Geography (BA / BS)
Department of Geography and Planning
BS Concentrations
General
Geographic Information Systems
Students often ask "What can I do with geography?" While it is easy to get excited about maps, different cultures and environments, and even being a better citizen through geography, it is harder to see how geographic knowledge can lead to good jobs or meaningful careers. However, in recent years people have discovered that large numbers of societal problems have geographic dimensions and that education in geography provides essential skills for real-world problem solving. The range of jobs with a geographic aspect to them can be found in any newspaper, with articles about world hunger, environmental quality, hazardous-waste disposal, crime, urban housing, agricultural productivity, water management, transportation, and the value of land and real estate. As a result, geography has become a necessary ingredient in hundreds of different jobs.
The following list contains a representative sample of job titles of former graduates with a Geography major. Use this as an idea list, and remember that it represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you might consider. Some of these jobs also require education beyond a bachelors' degree.
| Aerial Photo Interpreter Agricultural Extension Agent Air/Water Quality Control Manager Cartographer Cartography Compiler Climatologist Coastal Zone Manager College/University Professor Community Developer Computer Mapper Computer Programmer Demographer Earth Scientist Ecologist Editor Environmental Impact Analyst Environmental Quality Specialist Facilities Planner Forestry Technician Geographer Geographic Area Specialist Geographic Attaché' Geographic Information Systems Geophysics Assistant Hazardous Waste Planner Health Services Organization Manager Health Services Planner Hydrologist Industrial Developer Industrial Planner Intelligence Agent | International Business Rep International Investment Analyst Land Developer Land Economist Land-Use Analyst Location Expert Map Analyst Teacher Map Curator/Librarian Map Editor Market Research Analyst Natural Resources Specialist Outdoor Guide Park Ranger Peace Corp Volunteer Property Manager Public Utilities Specialist Real Estate Agent/Broker/Appraiser Remote Sensing Analyst Site Researcher Soil Conservationist Surveyor Systems Analyst Traffic Manager Transportation Analyst Transportation Manager Travel Agent/Specialist Urban/Regional Planner Weather Forecaster Wildlife Manager Writer/Author Zoning Investigator |
Related Skills
| Communicate across cultures Computer modeling Conduct field studies Develop project designs Evaluation Examine data Gather & organize data Identify value systems Interviewing skills Maintain records Observe human interactions | Plan long-term projects Present/defend position Read/construct maps/graphs Recognize similarities Summarize results Surveying & sampling Understand group dynamics Understand societies Utilize statistical applications Write clearly |
Professional Organizations
Appalachian Geographical Society
Association of American Geographers
The Geography Network
Geospational Information and Technology Association
MAPPS: Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (MAPPS)
National Weather Service
The Student Conservation Association
USGS: US Geological Survey
