BS Physical Geography

Texas State's Department of Geography and Environmental Studies is one of the largest undergraduate programs of it's kind in the United States. The undergraduate geography program offers a variety of majors of study. Students may select a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. The programs provide students with courses designed to increase their understanding of the world they live in and help students develop analytical skills necessary to interpret and solve real-world problems. The B.A. requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of Geography coursework while the B.S. requires a minimum of 36 hours of Geography coursework. Geography majors may include a maximum of two additional Geography courses towards their major. Geography majors are required to complete a minor and are encouraged to select a minor in consultation with an academic advisor.

Additionally, the Department of Geography and Enironmental Studies's internship program is one of the largest of its kind, placing students in both government agencies and private enterprises to provide students real-world experience to complement their academic program. The Department also offers highly acclaimed field experiences to places such as Big Bend National Park, the Southwestern United States, Europe and Latin America, where students gain invaluable firsthand geographical knowledge while gaining academic credit.

The Geography major under the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees provides flexibility in designing unique programs for students with highly specialized career or graduate study objectives. Students electing to follow this major are strongly encouraged to work with a faculty member with experience in their special area of interest.

The general philosophy of the program stresses the importance of a content-rich background in geography along with principles and techniques of Geographic Information Science: GIS; remote sensing; visualization; cartography; spatial modeling; and quantitative methods. The Bachelor of Science major in Geographic Information Science was developed and structured for positions in local, state, and federal agencies, commercial companies, planning departments, engineering firms, utility companies, and many others. To prepare for GIScience careers, many students perform internships with government agencies or private firms as part of their academic program.

The Bachelor of Science major in Geography Resource and Environmental Studies prepares students for a wide variety of government and private sector occupations relating to resource conservation and/or environmental management. Graduates pursue careers with employers such as the Texas General Land Office, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the National Geographic Society, the Lower Colorado River Authority, the San Antonio Water System, Motorola, Valero Energy and various private – sector environmental consulting firms.

Planning is a diverse profession, which draws upon fields of knowledge and technical skills closely related to geography. The Bachelor of Science major in Urban and Regional Planning provides the means to evaluate and facilitate programs that benefit our neighborhoods, communities, cities, and regions. Population growth, economic development, transportation, education, public services, and the environment are a few of the essential factors evaluated by planners. Many of our graduates are employed as planners in Texas, as well as within other states and countries.

The Bachelor of Science major in Geography Water Resources provides a focused study of the physical, chemical, social, political, and economic factors of water resources from the geographic perspective. As water resources become ever more critical to the nation, and in particular Texas and the Southwest Borderlands, this degree program addresses the increasing need for professionals in this crucial field. Graduates are highly sought after by government agencies, from local, state to federal, industries that have large water demands, agricultural interests and private consulting firms that specialize in water resource issues. The Lower Colorado River Authority, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, the Edwards Aquifer Authority, and the San Antonio Water System all employ graduates of the program.

The Bachelor of Science major in Physical Geography emphasizes the physical science elements of geographical study. This major prepares students for employment in applied climatology and meteorology, oceanography, geomorphology, resource evaluation, environmental analysis, and areas where an understanding of the complex relationship between nature and society is required. Students considering graduate studies in Physical Geography or any of the earth and atmospheric sciences should select this degree option.