Geography

Undergraduate students in the Department of Geography develop an awareness of the natural and cultural landscapes of several regions of the world and investigate the processes that form them. Lower-division courses are open to any student at the university. For students transferring to the university in their third year, preparation in introductory college geography courses is desirable.

An undergraduate major in geography follows a broadly based general degree program. Both bachelor of arts (BA) and bachelor of science (BS) degrees are offered in the department. To achieve depth in a particular subfield of geography, electives are chosen from one of five tracks: environmental geography; culture, politics, and place; geographic information science; geographic education; and physical geography.

Although a degree in geography is a liberal arts degree, many graduates have found related vocational opportunities in government or private employment, principally in planning, environmental research, cartography, or geographic information science.

General Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography

Bachelor of Arts (BA). Geography majors seeking a BA degree must demonstrate proficiency in a second language by passing the third term of a second-year university language course with a grade of C– or better or by examination indicating an equivalent level of proficiency.

Bachelor of Science (BS). Geography majors seeking a BS degree must complete a mathematics sequence that satisfies the university’s mathematics requirement for a BS degree. Mathematics courses must be passed with a grade of at least C– or P. The optimal courses for the university’s mathematics requirement depend on one’s track and focus; consult with an advisor.

Students considering graduate school should complete both the mathematics and language requirements.

Major Requirements

The geography major requires a minimum of 48 credits in geography courses or specifically noted chemistry, environmental studies, mathematics, and physics courses. At least nine courses (36 credits) must be taken in geography core subjects, and at least three elective courses (12 credits) are required in one of the five geography tracks. At least eight geography courses must be taken for a letter grade. A grade of C– or better or P (pass) is required in each course, and a GPA of 2.25 or better is required in courses used to satisfy major requirements.

Introductory Geography (8 credits). The Natural Environment (GEOG 141), Human Geography (GEOG 142).

Regional and Synthesis Geography (4 credits). One course selected from Introduction to Environmental Studies: Social Sciences (ENVS 201) World Regional Geography (GEOG 201), Geography of Europe (GEOG 202), Geography of Russia and Neighbors (GEOG 204), Geography of Pacific Asia (GEOG 205), Geography of Oregon (GEOG 206), Geography of the United States and Canada (GEOG 208), Geography of the Middle East and North Africa (GEOG 209), Geography of Latin America (GEOG 214), Watershed Science and Policy (GEOG 360), Advanced Geography of European-American Regions (GEOG 470), North American Historical Landscapes (GEOG 471), Advanced Geography of Non-European-American Regions (GEOG 475).

Techniques for Geographers (8 credits). Two courses selected from Maps and Geospatial Concepts (GEOG 311), Advanced Cartography (GEOG 411), Qualitative Methods in Geography (GEOG 415), Introductory Geographic Information Systems (GEOG 416), Geographic Data Analysis (GEOG 417), Fundamentals of Remote Sensing (GEOG 418), Statistical Methods I (MATH 425), Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GEOG 472).

Physical Geography (8 credits). Two courses selected from Climatology (GEOG 321), Geomorphology (GEOG 322), Biogeography (GEOG 323), Global Environmental Change (GEOG 361), Advanced Climatology (GEOG 421), Advanced Geomorphology (GEOG 422), Advanced Biogeography (GEOG 423), Hydrology and Water Resources (GEOG 425), Fluvial Geomorphology (GEOG 427), Long-Term Environmental Change (GEOG 430), Vegetation History and Ecosystem Dynamics (GEOG 431), Climatological Aspects of Global Change (GEOG 432), Fire and Natural Disturbances (GEOG 433).

