A student desiring to graduate with Distinction in Geography must meet the University requirements listed in the section of the General Catalog on “Graduation Requirements” and be recommended by the geography faculty.

This program provides students with an overview of the diverse fields of geography and exposes them to its breadth of methods. It is primarily designed for students transferring from a California Community College with an Associate Degree in Geography (AA-T) under the Transfer Model Curricula (TMC), which allows them to graduate with no more than 60 additional units. It is open to all students.

(SIMS Code: 112912)

A minimum of 32 upper division units in geography to include: 

Student Assessment: 
Two units; See Graduation Requirements above

Core Courses: Eighteen units, with at least three units from each of the following groups:

(a) Regional Geography: Geography 320, 321, 324, 336, 426;

(b) Human Geography: Geography 312, 340, 348, 353, 354, 440 [or Political Science 440], 454, 554, 573;

(c) Environmental Geography: Geography 340, 348, 370, 426, 454, 570, 572-575;

(d) Physical Geography: Geography 303, 375, 401, 409, 503, 506, 507, 509, 511, 512, 574, 576;

(e) Geographic Methods: Geography 380, 381, 383, 385, 484, 580, 581-594 [or Big Data Analytics 594]

Emphasis Courses: Twelve units of core courses (if not already taken). Internship, senior thesis, special study, special topics, or study abroad may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate and preapproved by the undergraduate advisor.

This emphasis is concerned with human-environmental interactions, including the impacts of human activity on the earth and the consequences of environmental change on social life. Students will learn concepts and tools that help them understand and address contemporary environmental issues such as loss of biodiversity, pollution and natural resource degradation, water shortages, food and energy crises, resource conflicts, climate change, devegetation and many other compelling challenges facing society today and in the future. Through their coursework, they will investigate the cultural practices, social structures, and political-economic forces that shape the relationships between society and nature.

(SIMS Code: 112914)

A minimum of 41 upper division units in geography to include: 

Student Assessment: 
Two units; See Graduation Requirements above

Core Courses: 
Eighteen units, with at least three units from each of the following groups:

(a) Regional Geography: Geography 320, 321, 324, 336, 426;

(b) Human Geography: Geography 312, 340, 348, 353, 354, 440 [or Political Science 440], 454, 554, 573;

(c) Environmental Geography: Geography 340, 348, 370, 426, 454, 570, 572-575;

(d) Physical Geography: Geography 303, 375, 401, 409, 503, 506, 507, 509, 511, 512, 574, 576;

(e) Geographic Methods: Geography 380, 381, 383, 385, 484, 580, 581-594 [or Big Data Analytics 594]

Emphasis Courses:
Twenty-one units of core courses (if not already taken). Internship, senior thesis, special study, special topics, or study abroad may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate and preapproved by the undergraduate advisor.

This emphasis focuses on the various methods used by geographers to represent and analyze geographic information about the natural and social world. These methods include cartography, geographic information systems, remote sensing, spatial statistics and qualitative analysis. Students in this emphasis will learn how to apply skills and use contemporary technologies to solve problems and conduct research. Students interested in the development of new geographic methods may consider the Bachelor of Science degree in geographic information science and technology, which requires additional courses in computer science.

(SIMS Code: 112953)

A minimum of 41 upper division units in geography to include: 

Student Assessment: 
Two units; See Graduation Requirements above

Core Courses: 
Eighteen units, with at least three units from each of the following groups:

(a) Regional Geography: Geography 320, 321, 324, 336, 426;

(b) Human Geography: Geography 312, 340, 348, 353, 354, 440 [or Political Science 440], 454, 554, 573;

(c) Environmental Geography: Geography 340, 348, 370, 426, 454, 570, 572-575;

(d) Physical Geography: Geography 303, 375, 401, 409, 503, 506, 507, 509, 511, 512, 574, 576;

(e) Geographic Methods: Geography 380, 381, 383, 385, 484, 580, 581-594 [or Big Data Analytics 594]

Emphasis Courses:
Twenty-one units of core courses (if not already taken). Internship, senior thesis, special study, special topics, or study abroad may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate and preapproved by the undergraduate advisor.

This emphasis deals with the spatial aspects of human existence: how people and their activities are distributed in space, how they use and perceive space, and how they create and sustain the places that make up the earth’s surface. It focuses on the connections between global and local scales and teaches students how to think geographically about global issues such as poverty, migration, environment and development, and changing technology. Human geography includes urban geography, political geography, demography, economic geography, political ecology, social and cultural geography, feminist geography and many other emerging fields, such as children’s geographies. It encompasses a variety of theoretical approaches and methods.

(SIMS Code: 112917)

International Experience:
Students in this emphasis are strongly encouraged to pursue an international experience to increase student awareness of cross-cultural and global issues, which are critical to their development as professional geographers and citizens in a complex and rapidly changing world. A variety of options, including short term and semester formats are available to meet the needs of different students, including those with family and work responsibilities. These options should be discussed with and preapproved by the undergraduate advisor.

A minimum of 44 upper division units in geography to include: 

Student Assessment: 
Two units; See Graduation Requirements above

Core Courses: 
Eighteen units, with at least three units from each of the following groups:

(a) Regional Geography: Geography 320, 321, 324, 336, 426;

(b) Human Geography: Geography 312, 340, 348, 353, 354, 440 [or Political Science 440], 454, 554, 573;

(c) Environmental Geography: Geography 340, 348, 370, 426, 454, 570, 572-575;

(d) Physical Geography: Geography 303, 375, 401, 409, 503, 506, 507, 509, 511, 512, 574, 576;

(e) Geographic Methods: Geography 380, 381, 383, 385, 484, 580, 581-594 [or Big Data Analytics 594]

Emphasis Courses:
Twenty-four units of core courses (if not already taken). Internship, senior thesis, special study, special topics, or study abroad may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate and preapproved by the undergraduate advisor.

