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**Review** Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Geography B.A. – Geographic Information Science 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:

One of the fastest-growing areas in geography is the use of geographic information sciences (GIS) to generate maps and store map-related information. GIS is a system of computer hardware and software that stores, displays, analyzes, and maps geographic information. Geographers, planners, land developers, real estate agents, market analysts, utility companies, and municipal officials all use these systems. For example, using GIS, students can analyze population distribution, traffic movement, land availability, real estate prices, environmental hazards, soil types, and flood zones to help local governments make informed land-use decisions.

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing

Program Requirements:

  • Students may take 3 of the credits outside the program with advisor approval. GEOG 300 and GEOG 325 may be taken for credit more than once with different topics.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the following LAC courses which also count toward the 49 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 — 49 credits

Core Courses —28 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

GEOG 375Quantitative Techniques in Geography

3

GEOG 490Capstone Proposal

2

or

ENST 490Capstone Proposal

2

GEOG 491Senior Capstone

2

or

ENST 491Senior Capstone

2

Take all of the following courses:

GEOG 302Cartography

3

GEOG 307Geographic Information Science

3

Competencies Courses — 12 credits

Choose 4 of the following courses:

GEOG 185Introduction to Drones

3

GEOG 285Earth from Above

3

GEOG 327Fundamentals of Geospatial Programming

3

GEOG 412Web Mapping

3

GEOG 449Remote Sensing of the Environment

3

GEOG 470Urban GIS

3

GEOG 485Advanced Geographic Techniques: Topics

1- 3

GEOG 492Internship

1- 6

If GEOG 485 is taken it must be for 3 credits. GEOG 492 may be taken for credit more than once, but only 3 credits will count toward the major.

Systematic Courses — 6 credits

Choose 2 of the following courses:

GEOG 224Exploring Colorado

3

GEOG 249Food, People, and Place

3

or

ENST 249Food, People, and Place

3

GEOG 300Advanced Human Geography: Topics

3

GEOG 310Urban and Regional Planning

3

GEOG 312Economic Geography of the Industrialized World

3

GEOG 315Nature and Society

3

GEOG 320Population Geography

3

GEOG 324Crime Mapping

3

GEOG 330Cultural Geography

3

GEOG 360Nations, States, and Territory

3

GEOG 370The City

3

GEOG 380Sustainable Geographies

3

or

ENST 380Sustainable Geographies

3

GEOG 385Natural Parks & Protected Areas Seminar

3

GEOG 422Directed Studies

1- 3

GEOG 466Grant and Proposal Writing

3

NOTE: GEOG 422 may be taken for credit more than once, but only 3 credits will count toward the major.

Physical Geography Courses — 3 credits

Choose 1 of the following courses:

GEOG 325Advanced Physical Geography: Topics

3

GEOG 345Environmental Geography: Earth at Risk

3

or

ENST 345Environmental Geography: Earth at Risk

3

GEOG 391Western Colorado Rivers

3

GEOG 392Field Course in Geography

1- 6

GEOG 440Biogeography

3

or

ENST 440Biogeography

3

GEOG 444Global Climate Change

3

or

ENST 444Global Climate Change

3

GEOG 445Landscape Ecology

3

3. University-Wide Credits — 40 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 40 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

1 course

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 270Professional Development

3

GEOG 302Cartography

3

Competencies Course

3

Systematic Course

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

GEOG 307Geographic Information Science

3

Competencies 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

Competencies Course

3

Systematic Course

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 4 – 29 credits

Fall Semester

GEOG 490Capstone Proposal

2

Competencies Course

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

4

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

GEOG 491Senior Capstone

2

Physical Geography Course

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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