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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

Geography B.A. – Community Development 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 traditional applied areas in geography is planning the built environment. Professionals in this field help communities decide how their land should be used, from the design and layout of a new school to the layout of commercial buildings to the location of a new light rail system, power grid, or park. This work requires both specialized knowledge as well as skills like Geographic Information Science (GIS). Because even the smallest plans can have big impacts, professionals in this field must also be able to work in a highly collaborative environment.

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 on different topics, but only 3 credits will count toward the major. 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 (25 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 250The Making of the American LandscapeLAB2

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 (9 credits)

Choose three of the following courses:

GEOG 302Cartography

3

GEOG 307Geographic Information Science

3

GEOG 310Urban and Regional Planning

3

GEOG 470Urban GIS

3

Systematic Courses (9 credits)

Choose three of the following courses:

GEOG 224Exploring Colorado

3

GEOG 312Economic Geography of the Industrialized World

3

GEOG 320Population Geography

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 445Landscape Ecology

3

GEOG 492Internship

1- 6

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

Major Elective Courses (3 credits)

Choose one of the following courses:

GEOG 185Introduction to Drones

3

GEOG 218Emerging AsiaLAB2LAIS

3

GEOG 249Food, People, and Place

3

or

ENST 249Food, People, and Place

3

GEOG 315Nature and Society

3

or

ENST 315Nature & Society

3

GEOG 325Advanced Physical Geography: Topics

3

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

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 385Natural Parks & Protected Areas Seminar

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 466Grant and Proposal Writing

3

GEOG 325 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 220Climate and Vegetation

3

or

GEOG 230Landforms, Water & Hazards

3

GEOG 250The Making of the American LandscapeLAB2

3

Competencies Course

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

Competencies Course

3

Systematic 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

Systematic 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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