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The Bachelor of Arts in Geography

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 40 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Degree MAPs page in the University Catalog or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

  • GEOG 390 is an approved GE Writing Intensive substitution.

General Education Foundation Courses and Pathways Suggested for Geography Majors:

The following General Education foundation courses are recommended by the department to support the student in either of the options for the Geography major:

  • Critical Thinking: GEOS 104 or PHIL 102
  • Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 105, MATH 118, or MATH 120
  • Life Sciences: BIOL 152, NSCI 102, or PSSC 101

The following General Education Pathways are recommended as complimentary to either of the options for the Geography major:

  • Diversity Studies
  • Food Studies
  • Global Development Studies
  • International Studies
  • Science, Technology and Values
  • Sustainability Studies

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Literacy Requirement:

See Mathematics and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog. Writing proficiency in the major is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of a course in your major which has been designated as the Writing Proficiency (WP) course for the semester in which you take the course. Students who earn below a C- are required to repeat the course and earn a C- or higher to receive WP credit. See the Class Schedule for the designated WP courses for each semester. You must pass ENGL 130I or JOUR 130I (or equivalent) with a C- or higher before you may register for a WP course.

Course Requirements for the Major: 45 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Additional required courses, depending upon the selected option are outlined following the major core program requirements.

Major Core Program: 21 units

5 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: High school biology, chemistry, or physics is recommended.
Prerequisite: ENGL 130 or JOUR 130 (or equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher.

2 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: GEOG 211 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211, MATH 105 or equivalents.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOG 102.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 and GEOG 315, or MATH 105 or equivalents.

Note: Techniques courses completed for the Geography Core cannot be double counted toward the techniques courses taken in the geography advising options.

Major Option Course Requirements: 24 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required dependent upon the option chosen. Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.  Use the links below to jump to your chosen option.



The Option in Human Geography and Planning: 24 units

5 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: GEOG 102.
Prerequisite: GEOG 390 with a C- or higher for Geography majors.
Prerequisites: GEOG 102, GEOG 320, GEOG 390.

3 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: GEOG 211 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211, MATH 105 or equivalents.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 and GEOG 315, or MATH 105 or equivalents.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOS 102, PSSC 101, or PSSC 250; GEOG 211, GEOG 219, or AGET 340.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101 or GEOS 120 or equivalent; GEOG 211 and GEOG 219 or equivalent.
This course is also offered as LAST 357.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211, GEOG 311 (may be taken concurrently), GEOG 315.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 (may be taken concurrently) and GEOG 313.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101 or NSCI 101 or equivalents. Recommended: GEOG 304, GEOG 343.
Prerequisites: GEOG 320 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 219, GEOG 320, or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 and GEOG 219 or equivalents; GEOG 320. Recommended: GEOG 101 or GEOS 130.
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOG 211, GEOG 343, GEOG 390 or equivalents. Recommended: BIOL 152, BIOL 350, GEOG 315.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101; AGRI 331, BIOL 350, BIOL 414, GEOG 343, GEOG 405S, GEOG 444, or PSSC 330.

Note: Any 3 unit upper-division course from outside the department may be selected with advisor approval.

The Option in Physical and Environmental Geography: 24 units

3 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOS 102, PSSC 101, or PSSC 250; GEOG 211, GEOG 219, or AGET 340.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101 or GEOS 120 or equivalent; GEOG 211 and GEOG 219 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 342, GEOG 343, and GEOG 390 or equivalent; GEOG 444 or GEOG 445.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOG 211, GEOG 343, GEOG 390 or equivalents. Recommended: BIOL 152, BIOL 350, GEOG 315.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101; AGRI 331, BIOL 350, BIOL 414, GEOG 343, GEOG 405S, GEOG 444, or PSSC 330.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOG 102, and GEOG 390 or equivalents. Recommended: GEOG 343, GEOG 444, GEOG 445, or PSSC 330.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101 or NSCI 101 or equivalents. Recommended: GEOG 304, GEOG 343.

2 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: GEOG 211 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211, MATH 105 or equivalents.
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOG 102.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 and GEOG 315, or MATH 105 or equivalents.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211, GEOG 311 (may be taken concurrently), GEOG 315.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 (may be taken concurrently) and GEOG 313.
Prerequisites: GEOG 320 or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 219, GEOG 320, or equivalent.
Prerequisites: GEOG 211 and GEOG 219 or equivalents; GEOG 320. Recommended: GEOG 101 or GEOS 130.
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: GEOG 102.
Prerequisite: GEOG 390 with a C- or higher for Geography majors.

Note: Any 3-unit upper-division course from outside the department may be selected with advisor approval.

Electives Requirement:

To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

Honors in the Major:

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:

  1. You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
  2. You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
  3. Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  4. Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  5. Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
  6. Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.

Geography and Economics Double Major

Students may take two geography and two economics courses from the following list. All 12 units will count toward both majors (geography courses will count toward 100-level electives in the economics major).

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: ECON 103.
Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 102 or faculty permission.
Prerequisites: ECON 301.
Prerequisite: ECON 301.
Prerequisite: GEOG 102.

Geography and History Double Major

Students may elect a geography and history double major. Up to 6 units of appropriate upper-division history courses (HIST) may be applied to the geography major. Prior approval by a department advisor and the chair is required.

Catalog Cycle:15