum of 11 credit hours may be double counted toward both majors.
Note that the Geography department, like most in the College of Social Sciences, requires a minor approved by the department undergraduate advisor. The requirements for minors vary, but generally consist of 12 credit hours in a given discipline. Minors are not listed on diplomas. Up to 7 credits can overlap between the Geography major and the Environmental Studies minor. Up to 7 credits can overlap between an Environmental Studies major and a Geography minor.

Major in Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study that provides an in-depth understanding of the social and institutional context of contemporary environmental concerns, including topics such as ecosystem management, resource conservation, land use planning, natural hazards, and the policy dimensions of environmental issues. The major in Environmental Studies requires 41 semester hours with a grade of "C-" or better in each course; at least 18 credit hours must be taken in upper level (3000 and 4000) courses. No minor is required for this major.

I. Basic Core Curriculum: all of the following courses (total 14 credit hours).
BSC 2010 Biological Science I and BSC 2010L (CHM 1045 is prerequisite)
CHM 1045 General Chemistry I and CHM 1045L (prerequisite is MAC1105 or placement beyond MAC1105 on the University’s math department exam).
GEO 1330 Environmental Science (previously GEO 1331)
GEO 2200C Physical Geography (previously GEO 3200C)

II. Natural Science Electives: 4 courses (12 credit hours) from the following list (note some courses have prerequisites):
BSC 2011 Biological Science II
BSC 3052 Conservation Biology
BSC 3312 Marine Biology
BSC 4515 Aquatic Pollution Biology
BSC 4934 Selected Topics in Applied Biology (subjects vary)
CHM 1046 General Chemistry II
EES 2205C Environmental Engineering Chemistry
EES 3040 Introduction to Environmental Engineering Science
ENV 4001 Environmental Engineering
ENV 4041 Environmental Systems Analysis
ENV 4341 Solid and Hazardous Waste Engineering
GEO 4300 Biogeography
GEO 4930 Landscape Ecology
GLY 1892 Environmental Issues in Geology
GLY 2010C Physical Geology
GLY 4700C Geomorphology
GLY 4820 Principles of Hydrology
ISC 2003 Global Change, Its Scientific and Human Dimensions
MET 2101 Physical Climatology
MET 2502C Weather Analysis and Forecasting
MET 2700 General Meteorology
MET 3300 Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics
OCE 4011 Principles of Oceanography
OCE 4017 Current Issues in Environmental Science
OCE 4930 Studies in Oceanography (subjects vary)
PCB 3044 General Ecology (previously PCB3043)
URP 4401 Coastal Ecosystems and Management

III. Social Science Electives: 3 of the following courses (9 credit hours) (note some courses have prerequisites):
ECP 3113 Economics of Population
ECP 3302 Economics of Natural Resources, Energy, & the Environment
ECS 3403 Economics of Development
GEO 3502 Economic Geography
GEO 4340 Living in a Hazardous Environment
GEO 4357 Environmental Conflict and Economic Development
GEO 4372 Natural Resources
GEO 4450 Medical Geography
GEO 4471 Political Geography
GEO 4602 Urban Geography
HIS 4930 US Environmental History
PAD 3003 Public Administration in American Society
PAD 4603 Administrative Law
PHI 2620 Environmental Ethics
PUP 3002 Introduction to Public Policy
PUP 4203 Environmental Politics and Policy
SYD 3012 Population and Development in Florida
SYD 3020 Population and Society
SYD 4510 Environmental Sociology
URP 3000 Introduction to Planning and Urban Development
URP 4022 Collective Decision Making
URP 4314 Growth Management and Comprehensive Planning
URP 4402 Sustainable Development Planning in the Americas
URP 4423 Environmental Planning and Resource Management
URP 4710 Transportation Planning
URP 4936 Special Topics in Planning (subjects vary)

IV. Methods Electives: 2 of the following courses (6 credit hours):
ENV 4611 Environmental Impact Analysis
GEO 4162C Spatial Data Analysis (or SYA 4400, STA 2122)
GIS 3015 Map Analysis
GIS 4006 Computer Cartography
GIS 4043 Geographic Information Systems
GEO 4114 Environmental Field Methods
GEO 4930 Remote Sensing
STA 3024 Intermediate Applied Statistics
SYA 4300 Social Research Methods

Minor in Environmental Studies

A minor in Environmental Studies consists of 23 credit hours, including Part I (14 credit hours) and one course each from Groups II, III, and IV (9 credit hours). All courses must be completed with grades of "C-" or better. An Environmental Studies minor may be combined with a Geography Major, with a maximum of 7 overlapping credits (i.e. Physical Geography and GIS).