Human Geography (8 credits). Two courses selected from Population and Environment (GEOG 341); Geography of Globalization (GEOG 342); Society, Culture, and Place (GEOG 343); Political Geography (GEOG 441); Urban Geography (GEOG 442); Culture, Ethnicity, and Nationalism (GEOG 445); Geography of Religion (GEOG 446); Environmental Alteration (GEOG 461); Historical and Contemporary Views of the Environment (GEOG 462); Geography, Law, and the Environment (GEOG 463); Forests and the Human Experience (GEOG 464); Environment and Development (GEOG 465); North American Historical Landscapes (GEOG 471); and, if taught by Peter Walker: Perspectives in Nature and Society (ENVS 420), Political Ecology (ENVS 450).

Electives (12 credits). Three 400-level courses chosen from one of the following five tracks. Bachelor of arts candidates may choose any track except geographic information science. Bachelor of science candidates may choose environmental geography, physical geography, or geographic information science. It is possible to create an independent track with the approval of a department advisor.

Environmental Geography—three from GEOG 414, 421, 422, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, 432, 433, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465.

Culture, Politics, and Place—three from GEOG 441, 442, 445, 446, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 471.

Geographic Information Science—three from GEOG 411, 415, 416, 417, 418, 472.

Geography Education—three from GEOG 441 (if major declared by fall 2006), 442, 445, 461, 462, 465, 470, 471, 475 or other upper-division courses with approval of the advisor.

Physical Geography—PHYS 101, 102 or PHYS 201, 202; CH 111 or CH 221; and three from GEOG 421, 422, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, 432, 433.

Seminar (GEOG 407), Experimental Course (GEOG 410), or other upper-division courses with advisor approval may be used to satisfy the elective requirement.

Honors Programs

The Department of Geography offers an honors option for its majors. More information is available in the department office.

The University of Oregon offers a Professional Distinctions Program, enabling students with a 3.00 GPA and at least 60 completed credits to enhance their undergraduate experience with a set of skills and knowledge that complements their majors. Geography majors should consider exploring a distinction (area of interest) in data analysis or geographic information science and technology. For more information, visit
uodistinctions.uoregon.edu/site.

Minor Requirements

To complete the minor in geography, students must take at least six courses (24 credits) in geography, including one regional geography or techniques course, one upper-division physical geography course, and one upper-division human geography course. At least 16 credits must be taken for a letter grade; grades of C– or better or P must be earned in all geography courses applied to the minor.

Double Major

Geography majors may also complete a second major in any field of the student’s choice. Two of the most common are environmental studies or environmental science—an excellent combination with geography because they offer grounding in the physical and human systems within which environmental issues are situated in a larger global context. For details about adding a second major, visit the department’s website.

Internships in Geography

Internships are unpaid off-campus work experiences. Students receive one credit for each three hours of participation as an intern; internships may be extended to a second term with prior departmental approval. Interns apply geographic concepts in the service of government, private industry, or nongovernmental organizations. Internships are initiated by students or may come at the suggestion of a faculty member or the request of an employer. Past interns have worked in the Eugene Planning and Development Department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Lane County Soil Conservation District, and many other organizations and agencies.

Kindergarten through Secondary Teaching Careers

Students who complete a degree with a major in geography are eligible to apply for the College of Education’s fifth-year licensure program in middle-secondary teaching. Students may also apply to the fifth-year licensure program to become an elementary teacher. See also the College of Education section of this catalog.

Graduate work leading to the master of arts (MA), master of science (MS), and doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees is offered.

The department’s graduate programs emphasize human geography, physical geography with an emphasis on environmental change, and Quaternary studies. The master’s program may be a more generalized study of cultural, physical, or environmental geography. The PhD program closely follows the research interests of the geography faculty. Students follow an individualized program that includes courses and seminars in related disciplines.

Although the department requires knowledge of the fundamentals of geography, it welcomes students whose undergraduate work has been in other disciplines and who can apply their training to geographic problems.

Admission

The Department of Geography only accepts applications for admission fall term. Application materials should arrive by February 1 to be considered the following fall term. The department notifies applicants of the admission decision around April 1. Graduate teaching fellowships typically are awarded once a year, in April.

The department’s website has online application materials and information about the application process.

Applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examinations general test. There is no minimum requirement for GRE scores.