This emphasis addresses the theory and practice of information science from a distinctly geographic perspective, with a focus on principles, methods, and technology. Students become familiar with how to generate, manage and evaluate information about processes, relationships, and patterns in various application domains. This program is for students interested in analytical approaches to mapping, visualization, and problem solving using contemporary methods of GIScience, remote sensing, computer science, and statistics.

(SIMS Code: 112992)

A minimum of 41 upper division units in geography to include: 

Student Assessment: 
Two units; See Graduation Requirements above

Core Courses: 
Eighteen units, with at least three units from each of the following groups:

(a) Regional Geography: Geography 320, 321, 324, 336, 426;

(b) Human Geography: Geography 312, 340, 348, 353, 354, 440 [or Political Science 440], 454, 554, 573;

(c) Environmental Geography: Geography 340, 348, 370, 426, 454, 570, 572-575;

(d) Physical Geography: Geography 303, 375, 401, 409, 503, 506, 507, 509, 511, 512, 574, 576;

(e) Geographic Methods: Geography 380, 381, 383, 385, 484, 580, 581-594 [or Big Data Analytics 594]

Emphasis Courses:
Twenty-one units from core courses listed above in group (e) Geographic Methods, if not already taken. Internship, senior thesis, special study, special topics, or study abroad may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate and preapproved by the undergraduate advisor.

This emphasis focuses on scientific explanations of the earth’s physical features and processes and the human impacts on them. Students engage in classroom, laboratory and field activities in geomorphology, hydrology, watershed analysis, biogeography, climatology, and landscape ecology. Students in this emphasis will incorporate fundamental training in the physical and biological sciences with methodological techniques in spatial analysis, including the use of satellite imagery and geographic information systems, to study processes and resulting features of earth’s physical environment.

(SIMS Code: 11298)

A minimum of 41 upper division units in geography to include: 

Student Assessment: 
Two units; See Graduation Requirements above

Core Courses: 
Eighteen units, with at least three units from each of the following groups:

(a) Regional Geography: Geography 320, 321, 324, 336, 426;

(b) Human Geography: Geography 312, 340, 348, 353, 354, 440 [or Political Science 440], 454, 554, 573;

(c) Environmental Geography: Geography 340, 348, 370, 426, 454, 570, 572-575;

(d) Physical Geography: Geography 303, 375, 401, 409, 503, 506, 507, 509, 511, 512, 574, 576;

(e) Geographic Methods: Geography 380, 381, 383, 385, 484, 580, 581-594 [or Big Data Analytics 594]

Emphasis Courses:
Twenty-one units of core courses listed above in group (d) Physical Geography, if not already taken. Internship, senior thesis, special study, special topics, or study abroad, as well as up to three units from specific courses in biology, civil engineering, and geological sciences may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate and preapproved by the undergraduate advisor.

The application filing period for admission into San Diego State University is October 1 – December 15.

All applicants must submit admissions materials to Cal State Apply.

If you are accepted for admission to SDSU for fall, you will be notified in early March.

The Department of Geography has an active internship program, which can be selected as one of the electives completed for this degree (Geography 595). With an internship, students gain valuable career experience as well as build networking circles. Internships can be found by the department, or by the student, and the position must be relevant to the student’s program of study. Geography 595 is normally taken in the junior or senior year. It requires a minimum of 120 hours over a regular fifteen week semester (i.e. 8 hours a week). Internships can be taken during the summer with approval from the Internship Coordinator.

1. Adopt a global and interdisciplinary perspective that spans the social and physical sciences
2. Understand the interrelationships and interdependencies between people and the environment, with the goal of creating sustainable futures
3. Learn how to apply geographical and spatial analysis techniques to solve problems and address contemporary issues
4. Use critical thinking to explore, analyze and interpret the world

1. Spatial Organization: Use maps and other geographic representations to organize information about people, places, and environments (BA, BS)
2. Global Patterns: Describe physical, environmental and/or socio-economic processes that shape patterns of the earth’s surface (BA, BS)
3. Scalar Analysis: Analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments at a variety of scales (BA, BS)
4. Population and Mobility: Examine the characteristics, distribution, and mobility patterns of human populations on the earth’s surface (BA, BS)
5. Environmental Impact: Explain how human activities have altered the natural world, particularly in terms of resource use and ecosystem health (BA, BS)
6. Sustainability: Interpret the complex relationships between nature and culture/society, especially as these relate to social and environmental sustainability (BA, BS)

Additional Bachelor of Arts (BA) Specific DLOs:

7. Methods: Demonstrate knowledge of quantitative and qualitative geographic methods (BA)
8. Critical Perspectives: Demonstrate knowledge of critical social and spatial theories (BA)

Additional Bachelor of Science (BS) specific goals:

9. Methods: Demonstrate knowledge of methods and techniques in Geographic Information Science (GIS) (BS)
10. Physical Science: Demonstrate understanding of physical sciences and mathematical principles as they play a role in shaping the earth’s physical environment and human spatial behavior (BS)

The curriculum map explains how the various courses in our program address learning goals for the major and at what level you might expect those learning goals to be addressed in a given course. The curriculum map is not the same as the degree map, by which you track your progress to degree in consultation with your advisor.