Geography, B.S.
The B.S. in Geography is for students interested in natural science—concepts and issues related to the environment, earth processes, atmospheric processes, and climate—or in GIScience. Students will have a chance to benefit from our expertise in ecology, weather analysis, meteorology, climatology, hurricanes and other types of severe weather, plus GIS spatial analysis and technologies.
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Geography has a core of 24 credit hours ending with a capstone course sequence. The B.S. in Geography requires a minimum total of 45 credit hours of Geography coursework. Beyond the Geography Core Requirements, students choose a minimum of 15 credits from Physical Geography or GIScience. Remaining electives to reach 45 total credits in GEO may be chosen from any GEO courses. To compensate for the increased number of hours for the B.S. in Geography (including the Meteorology, Weather Broadcasting, and Geospatial Information Science areas of emphasis), students are exempted from the College of Liberal Arts foreign language requirement.
Also, the B.S. in Geography is available as an online degree program.
Optional:
- Area of Emphasis in Weather Broadcasting
- Area of Emphasis in Meteorology
- Area of Emphasis in Geospatial Information Science
The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.
Course Requirements
The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Core 1: Critcal Thinking | ||
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| GEO 100 | Intro to Human Geography (CT) | 3 |
| STA 150 | Foundations of Statistics | 3 |
| STA 150L | Foundations of Statistics Lab | 1 |
| Core 2 | ||
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| Core II Natural/Physical Science | 4 | |
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
| GEO 100 | Intro to Human Geography (CT) (Core II Social Science) | 3 |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Additional University Requirements | ||
| Writing Intensive (300/400) | 3 | |
| GEO 100 | Intro to Human Geography (CT) (Multicultural or International) | 3 |
| Capstone | 4 | |
| College-Specific | ||
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| COLA Social Science | 3 | |
| COLA Social Science | 3 | |
| COLA Social Science | 3 | |
| GEO 101 | Physical Geography (CT) (COLA Natural/Physical Science) | 4 |
| Major-Specific | ||
| GEO 100 | Intro to Human Geography (CT) | 3 |
| GEO 101 | Physical Geography (CT) | 4 |
| Any Regional Geography course | 3 | |
| GEO 300 | Methods in Geography | 3 |
| GEO 423 | Cartography & GIS | 3 |
| GEO 426 | Principles of GIS | 4 |
| GEO 499 | Senior Capstone II (WI) | 3 |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| GEO Elective | 3 | |
| GEO Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
Major Information
- The total number of free electives will depend on the amount of double and triple counting of requirements.
- See course attributes each semester for courses that meet multiple requirements.
- Questions about requirements should be directed to the College of Liberal Arts (304-696-2350). Core II and COLA requirements may not be double counted.
- Forty-eight credit hours (sixteen 3-hour courses) must be at the 300/400 level.
- Students must earn a C or better in ENG 201 Advanced Composition and all foreign language courses.
- Minimum of 120 hours to graduate.
- The B.S. in Geography requires a minimum total of 45 credit hours of Geography coursework. Beyond the Geography Core Requirements, students choose a minimum of 15 credits from Physical Geography or GIScience. Remaining electives may be chosen from any GEO courses. To compensate for the increased number of hours for the B.S. in Geography (including the Meteorology and Weather Broadcasting areas of emphasis), students are exempted from the College of Liberal Arts foreign language requirement.
Semester Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| GEO 100 | Intro to Human Geography (CT) (MC/I) | 3 |
| STA 225 | Introductory Statistics (CT) | 3 |
| UNI 100 | Freshman First Class | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| GEO 101 | Physical Geography (CT) (Core II Nat/Phys. Science) | 4 |
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
| Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| Regional Geography | 3 | |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| COLA Social Science | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| COLA Physical/Natural Science | 4 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| GEO 300 | Methods in Geography | 3 |
| COLA Social Science | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| COLA Social Science | 3 | |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| GEO 423 | Cartography & GIS | 3 |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| GEO 426 | Principles of GIS | 4 |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| 300/400 Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| GEO 498 | Senior Capstone | 2 |
| Physical Geo. or GIScience Elective | 3 | |
| GEO Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| GEO 499 | Senior Capstone II (WI) | 2 |
| GEO Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 1 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |