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**Review** Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Geography B.A. – Field Studies Concentration

Program Overview

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Location: Candelaria 2200

Email: HSS@unco.edu

Website: www.unco.edu/hss/geography-gis-sustainability

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

Students in the Field Studies Concentration will have educational experiences that link their theoretical classroom knowledge to the application of real-world problems in transformative ways. This concentration gives students the opportunity to develop competencies (critical thinking, quantitative and qualitative data analysis), forge community connections, and have tangible experiences that encourage a deeper understanding of today’s issues.

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing

Program Requirements:

  • Students may take 3 of the credits outside the program with advisor approval.
  • GEOG 325 may be taken for credit more than once with different topics. GEOG 492 may be taken for credit more than once, but only 3 credits will count toward the major.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses which also count toward the 46 required major credits. 

Any additional coursework completed outside of the recommended list of LAC courses may extend the length of the program of study.

Written Communication — 6 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

Select any course to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

GEOG 100 or GEOG 110 are recommended to fulfill the LAC Social & Behavioral Sciences requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 46 credits

Core Courses (22 credits)

Take all of the following courses:

GEOG 100World GeographyLAB2LAIS

3

or

GEOG 110Geography of the United States and CanadaLAB2

3

GEOG 200Human GeographyLAB2

3

GEOG 210Introduction to GIS and GPS

3

GEOG 220Climate and Vegetation

3

or

GEOG 230Landforms, Water & Hazards

3

GEOG 270Professional Development

3

or

ENST 270Professional Development

3

GEOG 375Quantitative Techniques in Geography

3

GEOG 490Capstone Proposal

2

or

ENST 490Capstone Proposal

2

GEOG 491Senior Capstone

2

or

ENST 491Senior Capstone

2

Competencies Courses (6 credits)

Choose two of the following courses:

GEOG 185Introduction to Drones

3

GEOG 302Cartography

3

GEOG 307Geographic Information Science

3

GEOG 412Web Mapping

3

GEOG 449Remote Sensing of the Environment

3

Field Courses (12 credits)

Choose four of the following courses:

ANT 320Archaeological Research Methods

3

or

ANT 325Fieldwork in Archaeology

4

BIO 411Field Techniques in Biology

2

GEOG 111Introduction to Field Techniques

1-3

GEOG 249Food, People, and Place

3

or

ENST 249Food, People, and Place

3

GEOG 296Study Abroad Experience

3

GEOG 315Nature and Society

3

or

ENST 315Nature & Society

3

GEOG 385Natural Parks & Protected Areas Seminar

3

GEOG 391Western Colorado Rivers

3

GEOG 392Field Course in Geography

1- 6

ENST 209International Sustainable Development

3

Major Elective Courses (6 credits)

Choose two of the following courses:

GEOG 218Emerging AsiaLAB2LAIS

3

GEOG 250The Making of the American LandscapeLAB2

3

GEOG 310Urban and Regional Planning

3

GEOG 312Economic Geography of the Industrialized World

3

GEOG 320Population Geography

3

GEOG 325Advanced Physical Geography: Topics

3

GEOG 326Emerging Africa: Local Resources and Livelihoods in a Global Context

3

or

ENST 326Emerging Africa: Local Resources and Livelihoods in a Global Context

3

GEOG 330Cultural Geography

3

GEOG 333Environment and Society in Latin America

3

GEOG 340Europe

3

GEOG 345Environmental Geography: Earth at Risk

3

or

ENST 345Environmental Geography: Earth at Risk

3

GEOG 360Nations, States, and Territory

3

GEOG 370The City

3

GEOG 380Sustainable Geographies

3

GEOG 440Biogeography

3

or

ENST 440Biogeography

3

GEOG 444Global Climate Change

3

or

ENST 444Global Climate Change

3

GEOG 445Landscape Ecology

3

GEOG 466Grant and Proposal Writing

3

GEOG 492Internship

1- 6

GEOG 325 and GEOG 492 may be taken for credit more than once, but only 3 credits will count toward the major.

3. University-Wide Credits — 43 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 43 credits.

*Note: Students who apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum and the major requirements will have an increased number of university wide electives to apply to this degree. See your advisor for details.

Four Year Plan

This four year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance. 

Year 1 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

GEOG 100World GeographyLAB2LAIS

3

or

GEOG 110Geography of the United States and CanadaLAB2

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

GEOG 200Human GeographyLAB2

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 2 – 31 credits

Fall Semester

GEOG 210Introduction to GIS and GPS

3

GEOG 270Professional Development

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

4

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring Semester

GEOG 230Landforms, Water & Hazards

3

Competencies Course

3

Field Course

3

Major Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

Competencies Course

3

Field Course

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

GEOG 375Quantitative Techniques in Geography

3

Field Course

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 4 – 29 credits

Fall Semester

GEOG 490Capstone Proposal

2

Field Course

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

4

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

GEOG 491Senior Capstone

2

Major Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:14

Advising Notes –

  • Not every course is offered every year; specific courses of interest should be taken at your earliest convenience.
  • Additional Geography courses may be taken as University-wide electives. Consult with your advisor regarding options and opportunities for enhancing your Geography experience.

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