International students whose native language is not English must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination from within five years of the application date. The Department of Geography requires a minimum score of 575 (paper-based) or 88 (Internet-based) for the TOEFL. The minimum overall band score on the academic module of the IELTS is 7.0. For more information about the TOEFL and IELTS examination, visit their respective websites.

For more information about the geography department graduate application process, visit geography.uoregon.edu/department/grad/index
.html.

General Requirements

In both the master’s and the doctoral programs, students are expected to develop a broad background in the discipline of geography; in-depth knowledge in an area of emphasis; and the ability to conduct and report independent research, including the use of appropriate geographic techniques. The area of emphasis may combine more than one traditional subfield of geography. The PhD requires development of more in-depth knowledge in the area of emphasis and a substantial independent research project resulting in a dissertation. Areas of emphasis in human geography include political and ethnic geography, cultural geography, and human-environment relations. Areas of emphasis in physical geography include biogeography, climatology, and geomorphology. Environmental studies in the department focus on global environmental change, forest issues, river and watershed issues, and politics, policy, and law. In geographic techniques, cartography, data analysis, visualization, and geographic information systems are emphasized. Geographic education is another area of focus. The department also offers course work and faculty expertise in the American West, Europe (both West and East), Russia and neighboring states, Latin America, and Africa.

To ensure breadth of knowledge in the discipline, doctoral and master’s degree candidates must complete the following courses or their equivalents either during the program or prior to entering: Cartographic Methods (GEOG 311) or Introductory Geographic Information Systems (GEOG 516); Qualitative Methods in Geography (GEOG 515) or Geographic Data Analysis (GEOG 517); two upper-division courses in physical geography from different subfields; and two upper-division courses in human geography from different subfields.

Practicum (GEOG 609), Theory and Practice of Geography (GEOG 620), and Current Trends in Geography (GEOG 621) must be taken during the first year the graduate student is in residence. Each graduate student must take Workshop (GEOG 608) for 1 credit every winter and spring term that the student is in residence.

For students following the master’s degree option in geography and education, some substitutions for these course requirements may be authorized by the departmental coordinator for that option.

Master’s Degree Program

General Geography Program. The general master’s degree in geography emphasizes broad understanding of physical and human geography and basic geographic techniques. Students develop specialized research skills during work on the thesis. Beyond the general requirements for graduate students in geography, two graduate seminars (GEOG 507 or 607) are required of each candidate.

Students must demonstrate skill in a second language, which may be met either by passing a second-year university foreign language course during the seven-year period prior to the receipt of the master’s degree or by demonstrating second-year proficiency on the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) test.

Where appropriate for the thesis or dissertation topic and with the approval of the advisory committee, computer programming skills may be substituted for the second language. These skills typically are demonstrated by completing a minimum of two approved courses and writing a program used in the thesis research.

A committee of two geography faculty members supervises the research and writing of a master’s thesis that shows evidence of original research and writing. The student must enroll in Thesis (GEOG 503) for 9 credits, at least 3 of which must be taken during the term the degree is granted. Every master’s thesis must be presented at a public lecture.

Doctoral Program

The PhD program requires competent understanding of one of the systematic fields of geography and a broad understanding of geographic topics that enables the student to address and synthesize problems that cross the various fields of geography. While this program is designed to suit each individual’s background and interests, prospective candidates should pay attention to the systematic specialization and regional interests of the department’s faculty members before applying for admission.

The candidate may use Research (GEOG 601) and Reading and Conference (GEOG 605) to follow specific interests with individual members of the faculty. The PhD program, planned with faculty committee approval, is measured by achievement of the stated goals rather than by any specific number of credits.

