Geography, B.A.

Major Advising Sheet (opens a new window) |

Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in geography requires the completion of 120 units, at least 36 of which shall be in geography.

Major Requirements (36 units)

Core Courses (18 units)

GEOG 2 - Introduction to Cultural Geography Units: 3
GEOG 4 - World Geography Units: 3 (Area D2)
GEOG 5 - Introduction to Weather and Climate Units: 3
GEOG 7 - Physical Geography: The Earth’s Surface Units: 3
GEOG 30 - Introduction to Spatial Statistics Units: 3
GEOG 141 - GIS I: Data Display and Manipulation Units: 3

Approved Geography Electives (18 units)

Any geography or city and regional planning courses; however, at least 12 units must be upper-division.

Other Degree Requirements

In addition to the major program requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate degree requirements such as:

American Government and Institutions (PLSI 2 )
General Education Requirements (48 units)
Multicultural and International (MI)
Upper-division Writing
Sufficient Elective Units to Meet Required Total Units (varies); it is recommended that units in this area be utilized to complete a second major or minor.

A full description of the University’s graduation requirements can be found in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements .

Total: 120 Units*

*General Education, MI, and Upper-division Writing courses can be double counted with major requirements. This includes GEOG 4 (Area D2). See advisor for details.

Advising Notes

No more than 3 units of GEOG 195 may be applied to the geography major.
General Education courses offered by the Department of Geography may be used to satisfy the General Education requirements for geography majors.
CR/NC grading is not permitted in the geography major with the exception of GEOG 192 and GEOG 195 .
General Education and elective units may be applied to a second major or a minor (see double major or departmental minor). Consult the appropriate department chair, program coordinator, or faculty adviser for further information.
Students must complete a minimum of 12 upper-division units in the major as part of the requirements to earn a B.A.
It is strongly recommended that students interested in professional careers in geography complete a minor in a related field.
Students must regularly consult with their academic adviser. Such consultation will facilitate course selection and enable the student to develop a program consistent with individual interests and needs. Please consult with an adviser for guidance on electives.
The selection of electives within the major should be strongly influenced by career goals, interests in graduate study, and related matters. Whether one’s interest focuses on environmental protection, planning, cartography, GIS, locational analysis, or any one of a wide array of geographic competencies, the department can provide current applicable information. Inquiries are welcomed. The department will facilitate course selection and enable the student to develop a program consistent with individual interests and needs. Please consult with an advisor for guidance on electives.
Students may use GEOG 167 to satisfy the Multicultural/International requirement.