BS in Geography: Environmental Studies Emphasis
(53–57 hours*)
Program Requirements | View MAP
- Complete the following core courses:
GEOG 101 : Global Environment: Understanding Physical Geography.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Physical environment, distribution and interrelationships of climates, landforms, ecosystems and their human significance. |
*GEOG 110 : Landscapes of Disaster: An Introduction to Natural Hazards.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Exploring natural and social science of disturbances by analyzing causes, consequences, and role of human behavior in causing and mitigating natural disasters. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
*GEOG 120 : Geography and World Affairs.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. Independent Study also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Survey of the world, stressing geography of major political regions. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
GEOG 212 : Introduction to Geographic Information Systems.
(3:2:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Concepts in the use of small- and large-scale digital map data, emphasizing landscape interpretation and feature description. |
- Complete the following environmental studies core courses:
GEOG 303 : Biogeography.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | Geog 100, 101; or instructor's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Broad-scale distribution of plants and animals. Theoretical and practical applications to conservation and effects of global environmental change. |
GEOG 304 : Geography of Climates.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | Geog 100, 101; or instructor's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Elements, controls, distribution, and classification of the earth's climates. |
GEOG 306 : Public Land Conservation.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | Geog 100, 101; or instructor's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Environmental and social geography of public lands; analyzing historical, planning, management, and ecological issues. |
GEOG 307 : Landscape Ecology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | Geog 100, 101; or instructor's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Interaction between spatial patterns and spatial processes in an ecological context. Methods, theories, and practical applications of landscapes at various scales. |
GEOG 313 : Remote Sensing 1.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOG 100 & GEOG 211 & GEOG 213 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Introduction to airborne and spaceborne sensors, including characteristics and image acquisition. Emphasizes land cover mapping applications appropriate for environment monitoring. |
*PWS 150 : Environmental Biology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Summer |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Conservation and management of natural resources concurrent with increasing socioeconomic and human population demands; factors such as soil, water, and air pollution, resources management, bioremediation, nutrient cycles, and global climate changes |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
- Complete one course from the following:
GEOG 305 : Geography of Landforms.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | Geog 100, 101; or instructor's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Elements of landforms: distributions and cultural significance. |
GEOL 411 : Geomorphology and Remote Sensing.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOL 111 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Interpretive analysis of landforms and their geologic significance. Use of aerial/satellite images of Earth and other planets, topographic/bathymetric maps, multi-wavelength image data. Field trips. |
- Complete three elective courses from the following:
BIO 350 : Ecology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | PDBIO 120 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Distribution and abundance of organisms and their interactions with the physical and biotic components of the earth. |
BIO 370 : Bioethics.
(2:1:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | Introductory biology course. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | In-depth lecture and small group discussion of varied bioethical issues. LDS Church positions emphasized when appropriate. |
BIO 450 : Conservation Biology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | BIO 220A & BIO 350; or BIO 220B & BIO 350 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Scientific principles of conservation: applying population genetics, and phylogenetic and ecological theory to preservation of biological diversity; developing sustainable ecological systems compatible with human resource use. |
GEOG 311 : Geographic Data Management.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOG 100 & GEOG 211; Geog 212 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Nature of geographic information and its practical management in GIS; design of GIS databases, data collection from primary and secondary sources, manipulating data in preparation for analysis, and data exploration. |
GEOG 312 : Cartographic Design.
(4:2:4)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOG 211 & GEOG 212 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Graphic perception, layout, typography, color, statistical methods, and symbolization of thematic maps through computer-aided techniques. |
GEOG 399R : Academic Internship.
(.5-6:ARR:ARR)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOG 100 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | On-the-job experience. |
| NOTE: | 3 hours required. No more than 3 hours total in cooperative education may be counted in major. |
GEOG 414 : Applied Urban Environmental Modeling.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOG 212 & GEOG 213 & GEOG 313 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Complexities of urban environment through use of geographic techniques, including remote sensing, GIS, GPS, aerial photo and map interpretation, and fieldwork. Modeling human impact on the physical environment by examining local case studies and completing group projects. Developing and building technical skills as tools in understanding the urban environment. |
GEOG 415R : Geographic Field Methods.
(1-3:Arr:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOG 100 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Learning different methods used by geographers in the field through hands-on involvement in real faculty research. |
GEOG 423 : Planning for Unique and Sensitive Lands.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | GEOG 100 & GEOG 410 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Unique aspects of land affecting land-use planning positively or negatively depending on sensitivity of design. Landscape ecological principles introduced and examined for usefulness in land-use planning. |
PWS 225 : Principles of Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| RECOMMENDED: | PWS 115. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Basic principles of fish and wildlife management, their habitats, and their human users. Ecological concepts, population dynamics, nutrition, behavior, population assessment, management strategies, habitat sampling and management. |
PWS 303 : Soils Conservation and Resources.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | PWS 282 & CHEM 105; or PWS 282 & CHEM 101; PWS 100 or equivalent; Math 110 or equivalent. |
| RECOMMENDED: | Geol 111. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Taxonomy of world soils; conservation and management of agricultural, wildland, wetland, and urban soils. |
PWS 305 : Soils and Water Quality.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | PWS 282 & CHEM 105; or PWS 282 & CHEM 101; PWS 100 or equivalent; Math 110 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Principles and practices of safe management of agricultural and urban wastes; amendments and nutrients including remediation methods for conservation of soils and water quality. |
PWS 340 : Genetics.
(2:2:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Genetic mechanisms, their fundamental nature, interactions, and applications to human affairs. Genetics in quantitative terms. Extensive practice in problem solving. |
PWS 375 : Environmental Policies and Laws.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Inception, current state, and future directions of seminal environmental policies and laws established in the US to improve environmental quality. Application of policies and laws in resource conservation and management, including a National Environmental Policy Act certification program. |
- Complete the exit assessment during the final semester, no later than one month before graduation.
*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.