PhD Requirements

In addition to completing Graduate School requirements and a master’s degree in geography or equivalent study that includes courses required for a master’s degree in geography at the University of Oregon, the PhD program requires at least two graduate-only seminars (GEOG 607) and the completion of a second language or technical skill. The second-language or skill requirement may be met in any of the following ways:

1. Proficiency in a second language at the level required for the master’s degree or computer-programming skills

2. Advanced second-language training to the level required to pass a third-year college-level course in composition and conversation

3. Mastery of a technique or method of geographic research by passing at least one methods course in geography and at least three approved advanced-level courses from outside the department

After completing the appropriate course work, graduate seminars, and language or technical skills requirement, advancement to candidacy is achieved by passing comprehensive written examinations in the following areas: a systematic field of geography, a region or a topic that integrates several fields of geography, and geographic thought and methodology. The student, in consultation with a faculty committee, writes four questions in each area for the comprehensive examination. Two or three questions in each area are then selected by the advisory committee, and the student prepares written answers to them during a six-week period.

Within nine months of completing the comprehensive examination, the student must present a dissertation proposal for approval by the student’s dissertation committee. The completed dissertation, the capstone of the doctoral program, presents the results of substantive and original research on a significant geographic problem. It is defended in a public oral presentation.

InfoGraphics Lab

James E. Meacham, Director

163 Condon Hall

541-346-5788 or -5810

geography.uoregon.edu/infographics

The InfoGraphics Lab is a geographic information systems (GIS) research and cartographic production facility located in the Department of Geography. The laboratory works on a variety of supported projects with faculty members, campus offices, and government agencies. Integration of GIS and graphic design tools with cartographic design is its focus. Graduate and undergraduate students may be employed on lab projects.

141 The Natural Environment (4) The earth’s physical landscapes, vegetation patterns, weather, and climate; emphasis on the dynamic interactions among climate, landforms, vegetation, and soils. Gavin, Marcus.

142 Human Geography (4) Ways in which various cultures live and use their environments. Discussion of the changing distributions of major cultural elements. Hardwick.

196 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–2R)

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

201 World Regional Geography (4) Introduction to the world’s cultural regions. Study of the cultural and environmental factors that make different parts of the world distinct.

202 Geography of Europe (4) Physical and cultural processes that have shaped the rural and urban landscapes of Europe. Murphy.

204 Geography of Russia and Neighbors (4) Natural regions, major population groups, and the economic development of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

205 Geography of Pacific Asia (4) Physical, cultural, and economic processes that have shaped the rural and urban landscapes of Pacific Asia. Buck, Su.

206 Geography of Oregon (4) Development of Oregon’s natural and cultural landscapes, its natural and human resources, and its economic development and environmental problems. Hardwick.

208 Geography of the United States and Canada (4) Historical and geographical analysis of the physical and human geography of the U.S. and Canada. Topics include physical regions, settlement patterns, economic development, and urbanization. Hardwick.

209 Geography of the Middle East and North Africa (4) Physical and cultural processes that have shaped the rural and urban landscapes of the Middle East and North Africa. Cohen.

214 Geography of Latin America (4) Physical, cultural, and economic processes that have shaped the rural and urban character of Latin America. Nelson.

311 Maps and Geospatial Concepts (4) Nature of map data and design and their use in cartography; introduction to cartography, geographic data analysis, remote sensing, GIS, and GPS. Special fee. Lobben.

321 Climatology (4) Energy and moisture in the atmosphere, atmospheric circulation, controls of regional and microclimates, applied climatology, climatic variations, past and future climates. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 141. Bartlein.

322 Geomorphology (4) Landforming processes with emphasis on mass movements, rivers, eolian, glacial, and coastal processes. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 141 or GEOL 102 or 202. McDowell.

323 Biogeography (4) Relation of plants and animals to the environment, distribution of individual species, historical changes in plant distribution. Prereq: one from GEOL 103, 203, GEOG 141, BI 370. Gavin.

341 Population and Environment (4) Patterns of population growth over history and place, current policies and programs, and impacts and trends in U.S. and international contexts. Includes method and theory. Prereq: sophomore standing. Cohen.

