Field Experience, Research and Knowledge
In the wide-open landscape of rural Colorado, a group of students gather data about food deserts. The topic is part of their class focus on food and place. They are studying not only how humans impact the landscape, but also how the landscape shapes people’s lives. These students can tell you that geography is far more than examining maps and locations.
As a geography major at UNC, you’ll use scientific exploration to study issues like climate change, urbanization, industrial development, population growth and sustainability, migration, landscape transformation and political cooperation. You’ll have access to a state-of-the-art GIS lab and work side-by-side with expert Geography faculty who support and engage you through research and internship opportunities. And when you graduate, you’ll have skills based on field experience, research and knowledge gained from an immersion in the real-world nature of geography.
Degree Options
Design a course of study that fits your professional goals and interests. UNC's Geography program offers 4 areas of concentration: Community Development, Geographic Information Science (GIS), Field Studies, and Regional Studies, as well as minors in Geography and GIS.
Geography B.A. – Community Development Concentration
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.
Geography B.A. – Geographic Information Science Concentration
One of the fastest growing areas in geography, GIS is a system of computer hardware and software that stores, displays, analyzes, and maps geographic information. Using GIS, students can analyze population distribution, land availability, environmental hazards, soil types, and flood zones to help local governments make informed land-use decisions.
Geography B.A. – Field Studies Concentration
Students in the Field Studies concentration will have educational experiences that link their theoretical classroom knowledge to the application of real-world problems in transformative ways.
Geography B.A. – Regional Studies Concentration
Regional geography critically examines the relationships that geographic phenomena have within different regions. Those electing the Regional Studies Emphasis learn to recognize spatial problems that impact regions.
Minor Options
Your Future in Geography
Whether you want to work in GIS, or your career goal is to teach social studies in a middle school or high school, geography is a growing field that offers a wide range of career and research opportunities.
Consider UNC's B.A. in Geography if you:
- Enjoy working with computers
- Have a strong interest in finding practical solutions to society’s most pressing challenges
- Possess a deep curiosity about the world’s rich geographic diversity
You’ll learn:
- Skills and knowledge with sophisticated and specialized software
- Experience using tools like the large format plotter and specialized software
- Field experience with geospatial technology
- Skills that are vital to your specific geographic career or research interest
Sample courses:
- Cartography
- Web Mapping
- Urban and Regional Planning
- Environmental Geography: Earth and Risk
- Human Geography
- Landforms, Water and Hazards
Beyond the Classroom
Study abroad in Ghana, Finland, Fiji, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates and the Czech Republic. Complete internships in city planning agencies and police departments and join research projects that will add depth to your skills. Learn about study abroad.
Picture Yourself Here
Each summer, our Geography students and faculty partner with the Bureau of Land Management to conduct research along the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers, providing valuable information about invasive species.
To learn more about this summer field opportunity and hear about the river program, watch the video on the right.
Where can your degree take you?
You have diverse opportunities for a challenging and fulfilling career when you hold a bachelor’s degree in Geography from UNC. Here are a few of the many positions held by our graduates:
- GIS and cartographic specialist
- Urban and regional planner
- Area studies specialist
- Resource manager
- Market researcher
- Environmental consultant
- Community or international development specialist
- Secondary education teacher
- State department analyst
Current Research in Geography and GIS
Our professors share two equal passions: excellence in research and teaching. One of the true strengths of the Geography program is our professors’ ability to integrate groundbreaking research into the student experience and deliver a level of learning that is rare in higher education. Two of our department’s current research undertakings include:
An Evaluation of Air-Rail Passenger Intermodal Access at US Airports
Timothy Vowles, Ph.D., Geography and GIS, and Andrew Goetz, Ph.D., (University of Denver), National Center for Intermodal Transportation
Even though airports may claim air-rail connections, there’s a wide range in linkage and connection quality. This project’s goal is to assess the quality of intermodal linkages by developing and testing different types of air-rail intermodal access. Vowles and Goetz will assess quality by looking at a range of characteristics, including number of destinations served, the rail system’s scale and scope, and geographic extent of the system serving the airport. From this analysis they hope to explain which airports have the preeminent air-rail connections and provide insight into best practices for other airports to pursue when creating or improving their air-rail connections. They also expect to identify those airports that have truly embraced air-rail intermodal connectivity as part of their urban transit system.
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