Geography and Environmental Resources B.S.

The Geography & Environmental Resources Bachelor of Science offers an integrative perspective on the relations among social, political, economic, and biophysical processes that affect interconnections between people, environments, and places starting with a 25 unit upper-division core. Students then select one or more areas of concentration to complete the major: Applied Geography (12 units) or Environmental Resources (15 units). The major prepares students for a variety of careers and/or advanced study by educating them about Earth’s patterns and processes and their social, economic, and resource context. It also provides students with an array of technical skills and sustainable methods that have practical application for examining key issues facing society, resource use, and the environment. Students will be prepared for a variety of fields including geospatial technology, urban and regional planning, transportation, sustainable development, natural resource management, public health, marketing, tourism, international business, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

View the degree program Roadmap, which provide recommended advising maps to complete the degree program. Please consult your academic advisor as you develop your academic plan.

The Geography & Environmental Resources program hosts the Center for Applied Spatial Analysis (CASA). CASA offers geospatial consulting services to the campus and regional community. In this capacity, it also serves as a conduit for outreach to our larger community. CASA coordinates internships, facilitates grant development, and conducts projects in partnership with campus and community members. These projects improve student learning by providing applied experiential learning and professional development opportunities.

Experiential learning, community engagement, and service learning are hallmarks of the program. Additionally, the program strongly supports field and international educational experiences and encourages students to investigate opportunities for fieldwork and overseas study. Certain study abroad courses, offered through the CSU International Programs, are equivalent to courses in Geography & Environmental Resources and may be used to fulfill requirements for degree options.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate skills in geospatial analysis and understand the interpretive capacity of geospatial technologies and their place in society.

2. Demonstrate understanding of the earth’s physical and environmental processes.

3. Analyze the natural and human processes that affect society and the environment in specific regions and locales.

4. Apply qualitative and quantitative methodologies to help our communities, monitor natural areas, plan sensible urban developments, and observe human trends.

5. Examine the diversity of peoples, places, and environments within a specific region or around the world.

6. Evaluate the theories and philosophies underlying geographical and environmental inquiry.

I. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

A student must comply with all University regulations and satisfy the following requirements:

Units and Residency (minimum of 120 units: 40 units of upper division coursework and 30 semester units at Stanislaus State. At least 24 of these 30 units must be earned in upper-division courses, at least 12 must be in the major, and at least 9 must be applicable to General Education-Breadth requirements)
Grade Point Average (minimum grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better)
General Education (minimum of 49 units)
Upper Division Writing Proficiency (minimum of 3 units)
- Writing Proficiency (WP) Course (may double count in the major)
United States Constitution and California State and Local Government (minimum of 3 units)
Multicultural Requirement (minimum of 3 units) (may double count with General Education requirements or in the major)

Subsequently all students must submit an application for graduation and receive approval from the major advisor, department chair, and Director of Academic Advising. For more information see the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements.

II. Prerequisites

A. Applied Geography Concentration

(9 units)

Complete the following class:
GEOG 2010 - Introduction to Physical Geography 3 unit(s)
Complete one of the following classes:
GEOG 2200 - Introduction to Geospatial Applications 3 unit(s)
GEOG 2250 - Wilderness Exploration and Navigation 3 unit(s)
Complete one of the following classes:
GEOG 2020 - Introduction to Cultural Geography 3 unit(s)
GEOG 2400 - Global Cultures and Environments 3 unit(s)

B. Environmental Resources Concentration

(18-19 units)

Complete the following two classes:
GEOG 2010 - Introduction to Physical Geography 3 unit(s)
ENVR 2300 - Environmental Conservation 3 unit(s) / GEOG 2300 - Environmental Conservation
Complete one of the following classes:
GEOG 2200 - Introduction to Geospatial Applications 3 unit(s)
GEOG 2250 - Wilderness Exploration and Navigation 3 unit(s)
Complete one of the following classes:
ECON 2510 - Principles of Micro Economics 3 unit(s)
GEOG 2350 - Water and Power 3 unit(s)
Complete one of the following classes:
GEOG 2014 - Introduction to Soils 4 unit(s)
CHEM 1000 - Chemistry in the Modern World 3 unit(s)
Complete one of the following classes:
BIOL 1010 - Principles of Biology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 2650 - Environmental Biology 3 unit(s)
BOTY 1010 - Plant Biology 3 unit(s)
Note: Satisfactory completion of BIOL 1050 or 1150 may be substituted for BIOL 1010.

III. Major Core

(25 units)

A. Geospatial Analysis

(6 units)

GEOG 3700 - Cartography and Visualization 3 unit(s)
GEOG 3751 - Introduction to Computer Applications in Geography 3 unit(s)
GEOG 3770 - Geographical Methods and Inquiry 3 unit(s)
GEOG 4730 - Computer Applications in Geog 1-3 unit(s)
GEOG 4750 - Geographic Information Systems 3 unit(s)
GEOG 4770 - Remote Sensing of the Environment 3 unit(s)
GEOG 4852 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems 3 unit(s)
GEOG 4855 - Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Applications in Urban Analysis unit(s)

B. Physical Geography

(6 units)

GEOG 3100 - Climatology 3 unit(s)
GEOG 4120 - Geomorphology 3 unit(s)
GEOG 4700 - Geographical Landscapes and Processes in the Western United States 4 unit(s)

C. Human-Environmental

(3 units)

Applied Geography students complete three units from the following classes. Applied Geography students may take GEOG 4050 to fulfill this requirement.

Environmental Resource students complete at least three units from the following classes. Environmental Resources students may not include GEOG 3020 if GEOG/ENVR 2300 was taken.