342 Geography of Globalization (4) Historical and geographical dimensions of globalization; emphasizes economic and social factors. Topics include multinationals, trade agreements, sustainability, global inequalities, and racial and gender divisions of labor. Sophomore standing required. Buck, Nelson.

343 Society, Culture, and Place (4) Examines ways in which geographical context reflects and shapes cultural and social processes. Importance of place and territory in human affairs. Sophomore standing required. Hardwick, Su.

360 Watershed Science and Policy (4) Physical and biological processes of watersheds; problems of land use, water quality, riparian zones, aquatic ecology; scientific basis of watershed management and policy. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 141, or GEOL 102 or 202, or BI 130 or 213. McDowell.

361 Global Environmental Change (4) Natural and human-induced environmental changes and their impact on different environmental systems. Not available to those who have taken GEOG 143. Prereq: GEOG 321 or 322 or 323. Bartlein.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–21R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–21R)

406 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–6R)

407/507 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R)

408/508 Workshop: [Topic] (1–16R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–21R)

410/510 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–4R) Topics are listed in the class schedule each term.

411/511 Advanced Cartography (4) Advanced topics in map design and production. Use of color, cartographic visualization, and computer-aided techniques. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 311, 416. Meacham.

412/512 Review of Geospatial Concepts (2) An online, self-guided introduction to the basic concepts behind modern cartography and geographic information systems. Not available to those who have taken GEOG 311.

415/515 Qualitative Methods in Geography (4) Explores conceptual and practical dimensions of qualitative research. Includes linking theory and method; research question formulation; project design; ethics; data gathering, analysis, and presentation. Prereq: GEOG 311 or 341 or 342 or 343. Nelson.

416/516 Introductory Geographic Information Systems (4) Covers such fundamental topics as data sources, input, manipulation, analysis, output, and product generation. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 311. Lobben.

417/517 Geographic Data Analysis (4) Analysis and display of geographical data by traditional data-analytical methods and by scientific-visualization approaches. Prereq: GEOG 311 or 416. Bartlein.

418/518 Fundamentals of Remote Sensing (4) Introduces fundamentals of the use and interpretation of remote sensing and aerial photography imagery. Special fee. Prereq for 418: GEOG 311; prereq for 518: GEOG 512 or 516. Marcus.

421/521 Advanced Climatology: [Topic] (4R) Topics in climatology, including physical climatology, dynamic and synoptic climatology, and paleoclimatology. Prereq: GEOG 321. R when topic changes. Bartlein.

423/523 Advanced Biogeography: [Topic] (4R) Selected topics in biogeography including relation of plants and animals to their environment, historical changes in plant distribution, and palynological analysis. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 323. R when topic changes. Gavin.

425/525 Hydrology and Water Resources (4) Emphasis on surface water including precipitation, evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and stream flow. Understanding and analysis of processes. Management for water supply and quality. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 321 or 322 and MATH 112. Marcus.

427/527 Fluvial Geomorphology (4) Hydraulics and hydrology of stream channels; channel morphology and processes; drainage network development; fluvial deposits and landforms; field and analytical methods. Required field trips. Special fee. Prereq: MATH 112; one from GEOG 322, 425, GEOL 334. McDowell.

430/530 Long-Term Environmental Change (4) Evolution of the physical landscape during the Quaternary period. Elements of paleoclimatology, paleoecology, and geomorphology. Required field trips. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 321 or 322 or 323. Gavin.

432/532 Climatological Aspects of Global Change (4) Role of the climate system in global change, the Earth’s climatic history, and potential future climatic changes. Prereq: GEOG 321 or 322 or 323. Bartlein.

433/533 Fire and Natural Disturbances (4) Wildfire and other landscape disturbance processes, historical and current patterns of fire, use and management of fire. Prereq: BI 307 or GEOG 323 or BI 370. Gavin. Offered alternate years.

441/541 Political Geography (4) Spatial perspectives on global political patterns and processes. Relationship of political territories to resources, ethnic patterns, and ideological communities. Impact of political arrangements on landscapes. Junior standing required. Cohen, Murphy.

