Geography Program
2018-2019
Description
Geography is the study of cultural systems, the natural environment, and human-environment interactions. Geographers examine spatial distributions and patterns in a wide range of topics, such as urban sprawl, global climate change, the spread of religions, the growth of the global economy, migration trends, and the impact of environmental hazards. Depending on the course, geography is considered either a natural science (e.g., physical geography) or a social science (e.g., world regional geography). Regardless of area of emphasis, geographers understand the importance of scale (from local to global) when investigating real-world problems.
Program Goals
The primary objectives of the Geography program include the following: fulfillment of general education requirements for the natural sciences and social sciences, completion of the Associate of Arts degree, preparation for transfer to four-year institutions, and completion of general education requirements for students enrolled in four-year institutions.
| Award Type | Units |
|---|---|
| Associate of Arts Degree: | |
| Geography | 19-21* |
| Associate in Arts for Transfer Degree: | |
| Geography | 19* |
*and courses to meet graduation requirements, general education and electives as needed to meet the minimum of 60 units required for the degree.
Career Options
Most careers in Geography require education beyond the Associate degree and some require a graduate degree. Common career options in Geography include, but are not limited to, the following: Land use planner, demographer, water quality technician, spatial analyst, park biogeographer, and teacher.
Associate of Arts Degree
Geography
| Courses Required for the Major: | Units | |
| GEOG 101 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 101L | Physical Geography Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOG 102 | Cultural Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 104 | World Regional Geography | 3 |
| Select two courses from the following: | ||
| GEOG 154 | Introduction to Urban Geography | 3 |
| GISG 104 | Geographic Information Science and Spatial Reasoning | 3 |
| MATH 119 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| ANTH 102 | Introduction to Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 103 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| BIOL 101 | Issues in Environmental Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 110 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 |
| CHEM 200 | General Chemistry I - Lecture and | |
| CHEM 200L | General Chemistry I - Laboratory | 5 |
| GEOG 154 | Introduction to Urban Geography | 3 |
| GEOL 100 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| GISG 104 | Geographic Information Science and Spatial Reasoning | 3 |
| MATH 119 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| MATH 121 | Basic Techniques of Applied Calculus I | 3 |
| MATH 150 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
| Total Units = 19-21 | ||
Note: Only one Geography (GEOG) course from the above list may be used to satisfy SDCCD general education requirements.
For graduation requirements see Requirements for the Associate Degree .
Associate in Arts in Geography for Transfer Degree
The Associate in Arts in Geography for Transfer Degree is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in Geography or a related major in the California State University (CSU) system. It is accepted by some but not all CSU campuses. Students who complete this degree and transfer to a participating CSU campus will be required to complete no more than 60 units after transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree. It may not be appropriate preparation for students transferring to a CSU campus that does not accept the degree.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the Geography Program will be able to:
- Critical Thinking: Think critically in reading about topics in Geography, thereby identifying problems, theses, arguments, evidence and conclusions.
- Communication: Write or speak about topics in Geography, thereby addressing problems, formulating theses, making arguments, analyzing and weighing evidence, and deriving conclusions.
- Personal Actions and Civic Responsibility: Demonstrate an ability to understand one’s role in society, take responsibility for one’s own actions, and make ethical decisions in complex situations.
- Global Awareness: Articulate similarities and contrasts among cultures, times, and environments, demonstrating an understanding of cultural pluralism.
- Technological Awareness: Demonstrate an ability to understand applications and implications of technology and to use technology in ways appropriate to the situation. This outcome includes information competency skills.
Students will be assessed through a combination of performance evaluations, written assignments, and written tests and quizzes.
Note: Students who plan to complete this degree should consult a counselor and visit www.assist.org for additional information about participating CSU campuses as well as university admission, degree and transfer requirements.
Award Notes: Students are required to complete a maximum of 60 CSU transferable units with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0.
Major: A minimum of 18 units with grade of C or better.
General Education: In addition to the courses required in the major, students must complete one of the following general education options:
- The California State University General Education Breadth pattern
- The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum pattern
Note: Completion of the California State University American Institutions graduation requirement is strongly recommended prior to transfer.
For graduation requirements see Requirements for the Associate Degree .
Electives as needed to meet minimum of 60 units required for the degree.
| Courses Required for the Major: | Units | |
| GEOG 101 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 101L | Physical Geography Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOG 102 | Cultural Geography | 3 |
| Category A: Select two of the following courses (6 units minimum): | ||
| GEOG 104 | World Regional Geography | 3 |
| GISG 104 | Geographic Information Science and Spatial Reasoning | 3 |
| GISG 111 | Geographic Information Systems and Cartography | 3 |
| Category B: Select two or more courses from the following, not selected in Category A (6 units minimum): | ||
| ANTH 103 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| CHEM 200 | General Chemistry I - Lecture | 3 |
| and | ||
| CHEM 200L | General Chemistry I - Laboratory | 2 |
| GEOL 100 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| GEOG 154 | Introduction to Urban Geography | 3 |
| MATH 119 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Total Units = 19 | ||
Transfer Information
Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university should complete courses required for the university major and the general education pattern required by that transfer institution. See catalog TRANSFER INFORMATION section. Additional courses may be required to meet university lower-division requirements.
Course requirements at the transfer institution are subject to change and may be verified by a counselor or by consulting the current university catalog. Many Baccalaureate in Arts degrees require third semester competency in a foreign language. Consult the current catalog of the transfer institution and consult with a counselor.