	FSU Geography Geography Major & Minor



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While these programs overlap to some extent, they differ in their substantive focus: the Geography major is oriented more to social, economic, and political concerns, while the Environmental Studies major revolves more explicitly around human interactions with the natural, physical, and biological environment, with a stronger interdisciplinary focus. Students may double major in Geography and Environmental Studies; a maximum of 11 credit hours may be double counted toward both majors. Note that the Geography department, like most in the College of Social Sciences, requires a minor approved by the department undergraduate advisor. The requirements for minors vary, but generally consist of 12 credit hours in a given discipline. Minors are not listed on diplomas. Up to 7 credits can overlap between the Geography major and the Environmental Studies minor. Up to 7 credits can overlap between an Environmental Studies major and a Geography minor. Major in Environmental Studies Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study that provides an in-depth understanding of the social and institutional context of contemporary environmental concerns, including topics such as ecosystem management, resource conservation, land use planning, natural hazards, and the policy dimensions of environmental issues. The major in Environmental Studies requires 41 semester hours with a grade of "C-" or better in each course; at least 18 credit hours must be taken in upper level (3000 and 4000) courses. No minor is required for this major. I. Basic Core Curriculum: all of the following courses (total 14 credit hours). BSC 2010 Biological Science I and BSC 2010L (CHM 1045 is prerequisite) CHM 1045 General Chemistry I and CHM 1045L (prerequisite is MAC1105 or placement beyond MAC1105 on the University’s math department exam). GEO 1330 Environmental Science (previously GEO 1331) GEO 2200C Physical Geography (previously GEO 3200C) II. Natural Science Electives: 4 courses (12 credit hours) from the following list (note some courses have prerequisites): BSC 2011 Biological Science II BSC 3052 Conservation Biology BSC 3312 Marine Biology BSC 4515 Aquatic Pollution Biology BSC 4934 Selected Topics in Applied Biology (subjects vary) CHM 1046 General Chemistry II EES 2205C Environmental Engineering Chemistry EES 3040 Introduction to Environmental Engineering Science ENV 4001 Environmental Engineering ENV 4041 Environmental Systems Analysis ENV 4341 Solid and Hazardous Waste Engineering GEO 4300 Biogeography GEO 4930 Landscape Ecology GLY 1892 Environmental Issues in Geology GLY 2010C Physical Geology GLY 4700C Geomorphology GLY 4820 Principles of Hydrology ISC 2003 Global Change, Its Scientific and Human Dimensions MET 2101 Physical Climatology MET 2502C Weather Analysis and Forecasting MET 2700 General Meteorology MET 3300 Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics OCE 4011 Principles of Oceanography OCE 4017 Current Issues in Environmental Science OCE 4930 Studies in Oceanography (subjects vary) PCB 3044 General Ecology (previously PCB3043) URP 4401 Coastal Ecosystems and Management III. Social Science Electives: 3 of the following courses (9 credit hours) (note some courses have prerequisites): ECP 3113 Economics of Population ECP 3302 Economics of Natural Resources, Energy, & the Environment ECS 3403 Economics of Development GEO 3502 Economic Geography GEO 4340 Living in a Hazardous Environment GEO 4357 Environmental Conflict and Economic Development GEO 4372 Natural Resources GEO 4450 Medical Geography GEO 4471 Political Geography GEO 4602 Urban Geography HIS 4930 US Environmental History PAD 3003 Public Administration in American Society PAD 4603 Administrative Law PHI 2620 Environmental Ethics PUP 3002 Introduction to Public Policy PUP 4203 Environmental Politics and Policy SYD 3012 Population and Development in Florida SYD 3020 Population and Society SYD 4510 Environmental Sociology URP 3000 Introduction to Planning and Urban Development URP 4022 Collective Decision Making URP 4314 Growth Management and Comprehensive Planning URP 4402 Sustainable Development Planning in the Americas URP 4423 Environmental Planning and Resource Management URP 4710 Transportation Planning URP 4936 Special Topics in Planning (subjects vary) IV. Methods Electives: 2 of the following courses (6 credit hours): ENV 4611 Environmental Impact Analysis GEO 4162C Spatial Data Analysis (or SYA 4400, STA 2122) GIS 3015 Map Analysis GIS 4006 Computer Cartography GIS 4043 Geographic Information Systems GEO 4114 Environmental Field Methods GEO 4930 Remote Sensing STA 3024 Intermediate Applied Statistics SYA 4300 Social Research Methods Minor in Environmental Studies A minor in Environmental Studies consists of 23 credit hours, including Part I (14 credit hours) and one course each from Groups II, III, and IV (9 credit hours). All courses must be completed with grades of "C-" or better. An Environmental Studies minor may be combined with a Geography Major, with a maximum of 7 overlapping credits (i.e. Physical Geography and GIS).	Undergraduate Program Undergraduate Courses Careers in Geography and Environmental Studies