442/542 Urban Geography (4) Urbanization throughout the world, the structure of urban settlements; cities as regional centers, physical places, and homes for people; geographic problems in major urban environments. Special fee. Junior standing required. Cohen, Hardwick.

445/545 Culture, Ethnicity, and Nationalism (4) Relationship of ethnic groups and nationality to landscapes, perception, and cultural geographic phenomena. Distribution of ethnic and national groups. Junior standing required. Murphy.

446/546 Geography of Religion (4) Origin and diffusion of religions; religion, worldview, environmental perception and alteration; religion, territory, the organization of space. Junior standing required.

461/561 Environmental Alteration (4) Human alterations of the earth’s major ecosystems. Consequences of human activity at different times and places with respect to soils, atmosphere, vegetation, landforms, and water. Junior standing required.

462/562 Historical and Contemporary Views of the Environment (4) Ways in which humans have thought about their place in nature. Environmental ideas that emphasize concepts of ecology. Junior standing required. Walker.

463/563 Geography, Law, and the Environment (4) Values underlying American legal approaches to environmental issues; the role of laws in reflecting and shaping human understanding and use of the environment. Special fee. Junior standing required.Murphy.

464/564 Forests and the Human Experience (4) Examines relationships between culture and environment in the development of Western civilization. Draws upon contemporary and historical sources, and uses the campus as a laboratory. Junior standing required. Cohen.

465/565 Environment and Development (4) Critical analysis of development concepts. Economic activity and environmental impacts. Sustainable development. Development projects and landscapes in the industrializing world. Junior standing required. Hindery, Nelson.

466/566 Gender and Environment (4) How gender shapes understandings of and interactions with nature. Gender, science, and nature in Western thought; global environmental justice; population debates; feminist political ecology. Junior standing required.

470/570 Advanced Geography of European-American Regions: [Topic] (4R) Examination of the settlement patterns, regional economies, political organization, and character of the landscapes of selected major regions of the European-American world. Junior standing required. R when region changes.

471/571 North American Historical Landscapes (4) Examines the origin and evolution of cultural landscapes in North America through historical and contemporary sources, and draws upon the local region for student projects. Junior standing required.

472/572 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (4) Use of advanced GIS software for analytical and cartographic purposes. Special fee. Prereq: GEOG 416/516 or equivalent.

475/575 Advanced Geography of Non-European-American Regions: [Topic] (4R) Examination of the settlement patterns, regional economies, political organization, and character of the landscapes of selected major regions of the non-European and American world. Junior standing required. R when region changes. Buck, Su.

503 Thesis (1–16R)

601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

602 Supervised College Teaching (1–5R)

603 Dissertation (1–16R)

605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

606 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–16R)

607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R)

608 Workshop: [Topic] (1–16R)

609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–16R)

610 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

620 Theory and Practice of Geography (4) Overview of the nature of geography, its development as an academic discipline, contemporary issues, and problems in major subfields. Emphasizes metatheory. Major standing standing. Murphy.

621 Current Trends in Geography (3) Current theoretical and substantive research trends in selected subfields of geography. Research proposal preparation. Emphasizes applied theory. Prereq: GEOG 620. Murphy.

631 Progress in Physical Geography (1R) Recent developments in climatology, geomorphology, hydrology, and biogeography. Lectures, readings, and presentation of faculty and student works in progress. R for maximum of 12 credits. Bartlein, Gavin, Marcus, McDowell.

632 Progress in Human Geography (1R) Recent developments in cultural, economic, environmental and political geography. Lectures, readings, and presentation of faculty and student works in progress. R for maximum of 12 credits. Buck, Cohen, Hardwick, Murphy, Nelson, Walker.

633 Progress in Geographic Information Science (1R) Recent developments in cartography, GIS, remote sensing, data analysis, and visualization. Lectures, readings, and presentation of faculty and student works in progress. R for maximum of 12 credits. Lobben.