Undergraduate
Bachelor's Degree Programs
Geography
Geography, like history, is a way of looking at the world. Whereas historians study variation through time, geographers study variation through space: how and why the earth’s natural and human features vary from place to place. Underlying this spatial approach are such recurring themes as spatial diffusion of people, goods, and ideas; the significance of location in human interaction; the power of place in human conscience; and the interaction of physical and human processes to create landscapes. Geographers work at the intersection of social and natural sciences, using the concepts and methods of both to examine human-environmental relationships in their full complexity. This integrative approach is a hallmark of geography and one of its main attractions. Geographers can be found in a great variety of positions often not specifically identified as geographic: environmental management, urban planning, conservation, recreation and tourism, transportation planning, international affairs, and many others.
Programs in Geographic Information Science
During the last two decades, rapid growth has occurred in the field of geographic information. Stimulated by advances in technology and the collection, storage and analysis of data, a new sub-discipline has emerged: geographic information science. Geographic information science involves research on the development and application of spatial technologies, including geographic information systems, remote sensing, and the global positioning system. At the core of geographic information science is the integration of these technologies and their application to problems of spatial analysis. The fundamental theories and principles of geographic information science are based in geography. However, virtually all fields (engineering, medicine, science, management, business, social sciences, and humanities) are now embracing geographic information science in theoretical and applied research.
The IUPUI Department of Geography offers an Undergraduate Certificate, Graduate Certificate, and Master of Science in Geographic Information Science.
The Bachelor of Arts in Geography provides a general introduction to the philosophy, content, and methods of the discipline. The program also developes applied skills through courses in field and research methods, quantitative analysis, and geographic technologies.
Students must complete the School of Liberal Arts graduation requirements and a minimum of 31 credit hours in geography, as detailed below. The core courses are intended to provide a foundation for more specialized upper-division courses, and thus should be taken at the beginning of the major program. Geography GEOG G309 is normally offered every fall semester and GEOG G311 every spring. The capstone experience, normally taken during the senior year, is intended to help students integrate and reflect on their undergraduate training.
Four core courses:
- GEOG G107 Physical Systems of the Environment (3 cr.)
- GEOG G110 Introduction to Human Geography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G309 Frontiers in Geographic Thought (3 cr.)
- GEOG G311 Introduction to Research Methods in Geography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G300 The World of Maps (3 cr.)
- GEOG G337 Cartography and Graphics (3 cr.)
- GEOG G338 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
- GEOG G436 Advanced Remote Sensing(3 cr.)
- GEOG G438 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
- GEOG G439 Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3 cr.)
- GEOG G488 Applied Spatial Statistics (3 cr.)
Environmental geography:
- GEOG G303 Weather and Climate (3 cr.)
- GEOG G305 Environmental Change: Nature and Impact
- GEOG G307 Biogeography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G310 Human Impact on Environment (3 cr.)
- GEOG G315 Environmental Conservation (3 cr.)
- GEOG G390 Topics: Environmental Focus (3 cr.)
- GEOG G404 Soils Geography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G446 Cultural Biogeography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G475 Climate Change (3 cr.)
- GEOG G302 Introduction to Transportation Analysis (3 cr.)
- GEOG G314 Urban Geography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G331 Economic Geography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G355 Political Geography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G360 Geography of Wine (3 cr.)
- GEOG G390 Topics: Human Geography Focus (3 cr.)
- GEOG G418 Historical Geography (3 cr.)
- GEOG G321 Geography of Europe (3 cr.)
- GEOG G323 Geography of Latin America (3 cr.)
- GEOG G324 Geography of the Caribbean (3 cr.)
- GEOG G323 Geography of Latin America (3 cr.)
- GEOG G326 Geography of North America (3 cr.)
- GEOG G327 Geography of Indiana (3 cr.)
- GEOG G328 Rural Landscapes of North America (3 cr.)
- GEOG G330 North American House Types (3 cr.)
- GEOG G334 Field Geography of North America (1-3 cr.)
- GEOG G363 Landscapes and Cultures of the Caribbean (3 cr.)
- GEOG G390 Topics: Variable Regional Focus (3 cr.)
- GEOG G421 Environments of Tropical Lands (3 cr.)
- GEOG G424 Geography of Africa (3 cr.)
- GEOG G491 Capstone Experience in Geography (1 cr.) or
- GEOG G439 Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3 cr.)
Environmental Science Program
The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BSES) is an interdisciplinary degree within the School of Science that is offered in partnership with the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the School of Liberal Arts. The Department of Geography is engaged with the BSES program through the Environmental Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis concentration. Spatial information technologies provide important tools for measurement, analysis, and modeling of environmental systems. The Environmental Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis concentration within the BSES builds theoretical background and advanced knowledge in spatial analytical techniques using remote sensing (satellite and airborne sensors), geographic information systems (GIS), and global positioning system (GPS) technologies. The concentration emphasizes integration of these technologies and their applications to problems of environmental modeling and analysis. For more information about the BSES degree, please refer to http://www.geology.iupui.edu/bses/.