J. Matthew Shumway, Chair
690-B SWKT, (801) 422-2707
College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences Advisement Center
151 SWKT, (801) 422-3541
Admission to Degree Program
All degree programs in the Department of Geography are open
enrollment. However, special limitations apply for teaching
majors.
The Discipline
Geography offers a variety of programs centered around spatial
analysis and tailored, so far as possible, to meet the future needs
of individual students. Our modern computer laboratory allows
students to gain practical experience with geographical
information systems (GIS), remote sensing, cartography, and other
programs in planning, urban, travel, and population studies.
Career Opportunities
Graduates are employed in a wide range of both private and
governmental positions. Job titles include geographer; teacher of
geography; city or regional planner; cartographer; photo
interpreter; commodities and industrial location analyst;
intelligence, travel industry, or environmental and GIS specialist;
and many others.
Skills in spatial analysis make geography a valuable minor or
supporting field for many other disciplines.
Graduation Requirements
To receive a BYU bachelor's degree a student must complete, in
addition to all requirements for a specific major, the following
university requirements:
- The university core, consisting of requirements in general and
religious education. (See the University Core section of this
catalog for details. For a complete listing of courses that meet
university core requirements, see the current class schedule.)
- A minimum of 30 credit hours in residence
- A minimum of 120 credit hours
- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
Undergraduate Programs and Degrees
BS Geography
Emphases:
Geographic Information Systems
Geospatial Intelligence
Global Studies
Physical Environment Studies
Travel and Tourism Studies
Urban, Rural, and Environmental Planning
BS Geography Teaching
Minors Geographic Information Systems
Geography
Geography Teaching
Travel and Tourism Studies
Urban, Rural, and Environmental Planning
Students should see their college advisement center for help or
information concerning the undergraduate programs.
Graduate Programs and Degrees
MS Geography
For more information, see the BYU 2006–2007 Graduate Catalog.
General Information
- The Department of Geography has three majors, each with
four main components: core or foundation courses, skill
courses, specialization courses, and a capstone experience.
Core courses emphasize core geographic concepts and ways of
creating knowledge that are common to all of the majors,
courses designed to help build frameworks for understanding
the world. Students are required to take two courses from each
of the four core areas of geographic knowledge (physical,
regional, human, and mapping). Required core courses:
- Geog 100, 101, 120, 130, 211, 212, 222.
- Stat 221.
- Prerequisite: all students admitted to one of the geography
majors listed above must complete the following courses
within one year of declaring a major:
- Geog 100, 101, 120, 130, 211.
- Capstone experience: The capstone experience integrates
material learned in each emphasis. Students will participate in
400/500-level courses or seminars that emphasize individual
(or collaborative) research and creative thinking. These studies
emphasize active learning, reflective analysis by the student
on the continuity and complementary nature of geographic
knowledge beyond the classroom, and the development of the
student's identity as a geographer. Senior seminars,
internships, service learning courses, and mentored-learning
environments may be included.
