Degrees, Emphases & Certificates
The Geography Department offers major degrees in Geography (BS / BA) and Geographic Information Science (BS). In addition, we offer a Geography Minor, a Geography Teaching Minor, and certificates in GIS, Climate Change, and Hazards and Emergency Management.
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Degree Requirements
Requirements for the Geography major
Students must complete a minimum of seven (7) courses of Geography required coursework plus a minimum of five (5) Geography elective courses for a minimum total of twelve (12) required Geography courses. One 5000 level course must be included in the elective courses. Students choose their elective courses according to their interest/specialization area. All courses for the major must be taken for a letter grade and completed with a C- or better.
A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) demonstrates proficiency in math while a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) demonstrates proficiency in a second language. A B.S. degree requires two Quantitative Intensive (QI) courses, and a B.A. degree requires fourth semester proficiency in a second language.
Residency Requirement
Students must complete at least 18 credit hours in the Department of Geography at the University of Utah.
Allied Credit Requirement
12 credit hours of allied coursework are also required. These courses will generally be in the student’s interest/specialization area and can be done in any of the following departments: Atmospheric Sciences; Biology; Chemistry; City and Metropolitan Planning; Civil Engineering; Computer Science; Geology; Math; Parks, Recreation and Tourism; Philosophy; Physics; or any department** in the College of Social and Behavioral Science. **(Aerospace Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Ethnic Studies, Family and Consumer Studies, Gender Studies, Health Society and Policy, Military Science, Naval Science, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology)
Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Geographic Information Science (GIS)
Students must complete a minimum of six (6) courses of Geographic Core required coursework, plus eight (8) required Applied GIS courses and two (2) required Remote Sensing courses, plus one (1) Geographic CW course, plus one (1) Senior Capstone course, plus one (1) GIS elective course, as well as three (3) required Allied STEM courses for a minimum total of twenty-two (22) required GIS major courses (see list below). All courses for the major must be taken for a letter grade and completed with a C or better.
Residency Requirement
Students must complete at least 30 credit hours in the Department of Geography at the University of Utah.
Allied Credit Requirement
One extra allied course is also required. These courses will generally be in the student's interest/specialization area and can be done in any of the following departments: Atmospheric Sciences; Biology; Chemistry; City and Metropolitan Planning; Civil Engineering; Computer Science; Geology; Math; Parks, Recreation, and Tourism; Philosophy; Physics; or any department** in the College of Social and Behavioral Science. **(Aerospace Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Ethnic Studies, Family and Consumer Studies, Gender Studies, Health, Society and Policy, Military Science, Naval Science, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology).
Requirements for the Geography Minor
Students must complete a five (5) courses of Geography required coursework plus a minimum of two (2) courses of upper division (3000 level or above) Geography elective courses.
A fillable worksheet for the minor is located here.
Minor Information SheetResidency Requirement
Students must complete at least 12 credit hours in the Department of Geography at the University of Utah.
All courses for the minor must be taken for a letter grade and completed with a C- or better.
Requirements for the Geography Teaching Minor
Teaching minors must coordinate Geography requirements with the requirements of the Secondary Education licensure program of the Education Department.
Students must complete a seven (7) courses of Geography required coursework plus a teaching methods course. A grade of C or better must be achieved in all coursework.
Residency Requirement
A minimum of 12 credit hours must be taken in residence at the University of Utah Department of Geography.
Certificates
The outcome of this emphasis area is an individual trained in the skills required for solving common applications of GIS and related geocomputational techniques. This certificate combines skills and knowledge of three domains: i) substantive geography and basic geospatial analytical techniques from the undergraduate degree in geography; ii) GIS skills obtained through GIS coursework, and; iii) basic software skills for solving computational problems in science and engineering. The certificate takes approximately 1.5 to 2 years to complete. Students must book an advising appointment with the Geography undergraduate advisor by clicking the "Book Now" bubble on the Home page.
The outcome of this emphasis area is an individual trained in the skills required for solving common applications of remote sensing and related geocomputational techniques. This certificate combines skills and knowledge of three domains: i) substantive geography and basic geospatial analytical techniques from the undergraduate degree in geography; ii) specialized remote sensing analysis skills, not available through the Applied GIS emphasis, obtained through advanced remote sensing coursework, and; iii) basic software skills for solving computational problems in science and engineering.
Human alteration of Earth's climate is an accepted scientific fact (Anderegg et al., 2010; IPCC, 2007; Oreskes, 2004). As a result of the politicization of the issue and poor communication by the scientific community, the public and private sectors have gained limited knowledge of how the climate system operates, the science of climate change research, and societal impacts of these changes. As the impacts of climate change become more severe over the coming years and decades, companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations will be required to adapt and respond to climate change. Scientifically-based, up-to-date knowledge is essential to formulating adaption and response strategies. A certificate in climate change is marketable evidence of this essential knowledge.
As extreme events increase at all scales due to population growth in hazardous areas, the rise of terrorism and climate-change, there's a growing need for highly-trained people to address issues in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Utah is essentially a real-world hazards lab and home to many environmental hazards including extreme weather, avalanches, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, landslides, and hazardous materials releases. To address this need the Department created an undergraduate Certificate in Hazards & Emergency Management. The hazards tradition in Geography began with Merrill Ridd's class on Wasatch Hazards in the late 1970s, and Fred May ran a very successful FEMA-approved certificate program in the 1990s as Director of the Center for Natural & Technological Hazards. This new certificate will continue this tradition. The proposed program will provide students with cutting-edge knowledge about hazards, emergency management, and geospatial technologies.