Geography, BS

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Banner Code: SC-BS-GEOG

This program of study is offered by the Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science in the College of Science.

Students must fulfill all requirements for bachelor’s degrees including the Mason Core requirements.

Degree Requirements

46 credits in geography

Candidates for a BS degree in geography must complete the following 46 credits of geography with a minimum GPA of 2.00 for this course work.

16 credits of core courses

GGS 102 - Physical Geography Credits: 3
GGS 103 - Human Geography Credits: 3
GGS 300 - Quantitative Methods for Geographical Analysis Credits: 3
GGS 310 - Introduction to Digital Cartography Credits: 4
GGS 415 - Seminar in Geography Credits: 3

12 credits of systematic and regional courses, chosen from:

Choose four courses from the following, including at least one systematic geography and one regional geography course. Some of the regional courses fulfill the college-level, non-Western culture requirement:

Systematic Courses (one course from the following must be taken)
GGS 301 - Political Geography Credits: 3
GGS 302 - Global Environmental Hazards Credits: 3
GGS 303 - Conservation of Resources and Environment Credits: 3
GGS 304 - Populations Dimensions of Global Change Credits: 3
GGS 305 - Economic Geography Credits: 3
GGS 306 - Urban Geography Credits: 3
GGS 307 - Sustainable Development Credits: 3
GGS 309 - Meteorology and Climate Credits: 3
GGS 312 - Physical Climatology Credits: 3
GGS 314 - Severe and Extreme Weather Credits: 3
GGS 319 - Air Pollution Credits: 3
GGS 321 - Biogeography: Space, Time and Life Credits: 3
GGS 322 - Issues in Global Change Credits: 3
GGS 357 - Structures in Urban Governance and Planning Credits: 3
GGS 455 - Environmental Impact Assessment Credits: 3
GGS 456 - Introduction to Atmospheric Radiation Credits: 3
Regional Courses (one course from the following must be taken)
GGS 315 - Geography of the United States Credits: 3
GGS 316 - Geography of Latin America Credits: 3
GGS 320 - Geography of Europe Credits: 3
GGS 325 - Geography of North Africa and the Middle East Credits: 3
GGS 330 - Geography of the Soviet Succession States Credits: 3
GGS 333 - Issues in Regional Geography Credits: 3
GGS 380 - Geography of Virginia Credits: 3

12 credits of applications courses

GGS 311 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Credits: 3
GGS 411 - Advanced Digital Cartography Credits: 3
GGS 412 - Air Photography Interpretation Credits: 3
and one of the following two courses:
GGS 416 - Satellite Image Analysis Credits: 3
or
GGS 463 - Applied Geographic Information Systems Credits: 3

6 credits of electives

Six additional credits of geography electives, which may also include an internship (
GGS 480
) approved by the program advisor before enrollment

25 or 26 credits of required science, mathematics, statistics, and computer science courses

MATH 113 - Analytic Geometry and Calculus I Credits: 4
MATH 114 - Analytic Geometry and Calculus II Credits: 4
STAT 250 - Introductory Statistics I Credits: 3
and one of the following:
IT 103 - Introduction to Computing Credits: 3
or
CDS 130 - Computing for Scientists Credits: 3
plus either a GEOL sequence:
GEOL 101 - Introductory Geology I Credits: 4
GEOL 102 - Introductory Geology II Credits: 4
GEOL 317 - Geomorphology Credits: 4
or a BIOL sequence:
BIOL 103 - Introductory Biology I Credits: 4
BIOL 104 - Introductory Biology II Credits: 4
BIOL 377 - Applied Ecology Credits: 3

Degree Total: Minimum 120 credits