Geography

The Department of Geography at the University of Idaho has built a 30-year tradition of excellence in the study of environmental issues, natural resources, populations, and political and economic systems. The Department of Geography at the University of Idaho emphasizes the study of human-environment interactions in a constantly changing landscape. The department emphasizes the integration of human and physical geography and encourages the use of geospatial technologies including GIS, cartography, remote sensing and computational analysis.

The department has strengths in physical geography (including biogeography, hydrology, climatology and meteorology) that seek to understand mechanisms and spatial processes of the global environmental system. Likewise, the department has strengths in human and political geography that seek to understand patterns and process within social systems. Finally, where the physical and society systems meet, we ultimately seek to understand the impacts pertaining to both human and physical systems in a changing planet.


As a student in our department, you'll gain a strong regional planning and development background and a thorough understanding of critical issues tied to climate change on both a local and global scale. You'll graduate prepared for career opportunities in governmental agencies, land development companies, utilities, public works departments, environmental consulting firms and more.

We offer a Bachelor of Science in Geography with an emphasis in these areas:

• Physical Science and Environment: This option emphasizes the study of processes that impact the physical environment of the earth, as well as the interactions between the physical and human environment.  Subtopics include biogeography, climatology, hydrology and meteorology
• Global and Regional Studies: This option is designed to prepare students for employment opportunities in business and industry and also in the field of planning at the regional or community scale.
• Geographic Information Systems: This option focuses on teaching theoretical fundamentals, techniques and practical applications of modern geoprocessing using spatial analysis and information systems technology.

Through field trips, labs and hands-on projects you’ll develop the ability to apply a geographic perspective to better understand local and global events. You’ll also develop technical and critical thinking skills that will enable you to interpret, analyze and solve geographical issues by applying statistics, geographic modeling and sophisticated geographic-spatial technologies.

Group projects, internships and research assistantships provide opportunities to apply your knowledge in and outside of the classroom.

Prepare for Success

If you are interested in a degree in geography, you should have a genuine curiosity about the world. You should have a desire to serve communities and to work toward solving business, governmental and social challenges from a geographic perspective, rooted in the study of place, space and time.

To prepare, you should build a strong mathematical and science background. You should also enhance your communication skills with English and writing classes.

Your First Year

In addition to core university requirements, you will complete geography classes and related labs. You may take:

• Physical Geography (Geog 100): Learn about the natural environment: nature, distribution, and relationships of climate, land forms, oceans, vegetation, hydrography and soils.
• Human Geography (Geog 165): Explore geographical dimension in human behavior and how this is evident in population distribution, rural, and urban land use, and social, economic and political attributes of societies.
• World Regional Geography (Geog 200): Study countries, regions and peoples of the world; interrelationships between humans and their physical and cultural environments.
• Global Climate Change (Geog 202): Scientific basis of the climate system and global climate changes; process-based understanding of past, present and future climate change; natural and anthropogenic influences; interactions between climate, society and ecosystems; scientific review and politicization; climate change solutions and opportunities.
• Economic Geography (Geog 240): Learn about reciprocal relations between people and the earth environment within an economic framework; resource distribution; developmental alternatives; movement, processing and industrialization; and local to global perspective, theories and case studies.

What You Can Do

With a degree in geography, your potential career titles include:

• Geographic information systems (GIS) analyst
• Urban planner
• Remote sensing analyst
• Community planner
• Transportation planner
• Site selection analyst
• Land and water manager
• Hazard mitigation analyst
• Climate adaptation specialist
• Professor
• Teacher
• Survey or mapping technician
• Cartographer

Opportunities

There's a growing need for geography majors to fill policy, planning, research and governmental roles. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor recently identified geospatial technology as one of the three most important and evolving fields, along with nanotechnology and biotechnology.

Governmental agencies, consulting firms and other transportation and environmental businesses are looking for individuals with experience in information technology, including geographic information systems (GIS). New opportunities are growing in the areas of urban planning, emergency preparedness, and natural resource exploration and mapping. Nearly 100 percent of our graduates are employed in the field. Average starting salary is $50,000.

Current Research

Research is an important element in your geography education. Many of your courses will include a lab, and you’ll also have opportunities to contribute to faculty research projects. Our faculty members are currently exploring the following topics:

• Polar meteorology and remote sensing in arctic environments
• Regional climate change in the Western United States
• Forest disturbances and environmental change
• Human adaptation to climate change in high latitudes
• Hazards and hazard mitigation
• Transportation planning
• Natural resource applications of GIS in quantifying carbon fluxes
• Alpine glaciology
• Wildfire
• Water resources in a changing climate
• Invasive species
• Quantitative political geography
• Environmental and resources issues in the American West

Activities

The UI Geography Club/Bigfoot Research Society gives you the opportunity to meet students who share your interests. You’ll also network and learn about job opportunities and discoveries in the world of geography. 

You may also partake in the wide variety of lectures, seminars and workshops on campus and at neighboring universities.

Hands-On Experience

Regardless of your emphasis, you’ll work alongside faculty members in our vibrant research environment. You’ll also get hands-on experience in course work and with technology applications through internships with local agencies and businesses.

Online & Outreach

Our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certificate Program is an excellent supplement to your education. You'll gain an understanding of the techniques and application of today’s more sophisticated GIS technologies.

We recently developed a Climate Change Minor that provides the fundamental science, adaptation and solutions.